Rich Warren

Instant Home Theater

3 compact DVD systems that promise big sound and hassle-free setup

By Rich Warren
Posted March 21, 2002

Fast Facts

KENWOOD/BOSTON UNITY Dimensions (WxHxD) main unit, 18 x 33/4 x 161/8 inches; subwoofer, 14 x 13 7/8 x 13 3/4 inches System weight 45 1/2 pounds Price $1,000

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Cambridge SoundWorks MegaTheater 510 DVD System

By Rich Warren
Posted November 21, 2002

Photos by Tony Cordoza

Spend $850 on a used car, and in a few days you'll spend another $850 on repair costs. Invest $850 in the stock market, and in a few weeks you'll have $600 worth. Spend $850 on Cambridge SoundWorks' new MegaTheater 510 DVD home theater system, and in a few minutes you'll have more entertainment than you bargained for.

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Flat. Wide. Networked. Digital.

2003 Int'l Consumer Electronics Show: "Press Day" Preview

By Rich Warren
Posted January 9, 2003

That's a concise summary of the myriad press conferences held the day before the official opening of the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

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Give Me a "U"!

2003 Consumer Electronics Show: Day One

By Rich Warren
Posted January 10, 2003

Sony concluded the press day preceding the official opening of CES with a press conference that lined up reporters and writers waiting for admittance for almost a city block. The display area was filled way beyond capacity. Fortunately, Sony Electronics President Fujio Nashida kept his remarks brief, focusing on the company's overall strategy rather than a laundry list of new products.

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TV Walls, Digital Radio, and Double-Duty Cams

2003 Consumer Electronics Show: Day Two

By Rich Warren
Posted January 11, 2003

The first day of the International CES ended on a colorful note at a Sharp press conference on the convention floor in front of scores of its LCD TVs. The company arrayed rows and rows of its flat-screen TVs, from 13 to 37 inches - a total of 286 displays - as the focus of its space.

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JVC's Private Show

2003 CES Day 2.5

By Rich Warren
Posted January 11, 2003

Late on Day Two, JVC demanded that the entire press corps troop across town from the Convention Center to the Mandalay Bay hotel, where it was exhibiting privately - not officially a part of CES. However, the trip paid off in an impressive array of new and innovative products.

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More for Less and Blasts from the Past

2003 Int’l Consumer Electronics Show: Day Three

By Rich Warren
Posted January 12, 2003

The Consumer Electronics Association has not yet released total attendance figures, but it appears fairly certain that the 2003 CES will go down as the best attended in CES history.

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Thinking Outside the Box

Can these four ultra-cool home theater speaker systems sound as good as they look?

By Rich Warren
Posted February 4, 2003

Photos by Tony Cordoza Great sound used to mean opting for speakers in generic rectangular boxes, while curvy, stylish designs had all the hi-fi credibility of a Blue Light Special boombox. No longer.

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Thinking Outside the Box II

Three more home theater speaker systems with 21st-century style

By Rich Warren
Posted May 22, 2003

Photos by Tony Cordoza In the movie Kate & Leopold, Leopold (Hugh Jackman) finds himself vaulted from the 19th century into the early 21st century. Given the fascination this time traveler shows with new technology, the three home theater speaker systems here would certainly have raised his eyebrows.

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Home Theater in a Box

Dazzling all-in-one systems from Denon, Panasonic, Sharp, and Yamaha

By Rich Warren
Posted May 20, 2003

Photos by Tony Cordoza Knowing how deep a spell all-in-one home theater systems have cast over DVD fans everywhere, we decided to divine just how much magic was hidden within four such systems: the Denon DHT-1000DV ($1,300), Panasonic SC-ST1 ($1,000), Sharp SD-AT50DV ($800), and Yamaha DVX-S100 ($800).

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