Tags: buy, digital, htib, player

Filter by keyword: a/v receiver, audio, blu-ray, box, cinema, component, diy, dolby, dts, dvd, dvd-audio, formats, guide, harmon, hd, home, home cinema kit, home theatre, hs, hs-100, instant, kardon, kef, kit, lp, mainstagehd, neo:6, panasonic, ps-lx250h, receivers, recorder, records, sacd, samsung, sony, sound, soundmatters, speaker system, speakers, surround, surround sound, system, theater, theatre, thx, turntables, video, vinyl, virtual

Home cinema systems: Are kits or components right for you?

Whether you want to buy a home theatre in a box or go the components route, you'll need to decide which way is best for you right from the start.

Panasonic SC-PT870

The Panasonic SC-PT870 is a good system, offering decent-quality surround sound and very good picture performance.

See all

Reviews

  • Yamaha YSP-3000

    If you can look past its limited video capabilities, the Yamaha YSP-3000 is an otherwise recommendable single-speaker solution for home theater buyers who don't want a traditional 5.1 channel surround system.

  • Samsung HT-X715

    The Samsung HT-X715 is very easy to set up and it does make your movies look and sound good. We just didn't care for the music sound quality with flabby sounding bass.

  • Samsung HT-BD2

    The Samsung HT-BD2 delivers the sort of top-notch video quality you'd expect from the world's first HTIB with built-in Blu-ray — but its high price, average audio quality, and lack of extras make it tough to recommend.

  • Soundmatters MainstageHD

    Soundmatters' fully featured virtual surround speaker system delivers home-theatre thrills in a supercompact design.

  • Yamaha YSP-1100

    Although it's expensive, we really liked the Yamaha YSP-1100's excellent sound, which makes movies much more involving.

  • Panasonic SC-HT40

    Considering its bargain-basement price, Panasonic's SC-HT40 home theatre in a box is outstanding value.

  • Harman Kardon HS 100

    The Harman Kardon HS 100's elegant good looks and sweet musicality may be enough for some buyers, but the pricey system lacks the oomph for convincing home-theatre duty.

  • KEF KIT 100 Instant Theatre

    KEF's luxurious Instant Theatre makes believable surround from a pair of speakers.

Next »
See all

Features

Next »
Next »
See all

DIYs and How-to

  • CNET.com.au's quick guide to surround sound formats

    Everything you need to know about surround sound formats, explained by our experts -- now including the upcoming Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD formats.

  • Surround sound buying guide

    If you're feeling surrounded by questions instead of ambient sound, you've come to the right place. We have suggestions on how to shop for everything surround, from receivers to speakers to full home-theatre systems.

Next »

The Explain Series