Home Electronics Industry News -- JUNE 2002
NOTE: This page is an archive for previously posted news stories from June 2002 - Since most of the links are now inactive, they have been removed. However, the headlines and summaries are still posted to historically document the news headlines from the dates listed.
06/30/02
Pioneer Sees Full Screen Going Dark
Pioneer aggressively pursues the Plasma TV market with the release of its new 43-inch Plasma Monitor. According to Pioneer, the demand for 16x9 Plasma screens by consumers will not only encroach on traditional TV market, but will surpass the demand by professional users of Plasma displays sooner than we think.
06/29/02
Panasonic Announces 3rd Gen Recordable DVD-R at $799
Panasonic unveils the successor to its widely popular DMR-E20 DVD recorder with the new DMR-E30. This new unit not only features a lower price point, but adds progressive scan output and has a slimmer profile than previous DVD recorders. The DMR-E30 records in the DVD-R and DVD-RAM formats. For more details on features and availability, check out the above report from Audio Revolution.
06/28/02
Philips Targets CD Imports
Philips, the inventor and the primary patent holder of CD-related technology, is cracking down on unlicensed makers of blank CD-R/RWs.
06/27/02
Denon DVD-3800 DVD-Audio Player Details
DVD-Audio gets a great boost with Denon's latest high-end, but reasonably affordable, DVD/DVD-Audio player: the DVD-3800. For specifications, features, pricing, and availability, check out the above report from High Fidelity Review.
06/26/02
Best Buy Adds Mitsubishi Lines
Mitsubishi breaks with its own tradition of marketing its products only through commission-based retailers by reaching agreement with Best Buy stores (which is non-commission) to supply a select number of home theater products for its stores.
06/25/02
Pioneer Announces DV-47Ai, Firewire Universal DVD-Audio/SACD Player
Pioneer soups up its already excellent DV-47A DVD/DVD-Audio/SACD player by adding Firewire outputs for both video and multi-channel audio. If successful, this could begin a trend towards a standard for a single cable connection between components for transmission of all audio and video. For more exciting details, check out the above report from High Fidelity Review.
06/24/02
Cable TV Losing Customers
While cable TV is firmly entrenched in the U.S. marketplace, it seems that it is having a rough go in the U.K.
06/23/02
Netflix Distribution Spreads Out
Successful online DVD rental service, NetFlix expands its operations with new regional distribution centers. This expansion gaurantees two-day turn around on DVD rental delivery. Brick-and-mortar competitors, such as Blockbuster are taking notice.
06/22/02
Mitsubishi Expands Flat-Panel TV Offerings
Mistsubishi rolls out a line of HD Plasma Screen and direct-view HD LCD TVs.
06/21/02
CDs Get Cheaper As Labels Get Creative To Beat 2002’s CD Sales Slump
With competition from a variety of sources, including the used-CD market, on-line downloading, and new formats, such as DVD-Audio and SACD, the music recording industry is executing new lower price structures to maintain market share for traditional CDs. For more details, check out the above report from Audio Revolution.
06/20/02
Crystal View To Replace Vidikron
High-end video projection company, Vidikron is no more, however, Crystal View is taking the over Vidikron's assests and operations as well as honoring Vidikron's warranty and non-warranty service obligations.
06/19/02
EchoStar Adds Discovery HDTV Channel
HDTV gets another needed boost as Echostar (DishNetwork) adds the Discovery HD channel to its programming lineup. This also marks the first basic cable channel service to launch an HD feed.
06/18/02
Crying Wolf Again?
The music and movie studios have been complaining for decades about the home recording technology infringing on their copyrights and hurting their profits, but is that really the case? Check out a fresh prespective on this issue from Stereophile.
06/17/02
Warner Music Group To Lower Price of DVD-Audio Titles...
In a strategic marketing move to increase interest in the DVD-Audio format, Warner Music is lowering the prices of its DVD-Audio titles a whopping 35%, making them the same shelf price as many standard CD releases. Small, independent, labels are concerned about their ability to compete at this price point, however. For more details, check out the above report from Audio Revolution.
