Features

The Walls Are Alive
On-wall speakrs from KEF, M&K, and Thiel promise superb home theater sound without taking over your room.

Back to Basics: Surround Speakers
Whether you're immersing yourself in surround sound for the first time or just want to fine-tune your system, we show you how to set up your speakers.

High Seas Home Theater
High-tech A/V gear on USS Truman helps keep officers and sailors in touch with home.

Test Reports

Spotlight: 3 Faces of HDTV
Three Technologies, three ways to get your high-definition fix — from Mitsubishi, Panasonic, and LG.

Spotlight: DVD Distinctions
Players with a twist from Panasonic RCA, Toshiba, and V Inc.

Spotlight: Value-Packed Receviers
Affordable models from JVC, Sony, and Yamaha show how far your reciver dollar can go.

Definitive Technology Exclusive!
BP7002 home theater speaker system

Boston Acoustics Exclusive!
Avidea 770 DVD system

User's Report: DirecTV HR 10-250
HDTV satellite receiver/recorder with TiVo

Entertainment

Movies
Mystic River, Paycheck, Monster, The Cooler, Cary Grant and film noir collections, more

Music
Phish, Guided by Voices, Wilco, Van Halen, Allmans' Fillmore and Peach in surround, more

Games
Spider-Man 2, Shadow Ops: Red Mecury, a chat with THX's Dr. Mark Tuffy, more

Departments

Track One Bob Ankosko
A note from the editor

Random Play
Rock & roll turns 50, another DVD-copying tool is challened, 15 minutes with Rick Moranis, more

Feedback
Readers sound off

New Products
The latest home-entertainment gear

Q&A Ian G. Masters
Your audio/vido questions answered

Tech Talk David Ranada
High definitions

Digital Horizons Ken C. Pohlmann
Value added

The Custom Installer John Sciacca
Speaker caddy

S&V Picks
Wanna check out HDTV? Don't go to a megastore — head for the bar.