DVD v Blu-ray - Is it really the end for DVD?

Being a blog named 'DVD Home Cinema' doesn't mean that we are exclusively and forever tied to the DVD format, but there is still a little sadness when we see the final days of the format that got many of us into the home cinema in the first place.

Whilst there have been many articles written online about the quality of the Blu-ray format, the UK Blu-ray Disc Association have recently published an article on their blog about an independant DVD v Blu-ray comparison that was done between the Blu-ray and DVD version of Terminator Salvation. It makes very interesting reading, and does confirm what many of us DVD stalwarts thought - that DVD is on it's way out, and Blu-ray is the way to go.

It obviously inevtiable and was always coming, but perhaps a little slower than we'd have thought, but I guess you can blame the recession for that. As most people with high definition televisions want the very best source they can, and with manufacturers releasing fewer and fewer DVD players and DVD home cinema systems the demise is well and truly in progress.

We won't be changing our Blog name any time soon though!

Possibly the best looking home cinema systems ever

The compromise between looks and performance is an age old conundrum, and it is especially prevalent in home cinema.

Normally, there is one type of person who wants the best performance and is prepared to sacrifice looks for audio and visual supremacy, and there is another who wants something good looking, that will match with the decor etc. but still sound good.

If you one of the latter group, you have until recently not really been able to get either. Sure, lifestyle home cinema systems have been very good looking, but they've never been amazingly attractive. However, your problem is partially solved with the introduction of the Sony BDV-F500 and the Panasonic SC-BTX75 which are both extremely good looking 2.1 based home cinema systems. Firstly, the systems are vertical rather than horizontal which enables the two front speakers to be able to blend into the design better. Secondly they both incorporate a virtual surround sound system, so although you only get the two speakers and a sub woofer to position in your lounge, you get the effect of having an additional 3, or even 5 speakers. Like all systems these days, they both incorporate iPod docks and other whizz bang features to make them stand out from the crowd, but ultimately, they are both about the design. And both Sony and Panasonic have got it spot on with both these systems.

So which one to choose? There is very little between them in terms of price and features, so this is one of those rare occasions where you can safely choose the one you like the look of best!

Sony's New Monolith Design Concept

Consumer electronics brands often come up with fancy new ways to describe their latest design trends but they are often little more than meaningless terms and do nothing to describe the influences or inspiration behind them. Sony's new 'Monolith' design concept though is different, and the reasons are obvious they very first time you see them.

Take a look at even the low height entry level Blu-ray player, the Sony BDP-S370, and the sharp edges and clean front interface immediately look very stylish and true to their simple monolith inspiration. View the bigger Sony BDV-E370 Blu-ray home cinema system and it is even more obvious, and even more attractive. Both these devices have a USB socket on the front, but while it may spoil the clean lines a little, Sony have incorporated it very well indeed and the overall design still looks coherent.

We often don't talk enough about design, and although many brands like Samsung and some of the high end brands have always put a high emphasis on the styling of their products, it is nice to see one of the biggest brands in Sony coming up with one of the truly great design in recent years.

Getting your Home Cinema to go Wireless

We all know that one of the most consistent annoyances about home cinema systems is the setting up of the rear speakers. The front speakers aren't so bad because they are physically near the amplifiers or home cinema system, but the rears never are, so trailing the speaker cables around the room can be awkward and often difficult, and normally leaves the cables visible and unsightly.

Whilst some people may be able to hide the cables under carpets and behind skirting boards, it is often not a simple job and can involve a lot of work for even thin cables.

Fortunately, some manufacturers have started to release wireless add-ons for some of their home cinema systems to enable you to get all the enjoyment from home cinema surround sound, and the ease and convenience of doing it, at least partially, without wires. Whilst the technology is still relatively young, both of the following add-ons are much improved from the early versions and will give you at least a partial home cinema system.

Sony WAHT-SA1 S-Air Wireless Speaker Kit

The Sony WAHT-SA1 is a separate amplifier with additional receiver and transmitter boxes to plug into your compatible system. The WAHT-SA1 still requires you to plug your rear speakers into the supplied amplifier box, it does at least enable you the sought after solution of being able to keep your rear speakers physically separate from the main amplifier unit.

Panasonic SH-FX70 Wireless Speaker Kit

The Panasonic SH-FX70 is very similar to the Sony’s solution and is compatible with their very popular SC-BT200 and SC-BT205 home cinema systems. The Panasonic is a little flatter in design that the Sony so may be a little easier to position in your room which may be something to consider if you are buying a new system.

These wireless add-ons are both very welcome and we hope and expect that the future will bring more simple and cost effective solutions like this to enable more people to embrace home cinema and not be put off.