We all love great surround sound, but positioning speakers in your lounge or bedroom can be tricky. Fortunately, the big manufacturers have been spending lots of time researching how to get an improved sound from smaller speakers so we can enjoy the cinema experience without loads of big speakers everywhere.
However, the temptation with smaller speakers is to hide them away so they are even less visible which will of course ultimately effect the quality of sound you're hearing. Panasonics current range of all in one home cinema systems includes set ups with smaller speakers, but also, with the latest Panasonic SC-PT570 we've seen the addition of taller speakers too. This system has two tall front speakers so they can be easily positioned at the optimum listening height for your ears and two smaller rears speakers so they can be mounted on the wall near your listening position. If you want tall rear speakers, they have also released the top of the range Panasonic SC-PT870 too which has the tall boy speakers all around.
Both systems are at the top end of Panasonics current DVD Home Cinema range and have the looks as well as the performance.
Monday, 14 December 2009
Friday, 20 November 2009
Get the most from your DVD collection with Toshiba
With Blu-ray players taking all the limelight at the moment with their sparkling high definition quality, we thought we'd take a moment to look at what is still the most popular format by far - the good old DVD.
With many people ditching their DVD players to buy shiny new Blu-ray players, there are still lots of people who want to get the very best of their DVD collection. Luckily, all the big manufacturers are still making very high quality DVD players, but the brand which seems to be making most effort in this area is Toshiba.
When their HD-DVD format was ditched, Toshiba decided to help everyone by making a DVD player that could provide near high definition quality from a regular standard definition DVD. It was a huge success, and the brand have now released the succesor to this player, the Toshiba XD-E600. Not only does it have very smart looks and all the connection options you could need, but it will do exactly what it promises - make your existing DVD look high definition! With some Blu-ray players providing mediocre (at best) performance when playing DVDs, the XD-E600 at its very reasonable sub £80 price, makes a perfect addition to your Blu-ray player and really helps you get the very best from both formats.
The brand also has a range of slightly less expensive upscaling players, with the Toshiba SD-590 being probably the best of the range, but the absolute bargain Toshiba SD-390 is also a very capable player.
All this goes to show that DVD can still look great, and is still very much alive.
With many people ditching their DVD players to buy shiny new Blu-ray players, there are still lots of people who want to get the very best of their DVD collection. Luckily, all the big manufacturers are still making very high quality DVD players, but the brand which seems to be making most effort in this area is Toshiba.
When their HD-DVD format was ditched, Toshiba decided to help everyone by making a DVD player that could provide near high definition quality from a regular standard definition DVD. It was a huge success, and the brand have now released the succesor to this player, the Toshiba XD-E600. Not only does it have very smart looks and all the connection options you could need, but it will do exactly what it promises - make your existing DVD look high definition! With some Blu-ray players providing mediocre (at best) performance when playing DVDs, the XD-E600 at its very reasonable sub £80 price, makes a perfect addition to your Blu-ray player and really helps you get the very best from both formats.
The brand also has a range of slightly less expensive upscaling players, with the Toshiba SD-590 being probably the best of the range, but the absolute bargain Toshiba SD-390 is also a very capable player.
All this goes to show that DVD can still look great, and is still very much alive.
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Enjoy high definition home cinema with the Sony BDV-360FS and Sony HT-SS360
Seeing as Sony were one of the main driving forces behind Blu-ray, it is no surprise that they have just launched a new range of high definition home cinema systems aimed at making the very most from the format.
The Sony BDV-360FS is aimed at people who want to enjoy an improved sound experience but don't want to have to put speakers all around the room and perhaps just want or need to improve the not so great sound from their flatscreen televisions speakers. Being only a 2.1 system will mean that the full surround sound effects will be limited, but it will still be a massive improvement on the built in television speakers with much more bass and better clarity. The Sony BDV-360FS also has a multitude of connection options on the rear meaning you can plug almost everything into it and enjoy surround sound from them all. For example with 3 HDMI sockets you could plug in the included BDP-S360 Blu-ray player, a PS3, and a HD camcorder; with 2 optical inputs you can connect your Wii and Sky/Freeview/Freesat decoder; with a digital coaxial you can connect an addition DVD player, and with stereo phono sockets you can connect your television or older device. Added to that, it also has a media port for your MP3 player!
