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htib posts

LG's 5.1 HB954SP Blu-ray HTIB system makes room for your iPod or iPhone

by Darren Murph posted Oct 10th 2009 at 8:14AM

If you've somehow managed to hold out from joining into the HTIB revolution, the time for caving is upon you. LG has just tapped Sir Mark Levinson to engineer the acoustics behind its latest bundle, the HB954SP. Packing a 5.1-channel sound system that includes 1,000 total watts of power, a quintet of oval drivers and a ported subwoofer, the system gets direction from a BD-Live-enabled Blu-ray player that's actually a fair bit more stylish than the tried-and-true black rectangle. You'll also find a pair of HDMI inputs, an iDock function for charging and controlling your iPod / iPhone right from the BD deck, 1080p upscaling of traditional DVDs, touch sensitive controls, a USB port for loading up external media and an optical audio input. There's nary a mention of price, but it should splash down this November for a hefty premium.

Yamaha combines receivers with subwoofers and soundbars for trio of HTIB offerings

by Tim Stevens posted Sep 18th 2009 at 7:26AM

Receivers keep growing more channels, but few people have developed an affinity for running more speakers and their tethers 'round the living room. Yamaha's doing its part with a series of products that integrate things together -- soundbars, HTIBs, and the like. On the lower end are the YHT-S350 and YHT-S400, pictured after the break. Both offer a receiver with an integrated subwoofer, through which your various devices can be connected and the output end of their HDMI cables tickled with bass. The two differ only in how they get their highs out, with the S350 including a pair of squat stereo speakers and the S400 offering a three-channel "air surround xtreme" soundbar. On the higher end is the updated YSP-4100, above, a rather tall but only 9cm deep soundbar with the receiver integrated that can be mounted on the wall right beneath your giant HDTV and then paired with a selection of wireless transmitters for iPods and the like. It includes a whopping 40 4cm speakers arrayed within, with a further two 11cm woofers, delivering what Yamaha calls 2.5.1 channel sound -- though it looks as if it can power two additional speakers at the sides if you want something a little closer to 7.1. The YHT-S350 and -S400 are due to hit Japan in time for a Halloween marathon, while the YSP-4100 should release in time for the holiday specials on TV. No prices just yet.

[Via AV Watch]

Read - YHT-S350 and YHT-S400
Read - YSP-4100

Continue reading Yamaha combines receivers with subwoofers and soundbars for trio of HTIB offerings

Samsung has a new Blu-ray HTIB with the HT-BD3252

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Jul 21st 2009 at 11:35AM

Samsung's latest Blu-ray HTIB features just about anything an all-in-one customer could want; in fact we're not sure how you can even build a 5.1 system with rear wireless speakers and a Blu-ray player for $799. The HT-BD3252 of course supports the latest HD audio codecs like TrueHD and DTS-HD, and a mic for automatic calibration. Not wanting to leave anything out from its stand-alone players, Samsung has also included the same internet services like Pandora, Netflix and Blockbuster via the included WiFi dongle. Oh, and don't forget the very important iPod dock, we mean, who would buy a HTIB in this day and age without one? Not us, that's for sure.

Continue reading Samsung has a new Blu-ray HTIB with the HT-BD3252

Philips announces US availability for 2009 home entertainment line (with hands-on!)

by Darren Murph posted May 6th 2009 at 7:11PM

Philips may be dodging the North American sector with its flashiest of products, but it's still showing the Yanks in attendance a little love on the home entertainment front. Today in a meeting in NYC, the outfit revealed US pricing and availability for its entire 2009 family, most of which was quietly introduced in January. Starting things off are the 6000 and 7000 Series of HDTVs, which just so happen to pick right up where the previous models left off in 2008. The 6000 Series will arrive in 32-, 42- and 47-inch flavors for $799, $1,399 and $1,699, respectively, while the 7000 Series goes 42-, 47- and 52-inch for $1,499, $1,799 and $2,299, also respectively.

While checking these very sets out, we noticed that the factory settings left the colors a bit blown out and overly sharp -- though, this practice is far too common in HDTV companies anyway. Nothing like wowing those Best Buy shoppers at first, only to sear their retinas at home, right? All kidding aside, the panels looked superb, and the A-B comparison mode made tweaking the settings a breeze. Hop on past the break for the rest of the details, and give our gallery a glance for a closer look at the whole lot.

Gallery: Philips 2009 HDTV line

Gallery: Hands-on with Philips' new home theater lineup

Continue reading Philips announces US availability for 2009 home entertainment line (with hands-on!)

