Panasonic
With portable music players, the question is, how small can you get? About 1
5/8 x 1 3/4 x 5/8 inch, according to Panasonic, whose SV-SD80 digital audio
player, shown larger-than-life below, weighs less than an ounce. It uses postage-stamp-size
Secure Digital (SD) memory cards and can play music encoded in the MP3, WMA,
and AAC formats. If artist, album, and track information is stored, the little
guy can display it on its ten-character LCD readout. One battery charging is
said to allow 50 hours of playback. Supplied are a 64-megabyte SD card, a separate
card reader with a USB connection, and RealJukebox CD-ripping software for your
Windows PC. You also get earphones, a carrying strap, an armband, and that cool
feeling that comes with being on technology’s cutting edge. Price: $330. www.panasonic.com,
800-211-7262
Mitsubishi
Not only is it huge, but Mitsubishi’s widescreen WS-73909 rear-projection set
is also a fully integrated HDTV — just plug it in, and you can start enjoying
1080i (interlaced) digital broadcasts at full resolution on the 73-inch (diagonal)
screen right away. Signals in the 720p (progressive) format are automatically
converted to 1080i, and standard-definition 480i is converted to 480p. The set
features wideband component-video, VGA, and RGB+H/V inputs. You also get five
composite/S-video inputs, a coaxial digital audio output, and three IEEE 1394
(FireWire) ports for connecting a D-VHS VCR or future 1394 devices. Mitsubishi’s
NetCommand interface allows you to control your entire home theater through
the TV. Price: $10,499. www.mitsubishi-tv.com,
800-332-2119
Integra
Helping to make those big, clunky CD megachangers a thing of the past, Integra’s
HDR-1 hard-disk audio server can hold up to 700 hours of your favorite music
in its 17 1/8 x 7 1/8 x 13 3/4-inch chassis. The player rips CDs to an internal
40-gigabyte hard disk as either standard PCM audio files or compressed MP3 files
encoded at 92, 128, or 196 kilobits per second (kbps). The HDR-1 has both optical
and coaxial digital inputs and a sampling-rate converter. It uses a rear-panel
RS-232 computer port for system control and has a front-panel USB port for future
applications. An optical digital output delivers signals from the CD player
only. Price: $950. www.integrahometheater.com,
800-225-1946
Pioneer
If you’ve been enjoying the advantages of DVD, going back to VHS for video recording
can be a real letdown. Now you can turn your back on tape for good with a DVD
recorder like the Pioneer Elite DVR-7000. The digital deck can record on either
write-once DVD-R or rewritable DVD-RW discs. You can record up to 6 hours of
video on a single DVD-RW. DVD-Rs hold a maximum of only 2 hours, but they’ll
play on most existing DVD players, according to Pioneer. There’s an IEEE 1394
(a.k.a. FireWire or i.Link) input/output port along with three S-video inputs
and two composite-, one component-, and two S-video outputs. The DVR-7000 supports
the VCR Plus recording system and includes a standard NTSC TV tuner. Price:
$2,000. www.pioneerelectronics.com,
800-746-6337
McIntosh
With Dolby Digital, DTS, THX Surround EX, DTS-ES, and Dolby Pro Logic II surround
sound decoding, McIntosh’s MX134 THX Ultra-certified digital preamp/processor
is ready to be the center of any state-of-the-art home theater. It’s also got
a 7.1-channel analog audio input for hookup of an external processor or a DVD-Audio
or Super Audio CD player. Decoded surround signals are provided at line-level
RCA jacks as well as a multipin DB-25 jack for single-cable hookup to a power
amp with a DB-25 input. Along with two component-video inputs, the processor
provides both composite- and S-video connections for its 11 A/V inputs and has
three coaxial and three optical digital audio inputs. Price: $7,000. www.mcintoshlabs.com,
800-538-6576
Energy
New members of Energy’s Veritas line include two floor-standing speakers, the
V2.4 (shown, standing 46 inches tall) and V2.3; two bookshelf models, the V2.1
and V2.2 (neither shown); and the V2.0C center speaker and V2.0R surround (both
shown). All are vented, three-way designs except for the sealed V2.0R, which
also lets you select quasi-dipole, direct-radiating, or quasi-bipole characteristics
by altering the balance between its front- and side-mounted drivers. Each speaker
combines between one and three 6 1/2-inch woofers with a 1-inch aluminum-dome
tweeter and one or two 2-inch midrange drivers. In several models the tweeter
and midrange are housed in a separate module whose enclosure and crossover network
are designed for wide dispersion. The V2.4’s frequency response is rated as
30 Hz to 20 kHz ±3 dB; the others differ only in their bass limits. All are
finished in high-gloss black, with all but the V2.0R also available in cherry
veneer. Prices: left/right pairs, $1,000 to $3,500; V2.0C, $750 each. www.energy-speakers.com,
416-321-1800
ATI
Your computer can be a great tool for editing digital video, but only if it’s
equipped with the right input/output ports. The DV Wonder from ATI lets you
add three IEEE 1394 ports to a PC that has a Pentium III processor running at
300 MHz or higher. It fits neatly into a PCI card slot on the motherboard and
is compatible with Windows 2000, 98 SE, and Me. Once you’ve installed the supplied
software and transferred footage to your hard drive, you can edit your video
in MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 format and add transitions and effects. Price: $49. www.ati.com,
905-882-2600
JVC
The VHS format may be yesterday’s technology, but JVC’s HM-DH30000U D-VHS digital
VCR extends it into the future. Connected via its IEEE 1394 port to a similarly
equipped HDTV tuner (EchoStar says it has one in development), the deck can
record up to 4 hours of high-definition TV (HDTV) programming on a special 50-gigabyte
cassette. Its high-speed mode operates with a data-transfer rate of 28.2 megabits
per second (Mbps), far higher than the 19.3 Mbps HDTV requires. The built-in
MPEG-2 encoder can convert any composite- or S-video signal to digital format
for recording, but the VCR can also play and record in analog VHS, S-VHS, and
S-VHS ET modes. It has a wideband component-video output in addition to its
IEEE 1394 port. Price: $2,000. www.jvc.com,
800-526-5308
Xantech
With Xantech’s MRC44 multizone system, you can route audio and video to up to
four rooms in your house. The system comprises a controller/amplifier, four
LCD keypads, and four infrared (IR) emitters to relay commands to your gear.
