Gizmodo Gifts: Home Entertainment

HDTV Swaparoo: Sony KDL-46XBR4

Travis Hudson — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:03:18 EST

HDTVs were another hot item this holiday season, but the range of quality can greatly vary. If you ended up getting a no-name jobber, you may want to look at taking it back in favor of a better HDTV. And for top of the line, reasonably sized LCD HDTVs, the Sony KDL-46XBR4 is one of the best.

Without stepping into plasma land, this 46-inch LCD looks great and will out perform any Black Friday special that was picked up for what someone thought was a good deal. You may have to throw in some of your own cash, but this is an upgrade that will last and last, especially with the 1080p resolution. It is available for around $3,000 depending on the retailer. [Amazon]

Gifts for the Silence Hater: Sonos Digital Music System

Travis Hudson — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:12:16 EST

For sharing music across all rooms of the house, the Sonos Digital Music system is the only way to go. This system includes a remote control that can wirelessly communicate with up to 32 different receivers to play back the tunes. So everyone if your 32-room hostel can enjoy tunes without anyone feeling discriminated against.

The handheld remote includes a color screen and can play back almost any audio file, except for the files from iTunes. It will communicate with a couple different types of receivers. The smaller of the two is designed more for home entertainment systems because it can connect to amplifiers. The larger of the two is a 50W system that only needs a couple of speakers plugged in and is ready to go. The system, which includes the remote and one of each of the receivers is available for $1,000. [Sonos]

Gifts for the Minimalist Media Junkie: Sandisk TakeTV Media Center

Travis Hudson — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:12:10 EST

Slipped out by Buy.com a few weeks ago is Sandisk's TakeTV — an all-in-one media center solution. The concept of this pretty simple. You plug the 4GB or 8GB flash drive into your PC, load it up with content, plug it into the TakeTV and enjoy. The TakeTV lacks HD goodness, but it compensates for that by supporting codecs such as DivX and XviD that anyone can love. The 4GB model is now available for $100 and the 8GB model will set you back $50 more. To get more details be sure to check out our big and glorious hands-on review. [Buy.com]

Gifts for the Remote Juggler: Logitech Harmony Remotes

Travis Hudson — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:14:18 EST

Logitech's Harmony line of remote controls are some of the best out there for quite a few reasons. Probably the top is the programming. Logitech's software contains thousands upon thousands of TVs, DVD players, DVRs, cable boxes, surround sound systems, amplifiers and more. All you have to do is input your model number and the software will recognize it. It will then ask what kind of devices are used for what kinds of activities. It is really convenient and easy to use, but for the actual remotes there is quite the variety to choose from.

The Harmony Advanced for 360 (includes physical Xbox 360 buttons, but other remotes can do that as well, at least via the digital LCD screen), 550, 659 and 670 are the lower end models that include a simple, monotone LCD screen and basic features like backlighting, infrared learning and more. These remotes are great for entry level home entertainment systems and beginners. These remotes range from $100 to $150.

The Harmony 880 is the mid-range remote with a rechargeable battery, full color screen, and similar abilities as the lower end models. It retails for $250.

The high-end models are the 890 and 1000. The 890 is similar to the 880, but it is $100 more and includes Z-wave controls. Z-wave is the control system that allows you to use a remote to control the lighting, blinds and other things around the house besides the entertainment system. The 1000 is the big kahuna of universal remotes. This $500 remove is shaped less like a remote and more like a PDA with a touchscreen, button controls and the entire suite of features and abilities. [Product Page]

Gifts the keeps Giving: Netflix, Gamefly Subscriptions

Travis Hudson — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 12:24:47 EST

Subscription anything is always a hot topic for gift giving. Sure, they are fantastic, but then again you are bestowing a monthly fee onto another after your gift has expired. I am very supportive of this idea because to a lot of people, specifically older folks do not know the greatness of mail-order movies, and it's pretty easy to cancel it as well. Netflix and Gamefly are two of the biggest media-by-mail service — Netflix for movies, Gamefly for games. Netflix has a section for giving subscriptions and the entire spectrum of its plans are available to give and ranges from as low as $5 all the way up to $200. You may not be able to wrap up this gift in a big beautiful box with a bow, but it will be the best gifts one could receive. [Netflix, Gamefly]

