The Full Spectrum of DVD
The buzz sang the blues at CES, specifically blue lasers. High-definition DVD players generated plenty of talk at CES without being present. A blue laser with its short wavelength will enable a DVD-size disc to store full-length HD movies. Toshiba showed a mock-up of its blue laser. Panasonic revealed an end-run around this difficult technology that's frustrating labs around the world (see David Ranada's report for more details). The company would not commit to a delivery date, but claims its work is further along than many competitors and that its blue-laser technology will be low in cost. Many industry commentators remarked that HDTV won't become a true success until a convenient and affordable HD source arrives to supplement the rather meager broadcast offerings so far.
| KEF unveiled its new Reference Series at CES. |
CES Grab Bag
KEF, once famed for its Reference Series monitors, aims to reclaim that status with a completely new four-model Reference Series priced $3,500 to $15,000. The series uses KEF's hallmark Uni-Q technology. The low end of the line is the Model 201, a four-way ported design with a 6-1/2-inch woofer and 6-1/2-inch midrange. The flagship Model 207, a five-way ported design uses a 10-inch woofer, and 10-inch low-midrange driver. As with KEF's Reference Series of yore, all -- even the more compact 201 -- stand imposingly.