It controls up to four sources — such as a DVD player, satellite receiver, cable
box, and VCR — and routes the output to any or all of the zones. Each zone has
composite-video and stereo speaker outputs, and zones can be linked to receive
the same source. The four zone amps are rated to deliver 25 watts per channel.
Each of the keypads comes with a universal mounting bracket, and the controller
has an RS-232 port for software upgrades. Price: $3,000. www.xantech.com,
818-362-0353
Acoustic
Research
Shield your A/V gear from power spikes with an Acoustic Research surge protector.
AR offers three protectors designed for home theater components, with such features
as outlets spaced for AC adapters and protection for satellite, cable, and telephone
lines. The top-of-the-line AR-10S shown has ten outlets and gold-plated coaxial
connectors, and it’s rated to protect against surges and spikes up to 2,163
joules. The main power cord is 10 feet long. Price: $50 to $100. www.acoustic-research.com,
800-969-2748
Clark
Synthesis
Surround sound you can feel in your bones is what’s promised by the Sensation
from Clark Synthesis — a recliner that connects to your sound system. Built
into the chair is a Tactile Sound transducer that’s said to produce vibrations
over the full range of tactile and audible frequencies, not just low bass. The
hardwood frame and wooden side panels help keep you rocking, while the plush
upholstery and padded footrest ensure you never leave the comfort zone. The
chair has a footprint of 32 x 311/2 inches, and its back is 38 inches high.
A stainless steel cup holder is the final touch for that cinematic experience,
but you’ll have to supply the sticky floor yourself. Price: $2,500. www.clarksynthesis.com,
800-898-1945
Logitech
To become totally immersed in videogame play, you’ll need a set of multimedia
speakers like Logitech’s Z-560. The THX-certified 4.1-channel system includes
four single-driver satellites on adjustable stands, a subwoofer with an 8-inch
driver, and a sleek-looking controller (shown to right of subwoofer). The amplifier
housed in the sub’s cabinet is rated to deliver 53 watts to each satellite and
188 watts to the woofer. Proprietary processing generates surround sound from
stereo sources, and system bandwidth is rated as 35 Hz to 20 kHz. The controller
has balance, bass-level, and volume controls plus a headphone jack; speaker
cables are supplied. Price: $200. www.logitech.com,
800-231-7717
Proton
If you’ve gotten used to watching DVDs on a progressive-scan player, you’d probably
like to get rid of the scan lines in standard NTSC video, too. If your TV or
monitor doesn’t include a good line doubler, you may be interested in Proton’s
outboard TB-6001. Interlaced 480i video goes in through its component-, composite-,
or S-video input, and out comes a progressive-scan 480p signal from the component-video,
RGB+H/V, or VGA output. The TB-6001 has 2:3 pulldown to compensate for frame-rate
differences between film and video and thus reduce motion artifacts and jagged
edges. The 77/8 x 2 x 81/2-inch processor also has controls for contrast, brightness,
color, tint, and sharpness. Price: $800. www.proton-usa.com,
562-404-2222
Sony
The superconvergent Sony Dynamo Vaio MX personal computer wears many hats —
it’s a PC, a TV, a radio, and both a player and a recorder for DVDs, CDs, and
MiniDiscs. At its heart is a 1.7-GHz Pentium 4 processor with 512 megabytes
of RAM and an 80-gigabyte hard drive, but it also has built-in NTSC and FM tuners,
a CD/DVD-R drive, and a slot for a Sony Memory Stick. With Internet access you
can preset TV recording up to two weeks in advance, and the hard drive can store
up to 90 hours of video, easily burned later to DVD. Pick your connectors: two
IEEE 1394 (FireWire or i.Link), one Ethernet, one serial, one parallel, and
two USB ports; an S-video input and output; an optical digital audio input and
output; and a PC card slot. Price: $2,800. www.sonystyle.com,
800-222-7669
Samsung
Go digital, go widescreen, go flat — go for it all with Samsung’s 30-inch DynaFlat
TSL-3099WHF HDTV monitor. Connected to an HDTV tuner, the direct-view set displays
high-def broadcasts in the 1080i format on its flat 16:9 screen. An advanced
shadow mask is said to improve electron-beam precision and thus picture clarity.
