KENWOOD/BOSTON UNITYDimensions (WxHxD) main unit, 18 x 33/4 x 161/8 inches; subwoofer, 14 x 13 7/8 x 13 3/4 inches System weight 45 1/2 pounds Price $1,000
Ever since that Philips commercial where a European-looking couple try hanging their thin TV in every room of a minimalist apartment, finally settling for a spot on the ceiling above the bed, plasma sets have been creating a stir. From airports to movie theaters to corporate boardrooms, these slimmed-down big-screen TVs draw stares from almost everybody.
If you became seriously interested in high-end 2-channel sound in the 1990s, then Balanced Audio Technology is a name already familiar to you. The first review of BAT products I ever read was Robert Deutsch's, of the VK-5 tube preamplifier and VK-60 tube power amp, in the December 1995 issue of our sister publication, <I>Stereophile</I>. At that time, the buzz was about BAT's "balanced" designs, unique zero-feedback circuitry, and, of course, their products' exemplary sound.
Although front projectors usually get the nod from home theater elitists, rear projection sets are one of the most popular display solutions. Integrating the light source and the screen in a single unit seems to make the most sense for most home theater fans.
Although broadcasters still have until 2006 to implement DTV, the <A HREF="http://www.CE.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA) is reporting that manufacturer-to-dealer sales of digital television (DTV) products continued to beat past year performance. For the latest figures, DTV products are defined to include integrated sets and monitors displaying active vertical scanning lines of at least 480p and, in the case of integrated sets, receiving and decoding ATSC terrestrial digital transmissions.
<A HREF="http://www.comcast.com">Comcast Cable Communications</A> announced last week that it will make high definition TV (HDTV) programming available to subscribers in its major markets by the end of 2002, beginning in the Washington Metro/Virginia region this summer.
