Home Theater In a Box: Reviews Of Three Recent Products

"If you're not ready to go whole hog with discrete components, Blu-ray home theater systems-also known as home theater in a box systems, or HTiBs-are an easy and affordable alternative."

Several years ago I purchased a Panasonic home theater in a box (back before Blu-ray and HDMI, mind you), and I have to say that I sure got a lot of mileage out of it. These convenient packages can be very cost effective solutions in many circumstances, but they are not for everyone. Gizmodo has posted a review of three recent systems: the Harman-Kardon BDS 800, the Sony BDV-HZ970W, and the LG LHB976. These systems range from about $500 to $1500, so you would expect a fair bit of variance in performance. Then again, you might be surprised to find out that, in the author's opinion, in this case cost is not always an indication of best overall price/performance.