It has been a fantastic year for home
entertainment, with the blockbusters dominating the box office; the HD
streamers are increasingly popular; and plenty of pixel-dense TVs have been
coming out. In January, CES has introduced a number of impressive Smart TVs,
and now - while it is an expensive item - an 84-inch 4K TV is no longer the
stuff of dreams. If you have been waiting to give your loved one (or yourself)
a new device, now is the perfect time to take the plunge. Please keep on
reading to find some home theater devices for every pocket.
Cheap prices
Apple
TV (2012)
Yes, there are many of other media
streamers currently – at the cheaper prices - but if you have already been
inside the content ecosystem of Apple, this compact box is worth reserving a
place under your TV. AirPlay takes content from the iPad, iPhone or iPod to the
big screen, and integration with Hulu and Netflix - and along with Digital Copy
support – allows you to access to endless media options.
Main Specifications: A5 processor; 512MB of RAM; 1,080p;
802.11a/g/b/n
Price: $89 on Amazon
Apple
TV (2012)
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Blu-ray
Disc, Marvel’s "The Avengers"
The green Giant, Iron Man, Captain America,
Thor and, you know, others gather to defeat the biggest threat of the Earth. If
you are seeking out a disc to flaunt your new home theater system on December
25th, that is here.
Price: $35 on Amazon
“The
Dark Knight Rises” limited-version cowl pack
If you have been practicing your formal
voice for the debut of "The Dark Knight Rises", then you definitely
need a mock-up cowl to fulfill the impersonation. That is where this
limited-version Blu-ray suite jumps into, with a mask damaged by Bane to awaken
your ego.
Update: it seems that it has already been
sold out, so if you missed it, now it will cost you $160 from a collector!
Mid-range
PlayStation
3 (late 2012)
While it is slightly more expensive than
your normal Blu-ray player, there is no doubt that it is the best-equipped
option. The third crucial revision for Sony's PlayStation 3 hardware is not the
newest or most interesting (we are waiting for the PS4 in the next 18 months),
but if you want a gadget to hide under your TV which will help everyone
entertain with any forms of storage that you can throw at it, there are very
few players that supply what are worthy of your bucks.
Main Specifications: 250GB hard drive, included Uncharted 3:
Drake's Deception game, free PlayStation Network membership, 7.5 pounds
Price: $260 on Amazon
PlayStation
3 (late 2012)
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Panasonic
BDT220
Would you like a Blu-ray player that allows
you to connect to Facebook, Hulu, Netflix, and Skype? The BDT220 provides that,
along with the ability to convert usual discs to 3D. DLNA capability is
available, and you are able to use your smartphone as a remote.
Price: $99 on Amazon
Yahama
YHT-697BL Home Theater
Yamaha’s new five-speaker home theater
system will play well with every device in your arsenal. Besides the usual
features such as a 100W subwoofer, it sports an Ethernet port, AirPlay,
pass-through 4K and 3D video, DLNA and a front-facing USB port.
Price: $650 on Amazon
Money is not important
Sony
Bravia XBR-84X900
If you are not a player of Major League
Baseball, spending $25,000 for a TV seems a luxury. And indeed, this 84-inch
screen proves to be super-size in every way: it weighs four times compared to
your casual 1,080p screen, with built-in WiFi and full HD 3D. Of course, it is
worth recalling that it has the size of 84 inches – it is equivalent to the
size of a double bed. That said, there is really no better way (or bigger) to
let someone know how much you love them if you have that amount of money to
spend.
Main Specifications
4K resolution, 50W audio, capable of
displaying two full HD screens for two-player games with SimulView
Price: $25,000 from Sony
Sony
Bravia XBR-84X900
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Samsung
HDTV UN60ES8000
It is possible to run multiple applications
(including Facebook and Twitter), and sporting a built- webcam and an excellent
design, Samsung's ultra-slim, 60-inch Smart TV is going to improve any room
that you decide to hang it there.
Price: $2,998 on Amazon
Sony
Projector VPL-HW50ES
For the cinema enthusiasts who enjoy
watching movies on a 100-inch wall rather than a 40-inch screen, a projector is
the only route to go. The 3D model of Sony will project 1,080p image on any
flat surface, with a 1,700 lumen bulb keeping colors lively.
Price: $3,998 on Amazon
