SEPTEMBER 2010 - Editorial Comment

Variety is the spice of life

It’s hard to believe that this issue marks the start of the third quarter of this year. It’s certainly been a very active, very busy nine months, with a plethora of components arriving at the AVSA offices for review, and some rapid developments in technology terms.

The most obvious of those has been the rise of 3D television, which has gained momentum much quicker than I, for one, expected.

Whether 3D TV is adopted as the de facto norm in home viewing, or stays a high-end rarity, remains to be seen. After all, thetechnology is still in its infancy, and there is plenty of room for improvement, especiallyas far as extended-period viewing and the use of special glasses are concerned.

However, the advent of 3D TV has also spawned other developments. It has certainly accelerated the arrival of the latest HDMI standard, which had been in the offing for some time.

This latest HDMI 1.4a is not only 3D capable, but also allows Ethernet-derived data to be shared with other components linked via HDMI. It also ups the resolution maximum to 4096 x 2160p at 24 Hz, allows the use of micro-HDMI connectors, together with automotive applications and greater colour depth standards.

But the news isn’t all good. The arrival of 3D TV means that 3D-capable Blu-ray players have also become available, rendering most existing decks obsolete – at least in 3D terms. And it’s debatable whether the bandwidth of some of the older HDMI cables in use will cope with 3D.

However, there’s a lot more to the broad arena of home entertainment than 3D television. As our contents list confirms, the spectrum of new and innovative kit continues to be vast.

In this issue, for instance, the equipment evaluated ranges from the review of the Decibel Audio loudspeaker kit, to talented desktop speakers, to a portable iPod dock – and lots more.

Nor does it all have to be top-end,expensive equipment. Our cover review features a Denon mid-range receiver, proving that top-class performance isn’t only limited to flagship models.

Variety remains the spice of life – and right now, it doesn’t get more varied than the AV arena. Exciting times indeed!

Deon Schoeman