The Sony HT-SS360 is slightly different and is a full 5.1 system that accompanies an existing Blu-ray player, and has in fact been specifically designed for the Sony BDP-S360. Matching both in terms of performance and looks they make an ideal pairing, and the system is suitable for someone who doesn't want to compromise on the full surround sound effects, but also want a very good looking system in their home. Again there are good connection options at the rear (although not quite as comprehensive as the BDV-360FS) so should suits most peoples needs.
The Sony BDV-360FS is aimed at people who want to enjoy an improved sound experience but don't want to have to put speakers all around the room and perhaps just want or need to improve the not so great sound from their flatscreen televisions speakers. Being only a 2.1 system will mean that the full surround sound effects will be limited, but it will still be a massive improvement on the built in television speakers with much more bass and better clarity. The Sony BDV-360FS also has a multitude of connection options on the rear meaning you can plug almost everything into it and enjoy surround sound from them all. For example with 3 HDMI sockets you could plug in the included BDP-S360 Blu-ray player, a PS3, and a HD camcorder; with 2 optical inputs you can connect your Wii and Sky/Freeview/Freesat decoder; with a digital coaxial you can connect an addition DVD player, and with stereo phono sockets you can connect your television or older device. Added to that, it also has a media port for your MP3 player!
The Sony HT-SS360 is slightly different and is a full 5.1 system that accompanies an existing Blu-ray player, and has in fact been specifically designed for the Sony BDP-S360. Matching both in terms of performance and looks they make an ideal pairing, and the system is suitable for someone who doesn't want to compromise on the full surround sound effects, but also want a very good looking system in their home. Again there are good connection options at the rear (although not quite as comprehensive as the BDV-360FS) so should suits most peoples needs.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Panasonic SC-BT200 and SC-BT205 - is there much difference
There is a whole host of new Blu-ray home cinema systems out at the monent but two of the most popular systems fron Panasonic have left us a little intrigued.
The Panasonic SC-BT200 is a very good Blu-ray based home cinema with its compact speakers meaning they will be easy to position in many different rooms. Whilst the looks may not exactly be cutting egde (they are quite conservatively styled) they will at least blend into your rooms decor with ease. It's quite a decent price too, so all in all things look good. But go to the next model in the range and things look a little different.
The Panasonic SC-BT205 is almost the same as the 200 - the same Blu-ray player amplifier unit, the same subwoofer, even the same rear speakers. The main, and somewhat obvious difference though is the tall front speakers as opposed to the compact speakers. However, look a little close and you discover that they are simply full height versions of the smaller speakers. They have the same output, frequency range and everything. What is intriguing though is that the Panasonic SC-BT205 is an additional £100. Of course full height speakers are easier to position than smaller compact speakers, and easier to get good sound from because they are always at ear height, but the cost does seem a little excessive for just a bit more plastic.
But whichever of these systems you choose, you will have made a good choice, so enjoy your Blu-ray home cinema system!
The Panasonic SC-BT200 is a very good Blu-ray based home cinema with its compact speakers meaning they will be easy to position in many different rooms. Whilst the looks may not exactly be cutting egde (they are quite conservatively styled) they will at least blend into your rooms decor with ease. It's quite a decent price too, so all in all things look good. But go to the next model in the range and things look a little different.
The Panasonic SC-BT205 is almost the same as the 200 - the same Blu-ray player amplifier unit, the same subwoofer, even the same rear speakers. The main, and somewhat obvious difference though is the tall front speakers as opposed to the compact speakers. However, look a little close and you discover that they are simply full height versions of the smaller speakers. They have the same output, frequency range and everything. What is intriguing though is that the Panasonic SC-BT205 is an additional £100. Of course full height speakers are easier to position than smaller compact speakers, and easier to get good sound from because they are always at ear height, but the cost does seem a little excessive for just a bit more plastic.
But whichever of these systems you choose, you will have made a good choice, so enjoy your Blu-ray home cinema system!
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray Player
Well it seems to have been a log wait, but the Sony BDP-S360 is finally with us, to replace the old BDP-S350.
