CES 2010

TVs aren't the only things at Samsung's booth, though you might not realize it looking at the front of the booth, which is awash in flat panels. Also present and accounted for are three new Blu-ray players, including the BD-P1600 (bottom) and BD-P3600 (top). Both conform to BD-Live, though the 1600 needs a 1GB flash drive; the 3600 has 1GB built in. Both can also access Netflix content and support WiFi operation with an optional USB dongle. The 3600 also has 7.1 analog-audio outputs. Blu-ray marches ever onward…

Sooloos, manufacturer of server-based home entertainment systems, was recently acquired by Meridian, well known for their luxury AV products. The Sooloos has been considered one of the most intuitive and user friendly (as well as costly) media servers available. The merge with Meridian is a great fit for both companies.

Induction Dynamics showed its S1.8 3-way ported loudspeaker, a versatile model that can be used as a bookshelf or freestanding speaker. Based on my recent experience with ID speakers, they feature extraordinary construction quality, excellent sound quality and are well suited for multichannel music and movies. The secret to their sound quality lies in the 4th order crossovers, which provide 24dB per octave roll-off between drivers. The S1.8 has an 8-inch Kevlar woofer, a 3-inch soft dome midrange and a 1.125-inch soft dome tweeter.

New Products: Many speaker and electronics manufacturers are introducing 2.1-channel systems, indicating a perceived need for a simpler, less complicated home theater experience.

German speaker manufacturer Canton Electronics is showing the DM70, a 2.1-channel integrated system that incorporates a built-in amplifier and a powered subwoofer and is designed to be placed beneath a flat-panel television on a shelf or credenza. This innovative system presented a very convincing simulation of a full multichannel speaker system using Virtual Surround Sound and will likely appeal to many who don't want or have room for rear channel speakers. Looking at the photo it is difficult to believe that the DM70 has a 300-watt amp and a 3-way bass reflex speaker system and a subwoofer in such a small footprint. The DM70 is supplied with a remote control. Pricing is not finalized but is expected to be about $1500. For those not familiar with Canton speakers, read my recent <A href="http://ultimateavmag.com/speakersystems/canton_gle_speaker_system">review </A>of the very affordable Canton GLE speaker system.

Tivoli Audio known for their high-quality desktop radios has added networking, making it possible for them to stream from Internet radio stations around the world. It also allows access to stored media on PCs from any room in the house through a wireless or Ethernet connection. Using the front panel readout, you use the supplied remote to scroll through your media or Internet stations. The basic unit has a single speaker, and a second speaker can be purchased to listen in stereo.

Its been awhile since I had heard from Moxi, whose DVR didn't get nearly as much recognition as TiVo. Making a stronger, more earnest effort to make a name for themeselves in that category, Moxi introduced a HD DVR here at CES. They made it clear this is a high quality solution for digital cable subscribers. Satellite users need not apply, The unit is far more than a straightforward DVR, as it serves as the hub for all your media with a 500GB hard drive. If that's not enough it can be upgraded to maximum of 2TB. Of course, it can also share content from your home (wired) network and interface with an iTunes library. It also provides access to web-based services such as Flickr for photo sharing and Finetune, a music streaming service. Instead of charging a monthly fee for their service, you pay a one time fee of $799 for the basic model. If I rememeber correctly, that was TiVo's original business model and they realized they made more money charging a monthly fee. So we'll see how succcessful this is for Moxi.