More Anti-piracy Measures
US Senator Joseph Biden has introduced a bill that would give law-enforcement agencies stronger tools to pursue copyright violators, and would give copyright holders stronger grounds for suing pirates.
More Audio Statistics Indicate Growing Markets
Specialty audio manufacturers did better than expected in 1997, with factory sales as high as $1.4 billion, as reported last">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10148/">last week. More figures from the Consumer">http://www.cema.org">Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association indicate that the High End's good fortune is part of a bigger trend.
More Cutbacks at Sony
Each month Sony Corporation announces what seems to be an even more drastic cure for its lingering financial malaise. On Tuesday, October 28, the Japanese industrial giant announced that it would reduce its workforce by approximately 13% over the next three years, cutting some 20,000 workers from its payroll, 7000 of them in Japan.
More Digital Audio Announcements From Comdex
Last week's Comdex convention in Las Vegas showcased more examples of convergence between the consumer electronics and computer industries, especially in the areas of portable devices, home theater, and digital">http://www.stereophile.com/news/10893/">digital audio. DVD-Audio also received notice at the show, as chip developer Zoran">http://www.zoran.com/">Zoran Corporation announced the Vaddis V, its latest DVD multimedia processor, slated for mass production in spring 2001.
More DualDiscs Planned
The record industry's favorite nonconformist, DualDisc, is getting a modest boost in February and March. Despite hand-wringing and compatibility warnings from scores of manufacturers, all of the major record labels say they plan to release some of the two-faced discs in coming weeks.
More DVD-Audio On Tap
Although it announced">http://www.stereophile.com/news/11129/">announced support for SACD in early September, the world's third-largest record label, EMI">http://www.emigroup.com">EMI Music Distribution, says it is also gearing up for a full slate of DVD-Audio titles. While the company has numerous new releases available, these will be the first to come from its back catalog.
More High End Audio From CES
Several rooms at the Alexis Park featured SACD front ends, but as we moved around the floor of the main LV Convention Center, we heard and saw a lot more about DVD-Audio than SACD. Denon showed their DVD-3300 DVD-A/V player, which began shipping a few months back for $1199. No new models were on the floor, but the Denon rep suggested that something new will be appearing later this year. Pioneer was promising a universal DVD-A/V/SACD/CD machine in the future, and Yamaha was also showing a new DVD-Audio machine, the DVDS1200, in their booth.
More Internet Retailing Announcements
Spotting another online niche, Hifi.comhttp://www.Hifi.com">Hifi.com; announced the debut of CustomHifi.comhttp://www.CustomHifi.com">CustomHifi.com; last week. The new site is aimed at custom installers. HiFi.com claims that CustomHifi.com is the first "comprehensive national, Internet-centric marketplace to offer custom electronic design and installation professionals access to leading audio/video products, information, and installation support."
More Lawsuits vs. Music Fans
The music industry may be going the way of the dinosaur, but if so, it's going to go down with its army of lawyers fighting all the way to the bitter end.
More Layoffs; Japan Unemployment a Record
Just as the Asian economic crisis a few years ago dealt a big blow to American high-end audio manufacturers, the slowing American economy is causing repercussions for Japanese companies.