06/16/02
Circuit City Is Dumping VHS
In an abrupt move, Circuit City has begun to remove VHS movie titles from its store shelves. Some industry analysts, although realizing such a move is inevitable, feel that Circuit City may be moving too fast and too soon on this issue.
06/15/02
Chrysler To Offer Sirius Satellite Radios
In the continuing satellite radio war, Chrysler decides to ally itself with Sirius with an agreement to offer Sirius satellite radios as an option in many of its car models.
06/14/02
Versatile DVD Player Hits Shelves
Planetweb and Samsung team up on a DVD player (Samsung DVD-P721M) that can access photos and MP3 files from either a CD or Memory Stick. In addition, Planetweb is also teaming with APEX Digital to provide photo and music editing software for these units.
06/13/02
TiVo Town or Sonicblue City?
First it was BETA vs VHS, CD vs SACD vs DVD-Audio, DVD-RAM vs DVD-RW vs DVD+RW, now the showdown between TIVO and ReplayTV may be next format war as the two makers of hard-disk video recorders aggressively pursue manufacturing and marketing alliances for the domination of the DVR market. For more details, check out the above report from Wired.
06/12/02
DVD Players Capture The Market
The U.S. and Asia aren't only markets embracing the DVD revolution, the shiny little disc seems to be taking the U.K. by storm as well.
06/11/02
Retailing: Good Present, Bright Future
Despite the events of Sept. 11th, major CE retailers such as Best Buy, Circuit City, and others are enjoying steady sales growth. For a full report, check out the above news article from Stereophile.
06/10/02
SonicBlue Wins Appeal
An appellate court judge sides with SonicBlue by reversing a lower court ruling the would have required the maker of ReplayTV to track the viewing and recording habits of its users.
06/09/02
DVDs Show Their Playful Sides With Computer Games
There is more to DVDs than just the movies, many Discs also feature interactive video games as part of their supplementary material.
06/08/02
Sony Turns To NEC For Flat-Plasma Displays
In an effort to capture a larger segment of the Plasma display market, Sony funds a signifigant portion of NEC's Plasma production line.
06/07/02
Hollywood Studios Unveil First Wave Of D-VHS® Titles
In keeping with the availability of the new JVC D-VHS High Definition VCR format, Hollywood Studios are releasing several film titles, with more to come. Some of the first release titles include: U-571 (Universal), Terminator 2 (Artisan), and X-Men (Fox).
06/06/02
NAD Adding Custom-Install Features
NAD introduces a new line of AV Receivers and amplifiers, incorporating such features as Pro-Logic II, 12-volt triggers, and IR inputs/outputs.
06/05/02
LucasFilm Sell THX Division
Although LucasFilm will still have stake in THX, 60% of the ownership of THX will fall to Creative Labs and group of private investors. For more details on this, check out the above report from High Fidelity Review.
06/04/02
HE 2002: Update On DVD-Audio....
At the now concluded Home Entertainment 2002 show in New York, SACD technology and products were featured prominently, however, the DVD-Audio camp had some news and demos of their own. For more info on the continuing "battle" between DVD-Audio and SACD, check out the above report from High Fidelity Review.
06/03/02
HE 2002 DAY THREE
InFocus and Seleco demonstrate the latest in DLP video projectors as Home Entertainment 2002 continues in New York City. For or more on this and other Day Three events, check out the above report from Stereophile Guide To Home Theater.
06/02/02
HE 2002 DAY TWO
D-VHS (Digital VHS) captures the spotlight on Day Two of the Home Entertainment Show in New York as attendees were blown away by demonstrations of this new high definition video format. For more on this and other Day Two events, check out the above report from Stereophile Guide To Home Theater.
06/01/02
HE 2002 DAY ONE
The annual Home Entertainment Show in New York City opened with several important product announcements from Samsung, Zenith, and Sharp, spotlighting digital TV. For more details on this and more from the show, check out this onsite report from Stereophile Guide To Home Theater.
For additional News Stories check out my Home Electronics Industry News Archives.
