NEW YORK —
Home theater in a box (HTiB)
systems with 3D Blu-ray players will proliferate at
International CES, where the selection of active
soundbars will also grow.
In HTiBs, at least two companies will launch
their first HTiBs with 3D Blu-ray players, while
others will expand their selection of 3D-equipped
HTiBs. Prices for 3D Blu-ray HTiBs will start at
about a suggested $299.
Also in HTiBs, at least two companies will
launch their first models with an apps platform,
joining Samsung, which launched HTiBs with an
apps platform in 2010. Prices will start at around
a suggested $269.
Suppliers will also expand the selection of
streaming services available on their HTiBs,
and more models will come with included Wi-
Fi. HTiBs with streaming services will start at
around a suggested $249, and models with Wi-
Fi will start at around a suggested $269.
With ever-thinner TVs leaving little room for
cinema-sized sound to go with their cinemasized
screens, audio and TV suppliers will offer
up more sound bar solutions. The single-chassis
amplified-speaker solutions, sometimes sold
with wired or wireless subwoofers, are designed
to boost output, enhance the accuracy of recorded
sound, and, in many cases, deliver virtual surround
in households with no inclination to make
room for five or more speakers.
At CES, dealers will find Haier and LG entering
the market, while at least one other company
will double its selection to six SKUs.) Other companies
will step up the features sets that their
models offer. At least one company — Noah – will
show tabletop TV pedestals with active speaker
systems.
At least two companies will launch their first
soundbars with wireless subwoofer.
Soundbars with Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding
and virtual surround technology will start at
around a suggested $249. Other models will
take a TV’s stereo outputs and feature virtual surround
technologies.
