Frustrated at the slow pace of the changeover to digital television, a wide range of companies and public interest groups have organized as the Digital Transition Coalition (<A HREF="http://www.digitaltransitioncoalition.org">DTC</A>) to promote the format and to hasten the "return of critical spectrum back to the American taxpayer for use in new technologies," according to an announcement made April 20.
<I>Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Andy Serkis, Bernard Hill, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Sean Bean. Directed by Peter Jackson. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). 4 discs. Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround, DTS ES 6.1 Surround, Stereo Surround (English). 223 minutes. 2002. New Line Home Entertainment N6504. PG-13. $39.99.</I>
Digital video recorders (DVRs) have become the central icon of a new religion I call TiVoism. Although TiVo is not the only brand of DVR on the market today, it's by far the most recognized, and has already entered the popular lexicon as both noun ("I just got TiVo!") and verb ("Don't worry; I'll TiVo Law & Order while we're out."). Those who become TiVoists (also known as TiVotées) are highly devout and tend to proselytize at every opportunity, with good reason: If you watch TV at all, a DVR can dramatically change your life, as it did mine.
While everyone's talking about flat-panel LCD and plasma televisions, a less-ballyhooed trend is making hay with savvy technophiles, bargain hunters, and do-it-yourself handymen. This quiet revolution is called affordable front-projection home theater.
Picking the right home theater system can be a lot like picking the right horse at the track - especially if you're looking for a complete system in a single package. Manufacturers are flooding the market today with low-end home-theater-in-a-box (HTiB) systems that cheap out on the thrills and chills.
It's safe to say home theater fans have never gotten more for their money than what Onkyo offers with the upgraded TX-SR502. Priced at only $300, the TX-SR502 features 6.1-channel surround performance, respectable 75 watts per channel output power, surround processing that includes Dolby ProLogic IIx and DTS-96/24, and a choice of two finishes - black or silver.
Netflix ups rates: DVD rental firm Netflix Inc. will boost its monthly fees by 10.2%, effective mid-June. The news caused a 16.9% drop in the value of Netflix stock, which closed Friday April 16 at $30.75/share. The Los Gatos, CA–based operation reported a loss for the first fiscal quarter ended March 31 due to expensive TV advertising.
Certain to be a hot topic at this week's convention of the <A HREF="http://www.nab.org">National Association of Broadcasters</A> (NAB) is a plan by federal regulators to shut off analog television transmission by 2009. The plan would return the analog spectrum to the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) for auction to wireless companies.
Fred Manteghian gets his paws on the <A HREF="/speakersystems/204dynaudio">Dynaudio Contour S5.4, SC, S1.4 suround speaker system</A> and carefully places each of them within his room. FM notes "At first I thought the Contours were at somewhat of a price disadvantage being manufactured across the Atlantic." But then he listened.