Weekly AUDIO NEWS for Feb. 7, 2001

Predictions for Hot Hardware in 2001 - OneCall.com released predictions for what's going to be happening in AV gear in the months ahead. It included combination digital satellite system receivers and Personal Video Recorders. Sony and Toshiba both already have models which include DirecTV and TiVo. JVC for some time has had their DISH system receiver combined with a digital VHS recorder. Some of the more lavish TV sets will soon come equipped with built-in PVR units. HDTV-ready sets will also be a big thing, with more 16:9 widescreen models from the major manufacturers. More cities are adding terrestrial network HDTV telecasts now and the dish systems are offering more HDTV channels. Both CD and DVD recorders will also be increasing penetration greatly. Many of the newer CD burners have MP3 capabilities too. And 5.1 surround speaker systems are getting more compact and simplified while still sounding good, which will mean more widespread interest in home theater surround sound setups for the family.

 

New DVD Recorders Stumbling on Compatibility Factor - At the introduction of DVD a couple years ago they indicated we would soon have recordable DVD, and now we have it. Problem is there are three different entirely incompatible technologies fighting it out - it's even worse than the SACD/DVD-Audio battle. Panasonic is pushing DVD-RAM in a first generation unit with a SRP of $4000. It has three speeds, similar to VCRs and PVRs, and its discs can be played on most computer DVD drives but cannot be played on home DVD players. Also you cannot make dubs of copyrighted DVDs or VHS tapes and there are no Firewire ports for transfer from digital camcorders.

Pioneer and Hitachi are using DVD-RAM in tapeless camcorders, but Pioneer also will bring out their own DVD-RW format laster this year, that does have Firewire and which recorded DVDs they claim will play on most home DVD players except the earliest models. Lastly, Philips and Thomson-RCA have DVD+RW, whose features include playability on any home or computer DVD player, ability to play any type of pre-recorded DVD in DD or DTS 5.1 or 2.0, and both analog and digital inputs. By the way, blank DVD discs are currently $25 to $30 each. But all this will shake out and come down in cost rather quickly.

- John Sunier

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