Coming Attractions By HT Staff January 11, 2005 — Meridian
Meridian's modular, card-based 800 Version 4 disc player is an upgrade on the company's popular 800 player. It comes with Meridian's V100 video input card and VE12 HDMI/progressive component output card. The V100 provides two composite, two S-video, and one interlaced component video input. You also get the VE00 video encoder card, which generates NTSC and PAL in composite, S-video, and component formats. The 800 Version 4 is supported by Meridian's latest computer-based step-by-step MConfig configuration system. This standout design is available in a black-lacquer or a sleek silver finish and costs from $18,000 to $20,000, depending on configuration.
Meridian
(404) 344-7111
www.meridian-audio.com

Sharp
So you don't have a dedicated home theater room but you still want to use a projector? Impossible? Not with Sharp's next-generation portable XV-Z2000 DLP projector. The 720p XV-Z2000 uses the DLP HD2+ chip from Texas Instruments and has a contrast ratio of 2,500:1. It also features brightness levels comparable to those available in much larger front projectors, so you can use this guy in almost any lighting condition. Best of all, this $4,499 projector measures less than 12 by 12 by 4 inches and weighs less than 10 pounds, so even a girlie-man can transport it with ease.
Sharp
(800) BE-SHARP
www.sharpusa.com