Epson launches next-gen Ensemble HD Home Cinema System

by Darren Murph posted Apr 28th 2009 at 4:10PM

Considering that Epson's highest-end HTIB is nearly two years old now, we'd say an update was definitely in order. Today, the outfit has just taken the wraps off of its next-generation Ensemble HD Home Cinema, which gets updated by way of including the PowerLite Home Cinema 6100 or Home Cinema 6500 UB. As with the prior kit, these two also include a motorized 100-inch screen, integrated surround sound, AV controller with built-in DVD player, universal remote and all virtually components needed for installation. The only thing that's glaringly absent is a Blu-ray player, which -- at this point -- is completely and utterly inexcusable. At any rate, those content with treating themselves to upscaled DVD can fork out $4,999 for the Ensemble HD Home Cinema 720p, $6,499 for the Ensemble HD Home Cinema 6100 and $7,999 for the Ensemble HD Home Cinema 6500 UB.

Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

by Darren Murph posted Mar 2nd 2009 at 8:00PM

Hope you didn't just pull the trigger on a BDP-S350, 'cause we get the feeling Sony's two newest standalone BD decks are going to make you yearn for the next best thing. Here in Las Vegas, the company has just come clean with the Profile 2.0 BDP-S360 and BDP-S560, the latter of which includes integrated WiFi for tapping into BD-Live content and downloading future firmware updates sans an Ethernet cable. Also, the unit is fully DLNA-ready, handles DVD upscaling, bit-streams audio via HDMI, decodes Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio and plays nice with external media loaded up on a USB drive. As predicted, the lower-end BDP-S360 is essentially the same player sans WiFi.

Moving on, we've got a new pair of 5.1-channel Blu-ray HTIB systems: the BDV-E300 and BDV-E500W. Both bundles include a BD-Live-capable (Profile 2.0) Blu-ray player, while the BDV-E500W sports integrated S-AIR wireless audio capabilities. In other words, your rear speakers will get their signal sans cabling, and those who opt for the BDV-E300 are getting a kit that's S-AIR-ready, meaning that you can add modules in the future to get the same wireless support. Both sets also include Sony's Digital Media Port for controlling peripherals like Apple's iPod and Sony's own Walkman line, and the BRAVIA Sync technology ensures that HDMI-CEC lovers are taken care of. The models also bring along the firm's Xross Media Bar (XMB) interface, a USB port for loading up media and an easy-to-follow setup DVD. As for pricing and availability, we've broken all that down below.

BDP-S360 Blu-ray player: shipping this summer for around $300
BDP-S560 Blu-ray player: shipping this summer for around $350
HT-SS360 component home theater system : shipping in May for around $350
BDV-E300 Blu-ray HTIB: shipping in June for around $600
BDV-E500W Blu-ray HTIB: shipping in June for around $800

Catch the release in full just after the break.

Gallery: Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

Continue reading Sony outs BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 Blu-ray players, new BD HTIBs

Samsung delivers HT-BD7200 / HT-BD1250 Blu-ray HTIB systems, HT-BD8200 BD soundbar

by Darren Murph posted Jan 7th 2009 at 5:00PM

Samsung's comin' at us hot and heavy from the desert, and if those two BD players already got your ears perked up, here's a little more for your future home theater. Up first is the HT-BD8200 Blu-ray soundbar, which -- as the name implies -- is actually a soundbar with a Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player baked right in. The bundle also includes a wireless subwoofer and promises 5.1-like sound despite being just 2.6-inches deep. Moving on, we've got the 2.1-channel HT-BD2700 and 5.1-channel HT-BD1250 Blu-ray HTIB systems, which offer up 400- and 1,000-watts of power, respectively along with WiFi support. Per usual, dollars and ship dates remain a mystery, but the more we look at those glossy black coats, the harder we find it to be patient.

Gallery: Samsung delivers HT-BD7200 / HT-BD1250 Blu-ray HTIB systems, HT-BD8200 BD soundbar

Sharp debuts Blu-ray HTIB, soundbars and iPod docks

by Richard Lawler posted Jan 7th 2009 at 4:23PM

Providing some audio punch to go along with all the video, Sharp's taking the wraps off of two new 5.1 HTIBs with Blu-ray included , the BD-MPC40 and BD-MPC30, plus two new 2.1 channel sound bars, the HT-SB300 and HT-SB200. Since no AV rollout is complete without an iPod dock, the DK-AP7N and DK-CL6N. Why, you ask, is only the soundbar pictured? To peek into the eye of the $799 piano black Blu-ray packing home theater units would be madness, ditto for the $99 - $129 iPod docks, ready to give you two channel audio (DK-CL6N) and 2.1 ESound processing, video out packing DK-AP7N. The theme here is convenience and quality in small packages, some hands and ears-on time should give us enough info to safely pass judgement.

JVC circles the wagons, surrounds us with four HTIBs

by Steven Kim posted Jan 7th 2009 at 12:20PM

JVC has loosed three 5.1-channel HTIBs and a fashionable 2.1-channel rig at CES. First up, the TH-G31, TH-G41 and TH-G51 are all based around upconverting DVD decks. The TH-G41 and TH-G51 models add a repeating HDMI input and iPod/iPhone connectivity -- complete with a display of the iPod/iPhone UI -- into the mix. Capping off the tippy-top of the line, the TH-G51 also sports wireless surround speakers. If your fashion sensibilities are even more stringent than wireless surrounds, you might be able to accept the move to the 2.1-channel, so slim it's wall-mountable NX-T10. Don't run away from the 2.1-channel spec just yet -- the speakers are omnidirectional, so you'll still get some sense of envelopment. Full details in the links.

