Life in the Electronic Playpen

The humble TV becomes an all-purpose entertainment machine

The Ron Sherman family in Manhattan no longer huddles reverently in front of an ordinary boob tube that sits in the corner like a Buddha. Instead, the Shermans laze back in their den and let a wave of sight and sound wash over them from a new $16,000 audio-video system that does just about everything but get up and fetch the beer and popcorn. When Advertising Executive Sherman watches a football game on the new set, the clamor of the crowd blares at him from four speakers...

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