It is physically heavier than I expected. It is also large compared to the recently reviewed Netgear EVA2000, measuring roughly twice the size. It is an attractive device. The front and sides are wrapped in a glossy black/transparent plastic and the top of the device is a nice black matte textured finish. It certainly looks right at home amongst the other entertainment rack components.

As with most streaming media players setup was a breeze. Asus provides a standard a/v cable in the box, but most will hook this up using an HDMI cable which was not included. An spdif optical output is available for providing digital audio, allowing you to get the full audio resolution of the files you are watching. A small laptop style power adapter keeps the machine running cool and quiet.

Like my recent review of the Netgear EVA2000 I decided to start this device off in my bedroom attached to a 32 inch LCD via HDMI. Also included were a small remote that was very light and felt comfortable in the hand. It had all the expected buttons for navigating through the menus and chapters of your favorite movies.

Software

At the heart of any streaming media player is the software which allows you to find and play all your media. The software here is responsive without very much lag between key-presses on the remote and movement through the on-screen guide.

The home screen gives options for Music, Movies, Photos, as well as copying files and changing settings. Entering the menus for Music, Movies or Photos brings you to options for attached storage, your network storage, and after updating the firmware UPnP devices. The Asus box had no problem finding my storage server. Once selecting a storage location the menus for all three media types are pretty similar. Drilling down through the various folders to select your desired media. The Music, Movies, and Photo menus only differ in the file types they recognize.

At times the navigation can be a bit tedious although it is quite intuitive. The software behaves similarly to a file explorer in windows, clicking on a folder will open it and folders or files below will be shown. If you have your media arranged in too deep of folders this can mean many key-presses to get where you are going. It would have been nice for Asus to provide a means to create shortcuts to your main media folder. To navigate from the Home screen to my movie files on my server required a minimum of 6 folders to navigate through.

Video Playback

The Asus O!play supports an impressive amount of formats. In my tests with the box I threw a lot of different files and resolutions at the machine and it had very few problems. As I’ve mentioned in other articles, my personal library of media is ripped almost exclusively to video_ts folders for DVDs and my CDs have been ripped to audio. I only have a few Blu-rays which all were first ripped to a folder structure and then placed in .mkv containers, with a few .iso files kept around for testing purposes. This was no problem at all for the machine. Further the quality is excellent. Even my standard definition DVD rips came out looking excellent on my 32 inch screen. With a few exceptions I noticed no pixellation or stuttering during playback. Within a few minutes I forgot I wasn’t watching the original disc. In comparison to my other players I think playback via the Asus is only bested by my HD-DVD player (an HD-A2) which is known to perform up-conversion very well. Playback certainly stacked up very well to my newly built HTPC.

There were a few problems however I did encounter. On the ancient firmware that was delivered on this box (1.07n) some of my Blu-ray rips did have problems. The mkv file of Quantum of Solace stuttered and dropped frames badly. The Asus ethernet port is not gigabit, however this should be sufficient for Blu-ray playback. I was also unable to connect to my Windows 7 running PC. I also was unable to play Blu-ray .iso files.

A quick search of the Asus website showed a newer version of firmware (1.17N). A number of improvements are listed, most importantly for the problems I have had were a reported networking improvement, access to Windows 7 PCs, and BD .iso support. The update process was simple and involved just downloading a single file from Asus, transferring it to a USB drive, and plugging that into the Oplay. In the Settings menu there is an option for upgrading the firmware. After a few minutes I had completed the upgrade and was ready to check out the changes.

The new firmware changed the appearance of the menus slightly. A few new options appeared such as UPnP devices. I also could now access my Windows 7 PC. The added BD .iso support is a nice touch as well. Overall the update was an improvement, allowing me access to more of my media without having to change formats.

Upon testing some of my problem Blu-rays all but two problems remained. Quantum of Solace still stuttered, although not as dramatically, while it does not on my HTPC. I swapped the Asus in as a direct replacement for the HTPC and the stuttering continued which rules out any network or cabling issues. While Bluray iso files could be played, they often stuttered. Playing the same rip as both a iso and mkv file showed this was specific to the iso format. I never had this problem with any regular DVD rips or 1080p HD movie trailers. These concerns were relatively minor in annoyance and most movie sources I had played back perfectly fine.

A second source for media I have recently discovered is Internet TV shows and HD movie trailers. Using a bittorrent client I automatically download new trailers and episodes of several technology TV shows. These tend to come in several formats, with resolutions ranging between 480p and 1080p. Thinking these would be a great source of varying format of source material I decided to give them a whirl. Not only was playback flawless and smooth, but quality was again great. Each recording I tried looked and sounded perfect and was easily the equal to my main HTPC.

I was so impressed with the quality that I felt the Asus deserved to get a trial in the main system. The Asus was again impressive in this setting. Moving to theater also allowed me to test the spdif optical output of the box as well. This worked very well, requiring just a quick change in the settings/audio panel. Sound was crisp and the DTS soundtrack on my Bluray rip was recognized without any problems.

The movie preview is a neat feature that plays the movie in a small window while scrolling through your videos. After a while the “neat” factor wears off and it becomes a hindrance, as it seem to slow up the scrolling. Fortunately a menu setting allows this feature to be turned off, which helps the responsiveness of the user interface tremendously.

Overall the Asus provides a good video experience. Attaching to networked storage is easy, and playback is of a very high quality. Most file types play without issue which allows you to just enjoy the media you have access to.

Music Playback

Music playback was very good. The O!play had no problem with any of the music formats I threw at it. Unsurprisingly, flac files sounded just like when played back via any of the other computers on the network. While there was no fancy visualization mode, the O!play does have a screensaver mode that becomes active after periods of inactivity.

A more robust music playback frontend would be appreciated. The very simple filesystem format is the same as the Movies menu. In fact the only difference between the Movies and Music entries are the filetypes that show up upon entering a folder. There are entries for Artist, Album, or other category playback, but these seem limited to media connected via the USB or eSATA port. I would prefer a few more options for music playback. A shuffle mode would be a minimum, smart playlists and connection to Internet sources like Pandora or Last.fm would be even better. The manual suggests pushing the music icon on the remote will reshuffle the playlist. This doesn’t work as it should. Pushing this on the top level of a folder should put all music below into a shuffle playlist. No matter what I tried no shuffled playlist ever resulted from pushing that button.

Unsupported Features

The O!play has the ability to stream from UpnP servers. Once I updated the firmware I could navigate to my PlayOn media server running on my Windows 7 machine. The PlayOn system allows users to stream media from a large number of internet sources, most notably Hulu, Netflix and Amazon. Neither Asus or PlayOn make any claims that they work together and so any failures I describe here should not be a poor reflection on either company. A few scattered reports around the web reveal that several attempts have been made to try and get them working. I decided to see if I could get this feature running, as the ability to work with PlayOn would make this streamer a cut above most of its competition.

