March 3 - 12:20am EST   Sony has introduced a new line of audio/video receivers that are geared for high-definition home theaters. The flagship STR-DN1000 features a piano-black gloss finish that matches the company's latest Blu-ray players. The receiver provides 7.1-channel audio playback, with 110 watts per channel at 8-Ohms, and support for codecs such as Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS-HD Master Audio and LCPM. The receiver can also route 1080p 60/24 HD video signals, while all incoming analog signals are upscaled. [full story]

January 8 - 1:30pm EST   JVC is promoting three new home theater systems at CES, the TH-G31, G41 and G51. All three feature 5.1-channel surround speakers, with power rated at 1,000W; these attach to a receiver which decodes DTS and Dolby Digital input, while providing HDMI video output and 1080p upconversion. A front-facing auxiliary input allows additional connections. The G31 is the simplest of the three, providing no extra improvements. [full story]

September 17 - 7:00pm EDT   Car audio electronics manufacturer Kenwood recently introduced two new replacement car CD receivers with the DPX303 and DPX503. Either is rated to deliver 50W over four channels and will play MP3, WMA and AAC encoded CDs and feature an auxiliary audio jack on their front panels. The higher-spec DPX503 adds a USB port to the faceplate that will allow users to plug in their 5th generation iPods and control them via the receiver. [full story]

June 26 - 12:10pm EDT   Sony has announced three new AV receivers under its "Elevated Standard" line, the STR-DA2400ES, 3400ES and 4400ES. All of them are capable of 1080/24p output, and decoding several audio codecs, including Dolby TrueHD, DTS High Resolution and DTS HD Master Audio. A built-in Faroudja DCDi Cinema chip upscales all video to 1080p when streamed via HDMI. The 4400ES is the top-end model, and has a 120W amplifier that services 7.1 channels. Six HDMI inputs are supplied, and streams can be directed to multiple zones simultaneously, including two video and three audio zones. It should ship in August for $1,500. [full story]

February 27 - 4:15pm EST   Taking its own turn after Sony, Yamaha has announced five new AV receivers for 2008. The base model is the RX-V363, which supports 5.1 channels with 100W of audio each. It is 1080p-capable, but has only two HDMI inputs (plus three component ports), and is only compatible with iPods and Bluetooth devices through optional accessories. Pricing is set at $230. [full story]

February 26 - 12:45pm EST   Continuing its publicity blitz, Sony has announced four new high-end AV receivers. All of them are capable of 1080p24 output, and in some cases can upscale standard-definition video to that maximum resolution, so long as owners connect to a similarly-equipped TV with HDMI input. The best of the receivers are the STR-DG820 and DG920, which can produce 110W for each of their 7.1 channels of audio; supported sound codecs include Dolby TrueHD and Digital Plus, as well as DTS-HD High Resolution and Master Audio. [full story]