LATEST ADDITIONS

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Oct 20, 2003
Photos by Tony Cordoza Not so long ago, the VCR reigned supreme. Much like the proverbial chicken in every pot, there was a VCR in every house. If you wanted to time-shift the soap opera that your job inconveniently caused you to miss, you programmed your VCR. If you wanted to watch a movie, you turned to your trusty VCR.
Al Griffin  |  Oct 20, 2003
Most new A/V trends are slow out of the gate. It seemed like forever before high-definition TV got off the ground, and audio formats like DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD are still struggling for recognition. By contrast, radical advances in computer technology seem to take the world by storm at least once a year. First there was the Web, which bleary-eyed users accessed via sluggish dial-up modems.
HT Staff  |  Oct 20, 2003
HDTV fans suddenly have more to choose from. On October 16, New York-based Cablevision Systems made good on its promise to deliver high-definition programming from the sky, with the launch of its Rainbow DBS (direct broadcast satellite) service.
Barry Willis  |  Oct 20, 2003

Movie studios, producers, writers, actors, and distributors are seeking a work- around of an edict issued only a couple of weeks ago by the <A HREF="http://www.mpaa.org">Motion Picture Association of America</A> (MPAA) that would ban free screening copies of Academy Award-nominated movies.

 |  Oct 20, 2003

Thomas J. Norton encircles himself with the <A HREF="/speakersystems/903BW">B&W DM 602 Series 3 surround speaker system</A>, noting that "the model designation 'DM' might not sound like anything special, but it has a long history with B&W." And, as TJN discovers, what counts is how that tradition is put to use.

 |  Oct 20, 2003

HDTV is a hot technology, as any home theater fan will attest. That enthusiasm is shared by as many as nine million households, likely to purchase high-definition television (HDTV) products over the next 18 months, according to a recent <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA) survey, titled <I>HDTV Consumer Awareness Update</I>. An additional 30 million consumers may buy into HDTV within the next three years, the trade group asserts.

Thomas J. Norton  |  Oct 20, 2003

<I>Voices of Rowan Atkinson, Matthew Broderick, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Guillaume, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella. Directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers. Aspect ratio: 1.66:1 (anamorphic). Two discs. Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French), 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix (English), THX. 88 minutes. 1994. Walt Disney Vista Home Entertainment 62971. G. $29.99.</I>

HT Staff  |  Oct 20, 2003
DVD: Hollywood Homicide—Columbia TriStar
Video: 4
Audio: 4
Extras: 2
Hollywood Homicide is the kind of film that probably looked much better in concept than it did on the scripted page—and far better than it does on screen. Two Hollywood detectives—one a real estate broker on the side, the other an aspiring actor—try to wedge in a murder investigation between their second lives. All of the buddy picture elements are here, notably the grizzled veteran (Harrison Ford) teamed with a green, slightly bumbling rookie (Josh Hartnett), but the screenplay by director Ron Shelton bumbles its own way through the story, creating zero believable chemistry between the two. Ford has never looked older or more dour as the long-timer who's more anxious to unload a turkey of a property than solve the case.
HT Staff  |  Oct 20, 2003
ELAN
ELAN's new VIA!2 wireless touchpanel is perfect for controlling wholehouse audio, home theater, security, temperature, lighting, drapes, and just about any other wireless solution you could ask for. (Now, if only it could load and unload the dishwasher...) It uses an 802.11b wireless transmission method and comes with both the VIA!2 server and docking station. The 7.8-inch LCD touchscreen and large, easy-to-read buttons and user screens make the VIA!2 both intuitive and user-friendly. Using ELAN's VIA!TOOLS Windows-based software, you can complete the setup process in hours using simple point-and-click methods. ELAN says that the VIA!2 will last for 670 hours in hibernate mode, 24 hours in standby mode, or 6 hours in operation mode. The $3,500 price tag also gets you the Server Station, which can turn the unit's commands into IR or RS-232 commands for controlling other home devices. Look for this handy device in the first quarter of 2004.
ELAN Home Systems
(859) 269-7760
www.elanhomesystems.com

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