Success on this endeavor was a bit a bit mixed. I could get a picture from most of the services offered through PlayOn but often playback was interrupted by a buffering error, or in some cases a lack of any sound. Perhaps a later firmware revision from Asus or a software revision from Playon will get these two on the same page.

The network discovery of this box is very impressive. It found everything on my network, including m DirecTV HR20 box. Interestingly, it even could find the files of recordings on my DVR. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get playback to work here either. This would have been a really killer feature, allowing me to cheaply extend DVR functionality of my HD DVR to other rooms in the house.

I can’t hold it against Asus that these features didn’t work, since they don’t suggest that they do. Reporting my findings here was just a way to let people know what has been tried and what has been successful on this device.

Final Thoughts

Despite not being the newest media streamer on the block, the Asus O!play performs very admirably. The menu system is responsive and attractive. It can handle high definition video and a variety of codecs and containers. Asus sets out to make a media streamer that can offer robust playback of a large number of file types from a local storage device or your home network. At that task it certainly has succeeded. I was really impressed with the video quality this little box was able to put out. I tested the PlayOn media server because having even minimal non HD access to Netflix and Hulu streaming would make this a killer little box and a great price. This is a good effort by Asus into the media streaming arena, and I hope we see further revisions of similar quality in the near future.

Pros

• Excellent picture quality
• Wide array of formats
• Price

Cons

• No Internet streaming
• Music interface lacks good playlist options

Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars

Netgear EVA2000 Set-up

Initial setup of the Netgear EVA2000 was very simple. Just plug in an ethernet cable to a wired network connection and use either the included a/v cables or a not included HDMI cable to direct output to your TV. Disappointingly there was no coaxial or toslink output for connecting digital output to a surround receiver.

While the device was updating its software I installed the the PlayOn software. I signed up for the 14-day trial offer to test out this service. After launching the PlayOn software you are able to enter your logins for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon-on-demand, and Youtube. This allows you to see the same playlists and queues you have at those services on the Netgear EVA2000. Interestingly, the Netgear product is the only one to date to come paired with the PlayOn trial.

Using the Netgear EVA2000

After accomplishing the basic set-up I sat down to begin initial tests. I turned on the Netgear box and was presented with a home screen allowing me to start playing media. I selected the PlayOn server running on my Windows PC and browsed over to my Netflix queue. I fired up the movie at the top of my queue and without much delay I was watching the movie. I found this to be quite impressive. From my perspective a media streaming device should be exceedingly simple. Programs such as Windows Media Center, XBMC, or Boxee all provide a more robust solution for delivering Internet content to your TV. That greater power and flexibility comes at the cost of being complex, and often requiring a more expensive and loud, dedicated computer in your theater. Small, affordable media streamers should fill a need for people who want something simple, that just works.

Internet streaming

The Netgear EVA2000 really excels with the wide array of Internet media streaming options. It can receive streams from all the major Internet players. Netflix, check. Hulu, check, Amazon-on-demand, check. Youtube, check. This ability is the devices greatest asset. However, to get to most this device you must be running the PlayOn server software on a Windows PC on your network. The purchase of this software allows streaming from these Internet sources on others supported devices as well, including Xbox360, PS3, and Wii. In short, this service just works. You press play, and you have a movie, TV show. Additionally, there were even options to stream live TV channels.

While the vast array of Internet sources was admirable, Netgear left out the ability to stream HD from these sites. There are no quality settings for these downloads, and despite my Internet connection being speedy I was getting a lower quality stream from both Netflix and Hulu that I received when streaming from these sites using the Windows PC or my Xbox360. Other devices in this price bracket, such as the Roku HD and the Asus O!Play are able to present Internet streams in HD.

One other negative with some of the Internet streaming is the user interface can be clunky here. While its a clean looking interface, and responsive, there is not a good search option for many of the content sources. For example, navigating among the many Hulu videos can be cumbersome. Youtube (one of the non PlayOn services) does not suffer from this problem, and the search button on the remote will bring up an on screen keyboard for finding videos. I wish this functionality was extended across all the content providers.

Local Media

Playback of media on my home network proved to be much less simple. I have both a large media server where I store flac music files and video_ts and dvd iso files. I also have a Windows 7 PC which I can place video and music files in several formats for testing purposes. Unfortunately, I have been totally unable to even get the Netgear to see the media storage. The netgear device doesn’t work with flac or iso or video_ts files (not that they claim to) so I didn’t spend a whole lot of time trying to get networking to this server working. With storage being as cheap as it is I would imagine all three files are relatively popular, and competitors media streamers in this price range offer support for these formats.

I then turned to trying to stream media from my Windows 7 PC using two methods. First by selecting the Windows PC as a content source I was able to browse files in the My Videos and My Music and My Pictures folder on the PC. I selected an MPEG4 encoded file. I was greeted by an “Unknown Error” . Trying again resulted in an unknown file type. This was a standard file, supposedly supported by this device. I loaded this same file on a USB stick and it played fine. I encoded some Family Guy files using MPEG4 and H264 as a test. I placed this in the My Video folder and tried to play them on the Netgear. For some reason these files didn’t show up on the Netgear device. I was able to find them using the PlayOn server. While it could play both file types, the H264 encoded file was badly pixelated, and re-encoding at a lower bit rate did not help. Coupled with the only being able to play MPEG2 encoded 720p files and no 1080i or 1080p files it seems that this device just doesn’t have the horsepower to play these files.

Final Thoughts

This device excels in one specific area, the vast number of Internet sources available. Few devices currently available offer the sheer range of Internet sources the Netgear EVA2000 does. This is, however, almost entirely based on the purchase of the reasonably priced PlayOn software, the purchase of which should be considered a requirement. For a customer who values amount of source material over picture quality this device makes a lot of sense.

While this box gets you access to a wide range of Internet entertainment this device is not a the lack of HD and optical outs the high MSRP ($149.99) prevent it from being a great value. I would also like to see much better trouble shooting for local media and a wider number of supported formats – randomly some files and certain formats are unplayable. Unless you need access to all these Internet sites and are fine with giving up HD playback, another streamer may be a better choice.

Pros

• Wide array of Internet streaming sources
• Easy setup for the online sources

Cons

• Price
• Lack of HD our digital audio out
• Buggy local media streaming
• Few supported formats

Rating – 3 out 5 stars

The Panasonic SC-BT300 is a 7.1 channel,  Blu-ray equipped home theater in a box system.  If you’re on a budget, but still want the full surround experience, this system should be on your list.  With 1250W of total output power, the system can pack a punch and sound good doing it.  If you want iPod integration out of the box, the BT300 has it.  If you’re looking for a network connected system, the BT300 has access to the content available in Viera Cast (Amazon on Demand, YouTube, Picasa).

