Audio Video News

Flat screens are the hot item in video displays, and Thomas J. Norton reviews one of the hottest screens available, the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?137">Fujitsu Plasmavision SlimScreen P50XHA10U high-definition plasma</A>. TJN notes, "The new Fujitsu goes for just under $11,000 and may well represent the state of the art in 50" plasma displays."

Joel Brinkley notes that "no company, it seems, can fail to have a universal player in their lineup these days." And at $999, Brinkley considers the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?157">Denon DVD-2900 universal player</A> a quality contender at a reasonable price.

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.

Thomas J. Norton takes a spin with the <A HREF="/videoprojectors/1003sharp">SharpVision XV-Z10000U DLP projector</A>, which features Texas Instrument's latest HD2 digital micromirror device. After seeing four HD2 projectors, TJN explains why the Sharp "just might have edged its way to the front of the pack."

CRT projector beater? Peter Putman gets to light up the <A HREF="/videoprojectors/1003yamaha">Yamaha DPX-1000 DLP projector</A> to see what the latest HD2 chipped designs can do. "It presents a mixed bag of operating features and performance that succeeds well in some ways, not so well in others," comments PP.

Barry Willis sorts out the plusses and minuses fo the <A HREF="/surroundsoundpreampprocessors/1003parasound">Parasound Halo C 2 and Halo A 51 surround processor & 5-channel power amplifier</A>. BW notes, "Five years in development, the company's Halo C2 surround processor is a brilliantly executed piece of technology."

From the November 2003 issue, Thomas J. Norton scrutinizes the <A HREF="/speakersystems/1103sonus">Sonus Faber Cremona surround speaker system</A>, noting that although SF speakers are generally known as very expensive, the compnay "has followed a different strategy with the Cremona, making sure from the get-go that the speaker is home-theater friendly."