A first look at Philips' TV Surround Base integrated Blu-ray and sound bar
Love Blu-ray? Kinda dig watching them with beefy sound? Then you'll love the TV Surround Base from Philips, we're sure. Made from wood, which the company claims offers better acoustics, the TV Base sits under your TV set just like any other soundbar, just with the Blu-ray player built right in. Along with the option for optical media play back, the unit offers up a smart TV-like experience, Bluetooth music streaming and NFC for pairing with your phone. The sound part of the unit runs 2.1 channel stereo with Dolby Digital along with audio in and USB for extra media playback options. If you already have a Blu-ray player, and just want the audio goodies, Philips has a cheaper model that comes sans-optical drive.
The unit itself is attractive enough, if a little understated. The flat, black wooden box has a bit of a man-cave feel about it, accentuated by the felt/fabric-style finish on the front face of the unit (behind which you'll also find a simple red LED display. Both models will be available around April this year, with the full-fat TV Surround Base costing $299, and $199 if you just want it as a soundbar.