This Blu-ray player is being marketed as a budget model, and with street prices of around £160 this seems to be about right. Where as the previous player had a few shortcomings - namely the lack of BD-LIVE and not being able to decode DTS-HD Master Audio -the new S360 resolves all these issues to make it a much more capable player. The quality is still there of course and Blu-ray playback is stunning as you would expect, but the disc load time is much improved too. It is also much better looking than its predecessor which will help shift a few of the players off the shelves.
The Sony S360 has a lot going for it, but up against todays competition, it does still seem to be lacking a little. For example, the Sony S360 does not have the networking features of the Panasonic DMP-BD60, which could be a problem for some people, especially as the Panasonic is only £20 more.
Overall though, the Sony BDP-S360 is a very good Blu-ray player, and will certainly keep the brand up with its rivals - even if it can't quite overtake them... yet.
This Blu-ray player is being marketed as a budget model, and with street prices of around £160 this seems to be about right. Where as the previous player had a few shortcomings - namely the lack of BD-LIVE and not being able to decode DTS-HD Master Audio -the new S360 resolves all these issues to make it a much more capable player. The quality is still there of course and Blu-ray playback is stunning as you would expect, but the disc load time is much improved too. It is also much better looking than its predecessor which will help shift a few of the players off the shelves.
The Sony S360 has a lot going for it, but up against todays competition, it does still seem to be lacking a little. For example, the Sony S360 does not have the networking features of the Panasonic DMP-BD60, which could be a problem for some people, especially as the Panasonic is only £20 more.
Overall though, the Sony BDP-S360 is a very good Blu-ray player, and will certainly keep the brand up with its rivals - even if it can't quite overtake them... yet.
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Panasonic SC-PT470 v Sony DAV-DZ280 Home Cinema Systems
If you're looking for an all in one home cinema system that can act as a hub for your home audio and well as home cinema, you are currently spoilt for choice. Two systems from the biggest names in home electronics both offer systems with similar specification but with sublte differences.
The Sony DAV-DZ280 is a sleek modern looking system which includes iPod connectivity so it can really act as the hub of your system. The five speakers are all finished in gloss black and the actual DVD/amplfier unit is one of the best looking we've seen from Sony so far. At around £200 it is a very good value system too, and makes a fine purchase.
Although not quite as futurustic in design the Panasonic SC-PT470 Home Cinema System does have a sleeker and slightly more conservative look and a similar specification to the Sony. What the Panasonic does have though is a rather neat slide out drawer that acts as the iPod dock so like the Sony, the SC-PT470 can act as the hub of your home audio system.
Both systems are available for around £200 at online stores, and whichever one you choose will make your home movie watching much more enjoyable.
The Sony DAV-DZ280 is a sleek modern looking system which includes iPod connectivity so it can really act as the hub of your system. The five speakers are all finished in gloss black and the actual DVD/amplfier unit is one of the best looking we've seen from Sony so far. At around £200 it is a very good value system too, and makes a fine purchase.
Although not quite as futurustic in design the Panasonic SC-PT470 Home Cinema System does have a sleeker and slightly more conservative look and a similar specification to the Sony. What the Panasonic does have though is a rather neat slide out drawer that acts as the iPod dock so like the Sony, the SC-PT470 can act as the hub of your home audio system.
Both systems are available for around £200 at online stores, and whichever one you choose will make your home movie watching much more enjoyable.
Thursday, 20 August 2009
New Onkyo Home Cinema Receivers
Onkyo is not the best known brand in the High Street general consumer electronics marketplace, but in the home cinema and enthusiasts audio market they are one of the most respected brands out there. Therefore it is always an exciting event when a new range of Onkyo Home Cinema Amplifiers are launched.
The new entry level home cinema receiver from the brand, the Onkyo TX-SR307, is a great value device which is ideally suited to someone who wants a hub to their home cinema and gaming system. With 3 HDMI inputs and digital sound processing modes developed especially for gaming it will suit the gaming enthusiast who wants to enjoy surround sound from their DVD/Blu-ray player, as well as their consoles.
The next in the new range is the Onkyo TX-SR507 which at only £80 more manages to pack in a few extra features. It gains an extra HDMI input on the rear, but most importantly it is fully equipped to decode and process the new high definition sound formats like DTS-HD Master Audio, and Dolby TrueHD to make it a great future-proof buy.
There are two further Onkyo Home Cinema Receivers in the range also, the Onkyo TX-SR577 and TX-SR607 which we'll look at soon.
