Audio News for August 8, 2014

by | Aug 8, 2014 | Audio News

Dealer Drive for UHD TV Adoption – Dealers across the nation, with input from the Consumer Electronic Association (CEA), are doing a consumer awarness campaign to aid the adoption of UHD TV sets. The CEA calls it “Believing Begins Here,” and at Best Buy stores, for example, it will include TV ads, digital marketing, buyers’ guides and educational videos. There will be in-store demonstrations at 50 Best Buys from August 9 thru Nov. 1. Field market terams from LG, Samsung and Sony will conduct interactive tutorials, along with Best Buy associates. The sessions will be complemented by a schedule of manufacturer promotions and in-store sweepstakes. Prizes will include a Sony 55-inch UHD TV replete with installation and Best Buy gift cards. The CEA has been an active proponent of UHD, working behind the scenes and in the field to educate consumers and retailers about the benefits of the advanced display technology. [While we don’t feel this first generation of UHD has much going for it, we were glad to see the campaign news spoke of “near 4K quality,” since it is NOT 4K as some manufacturers are stating. It is considerably reduced in resolution from the 4K in commercial movie theaters. The publicity also says they want to “educate customers” to UHD sets’ ability to upscale 1080p sources. No upscaling – video or audio – can really make a lesser resolution seem substantially higher.]

Alpine Launches Third In-Dash 9-inch Nav System – Alpine’s new in-dash AV navigation system is the aftermarket’s largest in-dash display. It has HD Radio, iPod/iPhone plug-in use, Pandora control, and SiriusXM capability. The driver can view a source in the dash while rear passengers watch a separate video on a rear-seat screen. It has an HDMI input, premium audio amps, Bluetooth, and many vehicle functions, including tire-pressure display, battery voltage display, door status and other gauges. It is for Ford and GM trucks and SUVs and the list is $3000.

OTT Video Market to Grow 21% – Over-the-top video refers to film and TV content delivered over the Internet rather than from normal telecasts. According to a study by Strategy Analytics, video streaming is expected to grow 21% this year, and consumer use of video-on-demand services such as Netflix and Hulu is expected to account for half of the revenue. This will reach $10.7 billion and by 2019 is expected to reach as high as $18 billion. Subscription video-on-demand revenue should grow 26% this year to $5.1 billion, and will account for 48% of total OTT video revenue. Advertising around OTT content will account for the remaining 33% fo revenue this year, growing by 17% to $3.6 billion. A spokesman said “An extensive library of TV shows and movies — with just enough blockbuster titles — at an affordable price has proved a compelling cocktail for consumers.”

Related Reviews
Logo Pure Pleasure
Logo Crystal Records Sidebar 300 ms
Logo Jazz Detective Deep Digs Animated 01