[Read - 5.1-channel HTIBs]
[Read - NX-T10 HTIB]

Sony's BDV-IT1000ES and BDV-IS1000 HTIB systems do Blu-ray

by Darren Murph posted Sep 3rd 2008 at 7:00PM

Sony's BDV-IT1000 HTIB was outed late last month, but that's not stopping the powerhouse from making it official alongside the BDV-IS1000 today at CEDIA. As you likely know, these two are Sony's first offerings in the burgeoning Blu-ray HTIB market, as both packages come bundled with an elusive BD-Live-capable deck (the BDP-S350, we presume?) along with integrated support for the firm's S-AIR technology. Each set packs a pair of HDMI inputs, XMB menu navigation, 5.1-channel surround sound, Digital Media Port (for hooking up your PMP), BRAVIA Sync and even an IR repeater on the IT1000ES. The aforesaid BDV-IT1000ES ($1,999) includes oh-so-slim drivers (pictured after the jump), while the $1,000 BDV-IS1000 includes the same "golf ball-sized" speaks as the HT-IS100. Both sets are shipping next month, or so says the release waiting after the break.

Continue reading Sony's BDV-IT1000ES and BDV-IS1000 HTIB systems do Blu-ray

Sony debuts Bravia BDV-IT1000 Blu-ray home theater system

by Donald Melanson posted Aug 28th 2008 at 4:38PM

Still not satisfied by any of the Blu-ray home theater in a box systems out there? Then perhaps Sony's just announced Bravia BDV-IT1000 unit will be more to your liking. This one boasts 700W of total power, and includes some wireless rear speakers for added convenience, and slim speakers all around that Sony says are made possible thanks to its brand new finger-sized full-range speaker drive units. The Blu-ray player / receiver at the heart of the unit also looks to be capable enough, with it sporting BD-Live readiness, a pair of HDMI inputs, optical digital and analog stereo audio inputs, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD support, and Sony's trademark Digital Media Port to accommodate a range of add-on devices. No word on a price or release just yet, but we're guessing there's at least a decent chance that'll slip out before Sony packs up and leaves the IFA stage.

[Via Sony Insider]

Philips intros the CinemaOne iPod / DVD soundbar

by Nilay Patel posted Aug 28th 2008 at 1:20PM

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.

Continue reading Philips intros the CinemaOne iPod / DVD soundbar

JVC's NX-BD3 system enters the Blu-ray HTIB arena

by Steven Kim posted Aug 27th 2008 at 8:04PM

The appearance of Blu-ray HTIB systems under a number of brands is an encouraging sign that the format is at least trying to move into the mainstream living room, and now JVC's thrown its hat into the ring with the 2.1-channel NX-BD3. Of course, simply pulling bits off of Blu-ray discs isn't enough entertainment value these days, so the system also sports DLNA support, a 200-Watt powered sub and a 4x55-Watt amplifier (leaving you two channels to grow into). At £799 ($1,465) for a 2.1-channel setup, you might expect to get the latest and greatest in Blu-ray tech, but Profile 2.0, DTS-HD MA and Dolby TrueHD didn't make the cut -- let's hope some sort of "market adjustment" happens between the time this appears next month and when it crosses the pond.

[Via Electronista]

Sony's HT-IS100 HTIB features micro-drivers

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 5th 2008 at 5:18PM

Sony continues its series of home theater updates today with a new HTIB, the HST-S100. Like some previous Sony packages, the HST-S100 doesn't feature a central receiver, instead integrating the 450W amplifier, 3 HDMI ports and Sony Digital Media Port right into the back of the sub. Furthering the stealth factor, the five speakers themselves are no bigger than strawberries -- which has us wondering about mid-range performance, but we'll withhold judgement until we actually hear 'em. You get some other mid-high-end goodies for your $700 as well, like S-AIR wireless speaker capability, Bravia SYNC for Theater, which simplifies operation with select Sony gear, and auto speaker calibration. Should be out in July, we're told.

Sony debuts Sound Wall media stand-surround sound combo

by Steven Kim posted Jan 6th 2008 at 8:33PM

Craving the custom install look, but not willing to tear down walls to get it? Sony has debuted the Sound Wall RHT-S10 stand for all your HT gear, and it's packing 5.1 surround sound to boot. The free-standing unit has a TV mount, amplifier and subwoofer all built in. Hang the display, route any wires behind the unit and plug everything together at the A/V rack in the base and you're all set. But hey, what about the rear channels in this 5.1 system? Those rear signals are mixed in with the fronts -- combined with Sony's S-Force Pro, they claim you don't need those pesky channels any more. We're skeptical, but they've packed in some good features: 350-Watts of digital amplification, 1080p24 passthrough, BRAVIA sync (CEC) and Sony's Digital Media Port for bringing your other media devices to the party.