CEA seeks simplified testing of TV X-radiation in petition for rulemaking submitted last week to Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Proposal asks FDA to amend methods TV manufacturers use to confirm compliance, but doesn’t ask agency to change amount of X-radiation sets can emit. CEA wants to reduce govt. and manufacturer administrative costs of testing and certification process “made unnecessary by modern transistorized circuitry,” it said. Current FDA rules require manufacturers to test each new family of sets for X-radiation and submit detailed report. Complex testing and reporting method was necessary in 1960s when TV technology and set manufacturing were in infancy, CEA said, but “set design has improved to… eliminate most of the components that could fail and result in excessive X-radiation.” Recent survey of manufacturers found level of emissions from TV sets hadn’t approached that of naturally occurring background radiation -- about 1/5 of FDA limit -- in last 20 years, it said. “During the last 2 decades television set manufacturers have voluntarily reduced X-radiation emissions to levels well below the FDA’s limit and it is time the regulatory process caught up with technology,” CEA spokesman said.
Planar, seeking to expand reach of retail LCD monitors, added 19” ($1,495) with up to 1,600x1,200 resolution, 400 lumens and 250:1 contrast ratio. Planar is believed to have sourced panel from Samsung, although Mktg. Programs Mgr. Kimarie Wolf declined to identify supplier. Samsung also is marketing 19” as part of effort to establish new screen size category for LCD monitors. Monitors previously started in 15"-17” range, then jumped directly to 21"-22.” Planar entered LCD monitor business on online and catalog sales basis year ago with 15” and 17” monitors and since has added range of products including 17.4.”
Electronics industry and state and local regulators reached “key” understanding on financial model for management of used CE products at meeting of National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI) Nov. 8-9 in Boston, said regulators involved in initiative. “The significance of last week’s meeting was that the industry agreed to take the focus away from a taxpayer or ratepayer model,” said Sego Jackson, principal planner for Snohomish County, Wash. NEPSI came up with “road map” for agreement to be on table by Sept., said Scott Cassel, dir. of Mass.-based Product Stewardship Institute.
Datel started shipping new game enhancer, Action Replay 2 V2 for PlayStation 2 (PS2), that company said was “most feature- packed cheat cartridge ever released on any console.” U.K. company said ?29.99 ($26.81) enhancer included “thousands of unique cheat codes and enhancements covering nearly every PlayStation 2 game.” Datel said enhancer also allowed users “to play DVD import movies on your PlayStation 2 without having to modify your console.” Enhancer also “gets rid of annoying ‘green screen’ so you can watch your movies with the best possible picture quality,” it said, and comes with bonus disc including thousands of best PlayStation/PS One codes for use on PS2.
Infogrames started shipping CD-ROM PC game Tonka Monster Trucks at $19.99. E-rated (Everyone) game was designed for Windows 95/98/Me.
LucasArts Entertainment began shipping T-(Teen) rated PC game Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds at $49.99.
Bandai Entertainment’s anime feature film Escaflowne will be released theatrically Jan. 25 in select U.S. and Canadian markets, including Chicago, L.A., N.Y., San Francisco, Vancouver. Animated movie will be released widely in Feb., said Bandai America subsidiary.
Report on DVD Multi (CED Nov 9 p2) should have read “minimum requirement is that read-only drives play recordings made in DVD- RAM, DVD-R and DVD-R decks.”
Gold upgrade version of videogame Operation Flashpoint will be sold as boxed product late this month at $14.99, Codemasters said. Included are 64-page Prima strategy guide and Red Hammer: The Soviet Campaign segment. Game maker said it also would publish gold edition of game in Feb. at $39.99 that would include latest multiplayer and code enhancements.
Columbia Records set Nov. 27 release date for 2-CD set adapted from The Concert for New York City, which aired live Oct. 20 for 6 hours on VH-1. Proceeds from recording, which will list for $24.98, will go to Robin Hood Relief Fund benefitting victims of Sept. 11 attacks. DVD and VHS versions of concert will follow later.