| Editorial February 2003
Reflections on the 2003 CES
Having just attended my third International Consumer
Electronics Show, it occurred to me that I’ve grown quite fond of the Las Vegas-based
madhouse that kicks off the new model year for us home-theater junkies. There’s
nothing else like it: excitement everywhere about new product introductions; emerging
technologies coming into their own; industry professionals changing alliances and touting
their once-competitor’s products. There’s magic in the air in Vegas come the
second week of January, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It’s not all fun
and games, though. Lest you forget, we’re there on a mission.
The SoundStage! Network makes the trip to Nevada each year
to bring you the most comprehensive show reporting anywhere. Our online coverage
is updated each day throughout the Show so that you don’t have to wait days, weeks,
or even months to see what’s new. In fact, I know that many of our readers actually
know what’s new from particular companies before some of their dealers do! It can be
quite humorous when the customer arrives and asks for the new Model 5000 receiver only to
have the dealer say, "There isn’t a Model 5000." The customer replies,
"Yes there is, here’s a picture of it I just downloaded from the www.SoundStageLIVE.com show
site!"
Our writers get excited about the products that hold out
the most promise, and we can’t wait to show them to you. After all, we’re
home-theater fanatics too. Not only are we reporters, we’re also rabid consumers. I
commented to one Home Theater & Sound writer (who had not attended the CES
before) that I’d heard him -- over the course of four days -- mentally spend $20,000
on gear seen at the Show! It’s normal, I do it too, but it demonstrates that our
staff is "in the business" because we love it. The CES is our reality TV.
It’s not all good news, though. There’s
inevitably a thinning of the ranks in one sector or another. As many new products as there
are, there are also a number of companies that disappear from the radar screen. Maybe the
previous year wasn’t good to everyone; maybe the competition was just too brutal.
Whatever the reason, it’s not uncommon to see a company’s name on a booth or
room only to find out that they aren’t there because they closed up shop between
registering for the CES and the actual date of the Show. It’s not always indicative
of the quality of the products the company produced; many times it’s related more to
unavoidable market shifts.
I probably have more fun seeing what the major mass-market
firms bring to the Show than anything else. The massive displays in the heart of the Las
Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) are designed to pull people in, and it’s a race to
build a bigger, brighter, more flamboyant display than the next guy. To see 75 LCD
displays suspended on a spiral staircase up to the roof is a sight to behold. Only in
Vegas!
Now that the 2003 International CES is history, the
inevitable begins: We have a new slate of product reviews to plan and produce; there are
questions to answer about products, formats, technologies, and manufacturers; and there
are also system upgrades to make the home-theater experience that much better. It can be
most overwhelming, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
It’s pretty simple, though. If I weren’t doing
the CES report for the SoundStage! Network, I’d be reading it. We endeavor to
pass on our fortunate position to you by providing the timely information that you need in
a complete fashion (with detailed photos and accurate prices). So when you look at
the new goodies at the CES, realize we’re all in the same boat as you -- we’re
planning, dreaming, saving, and having fun with one of the most rewarding hobbies around.
And that makes for some exciting prospects in 2003.
...Jeff Fritz
editor@hometheatersound.com |