Specifications

• Dynamic & Clear Sound Kelton Subwoofer, Bamboo Cone Speakers
• Smart Setup with Auto Speaker Setup
• Total Output Power of 1250W in Home Theater Mode
• Front: 125W x 2 (single 2.5″ cone, 80Hz-25kHz, 3 ohms, 10 % THD)
• Center: 250W (2x 2.5″ cone, 82Hz-25kHz, 3 ohms, 10 % THD)
• Surround and Surround Back: 125W x 4 (single 2.5″ 100Hz-25kHz, 3 ohms, 10 % THD)
• Subwoofer: 250W (single 6.5″ cone, 35Hz-200Hz, 3 ohms, 10 % THD)
• Dolby Pro Logic II for Disc/iPod/ Digital In/FM/AM/AUX (for Movie, Music)
• Super Surround for Disc/iPod /Digital In/FM/AM/AUX
• Optical Drive Compatibility: BD-Video, BD-RE, BD-R, DVD-Video, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW/-R/-R (DL), DVD+R1/+R(DL)/+RW, CD, CD-R/RW
• Apple iPod Docking Connector (Support for music, video, and photo playback)
• AM/FM tuner
• Ethernet jack for network support to view VIERA Cast content (currently YouTube, Amazon on Demand, Picasa Gallery viewing)
• SD card slot that supports cards formatted FAT12, FAT16, FAT32: JPEG, AVCHD format,MPEG-2
• Output: 1 x HDMI, 1 x component, 1 x video, headphone
• Input: 2 x optical (digital), 1 x analog (Aux)
• Wireless rear speaker ready (with additional equipment)
• Full specs

Setup

This is a 7.1 channel system, so you have a bit more to unpack – main unit, subwoofer, 4 surround speakers, a center speaker and two front speakers.  Also included are stands (round base with risers styled just like the front speakers) for the front speakers.  There are quite a few other items in the box: remote control with batteries, AM loop antenna, FM indoor antenna, all the speaker cables, auto setup microphone, screws for the speaker stands, stickers to label the speaker wires, and the user manual.

Connecting the speakers is pretty straightforward, as long as you know your colors.  The manual does a great job of explaining things, but each speaker wire connects to the back of the main unit with color-coded clips.  The other ends of the wires, that attach to the speakers, are just bare wire but all you need to do is make sure that the wire with the blue stripe goes in the blue terminal.  The manual also gives some good insight into possible configurations for speaker placement.  Fortunately, speaker placement doesn’t have to be by the book.  You can use the included auto setup microphone and the “Smart Setup” mode on the system to have it automatically level the output of each speaker for your listening position in the room.

This is a home theater system, and not just a stereo, so you’ll want to use an HDMI cable (or RCA-type video) to connect the BT300 to your TV so you can watch movies and view the menu system.  Hook up an external audio sources that you want to run through the system and you’re all set to go.  If you want to use the integrated radio tuner, you’ll need to hook up the antennas and if you want to use the system’s online feature, you’ll need to plugin a network cable.

Design, Usability, and Performance

The system is an attractive, nicely styled system. The main unit has a simple, sleek look, with minimal buttons (but there are some behind access panels) and just enough screen to be useful.  Minimal blue light around the volume dial is just enough luminance to look good and be useful.  The iPod dock is hidden in its own little slide-out tray until you need it.  The subwoofer is small enough to hide just about anywhere and it still manages to put out a lot of thump when you need it.  All four surround speakers are identical – little mesh-covered cubes (plastic housing) just big enough to contain the single speaker inside them.  The center speaker is just about exactly the same size is if you stuck two satellite speakers right next to each other.  While the front speakers come with stands, I found that in my setup (42″ TV on top of a table about 60″ wide) the front channel speakers worked well just on top of the table.  The problem with this is that the front speakers aren’t really meant to be used without the stands so they don’t feel very stable.  It would be a nice improvement to design these front speakers so that they’re stable without using the round base and extensions.

The BT300 is pretty intuitive to use.  The included remote lets you make all the adjustments that you need from anywhere in the room.  The on-screen display is intuitive to navigate, and the display on the front of the main unit has just enough characters to be informative.  The media can basically from from an external source (AUX or optical input), whatever disc you have in the system (Blu-Ray, DVD, etc), an iPod, or SD card.  The buttons on the remote make it pretty clear what you need to push to get the right mode selected.

The integrated iPod dock is a nice feature for a system at this price point.  A lot of systems leave this as an optional accessory.  Once you’ve docked your iPod, you can browse the music and video library using the on-screen display.  Both music and video can be played from the iPod, however, if you want to watch video, then you must have the composite video cable attached to your TV (you can’t use the HDMI out for iPod video playback).

If you’ve hooked up the BT300 to a network in your house (wired connection), then you can download firmware updates for the system as well as  browsing online content with the  Viera Cast feature.  Currently the only online services available in Viera Cast are YouTube, Amazon on Demand, and access to Picasa Web Galleries.  Browsing this content is very intuitive using the remote control.  While the online content is nice, in my opinion, it’s not such a huge value that this will be a major selling point of the BT300.

As far as performance, I was quite impressed with the audio that the system put out.  The higher pitches were crisp and clear and the subwoofer put out quite a bit of thump.  In fact, there are actually four levels of loudness for the subwoofer and I never set it above the second notch (second lowest).  There are also enough settings that you can tweak the audio enough for your taste.  The “Surround” button on the remote toggles through three modes: Standard, Multi-Channel, and Manual.  Within the Manual mode, you can choose between Dolby PL II Movie, Dolby PL II Music, Stereo Surround, and 2-channel Stereo.  The “Sound” button on the remote cycles through other settings for the equalizer, subwoofer level, center focus, and whisper surround.  While the “Smart Setup” feature, using the setup microphone should have automatically set the output from each channel, you can drill into the menus and tweak the settings if you like.

Start up time for the system is a bit sluggish (about 20 seconds), but once powered up, operations are pretty quick.  There is a cooling fan on the back of the system, but it’s very quiet.  While testing, this main unit was on top of a table by the TV and even outside of any sort of cabinet, I didn’t notice any noise from fan.  There is also a fair amount of load time for Blu-Ray content, but that’s pretty much par for the course.

