Barry Willis

Atlanta-based <A HREF="http://www.cox.com">Cox Communications, Inc</A>. is expanding its nationwide rollout of its new high definition television service with HDTV for the Las Vegas market, according to a July 22 announcement. Viewers in Cox's market of more than 600,000 homes in the desert city will be able to avail themselves of new set-top boxes using what the company describes as "completely integrated technology."

<I>Tony Shalhoub, F. Murray Abraham, Shannon Elizabeth, Matthew Lillard, Rah Digga. Directed by Steve Beck. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1(anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French). 91 minutes. 2001. Columbia 22083. R. $24.98.</I>

The burgeoning market for digital television is being hindered by an increasing number of reports of radio-frequency interference from DTV transmitters. Although DTV is a "technology that is finally beginning to boom," according to a July 16 report from Reed Business Information, some broadcasters, in particular Paxson Communications, have complained about interference problems. Consumers who buy digital televisions are still disappointed by the skimpy high-definition programming offered by their local broadcasters. DTV's picture for the near future therefore remains unclear.

Caving to competition from direct broadcast satellite operators, Time Warner Cable plans to offer its customers a digital set-top box (STB) that will let them record, pause, and play back live television programs, much like the devices made by TiVo, Inc. and SonicBlue's ReplayTV division.