As reported last week, more than 1.1 million DVD-Video players were shipped through the first half of 1999. Additional information released by the DVD Video Group puts these numbers in perspective: DVD-Video experienced 300% growth in the second quarter of 1999, when more than 730,000 hardware units were shipped (compared to 170,000 in the second quarter of 1998). Further, the Group says that shipments for the first six months of 1999 constitute an increase of 881,000 units over the same period in 1998, also representing more than 300% growth. (Over 1 million units shipped in the first half of 1999; in the first six months of 1998, slightly more than 260,000 units shipped.)

Star Wars—Episode 1: The Phantom Menace might have grabbed all the attention as the first movie to be screened in the US from a digital source rather than a film print (see previous story), but it's not the only one to use the new technology. With virtually no fanfare at all, An Ideal Husband is being shown from a digital source at Laemmle's Sunset 5 theater in Los Angeles through July 15, 1999.

For 20 years, Pioneer has been laserdisc's biggest booster. But that era of home entertainment ended July 6, when Pioneer Entertainment announced that it would no longer produce or supply laserdiscs. The software division of Pioneer Electronics made the decision in view of the growing popularity of DVD, which, along with VHS tape, accounts for more than 90% of their business. The announcement is most certainly the kiss of death for the beleaguered format.

Last week, the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA) reported that sales of DVD players have reached 1 million units so far this year. CEMA also announced its revised projections for total DVD-player unit sales in 1999, raising the previous prediction of 1.8 million to 3 million.