Conclusion

For a system that can be purchased, at the moment, for just over $400, the Panasonic SC-BT300 is pretty impressive.  You get 7.1 channel surround sound that sounds great, a Blu-ray player, integrated iPod dock, the online content of Viera Cast in a system that is easy to setup.  If you want even more speaker placement options, you can invest in the wireless receivers (you’ll need two) to power the surround speakers.  The lightweight, plastic housing speakers aren’t impressive feeling, but the sound they create and the cost of the system are good enough that you won’t even think about it.

Rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars – Editor’s Choice

We’ve seen a lot of sound bar systems this year and the general consensus is that they’re better than your TV speakers, but not quite up to the experience of full 5.1 or 7.1 systems.  The biggest advantage that sound bars have is the ease of setup.  You don’t have to worry about wiring and placing four or five speakers and they’re great for smaller spaces and secondary TVs, like in the bedroom or office.

It’s also been my experience that a subwoofer is an almost critical addition to a sound bar – there is no way you’re going to get the deep rumbling in a good movie with a simple sound bar.  The key, in my opinion, to having a sound bar with a subwoofer is that the connection is wireless.  If you have to connect a wire between your sound bar and the subwoofer, the whole argument for the sound bar — not having to wire and place speakers — goes right out the window.  Thankfully the TH-BA1 does have a wireless subwoofer unit which makes setup a breeze.

JVC TH-BA1 Specifications

• Center unit speakers: 4 x 8cm cone, full-range speakers, output of 30W each, frequency range of 84 Hz to 22kHz
• Center unit inputs: 1 analog (RCA), and 2 digital (optical)
• Center unit dimensions: 35-7/16″ x 4-15/16″ x 3-3/8″
• Center unit weight: 7.8 pounds
• Subwoofer speaker: 16cm cone, with 100W output and frequency range of 45 Hz to 5 kHz
• Subwoofer dimensions: 8-1/2″ x 13-7/8″ x 10″
• Subwoofer weight: 11 pounds

Setup

Unpacking and placing speakers is an easy enough proposition.  There is an AC adapter for the center speaker unit and the sound bar plugs directly into the wall.  I was expecting to find at least an analog audio cable in the box, but didn’t find one.  After checking the manual, I noticed that it’s not supplied.  This wasn’t a huge deal to me and wouldn’t be for a lot of people as most of us have a few lying around.  However, for a system that’s supposed to be easy to setup, I would expect to find everything I needed to get going in the box.  While I’m on the topic – the sound bar is wall-mountable, but the mounting hardware is sold separately.

Inputs

Once the system was powered up and audio connected, I was good to go.  I did have to re-pair the wireless connection between the sound bar and subwoofer, but the manual explained things well and I was up and running.

Usability

The settings for the TH-BA1 can be changed via buttons on the front panel of the sound bar or with the included remote control.  The settings are pretty self explanatory.  For volume adjustment, there is a “master” volume control that keeps the center, surround, and subwoofer volumes in sync with each other.  You can also modify these three “channels” independently, which is actually very handy.  Often, during movies, you need to bump up the center for better hearing of the dialog or you need to bump up the subwoofer to make you jump out of your seat.  However, if you’re watching a sports event you may want to tweak the settings so you hear the sounds of the crowd surrounding you rather than the “thump” from the subwoofer when the commentator clears his throat.

There are buttons to activate the different sets of inputs if you need to switch from listening to a TV broadcast to your game system.  A fade/mute button comes in handy for when the phone rings.

The surround feature can be disabled completely, or you can choose between two modes. They’re creatively named: “Surround 1″ and “Surround 2″.  According to the manual, Surround 1 is better for reproduction of multi-channel sources while Surround 2 is better for stereo music sources.

There are two remaining buttons on the remote – one controls the brightness of the lights on the sound bar’s front panel, and the other toggles the Dynamic Range Compression (DRC) feature that enables clearer sound quality at low volumes for Dolby Digital and DTS sources.

There are plenty of indicator lights on the sound bar to let you know what you’re doing: power, input indicator, surround mode, and a 2 digit display that shows volume levels and other info as needed (like SR1 when you turn on Surround 1 mode).

Controls on front panel

Overall, the system was extremely easy to use.

Performance and Build

We used the TH-BA1 to listen to several different sources – gaming console, TV programming from satellite provider, DVDs and music CDs.  Overall, I would rate the audio quality on the high side.  The system handled the different types of audio well and definitely outperformed the built-in TV speakers – even ones that can simulate surround sound.

Audio quality remained consistent at various volume levels. I was able to hear details during quiet sections of classical music, but it also didn’t get distorted when the volume was cranked up to uncomfortable listening levels.  I would have preferred just a bit more “crispness” to the audio, but that’s a subjective sort of thing that really comes down to personal preference.

A common occurrence with sound bars is their limited listening area, for lack of a better term.  They’re really meant to work for people listening right in front of the TV, which is fine for most home theater applications.  However, if you use a sound bar to reproduce music for a party or background dinner music, the sound isn’t quite ideal.  Once you’re out of the listening bubble, the audio from the sound bar and subwoofer can become unbalanced (you’ll hear too much or too little subwoofer, depending on its relative position).  You can probably alleviate some of this by adjusting the speaker locations.  Also, while we were testing, I found that I got the best audio when the sound bar was pretty much exactly level with my ears.  I was sitting about 10 feet away from the unit and just by raising my listening level by a foot, I could tell a difference in the way the sound effect worked.

Overall build quality was very good, but I think the design leaves something to be desired.  Construction was solid, with no mismatched plastic panels or molding issues.  The sound bar unit is a plastic housing with a metal mesh front.  The subwoofer is a wooden (MDF) cabinet and had a fabric cover.  It would have been nicer to have a better housing on the sound bar, but if you’re going to wall-mount the unit, the lighter weight of the plastic housing is probably a good plan.

The design of the system seems bit dated and ordinary, although you can hide the subwoofer.  On the sound bar, the two digit display is an old school LED display and the only attempt at making the controls/front panel looking trendy is the blue light that indicates the power status.  The system doesn’t look bad, but I think there could have been a better attempt to get it to match the current design trends – sleek and minimalistic.

Bottom Line

The JVC TH-BA1 is a very capable sound bar system.  Not only does the sound bar produce quality audio, the wireless subwoofer gives you the freedom to place your speakers where you need and get a better overall sound.  The build quality was very good, but the design could be a bit more up to date with current design themes.  Separate volume controls for the center, surround and subwoofer is an excellent feature that lets the listener fine tune the output for different types of programming.  Overall, given the price of this system, I would have liked to have seen just a bit more out of it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Roku HD XR Setup

The Roku player comes with a pamphlet that has six steps to get set up. Since one of those steps includes adding batteries to the remote and another shows how to use the play button, there’s really not much to it. Plug the Roku into the wall and connect to the TV. If you’re using wireless you’ll configure that in the setup, there’s also an option for a hard wired Ethernet connection. The only slightly annoying part about the setup is that Roku includes RCA cables and no HDMI cord. For a box that’s designed for HD use, we weren’t expecting that.