Visit Home Cinema Buyer for more information on these and other home cinema amplifiers.
The new entry level home cinema receiver from the brand, the Onkyo TX-SR307, is a great value device which is ideally suited to someone who wants a hub to their home cinema and gaming system. With 3 HDMI inputs and digital sound processing modes developed especially for gaming it will suit the gaming enthusiast who wants to enjoy surround sound from their DVD/Blu-ray player, as well as their consoles.
The next in the new range is the Onkyo TX-SR507 which at only £80 more manages to pack in a few extra features. It gains an extra HDMI input on the rear, but most importantly it is fully equipped to decode and process the new high definition sound formats like DTS-HD Master Audio, and Dolby TrueHD to make it a great future-proof buy.
There are two further Onkyo Home Cinema Receivers in the range also, the Onkyo TX-SR577 and TX-SR607 which we'll look at soon.
Visit Home Cinema Buyer for more information on these and other home cinema amplifiers.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
KEF Home Cinema Speaker Packages
The British based company KEF has been making decent speakers for many, many years now and were one of the first manufacturers to get involved in dedicated home cinema speakers and packages. They were also one of the first speaker producers to produce really good looking home cinema speaker packages for the home, with the now famous KEF 'Egg' series.
Now in their third incarnation, the KEF KHT2005.3 home cinema speakers are a masterpiece in good design, and fantastic acoustic engineering. Despite being quite heavy for their size, they are easy to mount with the ingenious built in bracket. The KHT2005 comes with the mid range KEF KUBE-2 subwoofer which perfectly matches the speakers in terms of sound and design. The speakers aren't the cheapest in the KEF range but they are one of the best overall packages in terms of sound quality and value for money.
The next down in the KEF range are the KEF KHT1005.2 which are smaller in design and lower in price, but still pack a very worthwhile punch. These KEF speakers do not have the same mounting brackets as the 2005's but because they are smaller and not as heavy, they are slightly easier to position. The KHT1005.2 comes with the KUBE-1 subwoofer which is a good sized, and very capable subwoofer. Overall, the KHT1005 makes a great starting point for anyone who wants to get into a separates based home cinema system, but want the ease, convenience and value of lower cost speaker package.
Read more about these KEF speakers and other home cinema speaker packages on the Home Cinema Buyer website
Now in their third incarnation, the KEF KHT2005.3 home cinema speakers are a masterpiece in good design, and fantastic acoustic engineering. Despite being quite heavy for their size, they are easy to mount with the ingenious built in bracket. The KHT2005 comes with the mid range KEF KUBE-2 subwoofer which perfectly matches the speakers in terms of sound and design. The speakers aren't the cheapest in the KEF range but they are one of the best overall packages in terms of sound quality and value for money.
The next down in the KEF range are the KEF KHT1005.2 which are smaller in design and lower in price, but still pack a very worthwhile punch. These KEF speakers do not have the same mounting brackets as the 2005's but because they are smaller and not as heavy, they are slightly easier to position. The KHT1005.2 comes with the KUBE-1 subwoofer which is a good sized, and very capable subwoofer. Overall, the KHT1005 makes a great starting point for anyone who wants to get into a separates based home cinema system, but want the ease, convenience and value of lower cost speaker package.
Read more about these KEF speakers and other home cinema speaker packages on the Home Cinema Buyer website
Friday, 3 July 2009
Logitech Harmony One and Logitech Harmony 525
Universal remote controls are godsends when it comes to home cinema. When you have multiple devices to control at the same time, the plethora of remotes that has to sit on your chair arm becomes tiresome and confusing, so a single remote that does the lot is always going to be a welcome relief.
Surprisingly though, there aren't a huge number of remotes available that do the job really well. One brand that has always excelled though is Harmony which was later taken over by Logitech.
One of their favourite models is the tried and trusted Logitech Harmony 525 which is a good value and attractive silver remote control that does everything you could really ask of it. It has 'activities' where you can easily set it up to turn on multiple devices at the click on a button - you simply choose which devices are turned on for what activity!
The other main remote at the moment is the Logitech Harmony One which is a much curvier looking remote in a gloss black colour. Although not as inexpensive as the Harmony 525, it does have the added advantage of having an impressive full colour touchscreen.
