Home Electronics Industry News -- May 2001

NOTE: This page is an archive for previously posted news stories from May 2001 - 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.

05/31/01
Panasonic Introduces Backward-Compatible DVD Recorder...
Whether in response to criticism that its first generation DVD recorder wasn't compatible with current DVD players or its $4,000 pricetag was just too outrageous, Panasonic heats up the DVD recorder war with an announcement of its latest model DMR-E20. This next-generation DVD recorder is not only compatible with most current DVD players, but with a price tag of only $1,499, may just be enough to jumpstart the market for such units.

Hitachi Expands Projection Television Lineup...
With a strong committment to HDTV, Hitachi introduces its latest of lineup of HDTV projection sets as well as several new analog units.

05/30/01
Thomson To Move 27-inch CRT Operations
Thomson will close its U.S. 27" CRT manufacturing facility and move it to Mexico. Isn't anything made in the U.S. anymore?

05/29/01
TIVO Patent News Sends Stock Soaring
TIVO, the innovator of what is now known as the PVR (Personal Video Recorder) has a brighter future today as news of increased revenue from additional subscribers and the granting of a key patent on its recording technology is spurring confidence amongst investors, despite the lack of a profit.

05/28/01
Fry's Plugs Into Outpost.com
Fry's electronics has never been your typical electronics retailer. Lagging behind its competitors, such as Best Buy, Circuit City, Good Guys, Tweeter, and others which have embraced the internet as an extension of their brick-and-mortar business, Fry's (which, ironically, is based in Silicon Valley) finally wakes up and buys 10% of Outpost.com in an effort to establish a potential internet retailing outlet.

05/27/01
Zenith Unveils Bold Digital Brand Overhaul To Retailers
In an effort to recapture its former glory, Zenith presents its latest marketing plan to a select group of retailers. De-emphasizing analog products, Zenith will concentrate its efforts into the growning digital product area, including HDTV, Plasma screens, DLP projectors, and more. To find out more details on what Zenith's plans are, check out the above report by TWICE.

05/26/01
Edge Audio Changes Name ...
Edge Audio, maker of home theater speakers sold exclusively on the internet, is now Aperion Audio. With a new company name also comes a new generation of home theater speakers.

05/25/01
Matsushita, Hitachi Forge Far Ranging R&D Deal
In what would most likely be subject to anti-trust laws if U.S. companies were involved, two Japanese electronics giants, Matsushita and Hitachi have announced an R&D alliance for the purpose of developing new technologies for appliance and home entertainment products.

05/24/01
Mitsubishi At Top Of HDTV Market In Year 2000
Mitsubishi's early support of HDTV products is paying off as it emerges as top dog in DTV sales for 2000.

05/23/01
SONY Expanding Line Of DVD Players Featuring SACD Playback
SONY ups the ante on its hopes for the success of its SACD audio format as it introduces a new series DVD players equipped with SACD playback, including a new progressive-scan reference unit. The question is, "Where's the software to play on them?".

05/22/01
Mitsubishi Ties In Networking With Fully Integrated HDTVs
When is an HDTV more than just an HDTV? -- When Mitsubishi rolls out its new fully integrated HDTVs with system networking capabilities that enable total integration of all home theater components.

05/21/01
April DVD Sales Remain Strong
DVD remains the consumer electronics product of the day as sales of players keep increasing month after month, despite a mixed economy.

05/20/01
Home Entertainment 2001 Show Takes The Big Apple By Storm
The recent home entertainment show reappeared in New York this past week, after a five year absence, to the delight of manufacturers and home theater enthusiasts.

05/19/01
New SONY VAIO Combines PVR, DVD-RW Functionality
SONY introduces its latest VAIO desktop computer which includes a whopping 80GB hard drive and DVD-RW drive.

05/18/01
One-Millionth DTV Product Sold
Despite delays over broadcasting compliance and standards, the consuming public appears to be accepting the DTV revolution, as sales continue on a steady pace.

