Debbie Stampfli

While nearly every major consumer electronics brand has a new LCD or Plasma to show off at CES, most models look similar to one another. That isn’t the case with VIZIO’s newest batch of LCD HDTVs. The VL and VT Series all feature a distinct JAVA color treatment with a sophisticated, coffee-colored frame. It’s a nice addition to an LCD that introduces several new features from VIZIO.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of techy terms that go into the latest speaker systems and A/V receivers. But Onkyo takes the guesswork out of choosing a quality HD-capable system with its HT-S9100THX HTIB ($1,099). The model features a tonally matched 7.1 speaker system and an A/V receiver with 130 watts per channel. Onkyo’s quality A/V receiver boasts THX’s Integrated System Plus certification and claims to be compatible with just about any component you can connect it to. It features four HDMI v1.3a inputs and a number of legacy connectivity options. The HT-S9100THX also has Faroudja DCDi video upscaling along with Audyssey 2EQ and Dynamic EQ, and it provides decoding for the latest audio codecs.

The newest LCDs in Samsung’s Touch of Color series are looking greener than ever. But that’s not such a bad thing. The Series 6 and 7 models adhere to strict energy efficiency guidelines, known as Energy Star v3.0. This means that you can expect less power consumption from your flat-panel display overall, which is a bonus when it comes to pricey consumer electronics equipment. Although this might seem to downgrade your flat-panel, Samsung says that the quality soars higher than ever with its latest models.

SIM2 and Entertainment Experience are joining forces to unveil a new combination product that promises to give home theater aficionados the experience they’ve been craving. The All-in-One Digital Entertainment Media System combines SIM2’s Grand Cinema C3X 1080 (pictured) or HT5000E 3-chip DLP projector with an Entertainment Experience Media Center.