Tags: buy, htib, player, speakers

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.

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

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.
Samsung HT-TX500T

The Samsung HT-TX500T delivers sound and image quality as expected from a mid-range home theatre package.
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.

Digital Life: The other half of the equation

As you're drooling over the latest sexy plasma or LCD TV, don't forget that you'll need surround sound audio to get a full home cinema experience.

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.

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