Many consumers have the impression that home theater is complicated and expensive. Although you won't find that 42-inch Plasma Television or LCD flat panel television for $199, there are a lot of surprisingly good home theater-related components priced at $199 or less. Check out my current favorites in the low-priced/high value Home Theater Components.
1. Samsung BD-P1600 Blu-ray Disc Player
Here is a great deal! The Samsung BD-P1600 in more than a Blu-ray Disc player. First off, it does play Blu-ray Discs at full 1080p/60 or 1080p/24 resolution, provides bitstream output for both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD via its HDMI 1.3a output, and is fully playback compatible with standard DVDs, most recordable DVD formats, standard music CDs, and CD-Rs/RWs. Another bonus is that standard DVDs are upscaled up to 1080p via the HDMI output. The BD-P1600 also adheres to Profile 2.0(BD-Live) specifications. However, the big bonus is that the BD-P1600 also provides internet music and movie streaming from Netflix and Pandora. The BD-P1600 is an excellent successor to Samsung's popular BD-P1500. Check out one review of the BD-P1600 from PC World.
2. Yamaha HTR-6230BL 5.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver
Photo (c) Yamaha Electronics Corporation
The Yamaha HTR-6230BL, despite its suggested price of $229, can be found at some retailers for $199 or less. This receiver offers practical audio features including, a powerful 5.1 channel amplifier, Dolby Digital/DTS surround decoding, front panel mini-jack for connection of digital audio players, and both iPod and Bluetooth connectivity via optional adapters. The SCENE function allows for preset or customized listening and viewing modes. Also included is HDMI switching and 1080p pass through via two HDMI inputs and one output. If you are planning to purchase a basic home theater receiver, with useful features, power, and performance that you normally find on mid-priced units, the HTR-6230BL may fill the bill.
3. Toshiba XD-E500 Upscaling DVD Player With Extended Detail Enhancement
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
With the demise of HD-DVD, Toshiba has taken a path to improve the upscaling capabilities of standard DVD players. With improved 1080p video upscaling capability over previous Toshiba upscaling DVD players, the XD-E500 delivers a very good picture on an HDTV. In addition, the user also has some control over sharpness, color, and contrast, which compensate for variations in DVD source quality. Although not as good as Blu-ray the Toshiba XD-E500, priced at $149, provides good viewing of DVDs. For more details on whether the Toshiba XD-E500 is right for you, check out my Short and Full Reviews, as well as a Photo Gallery.
4. Polk Audio PSW10 or PSW110 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer
(c) 2007 Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com, Inc.
The Polk PSW10 is a modest powered subwoofer that is great for entry level systems and/or small rooms. This compact subwoofer delivers 50 Watts of continuous power, good clarity, tightness, and a lower bass response than you might find on more expensive subs. The PSW10 has a 10-inch woofer cone, a front mounted port to extend lower frequency response, a frequency response of 35 to 200Hz, and an 80Hz to 160Hz adjustable crossover. Input connections include both Line Level and standard speaker connections. The PSW10 also features an Auto On/Off function for convenience. Also, if you want something a little more "beefy", also check out the PSW110, which is about the same size as the PSW10 but offers a 100 watt output and downfiring port.
5. Accell UltraAV™ HDMI ver1.3 4-1 Audio/Video Switch
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
The UltraAV™ HDMI ver1.3 4-1 Audio/Video Switch can be a great addition to a home theater system. An HDMI Switch is a useful product for HDTVs with only one HDMI input connection. With the increased number of components equipped with HDMI connections (DVD players, DVD recorders, Blu-ray players, HD-DVD players, and Satellite and Cable Boxes) one HDMI input provided on many HDTVs is not enough.
However, with an HDMI switch you can now expand an HDTV's single HDMI input into two or more inputs, depending on the capacity of the HDMI switch. One example is the Accell HDMI ver1.3 4-1 switch. This switch is very easy to use and does not degrade signal quality from HDMI sources. For more details, check out my Review and Photo Gallery.
6. Verismo VuNow HD1000 Network Media Extender
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
The Verismo VuNow HD1000 Network Media Extender is a great way to integrate your audio and video entertainment direct from the internet or your PC (although a PC is not required). The VuNow HD1000 is a very compact set-top box that connects directly to your TV, or through a video-enabled home theater receiver, via HDMI or AV connections. With the Verismo VuNow HD1000, you can access a large amount of audio/video content from the internet, via either wired ethernet or wireless network connection, connected USB flash drives, or your own PC. For more details, check out my Review and Photo Gallery.
7. Audio-Technica T-LP2D-USB - LP to Digital Recording System
Photo (c) Audio Technica
The Audio Technica AT-LP2D-USB LP-to-Digital Recording System is a package that includes an audio turntable (with cartridge) with a USB output that can connect to a PC or Laptop. Also included is all the software you need to transfer old LP Vinyl records to CD or MP3 for continued listening pleasure on a home audio system or portable digital music player. An added bonus is that the turntable has a built-in preamp that allows it to be connected to standard CD or AUX audio inputs on home theater receivers that may not have a dedicated turntable input. For more details, check out the Audio Technica AT-LP2D-USB Product Page.
8. Sony CDP-CX355 CD Changer
Is your CD collection crowding your bookcases? If so, check out this 300-CD Megachanger from Sony. In addition to storing your entire CD collection, this player is also compatible with CD-R/RW and Text Discs. There is even a PS/2 Keyboard connection to enable you to connect a PC-keyboard to assist in organizing and cataloging your collection. Of course, the CDs sound great too.9. Toshiba D-R420 DVD Recorder with HDMI Output
Here is a budget-priced DVD recorder with very practical features. For less than $120, the Toshiba DR420 offers DVD-R/-RW and +R/+RW format recording with Auto Finalization, a front panel DV-input for connecting digital camcorders, and an HDMI output with 1080p upscaling. In addition, the DR420 can also play back Divx file discs, as well as standard audio CDs. However, the DR-420 does not have a built-in tuner, so it is necessary to use an external cable or satellite box to record television programs. If you subscribe to cable or satellite and use a box, and have an HDTV to access the 420's 1080p upscaling video output capability, then this DVD recorder might be a good match for your entertainment setup.10. JVC HR-XV12S DVD Player/VCR Combo
The HR-XVC12S DVD Player/VCR combo has a full complement of AV inputs and outputs for its 4 Head HiFi VCR section, as well as composite, S-Video, and Component video outputs for the DVD side. There is a digital coaxial output for Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS soundtracks. The DVD side features progressive scan, and is playback compatible with CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, VCD, and JPEG CD discs. NOTE: The VCR section of this unit requires an external tuner (such as a cable, satellite, or DTV converter box) to record television programs. If you are looking for a bare-bones unit that can play DVDs and still record on VHS tapes, check out the JVC HR-XV12S as a possible choice.