Getting setup though is dead simple, so much so that anyone should be able to complete it with no problem. The configuration screens are very easy to understand and the unit even finds its own firmware updates for installation as part of the setup. It took us under 5 minutes to get rolling.

Using the Roku HD XR

Once you’re powered on, the Roku will present three viewing options, Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand and MLB.tv. While these are currently the only channels available on the Roku; Roku has been indicating plans to add more content in the near  future. To configure each of these services, you’ll need to pair the Roku player with your various accounts.

What happens is that when you select Netflix for instance, the Roku box will show you a code. Log into your Netflix account online to add the code to your profile. Within a few seconds of adding the code, the Roku will get the pairing message and you’re ready to roll. It really couldn’t be easier to tie your accounts into the Roku.

Once paired, you’ll have access to the content available by the channel. For Netflix, this means you’ll have access to your entire instant viewing queue. Amazon will show you the movies or videos you have available either from purchases or rentals and MLB.tv offers streaming of baseball games and related content. Each of these services requires some level of subscription, all of which is managed outside of the Roku environment.

We tested extensively with a Netflix queue. The interface is easy to use, just scroll through the movie/TV show cover art until you find the one you want to watch. Select the one you want and the Roku streamer will connect to the service, do a quick Internet speed test, and get started. We had only a few seconds delay for the content retrieval, license acquisition and speed test. From the point of selecting your show or movie to the stream starting took about 5 seconds each time, which is very fast.

The Amazon service and MLB content work roughly the same way – easily and quickly connecting and streaming to the Roku HD XR from your Amazon library or your selected out of market baseball game from MLB.

The controls for the Roku box are handled entirely by the included remote control. The remote is a sturdy 9 button unit that is intuitive to use and responsive to button presses. The icons are easy to understand, with a home button to get users back to the main menu, navigation buttons, start/pause and fast forward/rewind buttons.

Bottom Line

While a lot of Blu-ray players and other Internet-connected devices offer Netflix and other content playback; the Roku device is perhaps the easiest to use and highly reliable. It’s a tremendous value as well; for $129 you get  HDMI, 802.11n WiFi and a nice remote. Add to that the promise of more content services coming soon, in the end we love the Roku HD XR and think it’s a worthy addition to any home theater setup.

All three Roku systems are available from Amazon.com.

Rating – 5 out of 5 Stars – Editor’s Choice

]]> http://www.hometheaterinaboxreview.com/2009/11/review-roku-hd-xr/feed 0 http://www.hometheaterinaboxreview.com/2009/11/review-lenovo-ideacentre-d400-home-server http://www.hometheaterinaboxreview.com/2009/11/review-lenovo-ideacentre-d400-home-server#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:39:11 +0000 Brian http://www.hometheaterinaboxreview.com/?p=801 With the mass of media files most of us are collecting across various computers, it’s getting more important to find a way to not only preserve that repository, but to also make it consumable on just about anything, including computers and home theaters. Lenovo has an offering to solve just that pain, the IdeaCentre D400 Home Server. The D400 features up to 8 terabytes of storage space across four disks, auto-backup options for networked computers, easy file transfer and a host of other features that make it not only easy to use, but perhaps more importantly, easy to forget about.

Getting Started

The easy to forget about feature, while not listed on the spec sheet, is one of the most important in my book. We’ve been using the D400 in our offices for a few weeks now and it really is easy to forget that it’s even in use. One day one I configured the machine, which includes plugging in power and connecting to the Internet, not exactly a tall order. After the requisite Microsoft file updates, you’re ready to get started.

In the most basic implementation, just copy over your important photos, videos, music…whatever you like, to the D400. As part of the simplicity in operation, Lenovo has the D400 already configured with shared folders for popular items (music, photos, public, recorded TV, software and videos). Even better, after the install they drop a shared folder on your desktop to make it easy to access these folders on the PC. Users also get a nice dashboard-style interface to keep an eye on what’s going on.

To get started, I transferred my MP3 library to the D400 by simply copying and pasting the files to the shared music folder. While that operating was running, I milled around in the Home Server software and set up a backup routine for my laptop. While not exactly a home theater feature, the D400 can manage auto-backups of any computers connected to the network, a convenient way to securely keep copies of your machine on hand should you lose a hard drive or have some other data catastrophe.

Using the D400

Of course once you have all your files on the server, they’re simple to access from a computer, home theater PC or even through one of the dozens of popular media streamers that are network connected. I’m currently testing the Netgear Digital Entertainer Live. All it took was two button presses on the Netgear to find the shared folders on the IdeaCentre D400. In under 10 seconds I was streaming content to an HDTV…simple.

There’s a ton more that the D400 has to offer, I hesitate to get bogged down in the PC details (Lenovo D400 Spec Sheet) on a home theater site, but I’ll highlight some of the other features the Lenovo offers, as this is an increasingly competitive space and the spec sheets don’t tell the entire story:

• If you ever need to quickly copy and backup files on a USB drive, just plug it into the D400 and with a single button press on the server, it grabs the contents of the USB drive.
• The D400 has four drive bays, our review unit came equipped with two 1TB drives. The drives are hot swapable though and don’t have to be matched in brand or size. Just seat the drive in the bay, and with a few button presses in the Home Server software, you can configure a new or existing drive just about any way you like.
• Not only will the system backup computers and other devices on the network, it backs itself up as well by copying the contents of the primary drive to the backup.
• The D400 has a built-in flash drive allows easy data recovery and prevents data lost in the event of a system problem.

Bottom Line

With digital video distribution, movie download services, music collections, digital photos, software backups and the thousands of documents and other files most of us wish to protect, a $500 (D400 starting price) is a reasonable investment for a product of this nature. We love the Lenovo reliability, ease of use and forget-ability. Really, aside from the software updates the user is prompted to install from time to time, there’s nothing to worry about. If there’s ever a problem, the server lets you know, and with the built in recovery tools and redundant data backup, what’s to worry about?

After a few weeks with the D400, we’re very pleased with the user experience, data security and availability not just on the PC, but within the home theater environment as well.

Rating – 5 out of 5 Stars – Editor’s Choice

The ZVOX 430 Sound Bar follows the path less taken, giving users a simple to use sound system with no compromises in quality. Where most manufactures find ways to cut costs, either by using an over abundance of plastic or cheap components, ZVOX holds nothing back in their wood enclosure speaker systems. The end result is an easy to setup speaker system that brings other “full-size” systems to their knees.

