Two of the SuperSession panel discussions were “Technology Impact: The Shaping of Hollywood Decision Making,” and “The Top Ten Technologies You’ve Never Heard Of.” Brian Roberts, CEO of Comcast, announced the end of set-top boxes, to make way for a new generation of two-way platforms. Theirs is called tru2way and uses the OpenCable platform. He also introduced the first portable DVR and DVD combo with tru2way capability. He said over 1000 HD choices will be offered on the portable device in 2008.
Hi-end audio was primarily relegated to the Alexis Park hotel, as it was in past years, but now under the auspices of the separate but simultaneous T.H.E. Show. Many hi-end manufacturers exhibited at the Venetian, but others – especially those involving video and home networking – sat it out in favor of the CEDIA Shows. A number of features previously found only in hi-end products are now beginning to appear in audio products under $1000. These include satellite radio reception, Neural Surround, the new higher-res Dolby and DTS codecs and the latest HDMI v.1.3. Bluetooth wireless transmission is becoming much more mainstream with all sorts of Bluetooth-enabled audio sources out now. More speakers are being marketed as “wireless,” though remember most still need a connection to an AC source.
Antijudder features are highly promoted at CES displays. We audio buffs know about antijitter but what is antijudder? Well, it only relates to LCD displays, which often have a problem with fast-motion content when using the standard 60Hz refresh rate of most TVs. (Other display technologies don’t suffer from that.) To combat the LCD susceptibility to motion blur – important to those who watch a lot of sports – manufacturers are pushing a 120Hz refresh rate as the hot spec to have in your LCD display. On its own it doesn’t seem to do much, but most makers combine antijudder with “smoothing” processing which can improve picture quality. It makes film sources look more like video, which some viewers prefer and others don’t.