Whichever one you choose, you're home movie watching will be that little bit easier!
Surprisingly though, there aren't a huge number of remotes available that do the job really well. One brand that has always excelled though is Harmony which was later taken over by Logitech.
One of their favourite models is the tried and trusted Logitech Harmony 525 which is a good value and attractive silver remote control that does everything you could really ask of it. It has 'activities' where you can easily set it up to turn on multiple devices at the click on a button - you simply choose which devices are turned on for what activity!
The other main remote at the moment is the Logitech Harmony One which is a much curvier looking remote in a gloss black colour. Although not as inexpensive as the Harmony 525, it does have the added advantage of having an impressive full colour touchscreen.
Whichever one you choose, you're home movie watching will be that little bit easier!
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
New home cinema systems from Panasonic
Panasonic have been producing great quality home cinema systems for some years now, and two of their latest systems are worthy of a further look, namely the new Panasonic SC-PT170 and the Blu-ray based SC-BT100.
The Panasonic SC-PT170 is a full 5.1 home cinema system offering the complete immersive surround sound experience for under £200. It has the looks to appeal to a wide range of personal tastes and with its small speakers and great performance it is a great value system suitable for many applications whether it is a lounge based system, or even for the bedroom. It directly replaces the Panasonic SC-PT160, but it only seems to differ in aesthetics and its power consumption.
The only drawback some people might have with the Panasonic SC-PT170 is that it is DVD based rather than a Blu-ray based system. This is where the Panasonic SC BT100 comes in as it is a Blu-ray based rather than DVD based system. Whilst it is nearly £300 more than the PT170, this system really is a peach. Not only can it play the latest high definition Blu-ray discs, but connect your iPod up to it, and you can play all your music through it too. This is a great feature and you can control the iPod through your television and play iPod video. Some people might be disappointed that it only offers 3.1 surround sound rather than 5.1, but you can optionally add a pair of wireless speakers to it (the Panasonic SB-HS100) to get the full effect. These speakers are around £50 - £90 depending where you buy and are a good value optional extra.
Both of these Panasonic Home Cinema systems are worthy additions to your home, and will add that extra dimension to your home movies. Read more about these systems, and others on the Home Cinema Buyer website.
The Panasonic SC-PT170 is a full 5.1 home cinema system offering the complete immersive surround sound experience for under £200. It has the looks to appeal to a wide range of personal tastes and with its small speakers and great performance it is a great value system suitable for many applications whether it is a lounge based system, or even for the bedroom. It directly replaces the Panasonic SC-PT160, but it only seems to differ in aesthetics and its power consumption.
The only drawback some people might have with the Panasonic SC-PT170 is that it is DVD based rather than a Blu-ray based system. This is where the Panasonic SC BT100 comes in as it is a Blu-ray based rather than DVD based system. Whilst it is nearly £300 more than the PT170, this system really is a peach. Not only can it play the latest high definition Blu-ray discs, but connect your iPod up to it, and you can play all your music through it too. This is a great feature and you can control the iPod through your television and play iPod video. Some people might be disappointed that it only offers 3.1 surround sound rather than 5.1, but you can optionally add a pair of wireless speakers to it (the Panasonic SB-HS100) to get the full effect. These speakers are around £50 - £90 depending where you buy and are a good value optional extra.
Both of these Panasonic Home Cinema systems are worthy additions to your home, and will add that extra dimension to your home movies. Read more about these systems, and others on the Home Cinema Buyer website.
Monday, 1 June 2009
New BD60 and BD80 Blu-ray players from Panasonic
Panasonic have just released their two new Blu-ray players to take over from the highly regards previous models, the BD35 and BD55.
The Panasonic DMP-BD60 is the natural successor to the BD35 and whilst the performance is about the same, the feature set has been improved to offer Panasonics new 'Viera Cast' functionality which allows you to watch YouTube videos and view Picasa pictures on your television.
The Panasonic DMP-BD80 also has this feauture set but offers a slightly better sound performance that the BD60 and also offers 7.1 speaker connections on the rear, something which the BD55, which this model replaces, offered over the BD35 as well.
Read a full review of the new Panasonic Blu-ray players at Home Cinema Buyer.
