When it comes to buying a home theater system, there is no shortage of options to choose from. In fact, the choices available can be bewildering. Here, we will look at the Panasonic SC-XH170 DVD Home Theater System, as well as two other systems, which are just three of the many options on the market.
The three systems we looked at have the same basic setup. All of them use five speakers, consisting of a subwoofer, one front speaker, two surround speakers and two central speakers. They are all 5.1 channel home theater systems, and use Blu-ray players.
This is a superb system given all the built-in features it contains and the retail price. You can be the proud owner of the Panasonic SC-XH170 Home Theater System for around $175. There is a built-in USB connector for iPods and iPhones.
The SC-XH170 ships with Viera technology. This means it can connect to other electronic items that also include Viera technology, including camcorders, mobile devices and digital cameras. The total sound output from the SC-XH170 is a very impressive 1000 watts.
The system has an automatic sound equalizer, which eliminates those annoying volume increases during advertising breaks. Color coded wiring makes it easy to set the whole system up. Sound quality is excellent for the price.
There is not a lot to complain about with this system. It does not support wifi, which some people will find a nuisance.
The Yamaha YHT-897 Home Theater System is the most expensive of the three systems we looked at. Retailing at around $750, it is not going to appeal to people on a fairly limited budget. Its appearance is the most stylish of the systems, and it does come with technology not available on the others.
The system features Yamaha’s proprietary AirPlay technology. AirPlay permits the direct streaming to the system of sound and images from numerous other devices such as iPads, Android devices and PCs. The YHT-897’s automatic sound configuration option will appeal to many. Acoustics are analyzed automatically and sound configurations set accordingly.
The subwoofer in this system is just 100 watts. This is probably fine for watching movies, but not brilliant for playing music with prominent bass.
The Samsung HT-E3500 is the most basic system reviewed in terms of features provided. This is evident in Samsung’s own description of the product, which is quite muted. The company provides only barebones information about the system. It does not state what devices can connect to the system through its USB.
Priced at around $215, the system offers reasonable value for money. Sound reproduction is of good quality. The Samsung HT-E3500 Blu-ray Home Theater System is very easy to set up.
The cables for attaching the speakers are very short, and this severely restricts how they can be placed. Outputting just 500 watts, the HT-E3500 is not terribly powerful.
Of the three products reviewed, the Samsung would have to be the lowest rated. It is more expensive then the Panasonic, yet has fewer features and lower output. The Yamaha system is very good, and has some future proofing built in, but the key question is whether it is worth spending almost five times more on this than on the Panasonic.
Adam Roell is involved with a Home Theater System Review Site that informs consumers about the benefits associated with a variety of Home Theater System. For a quick sample watch this short video on the Yamaha YHT-897: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs-bNhwg0SA. Also, watch the video about the Panasonic SC-XH170 DVD Home Theater System as well.