ZVOZ 430 Specification

• Dimensions; 30.4”w x 5”d x 5.7”h (without the plastic feet, which are removable)
• Weight: Without external power supply: 13 pounds. With external power supply: 14 pounds
• Amplifier: The 430 includes built-in 60 watt amplifier
• Inputs: Two rear “mixing” inputs (if two devices are connected and playing, you will hear both devices): dual RCA jack inputs
• Frequency range: 45 Hz – 20 kHz
• The 430 is bi-amplified, using a specially designed amplifier that includes electronic contouring for superb frequency response
• The 430’s 4” subwoofer with flared port provides accurate low bass reproduction
• The 430’s three 3.25″ main speaker drivers use ferrofluid and neodymium magnets to create remarkably loud, remarkably clear sound
• The system is magnetically shielded so it can be used near a TV or monitor
• A subwoofer output jack on the rear allows owners to connect a separate powered subwoofer (optional)
• Auto-on/auto-off circuit senses sound from source (TV, iPod, PC) and turns on the 430 two seconds later. Approximately three minutes after it has received no signal, it automatically shuts the unit off
• MSRP: $450 (currently $399)

Setup

Out of all the systems I have reviewed, the ZVOX 430 was by far the easiest to setup out of sheer simplicity. You remove the single speaker assembly from the shipping box, connect the AC adapter to the wall, connect up to two sources through analog RCA connections, and press power on the remote. That is it, no separate wires, no calibration, not even a display to view what mode you are in, just power and it works. For the average user who just wants high quality sound without all the fuss, the sound bar method is the way to go.

Usability

The ZVOX 430 was very easy to use, to the point where it became transparent and forgotten. After the first day I left it powered on in its automatic mode, where it shuts down when there is no incoming signal. I didn’t need to use the ZVOX 430’s remote since I had my TV’s speakers disabled and the audio output set to variable so I could control volume with my normal TV remote. The ZVOX system became an extension of my TV, with the TV handling audio like it normally would as you switch to different video inputs. There was no extra device to turn on or second remote needed to watch a movie; you just use your normal remote to handle everything.

To handle sound adjustments, ZVOX does include a remote, but it isn’t needed beyond handling minor changes. You can use the remote to mute the bar, turn the power on or off, put it into auto mode, adjust the subwoofer level, adjust treble, adjust phasecue for simulated surround, and adjust volume. Each command from the remote is met with a blink from the power LED located behind the speaker grill, since there is no display onboard. You just change the setting until you like how it sounds and leave it.

Performance

Audio performance was impressive to say the least. I still remember taking it out of the box and feeling how heavy it was. It is extremely well built, with a very solid wood frame, unlike many of the all-plastic speaker systems that are becoming all too common. Some of that was met with doubt though, when I looked at the backside and only saw analog RCA inputs. I am so used to seeing digital inputs on all of my home theater components; but as noted before, this simple connection method makes it easy for anyone to set up and use ZVOX products.

Don’t let the connection method fool you though, audio quality was fantastic, easily meeting many of the full-size, multi-speaker, home theater systems I have reviewed. While you don’t get the physical separation of a 5.1 system, most of that can be overlooked when you have good rich audio filling your room. Lower-frequency sounds came through thumping with the built-in subwoofer, easily matching many of the unpowered subwoofers of budget 5.1 surround systems.

Midrange and high-notes came through clear, making things like gunshots and explosions sound like they were happening around you. The one audio complaint I have is some interference and static could be heard if you had to ramp up the volume of the sound bar to compensate for a weaker audio source. This was a problem when I connected my home theater computer directly to the ZVOX 430, where even at 100% volume in software, it still didn’t come close to what satellite tuner could pass through the TV. When sound was playing it was hard to notice, and probably isn’t a problem for computers with higher-quality soundcards. Besides the computer, none of my other devices had this problem with static, which included the pass-through audio from my Xbox 360, Blu-ray player, HD-DVD player, and satellite DVR.

Conclusion

The ZVOX 430 Sound Bar is an almost perfect blend of high quality audio components and simple user interface. When properly set up, the user doesn’t even have to change the way they watch movies or TV, since most TV’s can handle variable audio output internally. Since there are no external speakers there are no wires to hide or route through your family room, you simply find an available outlet, and connect the bar to your TV or audio source. Sound quality is superb, easily surpassing same-priced surround systems that put more money into cool features than they do into the speakers themselves. While $450 might sound a lot for a single “speaker”, it is well worth the money if you just want rich sounding audio with none of the hassle.

The ZVOX 430 is available directly from ZVOX for $449 but is currently on sale for $399.

Pros

• Excellent build quality
• High-grade speakers
• Basically no setup required

Cons

• Analog inputs can be prone to static or interference

Rating – 4.5 out of 5 Stars – Editor’s Choice

Getting Started

Out of the box, the Harmony 700 comes with two Eneloop rechargeable batteries, charger, USB cable and installation CD. While the installation occurs on the computer, I suggest plugging in the remote to charge it. Also go make a list of the equipment you want to control, tracking down the model numbers as best you can.

Once the install is complete, the Logitech wizard will walk you through the entire process to set up each piece of equipment. In my test I configured a TV, DVD player, game system, dual zone receiver and DirecTV HD DVR. For each item, Logitech searches its database for the correct remote codes, something that saves a ton of time. They also frequently update the database, so if you buy a new Blu-ray player for instance, the code will probably be waiting for you by the time you get ready to reconfigure the Harmony 700.

Once it determines the equipment, the wizard prompts you for several data points, like which input on the TV to use and whether or not to use the receiver for volume or the TV. You run through this cycle for each component and when complete, the computer updates the data to the remote. Of course the profile is saved so if you have to go back and make changes, or the batteries die completely, you won’t have to go through the entire process again.

Using the Harmony 700

After my configuration, I headed over to the home theater to give it a test. I have to admit I was expecting to have problems. I haven’t invested in universal remotes of this quality before and the claims seemed difficult to believe. It was absolutely flawless though. I swapped between the Wii, DirecTV and DVD player. All the proper components turned on and off when they were supposed to and the right inputs on the TV were selected.

The best part is these functions are all designated with single buttons. This helps “family-proof” its use. Want to watch TV? Then just push the “Watch TV” button and the proper equipment is turned on. Same goes for “Watch a Movie” and “Listen to Music.” There’s also a button for other activities, like activating game consoles. I used this with the Wii, which makes it a snap for my 6 year-old to fire up his games, without needing mom or dad to help change inputs and A/V receiver settings. The only complaint there is the Harmony 700 does not have Bluetooth, so it can’t power on the game systems.

The Harmony 700 is flush with buttons too. There’s a small color display at the top for extra features that there,’s not a button for, but most things are accounted for. The only time I used the “soft buttons” were for the List function on the DirecTV box. The screen gives users more flexibility as well to customize the remote how they like.