Griffin Amplifi is the Perfect iPod Companion

Travis Hudson — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:45:38 EST

So you've already given that loved one an iPod, so that is nixed for this year's gift ideas, but how about a speaker dock to companion that iPod. There are hundreds of docks out there, but the number one on the block is the Griffin Amplifi. This is a simple and beautiful dock that sounds great and functions even better. How do I know? Well, it beat out 19 other competitors to win the iPod dock Battlemodo. The Amplifi is available for $130. [Griffin]

Refurbs Need Love Too: Philips Electronics Outlet Store

Travis Hudson — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:37:40 EST

How does the saying go? It's not used, it has just had extra love? Philips make some mighty fine HDTVs and even better is its outlet store. This is where Philips dumps all last years models of refurbished HDTVs, which is good as long as you don't need the latest and greatest model, which is sometimes hardly noticeable besides the model number adjustments. Philips has many 42 inchers less than $900, which is pretty good, especially for the quality Philips provides. Check 'er out. [Philips Electronics Outlet]

Pick a TiVo, Any TiVo!

Travis Hudson — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:15:49 EST

Which TiVo is the right one to go with this holiday season? TiVo is offering quite a few different gift packages ranging from $150 to $650 depending on which TiVo unit to select and what kind of gift card and other accessories to go along with it. The three models to choose from are the Series 2, Series 3 and HD.

The Series 2 is a dual-tuner unit (meaning can record two shows at the same time) and can record up to 80 hours of programming. The Series 3 is similar to the two, but it can record up to 300 hours and in HD, unlike the 2. The HD is the happy middleman being able to record 180 hours, and in HD.

The package varieties include things such as TiVo holiday ornaments, fleece blankets, wireless adapters and TiVo service gift cards (TiVo requires a monthly fee). Check out the Gift Center link below and decide for yourself, but my recommendation would be the TiVo HD, no questions about it.

TiVo Gift Center [TiVo]

Panasonic DMP-BD30 is the Blu-ray Player

Travis Hudson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:09:13 EST

Even though people constantly preach the gospel of "Wait ye old next-gen high def," some continue to ignore and must have a next generation media to dump those hard earned dollars into. The DMP-BD30 is a next-generation Blu-ray player that meets the BD Profile 1.1 spec, basically meaning it is the final Blu-ray build. It includes SD-expandability as well as the P4HD system and Uniphier chip basically meaning the best picture possibly. This player is available for $500 and if you have to go next-gen media and choose Blu-ray, go with this diddy. [Product Page]

Gifts for the Gamers: Panasonic AX200 Projector

Travis Hudson — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:10:17 EST

What to get the gamer that already has every console and every game? How about a projector to allows said person to enjoy high definition gaming at 100-plus inches? You've never lived until you've sawed a Locust in half in Gears of War on a projector. The Panasonic AX200 high-definition projector enhanced the signal processing, refresh rate and ambient light detection for the best gaming experience. As most parents and friends know, being a gamer isn't cheap — this projector will run you $2,000. [Product Page]

You Get What You Pay For: Niveus Media Centers

Travis Hudson — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 10:27:13 EST

If you have a lot of money to spend, and are interested in one of those "here, I'll buy you this thing that I secretly really just wanted myself, but needed an excuse to buy," gifts, a media center from Niveus may be it. Niveus makes traditional media centers with the Rainier and Denali editions, media center extenders and other very high-end home entertainment equipment.

