The DHWG, which was initially sparked by discussions between Sony and Intel, describes itself as a non-profit organization dedicated to simplifying the sharing of digital content—such as digital music, photos, and video—among networked consumer electronics, mobile…
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There may be a digital network in your audio future. To help you run it, 17 consumer electronics and computer companies, including Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, Intel, IBM, Kenwood, Panasonic, Microsoft, NEC, Nokia, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Thomson recently announced the formation of the Digital Home Working Group (DHWG).
The Consumer Electronic Association's (CEA) Gary Shapiro is known for maintaining an ever-optimistic stance on the progress of home entertainment, and a recent keynote at the Semiconductor Market Outlook Conference earlier this month provided an opportunity for him to reveal his top predictions for the future.
In his opening remarks, Shapiro noted that the consumer electronics industry is merely at "the end of the beginning of the digital revolution." He went on to state that the future of the consumer electronics industry looks strong, with total consumer electronics sales from…
Amid news that its watermark technology for DVD-Audio may have been compromised, Verance nonetheless announced last week the launch of its "ConfirMedia" watermarking service. The company says that ConfirMedia will monitor and report the airplay of encoded commercials, music, and programs broadcast by television, cable and radio stations in the 100 top US markets and on the national feeds of major broadcast and cable television networks in the US.
Verance's Bob Cerasoli explains that "by developing additional applications that are based on our standardized [DVD-Audio watermark] technologies…
The show started slowly at the Alexis Park Hotel, since many exhibitors were still setting up and tuning systems as the gates opened at 10am. We ducked into the Gryphon room and discovered the company's new flagship speaker making its first public appearance. Called the "Project 30" until a more formal name is selected, the imposing four-way system consists of two mid/high-range towers and two powered woofer towers. Each woofer tower sports a built-in 600W amplifier and is reported to reach down to 16Hz. The system is claimed to have a 94dB efficiency rating and will be available before the…
With the plethora of CD and DVD formats out there, it can be confusing figuring out what will work with what. Standards can help define specifications for a particular format, but often do little to guarantee compatibility between them.
To solve this problem, the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) was created in 1992. According to their website, "OSTA does not create standards, but it helps the optical storage industry define practical implementations of standards to assure compatibility of resulting products."
Last week, OSTA announced that 31 drive manufacturers,…
A new era in radio will begin on November 30, when a rocket lifts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying a commercial digital radio transponder to a geosynchronous orbit over North America. The satellite, which belongs to Sirius Satellite Radio, will eventually beam as many as 100 stations providing "CD-quality" sound to listeners throughout the continent.
Mobile audio is the primary market for the new service, with rural listeners considered a secondary market. Automakers Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and BMW have already signed on with Sirius, and will make satellite receivers…
In what may be the precursor to a deluge of lawsuits against electronics manufacturers, computer giant Hewlett-Packard has agreed to pay fees to German music licensing organization GEMA for revenue supposedly lost to piracy. Hewlett-Packard was targeted by GEMA last May, because the Palo Alto, Calfornia-based company's CD burners dominate the German market, and was originally asked to pay 30 marks ($12.90) for each unit sold in Germany since February, 1998.
HP settled Thursday, November 23, in a Frankfurt court on a lower judgement: 3.60 marks ($1.54) for each unit sold since the 1998 date…
Wes Phillips writes, "I catch John's eye and wonder if he's pondering the same question I am: What were we thinking?" In addition to trying to push forward the limits of getting great sound onto tape, Stereophile's release of Rhapsody In Blue would offer the public a groundbreaking arrangement of George Gershwin's most popular orchestral work. In "The Rhapsody Project," Hyperion Knight and John Atkinson join Wes in chronicling their perspectives on the processes leading to this landmark recording.
Our Vote! responses this week reveal many an audiophile's favorite-looking piece of…
Will music fans willingly pay for what they've been getting free? With the shuttering of free music site Napster a strong probability, two giants of the music industry are moving forward with plans to roll out a subscriber-based online music distribution plan.
"Duet," as the service will be called, should appear next summer. The venture is the result of a "soft alliance" between Vivendi Universal SA and Sony Music Entertainment, who together control approximately half the world's market in recorded music. (French media conglomerate Vivendi is Universal Music's new parent company, after…
Xd on its way: NHT has begun shipping its Xd DEQX Calibrated DSP speaker systems to dealers, according to an announcement made January 24 by parent company the Rockford Home Group. A high-tech twist on the old satellite-and-subwoofer scheme, the Xd consists of a pair of two-way acoustic satellite speakers; an XdW bass module with two opposing 10" drivers powered by an internal PowerPhysics 500W amplifier; and an XdA outboard processor/amplifier that includes a DEQX-calibrated DSP engine and four PowerPhysics One-Cycle Sound amps.
Many months in development (1, 2, 3), the Xd was one of the…