Both Blockbuster and Enron Broadband Services announced last week that they have terminated the exclusive services agreement the companies launched only three months ago (see previous story). In spite of the setback, both companies claim that they will continue to develop "entertainment-on-demand" (EOD) services independently.

Scientists at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory say they have developed a technology that could make the coming transition from current analog television to high-definition television a whole lot easier. The scientists describe the technology as a new transmission algorithm capable of compressing a HDTV data stream to the point where the HDTV and analog TV signals can be broadcast over the same channel.

Last week, Hitachi announced that, on April 10, it will release what it describes as the world's first 32-inch HDTV plasma TV, the W32-PD2100. The company says that this will be followed by the release of a second version of the set with a built-in BS (Broadcast Satellite) digital receiver on June 11. Both TVs will intitally be released in Japan. Hitachi says it is also planning to introduce a 37-inch HDTV plasma TV at a later date. Pricing for all models is to be announced.

According to the numbers revealed by the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) last week, American consumers spent more than ever on home video in 2000, with rentals and sales of VHS and DVD hitting the $20 billion mark for the first time in home video's twenty-plus–year history. On the rental side of the video business, the VSDA reports that the total combined revenues of both DVD and VHS video formats rose 2.2% in 2000 over 1999. The "remarkably popular" new DVD video format made a major impact on this mark, says the not-for-profit trade group.