Audio News for August 28, 2005

by | Aug 27, 2005 | Audio News | 0 comments

Looks Like Two Hi-Def DVD Formats After All – Though there
had been some hope that the movie and electronics industries had
learned their lesson from the Beta-VHS and SACD-DVD-A battles, it now
appears that both the Toshiba camp (with HD-DVD) and the Sony camp
(with Blu-ray) have ended their negotiations over what will be the next
generation digital video format. A Japanese news agency reported that
“it is regrettable but unavoidable that two formats will remain.”
HD-DVD had gained momentum by coming up with a storage capacity that
almost matched Blu-ray and Blu-ray will be featured on the next
generation of Sony’s Playstation. So consumers will be stuck with the
same confusing mess yet again!  It may come down to which format
is employed for the movies most people really want.

Naxos Moves Further With Digital Downloading and Streaming
–  As part of a long-term plan by leading classical label Naxos to
bring classical music into the digital realm, they will use IODA’s
(Independent Online Distribution Alliance) Digital Distribution
Dashboard technology for all of its labels’ music online. The entire
catalog of over 70,000 separate tracks will be available to music
lovers online. Naxos’ OverDrive Digital Library Reserve has been making
the world’s greatest classical works available for downloading thru
library web sites, and they offer a similar service for Naxos Audio
Books. Naxos’ CDs appear regularly in the top ten classical albums at
the iTunes Music Store, and are also available  at MSN, Napster
and Real Network’s Rhapsody. Three different streaming services are
provided to consumers and institutions: Naxos Music Library — available
at either 128K or 64K quality; Naxos Web Radio — offering over 60
channels of classical, jazz, historical, folk, world and new age
programming; and  music and information available directly from
the Naxos web site at Naxos.com, where there are currently 178,000
subscribers.

Saxist Michael Brecker Needs Bone Marrow Transplant – Tenor
saxist and composer Michael Brecker has won 11 Grammies – the most of
any saxophonist ever. The 56-year-old musician is one of the
most-studied instrumentalists in music school throughout the
world.  But he is currently a patient at a New York Cancer Center
because he has MDS, a bone marrow disorder. The only therapy for the
disease is a bone marrow transplant. An urgent donor drive is underway
but no match has yet been found, including with members of Michael’s
own family. Brecker explains that many other diseases besides MDS can
be treated by a bone marrow cell transplant, and he urges as many
people as possible to get tested to assist not just himself but
thousands of others waiting for a bone marrow donor. Approximately 9000
people die in the U.S. annually while waiting. For information on
qualifying as a donor Go Here. 

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