The set is trimmer than comparable direct-view sets, measuring 357/8 x 227/8
x 18 inches and weighing in at 155 pounds. A dual-tuner picture-in-picture function
can display either two channels side by side or one inset within the other.
There are two wideband component-video inputs for HDTV signals as well as four
composite- and two S-video inputs. A universal remote control is supplied. Price:
$2,799. www.samsungusa.com,
800-726-7864
Standesign
If you can’t install a rear-access door in your home theater component rack,
Standesign’s BCM retractable component rack seems like the next best thing.
The rack neatly tucks inside a wall, sliding up to 50 inches out on a removable
gantry when you need to add a component or make adjustments. Its cable-management
system will keep your wires from getting tangled when you slide everything back
in. You can add as many modular shelves as you need to hold your gear, spaced
8, 10, or 12 inches apart. Prices: rack, $599; gantry, $249; shelves, $99 each.
www.standesign.com, 612-706-9250
Terk
Ready to launch yourself into satellite radio? Besides a compatible car tuner,
you’ll need a special car antenna like Terk’s TRK-SR1 (shown) or TRK-SR2, both
of which receive XM Satellite Radio (but not its competitor, Sirius). The glass-mounted
SR1 attaches to a side window with a strong adhesive and feeds signals through
the glass, so no modification to your vehicle is required. You can fold down
the 10-inch rod when there’s low headroom, and a sleeve protects it in the car
wash. The stealthier SR2 can be mounted on the roof or trunk; it’s about the
size of a computer mouse. Mounting hardware, cables, and connectors are supplied
for both models. Prices: SR1, $100; SR2, $80. www.terk.com,
631-543-1900
MB
Quart
The on-wall speaker line from MB Quart starts with the 13 x 7 x 6-inch QL A80
Balcony DS shown here, which when mounted on a side wall has a forward-firing
5 1/4-inch woofer and two angled 1/2-inch titanium tweeters. One tweeter is
coaxially mounted with the woofer for precise imaging, the other fires toward
the rear to create a more diffuse soundfield. Flip a switch, and one tweeter
is turned off for rear-wall mounting. The QL A50 Balcony Classic, with a 4-inch
woofer, looks similar. Designed for corners and shaped like a one-eighth sphere,
the magnetically shielded QL A46 Octa has a 3/4-inch tweeter and a 5 1/4-inch
woofer. Each speaker comes with its own durable mounting gear. Prices per pair:
A80, $499; A50 $399; A46, $249. www.mbquart.com,
800-962-7757
Key
Digital
With outboard high-definition tuners and DVD players competing for your TV’s
component-video inputs, a video switcher like the Key Digital KD-SW2x1 might
come in handy. It has two inputs and one output, each with jacks for wideband
component video, stereo analog audio, and coaxial digital audio. LEDs on the
front of the 4 1/2 x 3 x 2 1/2-inch switcher show which input is selected. The
switcher automatically chooses the active input, but you can select your source
manually as well. An RS-232 port allows for computer control. Price: $449. www.keydigital.com,
718-796-7178
TV
One
The XGA Theater upconverter from TV One lets you watch standard video on a VGA,
SVGA, or XGA computer monitor. No software needed: just install the box between
your video card and monitor, then connect a satellite receiver, videogame player,
VCR, camcorder, or DVD player to the converter’s composite- or S-video input,
and the box converts the signal for display on your monitor. It does the same
thing for standard broadcast or cable programs through its built-in TV tuner.
The converter simultaneously routes stereo audio to your speaker system, and
it includes controls for brightness, contrast, hue, and color. A remote control
is supplied. Price: $199. www.tvone.com,
800-721-4044
NHT
The three 1-inch tweeters in NHT’s CS-8.3 Ci are said to eliminate the “hot
spots” (beaming) of typical single-tweeter ceiling speakers. An 8-inch long-throw
woofer combines with the tweeters to deliver a rated frequency response of 55
Hz to 20 kHz ±3 dB; sensitivity is given as 87 dB. Each speaker weighs 5 pounds
and has a paintable matte-white finish. Price: $550 a pair. www.nhthifi.com,
407-333-0900
Tascam
Although the CD has all but completely replaced the analog cassette, tape decks
still have squatter’s rights in many car systems and portable players. So you
might want to consolidate your recording gear and make music compilations in
both formats with Tascam’s CC-222 CD/cassette recorder. It has both coaxial
and optical digital inputs as well as outputs, plus analog stereo RCA jacks
for recording from analog sources. The double deck performs easy dubs from cassette
to CD or vice versa, and fade and pitch controls help you make smooth compilations.
A remote control is supplied. Price: $875. www.tascam.com,
323-726-0303