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When Blu-ray HTIBs first hit the market, they really didn't make sense as a product type. They were slow, and the value just wasn't there, as it was easy to put together superior systems from separate components.

One year later, everything has changed; there are several excellent HTIBs with integrated Blu-ray available for prices comparable to those of standalone Blu-ray players. The LG LHB953 is one of the better systems on the market, and a lot of that is due to its unparalleled streaming content options--Netflix, Pandora, YouTube, and CinemaNow augment its disc-playing capabilities. It also handles the basics with above-average finesse, with solid sound quality and excellent image quality on Blu-ray movies.

Our complaints with the system were largely aesthetic; the speakers are a bit bigger than average and the main AV receiver/Blu-ray player lacks style, especially with its perpetually glowing volume knob. Also, the competing Samsung HT-BD1250 is a slightly better system, especially sonically, but its street price is about $70 more.

If you can't swing the extra dough the Samsung or don't need its perks, the LHB953 delivers much of the same performance and more streaming features for less.

Read the full review of the LG LHB953.

LG LHB953 photos

DVD home-theater-in-box systems seem to offer a lot of value from the spec sheet, but are often seriously disappointing in use, with lackluster audio and video being the norm.

So far, our experience with Blu-ray HTIBs has been the exact opposite; almost all of the systems we've tested this year offer a legitimate home theater experience. The Samsung HT-BD1250 (street price as low as $500) is the best budget system we've seen.

We were fully expecting lifeless sound after our review of the Samsung HT-AS730, but the HT-BD1250 proved our prejudice wrong, offering credible sound quality even with stereo music--a tough feat for HTIBs. Its built-in Blu-ray player is as good as the standalone Samsung BD-P3600 and streaming options like Netflix and Pandora will complement your physical media collection.

We had our quibbles about the usability of the design (although the system looks good) and, like all Blu-ray HTIBs at this price, it lacks HDMI inputs--you'll need to step up to the Samsung HT-BD3252 or LG LHB977 if you want HDMI connectivity. But these shortcomings are outweighed by the systems strengths.

Yes, it's a little more expensive than competing budget systems, but if you can spare the extra bucks, the Samsung HT-BD1250 is well worth it.

Read the full review of the Samsung HT-BD1250.

Samsung HT-BD1250--photos

Although the technology debuted in 2006, for many consumers Blu-ray still feels like brand-new tech. That's why home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems like the Panasonic SC-BT200 and SC-BT300 feel like such an incredible deal--with a street price as low as $450 for the SC-BT200, you get a 7.1 speaker system plus a slimline AV receiver with an integrated Blu-ray player.

The biggest knock against both of the systems we reviewed is that that competing HTIBs offer better streaming media options; both the Samsung HT-BD1250T and LG LHB953 have both Netflix and Pandora streaming, which we prefer to the Panasonic's YouTube and Amazon Video On Demand streaming.

On the other hand, both the SC-BT200 and SC-BT300 offer sound quality darn good for the price, with the SC-BT300 sounding slightly better thanks to more power and tall-boy front speakers. Although we haven't done hands-on testing with its competitors yet (coming soon), there's no doubt that Panasonic Blu-ray HTIBs are well-thought-out systems that offer a legitimate home theater experience on a budget.

Read the full review of the Panasonic SC-BT200
Read the full review of the Panasonic SC-BT300

Panasonic SC-BT200--photos

Panasonic SC-BT300 photos

Onkyo HT-S7200 home theater system

Onkyo's home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems tend to be everything HTIBs usually aren't: big, boxy, and they actually sound pretty good. Today the company rolled out two new 7.1 HTIBs, HT-S7200 and HT-S6200, which are step-ups to the existing HT-S5200 and HT-S3200 (full review).

Onkyo's new HTIBs have several upgrades, but the first thing we noticed is that the systems aren't stuck with the same "pass-through-only" HDMI inputs that plagued the step-down HT-S3200 and HT-S5200. Both the HT-S7200 and HT-S6200 can accept audio over HDMI (you don't need to run separate cables like on the step-down model), and have onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

The included receivers also have Dolby ProLogic IIz decoding, which enables the use of "height" speakers placed above your standard front speakers. You can read our experience with the technology, but the short story is we didn't feel it was worth the hassle.

Onkyo HT-S6200

The included AV receiver looks to be nearly identical on both systems, with the major exception being the HT-S7200 has five HDMI inputs, while the HT-S6200 has four. Otherwise, both systems have 130-watt receivers that come with Audyssey 2EQ automatic speaker calibration, plus two Audyssey sound processing modes: Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume. The included AV receiver also features Onkyo's propriety universal port connection, which works with the included UP-A1 iPod dock.

The other major difference between the two systems is the included speaker package. The HT-S7200 features two tall-boy speakers (dual 3.25-inch woofer plus a 1-inch tweeter), plus surround bookshelf speakers, a center channel, and a 230-watt subwoofer with a 10-inch woofer. The HT-S6200 includes nearly the same setup, except trading the tall-boy speakers for another pair of bookshelf speakers. The speaker package included with the HT-S7200 will also be available separately as the SKS-HT870 with $500 list price.

Both the HT-S7200 and HT-S6200 are currently available, with list prices of $900 and $700, respectively.

(Credit: Sony)

Now that Blu-ray players are officially a $100 commodity, it's no surprise manufacturers are trying to cram the technology into home theater systems at the lowest price possible. Sony's BDV-E500W ($800) takes a decidedly more high-end approach, offering Blu-ray playback in a 5.1 home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) system, with step-ups like tall-boy front speakers and wireless rear speakers. Like many Sony products, the BDV-E500W exudes style, from the glossy black speakers to the glass-like front panel of the main receiver unit.

