LATEST ADDITIONS

Yves Faroudja, founder and Chief Technical Officer of <A HREF="http://www.faroudja.com/">Faroudja Laboratories</A>, has been awarded the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award by the <A HREF="http://www.emmys.org/rindex.html">National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences</A>.

Wit overcomes beauty in a recent, informal DVD survey: When asked which San Francisco-based actress or actor they'd like to have over for dinner and a DVD movie, the majority of local respondents picked Robin Williams (55%) over Sharon Stone (23%).

In its continuing crusade to standardize soundtrack-playback levels, <A HREF="http://www.dolby.com">Dolby Laboratories</A> has introduced a new soundtrack-loudness meter, the Model 737. The device was unveiled two weeks ago at <A HREF="http://www.variety.com"><I>Variety</I></A>'s Dolby Tech Symposium at the Cannes Film Festival. According to a May 20 Dolby press release, the 737 "enables sound mixers to easily monitor the subjective loudness of trailers and other soundtracks as they are being prepared."

Computer-game developers have been moving toward the home-theater market for the last couple of years. And with DVD players now catching on with computer buyers and home-theater buffs, the format is ripe for a crossover hit. What is needed, of course, is the killer title that makes good use of both a computer and a home-theater system.