Many home theater fans believe Theta Digital Corporation is primarily an audio company, but Theta also makes excellent digital video gear. Case in point: the company's new Carmen DVD transport.

Introduced in January at the Consumer Electronics Show, the $3,000 Carmen is priced lower than the DaVID, its predecessor, and is said to have equal or better sound and picture quality. "The new Carmen CD/DVD Transport offers third-generation DVD technology," says company CEO Neil Sinclair, "yielding video performance of extremely high quality. Technological refinements also allow greater ease of setup and use."

Performance-enhancing options will include an RS-232 interface, and digital video and progressive scan outputs, including 480p. Says Theta's panel of A/V experts: "Carmen achieves a level of sound quality never before achieved in a CD or DVD transport at this price."