Scott Wilkinson: Pioneer Plasmas, Wireless HDMI and Sony OLED HDTVs
This one's a three-way tie for me. First, Pioneer's dramatic improvements to their plasma technologies result in a vastly superior picture, even when compared with the current generation of Pioneer plasmas, a point the company didn't fail to make itself. These improvements will be available in Pioneer's 2007 models, the specifics of which were not revealed.

Next, there's wireless HDMI, which blossomed from one prototype system last year to many imminent products in 2007. Most use 802.11n to carry the HDMI signal, but there were a few exceptions. For example, Philips announced a transmitter/receiver combo, dubbed SWW1800, based on UWB (ultra wideband) technology. The two small boxes can be used with any source and display to carry up to 1080p signals over an effective range of no more than 25 feet. It'll be available in the fall for $300-$400.

Other companies introduced TVs with integrated wireless HDMI. Among them was Samsung's HP-T5894W, a 58-inch 1080p plasma with an outboard transmitter that accepts inputs from several source devices and beams them up to 100 feet to the TV via 802.11n. The wireless signal resolution is currently limited to 1080i, but it could be upgraded to 1080p by the time the set is available late this year. Pricing was not disclosed.

The third great tech breakthrough was Sony's 24-inch, 1080p OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display, by far the largest I've ever seen. The colors were vivid, the detail was exceptional, and the panel was a fraction of an inch thick. This was a technology demonstration with no commercial products available this year (or next, I'd wager). But I still want one!

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Chris Martens: Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio HD
The emergence of Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio HD surround-sound standards, which by Fall of this year should begin to appear in next-generation A/V receivers and controllers. What these new standards make possible is the long-anticipated convergence of HD video and high-resolution audio—opening the door for ultra high-quality movie and music playback in the home.

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Christopher Jones: D-Link MediaLounge HD Player & AT&T U-Verse
As the newest WiFi standard, 802.11n, makes its way into products this year and next, its higher bandwidth capabilities will make high definition video streaming possible over home networks. Already, networking guru D-Link has announced a new product, the MediaLounge HD Player (DSM-750), that incorporates the upgraded WiFi standard and should be available in early Q2. Likewise, Netgear’s Digital Entertainer HD will have the capability to stream HD over wireless as soon as the new WiFi specification is approved (a process that can sometimes linger on, which is why companies like D-Link get a jump on things). Expect a slew of new products later this year that take advantage of this fatter wireless pipeline for all manner of AV streaming and other applications in the home.

The most significant tech development in the TV world is the arrival of IPTV (digital television delivered over the Internet and DSL). AT&T’s U-verse service and Verizon’s FiOS TV service are the first two out of the gate, and they are impressive in many respects. One of the biggest advantages of IPTV is the integration of the Internet with TV broadcasts, so customers can schedule digital video recordings, watch high definition (HD) channels, surf the Web, look up in-depth program information, and order videos on demand, all with the same remote and TV interface. With the U-verse service, you can record four standard definition channels simultaneously, and in the near future, you will be able to record two HD channels simultaneously. Currently, the service is available in (various regions of) eleven states, including Texas, Connecticut, and California, and AT&T expects to reach nearly 19 million households as part of its initial deployment by the end of 2008.

Arnie Williams: Hitachi 1TB Hard Drive
Although it might seem odd at first that I’m picking the launch of the world’s first 1 terabyte storage device from Hitachi as the Greatest Technological Breakthrough at a CES show where my own beat was to cover home theater technology, I still give Hitachi the nod. The 1 terabyte hard drive from Hitachi will first find its home in Hitachi’s cameras and computers, but think of the significance. At only $399, the storage capacity of the drive will equal 1,000 1G drives, 1,000 eBooks, or 125 high-def movies. This opens an important door for mobile devices such as cameras and mobile media players that has previously been closed to them. It allows the portability of high-def media that will consume more and more storage, and it does so at an affordable price. This signals good news for media in general, and we’ll no doubt see more media devices equipped with this kind of breakthrough storage going forward.

Barry Willis: Neosonik Wireless Systems
This would also have to be Neosonik, because wireless audio has been so long in coming. Other companies—KEF in particular—announced wireless speakers at CES, but Neosonik came through with the convincing demo.

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Stewart Wolpin: Kleer Wireless Technology
Admittedly a distant third to the Apple iPhone and MediaFLO is Kleer, a stereo Bluetooth-like wireless headphone technology. But unlike Bluetooth, which was designed for two-way cell chatting, the one-way Kleer was designed from the bottom up for music listening on music players. Its developers claim that Kleer saps less power than Bluetooth, encounters less interference and delivers a higher fidelity sound. Thus far, only the new RCA Jet Stream MP3 player (spring, $149) is using Kleer, but Kleer representatives say deals with other MP3 and headphone makers are pending.

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Neil Gader: Avega Systems Aios
Avega Systems Aios uses a WiFi platform to create unified networked home audio distribution and control. It’s designed to overcome the hurdles associated with networked audio including speaker synchronization, real time DVD playback (lip-sync), data transmission reliability. And boy howdy, did it ever! The superb demo used Webeck Molloy floorstanders (a 3.5-way active Aussie floorstander with Aios installed). The sound was unlike any wireless system I’ve ever encountered–most definitely and defiantly high end.

Wayne Garcia: Lansche Audio’s Corona Ion Tweeter
This tweeter could have also fall under the Best Sound and Biggest Surprise categories, and even though its technology isn’t exactly new, this German company’s ion tweeter is something to behold. Displayed at T.H.E. Show, the Corona tweeter is essentially a zero-mass, point-source-shaped electric arc (plasma flame) that activates the surrounding air to produce sound. Unlike ion tweeters of the past, no gas refills are required, though a slight ozone odor is noticeable. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the Lansche’s 4.1 system is the way the speaker’s designers have been able to integrate the rest of the drivers with zero-mass tweeter. With luck these will soon have US distribution so we can review them.   

Robert Harley: MSB iLink
A $2000 iPod docking station might seem an odd choice for technological breakthrough, but MSB’s iLink is much more than just an iPod cradle. The iLink turns your iPod into a music server with no sonic compromise by tapping into the iPod’s digital output and transmitting the digital signal wirelessly to the docking station. The station reclocks the signal with high precision and presents the digital signal to your digital-to-analog converter. This approach lets you sit in the listening seat with your iPod and access your music with full CD quality (provided that you store the music using lossless compression). MSB claims the sound quality is better than what’s possible from any CD transport. The only catch is that you must send your iPod to MSB for modification, or buy an already modified 80GB iPod Video from MSB, which brings the total package price to $2349.

Alan Taffel:
None. I saw no significant new technologies, in the audio field anyway, at this year's CES. The industry continues to evolve incrementally, as does sound quality. This is no surprise, since that is where R&D dollars are being invested. It is, however, a disappointment. 

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