The Panasonic DMP-BD60 is the natural successor to the BD35 and whilst the performance is about the same, the feature set has been improved to offer Panasonics new 'Viera Cast' functionality which allows you to watch YouTube videos and view Picasa pictures on your television.
The Panasonic DMP-BD80 also has this feauture set but offers a slightly better sound performance that the BD60 and also offers 7.1 speaker connections on the rear, something which the BD55, which this model replaces, offered over the BD35 as well.
Read a full review of the new Panasonic Blu-ray players at Home Cinema Buyer.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Sony Persona DVP-PR30 Compact DVD Player
Last week we looked at two interesting, mould breaking designs for DVD Players but another one that may be of interest is the Sony Persona DVP-PR30 Compact DVD Player.
This cute little player has actually been around for a while but it gets little interest because of its shortcomings. With the lack of any upscaling or HDMI connections, it can't really be considered a serious DVD player for the home cinema. However, its top loading design makes it an ideal choice for the kitchen or bedroom, and especially for a childrens bedrooms. A top loader is much less likely to break in the hands of a child than a fragile slide out draw based player so we think this make it a perfect choice. Especially as there is a selection of colours, including a rather garish pink if you so desire!
We've seen the player available for less than £40, but even at around £50 is still makes a good buy.
Read more on the Home Cinema Buyer website.
This cute little player has actually been around for a while but it gets little interest because of its shortcomings. With the lack of any upscaling or HDMI connections, it can't really be considered a serious DVD player for the home cinema. However, its top loading design makes it an ideal choice for the kitchen or bedroom, and especially for a childrens bedrooms. A top loader is much less likely to break in the hands of a child than a fragile slide out draw based player so we think this make it a perfect choice. Especially as there is a selection of colours, including a rather garish pink if you so desire!
We've seen the player available for less than £40, but even at around £50 is still makes a good buy.
Read more on the Home Cinema Buyer website.
Friday, 15 May 2009
LG DVS450H and Samsung DVD H1080 - two of the best looking DVD Players ever!
DVD Players, and in fact most home audio visual equipment, are normally rectangular square edged boxes. Often very attractive boxes we have to say, but they have stuck to a tried and tested design nonetheless. This week we've seen two DVD players that are anything but boxy - the LG DVS450H and Samsung DVD H1080.
The Samsung DVD 1080 is an attractive pebble shaped design with smooth edges and a nice high gloss, rose tinted black finish that will complement many television, no matter what make. At around £60 it's good value too for something so stylish.
Whilst not quite as rounded as the Samsung, the LG DVS450H at around £100 is definitely cleverer with its 3 position "floating" design. Position is on its back, mounted on a wall, or pull out its stand and lean it on display like a digital photo frame - it's quite ingenious.
Of course style alone is nothing without performance and both these players are capable of upscaling standard definition DVDs to a near high definition quality 1080p with great results.
Which ever one you choose, you'll never quite be happy with a rectangular box again!
Read the reviews of these DVD players, and more, at Home Cinema Buyer.
The Samsung DVD 1080 is an attractive pebble shaped design with smooth edges and a nice high gloss, rose tinted black finish that will complement many television, no matter what make. At around £60 it's good value too for something so stylish.
Whilst not quite as rounded as the Samsung, the LG DVS450H at around £100 is definitely cleverer with its 3 position "floating" design. Position is on its back, mounted on a wall, or pull out its stand and lean it on display like a digital photo frame - it's quite ingenious.
Of course style alone is nothing without performance and both these players are capable of upscaling standard definition DVDs to a near high definition quality 1080p with great results.
Which ever one you choose, you'll never quite be happy with a rectangular box again!
Read the reviews of these DVD players, and more, at Home Cinema Buyer.
Friday, 24 April 2009
Lindy Premium Gold and Flat White HDMI Cables
HDMI Cables come and go, and to be honest they are are very similar in design with just the odd colour change here and there to set them all apart. But 2 HDMI cables which are a bit different are the Lindy Premium Gold HDMI and the Lindy White Premium Flat HDMI cables.
The Lindy Premium Gold HDMI cable is a chunky but well built cable that is surprising light. It also performs well as the Lindy Premium Gold HDMI Review explains. It also seems to be quite good value, undercutting the other premium brands by quite some margin.
