Which is better, or more precisely, which isn't worse

It's not that I hated Time Warner Cable. In fact, in a lot of ways I kind of liked them. For several years, I had the Scientific Atlanta 8000HD DVR box, which, after many updates, was a pretty decent piece of equipment. Then, after my second one died (as hard-drive based equipment is bound to do), they gave me the 8300HDC. This is the worst consumer electronics product I've ever used, and my days with TWC were numbered. And along came AT&T.

Our 10 Best Gear Awards

The best gear of the year.

Serve it Up – Audio and Video Servers Galore

Maybe you've got a huge collection of digital music, and you'd really love to listen to it throughout your home, instead of simply on your iPod.

Perhaps you want to rip your DVD collection to disc and secret the cases away in storage.

No matter the particulars, chances are you have digital media you want to enjoy in the more comfortable parts of your home—away from the desktop. Enter media servers.

Dynamic Duo

Of all the storied American audio brands established after the Second World War, perhaps none has the rich history associated with the McIntosh marque.

Founded and run by engineers, the company produced audio components that stood out from competitors with their trademark cut-glass front panels, highlighted with blue-lit meters and a green-glowing McIntosh logo—a trade dress that continues to this day.

An Audio Lover’s Video Player.

Over the past year, Denon has quietly assembled an interesting array of Blu-ray players designed to suit a host of budgets and systems—from the digital-only DVD-2500BTCI transport ($999) to the recently announced “entry-level” DVD-1800BD ($749).

Residing at the top of the chain is the reference DVD-3800BDCI ($1,999), a beefy unit whose build quality and high-end components befit that higher price tag.

I’m used to providing tech support for friends, especially those new to the world of home theater and high-definition video. But never have my phone lines been as busy as in the days after Sony’s PlayStation 3 hit the stores. "What’s the difference between 720p and 1080i?" "Should I rip my CDs in AAC, MP3, or ATRAC?" "Why am I not getting sound from this SACD I bought?" "Why won’t this Blu-ray movie that came with the PS3 play on my DVD player?"

Nagra’s jewel-like CDC CD player advances the state of the digital art.

What happens when a company updates a classic? Often disaster results, as anyone who ever sipped a New Coke or drove a Mustang II can attest. But occasionally the new version preserves the original’s magic while smoothing its minor imperfections, as anyone who owns a Mini Cooper will happily confirm.