Sony Blu-ray Home Theater System BDV-IT1000

Sony’s European press centre has a release that may interest those of you shopping for that new Blu-ray Disc Home Theater in a Box. This is Sony’s first crack at marketing a Blu-ray HTiB, even though they are the main innovators of this tech. As a result, many loyal fanboys have been waiting impatiently for an announcement along these lines. While under development, Sony appropriately code-named the project ‘Pockey’, which is a chocolate dipped cookie stick. This perfectly describes the stick-like speakers that complement the aesthetically pleasing style of this sleek system. Providing the power to blast is a 700w 32-bit amp, with integrated BD player. That should be enough power to blow your socks, hats, shirts, and pants off.

Spec sheet after the break...

BDV-IT1000 at a glance

* Super-slim speakers made possible by finger-sized full-range drive units
* All-in-one home cinema system with integrated Blu-ray Disc drive
* Full HD 1080/24p picture quality with Deep Color and x.v.Colour
* Wireless rear speakers for great surround effects without cables
* BD-Live Ready: upgradable to Profile 2.0 for extra content and downloadsvia Ethernet port
* DVD upscaling to 1080p
* Two HDMI input terminals for connection of games consoles, HD TV decoder boxes or other sources, and one HDMI output
* Optical digital and analogue stereo inputs. Also composite/component video in
* Upconversion to HDMI for analogue sources
* Fast, perfect ‘one-touch’ set-up with Digital Cinema Auto Calibration
* BRAVIA Sync for integrated operation with other Sony components
* XrossMediaBar onscreen display for simple, logical operation of all functions
* Connectivity with Network WALKMAN® and iPod® players, Bluetooth devices and home Wi-Fi networks via DIGITAL MEDIA PORT, plus Portable Audio Enhancer
* 700W total power: 5x100W plus 2x100W for subwoofer, using efficient, high-quality 32-bit S-Master digital amplification


Press Release
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Review of Sony HTIS100 BRAVIA Home Theater Micro System

Sony’s HTIS100 BRAVIA 5.1 Micro Home Theater System is really only about two-thirds micro. The system’s five, golf ball sized, satellite speakers are micro for sure, and easily concealable, but the subwoofer / receiver combo is a bit beastly. Though, considering the 450 watts it pushes, it’s forgivable that the tower is a little large.

Finished in piano black, the main unit has a 5x7cm display, five function buttons, a power switch, and is similar to a PC tower in size and appearance. The satellite speakers are cone shaped, metal, and finished in matte black with driver magnets finished in chrome. The center channel speaker has an IR sensor mounted underneath it for the remote, and all speakers have non-slip pads on their base.

The receiver rests at the bottom, while atop the BRAVIA tower there's a slightly awkward...
top mounted status display (this displays volume, mode, etc.). Recessed, the display is mounted at around a 45° angle, so you don’t have to be standing directly above the unit to read it. It should be easily readable while sitting at a comfortable TV viewing distance. This tower unit would fit well in an entertainment cabinet, but it’s also stylish enough to show off.

50 watts drives each of the satellite speakers, and given their size, they’re surprisingly powerful and have superb clarity; perfect at reproducing trebles and some higher range midtones. The 5" Mid-Driver and 6" Subwoofer mounted in the main tower fill out the system's sound.

I can’t really speak to another reviewer’s claims that the system’s reliance on the tower for so much sound reproduction makes the overall system sound unbalanced. The speakers were all close together when I tested the system, but I could hear vocals clearly through the center channel speaker, and overall the system thumps. Even at the loudest setting the system never distorted and the sound remained punchy and incredibly clear. I was quite impressed. Then again, when you’re dealing with this much power - it pretty much has to sound good.

The BRAVIA HTIS100 acts as an HDMI hub, allowing up to three HD components to be run through a single output. Video and audio from HD sources passes through the receiver in tact, as it supports the latest sound decoders as well as 24fps at 1080p.
System tested using the supplied iPod cradle (TDM-iP1) and an Apple iPod touch 8 GB playing Biggie’s "Kick In The Door"

Optional wireless rear-channel (WAHTSA1) and multi-room CD quality audio (AIR-SA10) supported with the addition of Sony’s S-AIR wireless technology.
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Denon HDMI S-302/S-102

posted by: Andrew Harris
Those crafty folk over at Denon introduce S-series HDMI receivers ($999-$1699 MSRP), built on Denon's close to one hundred years of innovations in sound technology and usability. These two Denon 2.1-channel surround sound DVD home entertainment systems deliver 1080p video.In addition to that, the S-302 up-converts analog to 1080p digi, so even playing an older disc that isn’t HD-DVD you'll get, delivered by Denon, that HD experience. In the S-102 this feature is a bit different it only upscales the video to 1080p instead of a conversion. Imagine this is as being a bit like blowing up a smaller resolution image to fit the HD screen, however, the price reflects this small shortcoming. Both players use interlaced to progressive video conversion for digital output, this high precision Digital Analog Conversion may cause you to neglect the rest of your life...use with caution.Back to Blog!

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