The Lindy White Premium Flat HDMI cable is really interesting (as far as home cinema cables can be!) because it is both a cable that is very adept at being hidden under carpets and along skirting boards, but it is also so attractive that you may well want to keep it on show. Being a premium cable it also performed very well as the Lindy White Premium Flat HDMI Review explains.
So there you have it, two HDMI cables that provide a little bit of difference to the norm, and all available to view at Home Cinema Buyer.
The Lindy Premium Gold HDMI cable is a chunky but well built cable that is surprising light. It also performs well as the Lindy Premium Gold HDMI Review explains. It also seems to be quite good value, undercutting the other premium brands by quite some margin.
The Lindy White Premium Flat HDMI cable is really interesting (as far as home cinema cables can be!) because it is both a cable that is very adept at being hidden under carpets and along skirting boards, but it is also so attractive that you may well want to keep it on show. Being a premium cable it also performed very well as the Lindy White Premium Flat HDMI Review explains.
So there you have it, two HDMI cables that provide a little bit of difference to the norm, and all available to view at Home Cinema Buyer.
Monday, 20 April 2009
Harmon Kardon Home Cinema Amplifiers
Harmon/Kardon has always made very stylish audio equipment. Like some of the other premium AV brands, design is very high on the list of requirements when they develop their new products. This all means that because of the extra time and resources required, Harmon/Kardon products tend to be slightly more expensive than equivalent brands.
Harmon Kardon's home cinema amplifiers range currently consists of the AVR 155, AVR 255 and AVR 355. The AVR355 is a high quality and very expensive amplifier, but it is the other 2 in the range we have taken a closer look at.
The Harmon Kardon AVR155 is a smart looking and good performing amplifier that ticks most of the boxes in terms of all round ability. The amplifier does not support high definition sound which is its biggest drawback at this price, and at around £400 there are better value alternatives available, but very few, if any, that look as good.
It's bigger brother though, the Harmon Kardon AVR255 does support high definition sound, and a lot more besides and although an additional £150 at around £600, we think it is the better option of the two.
Read more on the Harmon Kardon range, and other home cinema amplifiers on the Home Cinema Buyer website.
Harmon Kardon's home cinema amplifiers range currently consists of the AVR 155, AVR 255 and AVR 355. The AVR355 is a high quality and very expensive amplifier, but it is the other 2 in the range we have taken a closer look at.
The Harmon Kardon AVR155 is a smart looking and good performing amplifier that ticks most of the boxes in terms of all round ability. The amplifier does not support high definition sound which is its biggest drawback at this price, and at around £400 there are better value alternatives available, but very few, if any, that look as good.
It's bigger brother though, the Harmon Kardon AVR255 does support high definition sound, and a lot more besides and although an additional £150 at around £600, we think it is the better option of the two.
Read more on the Harmon Kardon range, and other home cinema amplifiers on the Home Cinema Buyer website.
Friday, 27 March 2009
Samsung BD-P1600 Blu-ray Player
The new Samsung BD-P1600 Blu-ray player is the latest generation of high definition player that does more than just play discs - it also has a neat little trick up its sleeve.
The look and feel of the Samsung P1600 is very similar to the previous machine (the P1500), it has a glossy black front fascia and if has slightly cleaner looks than its predecessor. The Samsung has the latest Blu-ray profile (BD LIVE) as well as 1080p up-scaling and good picture quality and performance. The price is fairly keen too with a street price ranging from around £150 to £200 depending on where you look. Bearing in mind the current competition in the form of the Sony and Panasonic blu-ray players, we think the price of around £150-£160 is about right for this player.
The real bonus with the Samsung P1600 though is the ability to stream movies directly off the internet. Connect the player up to your router, or purchase an extra wireless dongle to do it without wires, and you will be able to download from the internet movie rental company, Netflix. With over 12,000 films in their database, you certainly won't be short of anything to watch! We have to agree with this Blogger with regards to the wireless dongle though.
Read a review of the Samsung BD-P1600 at Home Cinema Buyer.
The look and feel of the Samsung P1600 is very similar to the previous machine (the P1500), it has a glossy black front fascia and if has slightly cleaner looks than its predecessor. The Samsung has the latest Blu-ray profile (BD LIVE) as well as 1080p up-scaling and good picture quality and performance. The price is fairly keen too with a street price ranging from around £150 to £200 depending on where you look. Bearing in mind the current competition in the form of the Sony and Panasonic blu-ray players, we think the price of around £150-£160 is about right for this player.
