Audio Video News

Back in September, <A HREF="http://www.dtsonline.com">DTS</A> announced that Pioneer and Denon were planning to be the first companies to incorporating the new 96kHz/24-bit high resolution surround sound technology in their flagship A/V receivers. It would appear the companies have made good on that promise, with some help from integrated circuit manufacturer <A HREF="http://www.analog.com/">Analog Devices</A>.

When it comes to defining the cutting-edge gift list for tech enthusiasts, gadget-heads, and just about any person over the age of 14, you probably couldn't do much better than to ask 1,000 computing professionals&mdash;folks who live and breathe technology&mdash;to pick their top five tech gifts.

Cable providers' reluctance to adhere to compatibility standards is hampering manufacturers' designs and hindering the market for digital entertainment products, according to complaints filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA).

Many home theater enthusiasts prefer separate components rather than all-in-one receivers. Rotel's RSP-985 is designed with this market in mind.

<A HREF="http://www.nectech.com">NEC Technologies</A> has radically reduced the cost of its flagship PlasmaSync monitor, dropping the price by almost one-third, according to a November 26 press release. The suggested retail price of the company's HDTV-compatible PlasmaSync 61MP1, said to be the world's first 61" display, has been reduced to $19,995 from $27,995.

<I>Jim Carrey, Molly Shannon, Christine Baranski, Jeffrey Tambor. Directed by Ron Howard. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1. 105 minutes. 2000. Universal B00005. PG. $26.98.</I>

Both <A HREF="http://www.pioneerbroadband.com">Pioneer</A> and <A HREF="http://www.zenith.com">Zenith Electronics</A> announced new digital set-top boxes last week, as the race to control digital content flowing into consumers' homes continues.