Conclusion

Now that I have the Harmony 700, I can’t imagine going back to my multi-remote cluster. The unit is well designed and the usability of the setup wizard is top-notch. In the end the remote does what it claims to do – and does it well. On the usability side, if my wife and 6 year-old can use it, anyone can. Logitech did a great job making the 700 easy to work with and configure. Our only complaint, and its minor, is the lack of Bluetooth support to power on game consoles.

Editor’s Rating – 5 out of 5 stars – Editor’s Choice

Samsung HT-BD1250T Specifications

• Built-in Decoders: Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Digital, DTS decoder, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD decoder, Dolby TrueHD
• Output Power / Total: 1000 Watt
• Amplifier Output Details: 166 Watt – 3 Ohm – 5 channel(s) ( surround ), 170 Watt – 3 Ohm – 1 channel(s) ( subwoofer )
• Features: iPod ready, USB host function, Netflix and Pandora Ready
• Supported Media: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD, CD, BD-ROM
• Output Resolution: 1080p
• Connections: 1 x component video output ( RCA phono x 3 ) – rear, 1 x composite video/audio output ( RCA phono x 3 ) – rear, 1 x HDMI output ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) – rear, USB

Setup

The Samsung HT-BD1250T was easy to get setup out of the box with pre-labeled wires and easy to assemble speaker stands. Samsung includes a unique speaker stand that can attach to the bottom or rear of each speaker, which lets you use it as a vertical stand resting on a platform, or as a horizontal stand to hang on a wall. For a clean home integration, wall mounted speakers and wires mounted behind drywall can really make a difference in a cool setup. For the average user though, the standard mounting position with the speakers resting next to the TV or on separate tables works very well.

Once the speakers were setup and everything was connected, we were quick to notice that this system does not include any sort of auto-calibration. Unlike almost every other surround system we have tested, Samsung doesn’t include a small mic for use with auto-calibrate software to set the distances of the speakers from your listening location. Instead you get a screen which asks you to manually set the distance from each speaker to your seat. This was slightly annoying, but since you really only need to set this up once, it only adds time onto the initial setup.

Usability

From a cosmetic standpoint this Samsung HTiB system looks very elegant, with a streamlined glossy front, and circular LED-outlined volume control on the top. This is one of the few systems that would look and feel at home on the top shelf of an electronics cabinet, instead of hidden away. The front panel gives a readout of what is currently going on with the receiver; like which input it is on, or what mode it is in. Another handy feature that is almost required because of the bright LED-outlined volume control is a dimming mode, which disables the top LEDs, and reduces the brightness of the front screen by roughly 50%.

Another cool feature of this home theater system is its touch-sensitive controls mounted on the top edge of the receiver. To turn the system on or off, just glide your finger button. Secondary controls such as eject, play/pause, skip, or function are also touch-sensitive to quickly start a movie as soon as you insert the disc. The circular volume knob though is analog, and is controlled just like the early iPods; where you rotate the control to adjust the volume level.

For day-to-day use the system was easy to control with the supplied remote and receiver mounted buttons. If you normally use the stereo in one particular mode, turning it off after each sitting, the system once turned back on will automatically start in that mode. I found that when I was using it primarily with my satellite TV, I left it on the digital audio mode all the time. I actually rarely used the remote, since it was fun brushing my finger over the touch-sensitive button each time to turn the receiver on. When using other features like NetFlix, Pandora, or controlling a connected iPod, the remote is a must.

Performance

Audio performance was very good for a small to medium sized room. The satellite style speakers were good for high and midrange audio, with an added bass boost coming from the subwoofer. Out of the box the speakers need some slight calibration for the room, but once that is done the speakers can be matched up very well. Surround separation is very good, especially in movies that take full advantage of a surround sound system. Peak volume levels were well over my comfortable listening levels, staying distortion free up until the highest volume levels.

The first night I had the speakers setup, I noticed that one of the speakers almost sounded blown out when deeper pitched voices were talking on screen. After some quick investigation, I found that the center channel speaker wire was touching the body of the speaker just enough to rattle against it. That was the only speaker quirk I noticed throughout the entire review.

One area I feel Samsung really needs to improve with this system is how it handles an outside digital audio stream. Most receivers have a small delay from when your outside source starts sending audio to when the stereo starts playing it. This is the time the receiver needs to buffer the signal. Most systems take under a second for this process, where the HT-BD1250T took upwards of 4-5 seconds. This was frustrating when my satellite DVR was feeding the receiver, and each time I would skip forward on the remote, the video would be playing but I wouldn’t get audio for 4-5 seconds. If you never interrupt the signal, the initial delay probably won’t be a problem.

Blu-ray support was flawless, working exactly how it should be. Loading time for movies was low, and the remote was easy to follow to navigate on-screen menus.

iPod Support

iPod support on the Samsung HT-BD1250T was excellent, although still had one area that could be improved. The integration allows for full viewing of file information of video or music titles. This allows you to view artists, songs, song information, and even movie information on the receiver’s display, instead of trying to navigate the system blind. While listening to music or watching a movie, the controls on the remote are fully supported; letting you pause/play, fast forward, skip, etc. One annoying thing about browsing the music once you have found your album though is songs are sorted alphabetically, not by number of order.

Video support was similar to the Panasonic SC-PT770, whereas you still needed to view movies over a composite video cable. This meant you needed to switch video sources on your TV when watching iPod videos, then switch back when you were done. Is it too much to ask for built-in HDMI up-conversion? Besides that everything was as seamless as the music playback.

NetFlix and Pandora Streaming

Online content streaming is the direction home theaters are going, and by Samsung including this with the HT-BD1250T, it really shows they are trying to stay ahead of the curve. Streaming allows you to make last minute decisions on what you want to watch, and it also means you have a library of thousands of songs or movies at your fingertips.

The Netflix integration was great, pairing up easily with your account with a device activation key. Once it is associated with your account, you have access to your Instant Queue, which you populate with videos through the Netflix site. Compared to more advanced Netflix players like the one built into the Xbox 360, which lets you browse into categories outside of your queue, the Samsung implementation is more limited. This isn’t too hard to get over though, since you just go to your computer, log into the Netflix site, and search for movies to add into your list.

Video support includes SD and HD videos, with content taking 5-10 seconds to buffer before playing. Watching an HD copy of Serenity the quality was superb; identical to viewing that same movie over Netflix on my Xbox 360. At only $8.99 for a base Netflix plan that supports unlimited online viewing, it’s a steal compared to pay-per-view or even premium channel alternatives.

