All prices are in US dollars.

Sharp's newest 1-bit digital integrated amp, the 50Wpc SM-SX1 (top, $3750), is a more compact version of the company's $15,000 SM-SX1000 digital integrated. As noteworthy, however, is the fact that the new unit can accept and decode digital data via a proprietary "Direct Bitsream Coupling" link from the companion DX-SX1 SACD player ($2750). Both components are petite -- less than a foot wide and under 15 pounds each.

Sharp's newest all-in-one DVD theater, the DV-L80TV ($1499), was shown next to its predecessor to illustrate how far the company has been able to push such products in a year's time. It has an 8.2" 16:9 display, full sets of audio outputs, and a terrific picture.

The good-looking Sharp CD-RW 5000 Tower System ($599) includes an AM/FM tuner, a multidisc CD player/recorder, and even a cassette deck. The speakers also have built-in subwoofers.

Easily the most impressive demo we attended at CEDIA was by Vidikron, and it took two and a half days to set up. A pair of $50,000 Vidikron Vision One projectors along with Vidikron display products played either an HDTV or upconverted 480i-to-1080p signal to produce what Doug Blackburn called "the best video image I've ever seen -- anywhere." Theta Digital electronics and Joseph Audio speakers rounded out the impressive "Reference Demonstration Theater."

Camelot Technology's The Round Table progressive-scan DVD player ($3495) has a number of internal goodies that enhance image or sound quality, including Camelot's Dragon 5.1 jitter-reducer and Excalibur Powered S-Video circuitry. The unit also upsamples CDs and passes 24-bit/96kHz data via coaxial and I-squared-S digital outputs.