The real bonus with the Samsung P1600 though is the ability to stream movies directly off the internet. Connect the player up to your router, or purchase an extra wireless dongle to do it without wires, and you will be able to download from the internet movie rental company, Netflix. With over 12,000 films in their database, you certainly won't be short of anything to watch! We have to agree with this Blogger with regards to the wireless dongle though.
Read a review of the Samsung BD-P1600 at Home Cinema Buyer.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Onkyo TX-SR606 and Sony STR-DG820 Review
The Onkyo TX-SR606 and Sony STR-DG820 AV Receivers are two of the most popular home cinema amplifiers around at the moment, mainly because of their high definition sound capabilities and their array of features at a good value price.
There is still a £100 price difference between the two though, so is it worth spending the extra money and going for the Onkyo 606 over the Sony 820?
Sony STR-DG820
Firstly, the Sony 820 is a fabulous home cinema amplifer with a host of features and great sound going together to make it a great value for money prospect and should be on your list of amps to consider. Where it does fall down slightly is its slightly budget look and feel, and that might lead you to consider upping your budget a little. There is a full Sony 820 Review at DVD Home Cinema.
Onkyo TX-SR606
The Onkyo 606 is definitely one of the most popular home cinema amplifiers on the market today and it's not hard to see why. Combined with its high definition audio capabilites and the ability to upscale to 1080i it makes an ideal hub of your system and with its awesome dynamic sound it is a joy to listen to. Whilst it might fall down slightly on 2 channel stereo sound, this isn't the Onkyo 606's reason for being so we can't be too hard on it. There is a full Onkyo 606 Review at DVD Home Cinema.
Whichever of these home cinema amplifiers you choose, you won't be disappointed with the surround sound which is of course the most important thing of all.
There is still a £100 price difference between the two though, so is it worth spending the extra money and going for the Onkyo 606 over the Sony 820?
Sony STR-DG820
Firstly, the Sony 820 is a fabulous home cinema amplifer with a host of features and great sound going together to make it a great value for money prospect and should be on your list of amps to consider. Where it does fall down slightly is its slightly budget look and feel, and that might lead you to consider upping your budget a little. There is a full Sony 820 Review at DVD Home Cinema.
Onkyo TX-SR606
The Onkyo 606 is definitely one of the most popular home cinema amplifiers on the market today and it's not hard to see why. Combined with its high definition audio capabilites and the ability to upscale to 1080i it makes an ideal hub of your system and with its awesome dynamic sound it is a joy to listen to. Whilst it might fall down slightly on 2 channel stereo sound, this isn't the Onkyo 606's reason for being so we can't be too hard on it. There is a full Onkyo 606 Review at DVD Home Cinema.
Whichever of these home cinema amplifiers you choose, you won't be disappointed with the surround sound which is of course the most important thing of all.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Sony HT-IS100 Home Cinema Speaker Review
Whilst consumer electronics have been getting smaller for years, it was a fairly widespread accepted fact that speakers could not get too small without affecting the performance and quality of the sound.
Over the last few years though, we've seen some really great small speaker sets from the likes of Orb, Mission and KEF (with their fantastic KHT 2005 egg speakers) that not only looked great, but their small size still gave a big sound.
However, whilst all of these have been substantially smaller and better looking than their larger rectangular counterparts, none have been as small as the latest range of Sony 'golf ball' speakers. The Sony HT-IS100 is a set of five extremely small (2" across!) speakers that look amazing, and also sound great too.
There is a full review of Sony HT-IS100 at DVD Home Cinema and also some pointers to some of the best prices available.
Over the last few years though, we've seen some really great small speaker sets from the likes of Orb, Mission and KEF (with their fantastic KHT 2005 egg speakers) that not only looked great, but their small size still gave a big sound.
However, whilst all of these have been substantially smaller and better looking than their larger rectangular counterparts, none have been as small as the latest range of Sony 'golf ball' speakers. The Sony HT-IS100 is a set of five extremely small (2" across!) speakers that look amazing, and also sound great too.
There is a full review of Sony HT-IS100 at DVD Home Cinema and also some pointers to some of the best prices available.
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