Samsung’s new 5-disc HTiB systems all incorporate an integrated DVD Player/Receiver, a full set of high-quality surround sound speakers and a superb sub-woofer to transform any living room into a fully- functional digital entertainment center. Audiophiles will appreciate the wide center channel speaker that enhances dialogue prominence during movies so words do not interfere against background sound effects and music.

Ummm, I think audiophiles already appreciate what a center channel has to offer, and I doubt these packages would please a true audiophile’s ear. They do offer an easy way for beginners to get into home theater, and have some home theater PC functions without the hassle of a full-fledged HTPC.

The five-disc progressive-scan DVD players support multimedia files including DivX and MP3, as well as DVD Audio, WMA-Disc, CD-R/RW and DVD -R/RW. They also display JPEG images so viewers can watch picture slide shows burned to CD from digital cameras in the comfort of their living rooms instead of huddling around a small computer monitor.

We definitely want to grow this sport as much as possible, so I name this entry-level home theater in a box experience as worthy of the game.

Press Release

I found this decent write-up about the current state of affairs with the next level of DVD format, the new betamax war!

Behind the Blue-Ray front lines
Mfgs: Hitachi, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and Zenith
Studios: 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Co. and Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures, Electronic Arts and Vivendi

In the HD DVD Camp
Mfgs: Toshiba, NEC and Sanyo
Studios: Paramount pictures, Universal Pictures, New Line Cinema, HBO and Warner Bros.

Blu-ray will be out in 2006. HD DVD has said they will be out in (the fourth quarter of) 2005, but we question that and think it will not be feasible. We think they wont be out until next year.

Nothing earth-shattering here, but a good synopsis.

High-definition DVD technology promises sharper home theater

Interesting comments at the end of the article about VOD and downloading movies. The quality sucks right now, definitely nowhere near getting your HT groove on there.