Audio Video News

A classic is returning to the home theater market.

Former Chrysler Corporation CEO Lee Iacocca was famed for saying that, in the auto industry, a company "either leads, follows, or gets out of the way." Fox Television has apparently decided that where high-definition programming is concerned, it had better follow or get left behind.

In late June, two electronics industry groups presented proposals that could make "plug and play" a reality for high-definition video components,home networking devices, and other types of consumer products.

MartinLogan
MartinLogan's Cinema i center-channel speaker builds on the same foundation as the company's Cinema center channel, but it incorporates some new technologies and a supercool industrial design. The speaker includes ClearSpar technology, which is said to enhance the Cinema i's transparent aesthetic and increase both efficiency and dynamics. MartinLogan's MicroPerf design is also aboard. In this design, the stator's individual holes are smaller, which allows for more open space compared with that of the traditional ESL transducer. This 37-pound speaker is ergonomically friendly, too. Using its included stand, you can mount it on your display, on the wall, on the ceiling, or even on the floor. Just use the incorporated handgrips to aim the speaker at the listening position. This versatile center channel costs $1,795.
MartinLogan
(785) 749-0133
www.martinlogan.com

The Home Entertainment 2003 Show, held June 5–8, 2003, at the Westin–St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, was an event that will stand out for residents, exhibitors, and visiting press as a well-attended showcase of some of the finest products and technologies the consumer electronics industry has to offer.

From the June issue, Michael Fremer reviews the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?127">Philips 34PW9818 HD-ready direct-view monitor</A> featuring the company's new "Pixel Plus" process. Can regular NTSC now look as good as HDTV? Fremer tells all.