A theatrical experience

GIZMO GALLERY

If movie theatre tickets pinch your wallet, you may consider investing just Rs 17,990 in a home theatre system like the Sony Bravia DAV-DZ370.

It features a Bravia Theatre Sync, which means user can integrate the home theatre with a compatible Bravia television with just a touch of a button.

Once synced, it can automatically turn on and switch inputs, syncing connected devices and making operation easier. You can also hook up the system with a LCD panel of any company. Don't get scared by the Blu Ray tag, as this system will work equally well with HD-DVD players, cable connections or satellite boxes, and also myriad of video game systems.

A few features need special mention. For instance, the Digital Cinema Auto Calibration that simplifies multi-channel surround sound setup with the use of an included microphone for a balanced home theatre experience.

The subwoofer adds a bit of bass to your explosions and when placed near the centre speaker, it will help to fill in the upper bass frequencies for the front soundstage.

There is also a dedicated Digital Media Port (DMport) which allows you to play music from a PC client device, Bluetooth receiver, audio docking station like iPods or a network walkman. A digitally-tuned AM/FM radio with up to 30 selectable stations is also included.

The Bravia system has a high-quality DVD changer that lends 1080p video upscaling for connectivity. Upscaling capability is a must-have nowadays to match the performance of the DVDs with the capabilities of the HDTV.

The upscaling process does a good job of matching the pixel output of a DVD player to the native pixel display resolution of an HDTV capable television, resulting in better detail and colour consistency.

Philips HTS3450 DVD Home Theatre system is a close match for Bravia, which has the same components as Sony. Four satellite speakers, subwoofer and also has the plug-and-play feature that enables user to connect audio accessories to the USB port.

For the most part, it has good treble clarity for movies and TV. Speakers give plenty of speaker cable length and preferences like individual speaker volume are easily adjustable. But subwoofer falls short when compared with Sony. It does not produce the 'punch' and 'impact' you would expect from your home theatre system.  A minimal mid-frequency response results in speakers failing to produce a crackle when a high frequency is input. A few design flaws make the handling further difficult.  Philips HTS3450 has the same button for Disc/USB that complicates things as it always goes to Disc option first. You cannot turn the unit on with a USB device in it and expect to use the USB Device option instead. You must first turn it on and then wait for it to check if there is a Disc then insert the USB device and then press the Disc/USB button. Irritating like hell.  Sony Bravia presents itself as a better option where no compromises are made on sound quality. The Philips HTS3450 will cost around Rs 16,990 saving Rs 1,000 over Sony but users may have to upgrade the speakers to get a true home theatre experience.