New Products

LIGHT TOUCH Ever get that feeling that you're about to live out a horror movie when you come home at night to a dark house? Lutron's AuroRA kit puts those fears to rest. When you pull up in your car, just tap the portable wireless controller to immediately turn on up to five lights in your house.

ULTRA COOL If you think it's hard to believe an in-ceiling speaker could sound top-notch, THX would like a word with you. Polk's RTS100 is the first in-ceiling model to earn THX Ultra2 status, thanks in part to its driver array.

CLIMBING THE LADDER Now in its second generation, Toshiba's flagship HD DVD player can finally provide 1080p video output - the top dog among HDTV formats. The HD-XA2's state-of-the-art HDMI 1.3 output can send both video and digital sound, including the new lossless Dolby and DTS formats, straight to your HDTV or receiver over one perfectly convenient cable.

Pelican i1030 ($45; pelican.com). Think "pelican" and you may rightly think "watertight." But the i1030 micro-case is dustproof and crushproof, too, so take that, big bird! The polycarbonate case is available in yellow or white.

ALL ABOARD Now that your PC is full of photos, music, and videos (all legally downloaded, of course), they need a place to be appreciated. HP's MediaSmart LCD TV lets them bust out on its 37-inch display, streaming all your PC goodies through your home network or a Wi-Fi connection.

SHAKING IT ALL Ah, subwoofers ... love the boom, hate the bulk. You can get your sub out of sight with Artison's RCC 600 in-wall model, which boldly promises bass performance as good as that of a 12-inch floor-standing model.

PADDED UP You've got a souped-up multiroom system - don't settle for a low-tech keypad. Elan's Olè suspends a touch-sensitive button membrane above a backlit slide graphic to give the illusion of a touchpad without the crazy expense of one.