Philips intros the CinemaOne iPod / DVD soundbar

We suppose it was just a matter of time before iPod docks and HTIBs achieved some sort of unholy union, and their demonic lovechild has appeared at IFA -- say hello to the Philips CinemaOne. Essentially a mashup of an iPod speaker system, a DVD player, and a soundbar, it's designed to plug in to your flatscreen via HDMI and provide surround audio through five DSP-driven speakers and 4-inch sub, all in a package about the size of a football. The DivX-compatible DVD player seems decent, with 1080p scaling and Dolby Digital and DTS support, but even though the speakers use the same soundbar tech found in Philips' Ambisound line, we've got our doubts that this thing sounds any good -- most soundbars we've heard require a separate large sub to be effective. No pricing or release date yet, but we'd wait to actually hear this thing in person before we started to set aside spare change. Action shot after the break.

[Tim @ Aug 28th 2008 1:24PM]

Why does everything have to be compatible with an iPod?

[Richard Lai @ Aug 28th 2008 1:25PM]

We live on money. That's why.

[Muhammed @ Aug 28th 2008 1:26PM]

May be because its the no.1 selling audio/video player worldwide?

[Muhammed @ Aug 28th 2008 1:25PM]

That thing is one fine piece of art.
waiting for more specs, hopefully good ones.

[blore40 @ Aug 28th 2008 1:32PM]

Yeah, makes a nice pedestal for a Darth Vader helmet.

[ScooterDe @ Aug 28th 2008 3:49PM]

until you see the wires.

[bob sakamano @ Aug 28th 2008 1:33PM]

i hate NPP

no price posts!

[abiade @ Aug 28th 2008 1:40PM]

Why is that drive not a blu-ray? You would expect these engineers to have consumers catch up to their products but its the reverse. Why rush to the market with a nice product but not up-to-date with a major component. Why why why???

[phanbouy @ Aug 28th 2008 1:45PM]

to keep the price under $1500 maybe?

[abiade @ Aug 28th 2008 1:55PM]

Addition: Also Wi-fi and hard disk storage to boot?

[Evan @ Aug 28th 2008 1:45PM]

"4 inch sub" - I think that says it all.

[klietza @ Aug 28th 2008 1:52PM]

Horrible "invention"... iHate all these new products that just are so overly mediocre iPuke.

[Jamus @ Aug 28th 2008 2:16PM]

Interesting, but why round? I could see something like the Yamaha sound bars, but the shape seems odd considering it will probably go in media center furniture. I hope Phillips has tweaked their remote layout. I picked up a 1080i upconverter model at Sears that was on clearance. No complaints about picture quality, but the remote was abysmal!

[0megapart!cle @ Aug 28th 2008 2:17PM]

Uhm, how is that the size of a football? Maybe 2 footballs.

[Ilya @ Aug 28th 2008 2:56PM]

It would be great thing if there was an on-fly convertation of the DVD's right to the iPod. But because of stupid copyright policy of Apple its impossible... F*CK!

[phanbouy @ Aug 28th 2008 3:29PM]

yeah i'm sure studio copy protection on DVDs is apple's fault, as is apple's desire to not be sued into oblivion for cracking it.

[isoSasquatch @ Aug 28th 2008 3:10PM]

Ironically, I'm in the market for something like this because the speakers on my Philips LCD are so atrociously bad.

[Richard @ Aug 28th 2008 3:59PM]

No kidding! I got my Philips a few months ago from Best Buy after I discovered my Westinghouse was defective (I had a PRP so they let me get something else. Went from a 42'' to a 47''). When I took my new tv home I procrastinated on setting my home theater system again and used the built-in speakers. Yuck! I think I lasted a day before I hooked everything back up.

[Christopher @ Aug 28th 2008 3:37PM]

Let's see...Philips CinemaOne...No Blu-Ray. Plastic cabinet. 4" subwoofer. Non-upgradable iPod integration. If it is half reasonable (i.e. sub $299 price point), well maybe. How about putting together a PS3 ($399), a B&W Zeppelin ($599) with a Pioneer Kuro ($3000). Now you're talkin.

[M.Samba @ Aug 28th 2008 3:38PM]

When I look at that thing I imagine it floating and shooting dvd's at people.

[Onetrack @ Aug 28th 2008 3:44PM]

finally no 5 year old korean girls to show off the new hardware but a pic of a real woman.. i'll take her plz.

[glenn s @ Aug 28th 2008 4:39PM]

Putting a sub woofer inside of an optical disk player has to be the stupidest thing I have heard of in a long time.

(Loud bang...skip...rescan...loud bang again...skip...rescan...repeat until head explodes)

[goolier @ Aug 28th 2008 10:11PM]

Looks like it belongs next those crappy droids in Jabba's palace.

[warrenpeace™ @ Aug 28th 2008 11:36PM]

Not everyone lives in a detached, huge-ass suburban house, where you can have a 7.1 channel surround set-up. Can't wait for someone to review the final product and post the results. You listening CNet?