Niveus media centers carry heavy price tags, with the lowest end media center starting at $3,299 with the highest end one pushing five digits, easily. I hate to say it, but these beauties are worth it. CableCard out the wazoo, high-end everything, tons of storage space and more. Still not convinced? See it for yourself in our exclusive video and all of the other coverage here. So pretty. [Niveus Media]

Slingbox Solo Gives HD Goods Anywhere

Travis Hudson — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:00:53 EST

They say once you go HD, you never go back. Well, what happens when you got out of town? You Sling your HD to wherever you are using the Slingbox Solo. The small device hooks into a single HD source and will "sling" the content to laptops, PC's, mobile phones so your favorite HD content will be available absolutely anywhere. Is there anything else you could want, really? The Slingbox Solo is available for $180. Check out our full-blown review here. [Product Page]

Logitech Harmony 1000 is the Only Remote You Ever Need

Travis Hudson — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:30:50 EST

Despite being in the different form-factor, the Logitech Harmony 1000 universal remote is the only one you will ever need. It has a touchscreen and a few accompanying buttons that can control all aspects of your home theater and other goods likes lights and window blinds. Logitech's software makes it really easy by punching in the model numbers and what you want said models to do. The remote does have a $500 price tag, which may seem like a lot, but similar ultra high-end universals push the four-digit barrier, easily. [Product Page]

65" Olevia LCD HDTV is the Best Bang for the Buck

Travis Hudson — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:29:57 EST

Olevia is starting to get some pretty decent reviews lately and with a 65-incher going for only $7,500 it may be time to start reconsidering your brand loyality in that new, giant TV investment. The 265TFHD has 1080p resolution, a high-end video processor, a variety of inputs out the wazoo and more. Big, beautiful, and relatively cheap. Enough said. [Product Page]

Xbox 360 Arcade is the Lone Console for All

Travis Hudson — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:00:14 EST

Microsoft recently came out with the Xbox 360 Arcade, which should be flying off the shelves this holiday season. The reasonably priced $279 360 Arcade is a bit different than the Premium or Elite variants, but it will keep any gamer satisfied. It includes a wireless controller, HDMI compatibility, flash memory and most importantly, five arcade games including Pac-Man, Uno, Luxor 2, Boom Boom Rocket and Feeding Frenzy. This is one of the rare consoles that is ready to be played right out of the box and brings back the memories of opening up a NES on Christmas Day playing the included Mario all day long. [Product Page]

Sirius Conductor Adds Satellite Radio Goodness to Any Home Entertainment System

Travis Hudson — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:30:41 EST

The Sirius Conductor is probably the best way to bring the goods of satellite radio into the home. This is a device that can hook into almost any home entertainment system via RCA or optical connection. It acts as a tuner. The remote includes a three-line LCD display that displays the satellite radio information such as channel and song artist/title. And because the remote operates via radio frequency rather than infrared, it can work anywhere within the 150-foot range. The remote also has universal functionality to control other parts of your home entertainment system. For serious Sirius (oho!) listeners, this is a great addition and eliminates the hassle of having to constantly swap the satellite radio receiver in your vehicle. It is available for $150 and additional monthly charges apply for the satellite radio service. [Product Page]

Philips Ambisound HTS8100 is Purty, Gets the Job Done

Travis Hudson — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:05:20 EST

The perfect gift for that aesthetic freak's home-entertainment center has to be the Philips Ambisound HTS8100. I guess the best way to describe this is a faux home theater in a box, but it is faux in a good way, not bad. The HTS8100 is a DVD player, amplifier and surround sound bar all in one absolutely beautiful package. Seriously, this should be in an art museum, not your home entertainment center. The price fluctuates quite a bit, depending on who it is purchased from, but expect to drop $600 to $750 or so. [Product Page]

Scene It? Movie Trivia Game Goes High-Tech on Xbox 360

Travis Hudson — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:15:06 EST

The Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action DVD movie trivia game is finally getting the much needed kick in the rear into a more high-tech world. Scene It? for the Xbox 360 include four wireless controllers to buzz in, answer questions and whatnot. The game is packed with questions and what is definitely better than the older, DVD version is the ability to download additional content via the Xbox Live Marketplace. The package retails for $60, including the remotes, which isn't too bad of a deal. [Product Page]