Users can also take advantage of the Pandora streaming audio service. Simply enter your login credentials and you’ll be able to play any of your custom radio channels.

Conclusion

The Samsung HT-BD1250T Blu-ray Home Theater System is a great all-in-one system combining the best of multiple worlds. Users get full iPod integration for personal music or mobile video libraries, online video and audio streaming through Netflix and Pandora, and Blu-ray video playback for the ultimate in HD viewing. Out of the box the system was easy to setup, even if it took slightly more time needing manual speaker calibration. This system also had a much greater sense of style compared to other systems, so you shouldn’t have to worry about hiding it in the depths of some electronics cabinet. Overall with a retail price of $549 and a street price of $479, this system is hard to beat for the features you get.

Pros

• Netflix and Pandora support built-in
• Very good iPod integration
• Dual-purpose speaker stands
• Good audio quality

Cons

• Digital audio input slow to buffer
• No auto-calibration for speakers

Editor’s Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars – Editor’s Choice

Sony BDV-E300 Specifications

• 5.1 channel – 1000 watts system power
• 143 watts to five satellites
• 285 watt subwoofer
• 2 analog audio inputs, 1 coaxial audio inputs, 1 optical audio input
• 1 component video output, 1 composite video output, 1 HDMI upscaling output,
• Auto speaker calibration
• S-Air compatible (wireless speakers not included)
• iPod cradle
• Bravia Sync enabled
• xross media bar menu navigation
• Blu-Ray Player
• Ethernet port
• Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby TrueHD, DTS 96/24, DTS, DTS-ES, DTS HD, Dolby Digital Plus

Setup

The unboxing process was painless with the Sony BDV-E300, needing only a pair of scissors to slice the tape on the box. The main box houses all components, with each item having its own separate foam protection. Once everything was out of the box you notice the speakers are alone for each channel, without any stands. The front and rear speakers look nearly identical, with only stickers on the backs of the front speakers to identify them as such. The rest of the components were straight forward, with the center channel easy to locate, being the super short but wide speaker, and subwoofer…well being the subwoofer. One slightly annoying feature lacking from this kit was stands, which help to present the front speakers. Sony did include multiple mount connections, but even a simple plastic stand would have been appreciated.

When all the components are in their desired spots, the next step is locating the correct wire for each speaker. Sony includes pre-cut sections of wire, all color coded for individual speakers. This mean no need to wire cutters or the hassle associated with it. The length of wire was long enough for even a large room; with plenty to spare in most cases. The only wire that may present a problem is the center channel, which is shorter and designed for home theater setups where the stereo is very close to the TV.

Once the speakers are connected and the system is turned on for the first time, you will be directed through a setup guide. The process first starts with you choosing a language for the menu system, then your primary video output method, preferred resolution, and aspect ratio. Once those are set, it gives you the option to have the system controlled by a supported television, sets up the network connection, and which startup mode you would prefer (normal or quick). I went with normal, since I don’t like running devices in standby, drawing power while I am not using them.

The next step is probably the most important where you let the system auto-calibrate the speakers. The method Sony uses is one of the coolest ones I have seen, where it actually tells you the distance of each speaker from the setup microphone after the test completes. In my case it even detected that my chair was ¾ foot off center from the TV, which is correct.

Usability

As someone who has a Sony LCD HDTV and PlayStation 3, I found the BDV-E300 very easy to control and navigate. The xross media bar gives you quick access to each primary group of features, be it settings, pictures, or inputs, and then gives you a dropdown of each item in that category. This makes it easy to jump from adjusting the speaker settings all the way to the analog input control with a few direction arrow presses. Even if you are new to the system it is easy, but if you are already used to it, the similarities are nice since you know where everything is. The only negative comment I can say about the navigation system on this stereo is the remote control, which is very jumpy when moving between categories. Every time you move from one side to the other, there is a good chance it will skip 3-4 items, instead of going one at a time. This is especially annoying since it happens even when you are meticulous about pressing the direction pad once to move one position over, and it flies past your desired choice.

Performance

The speakers included with this system are made with thin walled plastic, and don’t really have weight of a really solid speaker. I might be more used to heavy wood-based speakers, where you know which is a better speaker by how much pain you back is in after setting up the system. Even with the lightweight construction the audio quality was still very nice, right at the level you would expect from a starter home theater system.

Speaker performance was good, with clear high notes and a good balance of midrange and bass. The included subwoofer might not have been as powerful as external powered subwoofers, but a properly balanced system doesn’t have bass set high enough to shake pictures off the wall either. Music and movies alike sounded very good, with good channel separation and mixing with the rear speakers. While playing music the rear speakers would activate in auto mode, helping to fill the room with more sound. In movies the rear speakers would stay dedicated to their own specific audio track. One of my favorite tests for new surround systems is to play Call of Duty, since listening to directional sound is key to not being killed by an attacking enemy. The Sony BDV-E300 was quick to pick up on subtle footsteps, which helped me easily pick off other players before they could get to me.

Blu-ray movie playback was perfect, with quick movie loading after the disc was inserted, and snappy menu response. Noise from the stereo itself was minimal at worst, with no perceptible noise from the drive after a disc was loaded. Once playing a Blu-ray video, dropping back to the home screen had about a 2-3 second delay. Compared to my PS3, the performance from this system was actually better in terms how long you had to wait before you could start watching a movie.

iPod Support

I can’t say I was as impressed by Sony’s iPod integration when I think back to how Panasonic handled it on the SC-PT770. On the Panasonic you were given full song titles, song timers, video support… basically it duplicated the controls of the iPod itself. On the Sony BDV-E300 you select the iPod input through a selection called “DMPORT”, which acts as line in for the audio. The screen you are presented with gives no indication of the iPod being connected, only a nice background image that is shared with other audio inputs. You have limited song control by using the remote, where play, pause, skip all work, but you are left hunting for songs. I ended up browsing to desired album by hand, connecting the iPod to the dock, and pressing play. Besides charging, the iPod integration was about as useful as a 3.5mm jack plugged into the top of the iPod.

Conclusion

Overall the Sony BDV-E300 is a fairly good home theater in a box system with the addition of Blu-ray support. If you are looking to add surround sound to a small to mid-size room and want the capability to play HD movies this system will work well, and its sale price works with most budgets. The setup utilities are make the initial calibration process painless, and the color coded wires make sure even non-techie can get this system playing music or movies in no time. The only real downside to this model is the lack-luster iPod support, which falls flat compared to other alternatives and the omission of HDMI inputs.

Pros

• Cool setup utility
• Color coded wires and speakers
• Responsive Blu-ray player
• Good audio quality

Cons

• Overactive remote
• No speaker stands
• No HDMI input
• Poor iPod integration

Rating – 3.5 out of 5 stars