05/17/01
Kmart Revamping CE Departments
Kmart makes move to gain market share in Consumer Electronics sales by remodeling its stores to facilitate more CE products and to create a more CE-friendly sales environment.

05/16/01
Monster Cable And Klipsch Enter Partnership Deal...
With the economy slowing down, many companies are coming with unique strategies to promote their products. Klipsch and Monster Cable have come up with a marketing scheme by entering a co-branding partnership. Monster's Z-Series cabling will be featured in new Klipsch products, which will result in cross-promotion of both the Klispch and Monster brand names.

05/15/01
SONY Aids Developers Of Interactive Set-Top Box Applications
In order to solidify its position in the set-top box category, SONY is soliciting third-party software developers to find new interactive uses for its set-top box products.

05/14/01
DTV Manufacturers Announce Broad Support For Digital Interface And Copy Protection System...
In an effort to both speed the adoption of DTV and make DTV products more understandable for the consumer, the CEA announced that there is agreement on the adoption of the IEEE-1394 digital interface for DTV products, an agreement on a copy protection standard to prevent unauthorized recording of HDTV signals by consumers, and a uniform product labeling system .

05/13/01
Recoton Q1 Sales Off 5%, Accessories Flat
The first quarter of 2001 failed to generate increased revenue for the giant CE accessory provider, Recoton.

05/12/01
JVC Aims Single-CCD Camcorder At DV Filmakers
The line separating consumer and professional video just got more blurred as JVC introduces its new DV camcorder aimed at the independent film market.

05/11/01
Sears To Test Electronics Stores
Despite the current mixed retail economic environment, Sears plans to test the CE retailing waters with its new-concept consumer electronics-only store concept, with the opening of three test units in the Chicago area later this year.

05/10/01
Outlaw Audio Launches ICBM
Outlaw Audio, leading internet-only audio components manufacturer, announces its new ICBM (no -- it's not a missle!). ICBM is a bass management system that is designed to allow greater control over low frequency reproduction, thus preventing potential speaker damage.

05/09/01
Pioneer Fiscal Year CE Sales Rise 7%
Sales of consumer electronics products by Pioneer rose 7% over the same period year, bolstered by a healthy increase in sales of Plasma screen displays.

05/08/01
Philips Stressing CD-R, MP3, DVD In '01 Lineup
Previously hinted at during this past year's CES, Philips unveils its latest lineup of CD recorders, MP3 audio products, DVD home theater systems, and the new-concept internet radio home minisystems.

05/07/01
Energizer, Energizer E2 Brands Set For Upgrades
With new devices, such as digital cameras, MP3 players, and remote controls craving longer lasting batteries, Energizer is meeting the demmand with upgrades to its battery lineup.

05/06/01
EchoStar Q1 Revenue Rises 53%, New Subscribers Up 48%
In spite of a sagging economy and stiff competition from DirecTV, EchoStar's Dish Network continues to increase in popularity.

05/05/01
An Open Letter From Panasonic
Despite the fact that ReplayTV is out of the PVR hardware business, Panasonic reassures the public that it continues its committement to its Showstopper PVR line that use the ReplayTV system.

05/04/01
Philips Predicts VCR Demise
Is the era of the VCR finally coming to an end? Philips, the European electronics giant, gives the 25 year old format about three years. Are they right?

05/03/01
Record Makers Lock Music Away
The popularity of services such as Napster and the copying of CDs at home may be swept-away as the music industry finds ways to make "pirate-proof" CDs.

05/02/01
Digital Video Boom -- SONY Picks Thailand
To answer the increased demand for digital recording media, SONY chooses Thailand for additional manufacturing sites.

05/01/01
Top Chains' Sales Up 13.4% In 2000
Despite a mixed economic climate this past year, top CE retail chains, such as Best Buy and Circuit City, did a signifigant increase in business.

For more News Stories check out my Home Electronics Industry News Archives.