Any time of year is a great time to buy a gift for Dad, especially when it comes to adding to his home theater system. Check out some of my suggestions.
1. OPPO Digital BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD/DVD-Audio Playback
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
Give Dad the gift of Blu-ray. The OPPO BDP-83 is a Blu-ray Disc Player that both feature packed and an excellent performer. Besides Blu-ray disc playback, the BDP-83 also provides excellent 1080p upscaling of standard DVDs using Anchor Bay VRS technology. Other features, such as SACD and DVD-Audio playback, front and rear mounted USB ports for importing images, video, and music from flash drives, add great audio and video flexibility. Although having a somewhat higher price tag than many players, the OPPO BDP-83 takes Blu-ray Disc Player performance and flexibility to the highest level. To find out if the OPPO BDP-83 is right for you, check out my Short and Full Reviews, as well as a supplementary Photo Profile and Video Performance Tests.
2. Panasonic VIERA TC-P42G10 42-inch Plasma TV
The 42-inch Panasonic VIERA TC-P42G10 plasma television delivers great image quality at a reasonable price. Bolstered by THX Certification, this set features 1920x1080 (1080p) pixel resolution, excellent contrast ratio, and pixel orbiting to eliminate screen burn-in. Inputs are not a problem as the TC-P42G10, includes, HDMI, HD-Component, and VGA. This set also has ATSC/QAM tuners for receiving HDTV broadcast and unscrambled cable, and also an SD card slot for digital photo playback. Viera Cast allows access to YouTube, Amazon video, and other web content without a PC connection. This is a great addition to a family's home theater experience. If 42-inches is too small for you, check out its bigger brother, the TC-P50G10 (compare prices).
3. Sony BRAVIA KDL-46V5100 46-inch LCD TV
The Sony KDL-46V5100 is a 46-inch 16x9 LCD television with a native pixel resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p) and a dynamic contrast ratio of 50,000:1. This set includes some of the latest technology, such as four HDMI 1.3a inputs, 120Hz screen refresh rate (Motion Flow), 1080p/60 and 1080p/24 compatibility, and both ATSC and QAM tuners. The ATSC tuner allows reception of the over-the-air HDTV signals and the QAM tuner allows Digital/HD-cable (non-premium channels) reception. This set delivers excellent detail, color consistency, and contrast. If you are looking for an LCD television with good performance at an affordable price, the KDL-46V5100 is a great choice, especially if you also have a Blu-ray Disc player4. Onkyo HT-RC160 Home Theater Receiver with Dolby Pro Logic IIz
Photo (C) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
The Onkyo HT-RC160 Home Theater Receiver offers lots of features and good audio performance in an affordable package. With 5 input HDMI switching, analog to HDMI video conversion with up to 1080i video scaling, on-board Dolby TrueHD and DTS-Master Audio decoders, Dolby Pro Logic IIz processing, iPod connectivity, and an excellent automatic speaker setup system, the Onkyo HT-RC160 is worth a look and a listen. To find out if the Onkyo HT-RC160 is right for you, check out my Short and Full reviews as well as my supplementary Photo Gallery and Video Peformance Test Results Gallery.
5. Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 Surround Speaker System
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
Balancing style, price, and sound quality can be tough when choosing loudspeakers. If you are looking a compact loudspeaker system to complement your HDTV, DVD and/or Blu-ray Disc player, check out the stylish, compact, great sounding, and affordable, Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 Surround Speaker System. The system consists of five compact satellite speakers which can be set on a shelf or wall mounted (even in a corner wall space), and a compact 8-inch powered subwoofer. To find out if the Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 Surround Speaker System is right for you, check out both my Short and Full Reviews, and also my supplementary Photo Gallery.
6. Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote Control
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
Home theater has certainly given us more and better options for enjoying home entertainment. However, it has also given us the clutter of remote controls. Many of us have a half-dozen, or more, remotes on the coffee table. The quest for a remote control that can do it all is the true "Holy Grail" of home theater. There are many "universal remotes" that can than replace some of the functions of your remote control collection, but the Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote Control can just about do it all and is not any larger than most single component remotes. For more details, check out my Product Review and supplementary Photo Profile.
7. Yamaha YHT-591 5.1 Channel Home Theater System
Photo (c) Yamaha Electronics Corportation
The YHT-591 is made up of separate components that include a HTR-6240 5.1 channel (105wpc) receiver, YST-SW216 100-watt Subwoofer, and a very stylish center/satellite 5 channel speaker system. This system provides a clean, even, sound for both movies and music. In addition to sound quality, some of the innovative features include: 4 HDMI inputs, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, additional surround sound processing modes, iPod connectivity and Bluetooth capability (via optional accessory docks). If you looking for a home theater system that sounds good with both music and movies, and offers a lot of connection flexibility, check out the Yamaha YHT-591. Just add your own DVD or Blu-ray Disc Player to complement your HDTV.
8. Ultrasone HFI-680 Headphones with S-Logic
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
Here is a great gift idea for Dad. The Ultrasone HFI-680 headphones offer an excellent full-size alternative to both in-the-ear and other types of full-size headphones. The unique driver design sends sound to the out-ear structure rather than pushing sound directly to the middle and inner ear. By using this more indirect approach, the sound more nauturally mimics the way sound is delivered to the structures of the ear, such as when listening to loudspeakers. As a result a natural surround sound effect is achieved without the use of additional techniques such as Digital Sound Processing (DSP). To find out if the Ultrasone HFI-680 are the right headphones for you, check out my Review and a supplementary Photo Gallery.
9. ION LP2CD - Vinyl LP to CD Recording System
Photos (c) Robert Silva Licensed to About.com
Here is a great gift idea for Dad. The LP2CD is a the latest in analog-to-digital conversion products from ION Audio. The LP2CD combines a vinyl record turntable with a CD-Burner in a single device. To make recording to CD easy, the LP2CD includes an onboard 700MB flash drive that allows you to review your recording before doing a final burn to CD. In addition, the LP2CD also has audio inputs that allow recording from external sources, such as a cassette deck, or another CD player, and also has provisions for more editing options on a PC/MAC via its built-in USB port. To find out if the ION Audio LP2CD is right for you, check out my Product Review and Photo Gallery.
10. Vivitek D326WX Compact DLP Video Projector
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
At an MSRP of $1,199, the Vivitek D326WX DLP Projector is a great value. With its extremely compact design this projector can be placed just about anywhere, and with its included carrying case, you can take it with you to the office or grandma's house. With its native 1280x800 native pixel resolution (approx - 720p) and impressive 2,600 lumen output capability, the video quality is very good. Flesh tones and overall color saturation produce a very natural looking image. Another bonus is that the D326WX has a very quick turn-on and cool down shut off time. For more details, check out my Short and Full Reviews, as well as a Photo Gallery and results from a series of Video Performance Tests.