On the other hand, we were surprised by some of the BDV-E500W's shortcomings, especially the lack of any streaming media services, such as Netflix or Pandora--both of which are found on cheaper LG and Samsung Blu-ray home theater systems. We'd be willing to look past some of the missing features if it delivered better-than-average sound, but to us the BDV-E500W sounded just plain average. On its own, we had few complaints with the Sony BDV-E500W and it's one of the more stylish systems we've seen. It's recommendable for those who put a high priority on style and looks, and are willing to pay for it. Just be aware that competing systems offer more features for your home theater dollar.

Read the full Sony BDV-E500W review.

Sony BDV-E500W--photos

(Credit: Samsung)

Samsung already offers a pair of Blu-ray home theaters systems (the HT-BD7200 and HT-BD1250T), and the company is planning to add a third option in August, the HT-BD3252. While most Blu-ray home theater systems available from LG, Panasonic, and even Samsung, are aimed at offering Blu-ray home theater at the lowest price possible, the HT-BD3252 will carry an $800 price tag, pushing it out of the "budget" category.

The HT-BD3252 costs $250 more than the step-down Samsung HT-BD1250T, and it has a couple of important upgrades to justify the price. The most obvious difference is that the BD3252 sports tall-boy speakers up front, and the rear speakers also get a wireless upgrade, so you don't have to run speaker wires from the front of your home theater to the back. Another huge upgrade is that the HT-BD3252 includes two HDMI inputs, making it easy to connect your other home theater gear, like a cable box or game console.

In addition to the step-up features, the HT-BD3252 will have all the standard features available on Samsung Blu-ray HTIBs. That includes streaming media services such as Netflix, Pandora, and Blockbuster OnDemand (coming in the fall), plus full Blu-ray functionality from the built-in player, which supports Profile 2.0 and has onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

The HT-BD3252 has a built-in Ethernet port for Internet connectivity; it's also "wireless ready" by purchasing a Samsung USB Wi-Fi dongle, although the dongle's $80 price tag makes that functionality much less attractive.

The HT-BD3252 is the same price as the recently reviewed Sony BDV-E500W and from a features standpoint, the HT-BD3252 is a clear winner. On the other hand, we weren't thrilled with the performance of the last Samsung HTIB we tested, so we're hoping the HT-BD3252 has more sonic finesse to back up its feature-heavy credentials. The HT-BD3252 will also have to compete with LG's similarly featured LHB977, which has a $750 list price, but can be found for as little as $550 online.

Great-sounding home theater is becoming increasingly rare, as consumers move toward space-saving solutions like soundbars and tiny home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs). If you still care about sound, have a budget around $1,000, and want the convenience of an all-in-one package, the choice largely comes down to two systems: the Onkyo HT-S9100THX ($1,100 list price) and the Yamaha YHT-791BL ($800, the subject of this review).

The two systems are very similar: you get a component-grade AV receiver with four HDMI inputs, plus a big, boxy 7.1 speaker system that delivers better sonics than the rest of the HTIBs on the market. Working against the Yamaha is that its receiver can't assign inputs and the subwoofer isn't quite as musical as we'd like. On the other hand, the Yamaha costs about $150 less and we did really appreciate the included iPod dock; Onkyo charges an extra $140 for its DS-A3.

While we can't make a definitive statement about which of the two systems is better for you, we can say the Yamaha YHT-791BL delivers almost all of the performance of the higher-priced Onkyo system and includes an iPod dock for $150 less, making it a smart choice for audiophiles on a budget.

Read the full review of the Yamaha YHT-791BL.

Yamaha YHT-791BL photos

Home-theater-in-a-box systems have been around forever, but the latest marketing angle is the "Blu-ray-ready HTIB." The new phrase simply means that the system consists of a surround-sound-speaker system and an AV receiver, so you only need to add a Blu-ray player to complete your home theater.

The Sony HT-SS360 is an entry-level Blu-ray-ready HTIB, complete with a decor-friendly (read: small) 5.1 speaker system and an AV receiver with three HDMI inputs. That's enough HDMI ports to handle most home theaters, but the HT-SS360 doesn't have any analog video ports, which is an annoyance for anyone with a Nintendo Wii, where you'll need to run its video output straight to your TV.

In terms of sound quality, we felt like the HT-SS360 was up to the task on movies--especially considering its $350 list price--but like many HTIBs, it just didn't cut it for music. The HT-SS360 is a good value if you're looking for an all-in-one solution and you already have HDMI-compatible video devices (especially a PS3 or other Blu-ray player), but more discriminating listeners will have to spend more if they want a system that sounds good with music, too.

Read the full review of the Sony HT-SS360.

Sony HT-SS360--photos

(Credit: LG Electronics)

Blu-ray players look to have turned a corner this year--until now, they've been overpriced, badly specified, and worst of all, tedious to use. The LG HB354 is the latest to raise the bar, promising to bring a touch of glamour to the proceedings with its attractive styling and impressive features.

Clearly, this system is designed for people who want to de-clutter their lives. While the four-box 2.1 system does add some extra hardware to your home cinema system, it could, in theory, replace a small hi-fi, a DVD player, and a few other bits and bobs. Its iPod dock will appeal to anyone with a compatible device, and could form the basis of a likeable lounge audio system.

Blu-ray profile 2.0 is supported for interactive and online Blu-ray fun. There isn't quite the codec support we've seen on other LG players though--don't expect MKV playback. There is, however, some more basic Xvid and DivX support, as well as MP3s and JPEGs, so all isn't lost.