New Products

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.

GOING DOWN Are you tired of budget home theater speaker systems with dinky "subwoofers" that aren't even worthy of the name? Cast your eyes on the PB10-NSD sub that comes with SVS's SBS-01 system - a 10-inch driver and a 300-watt amp fill out its nearly 2-foot-deep chassis. Ready to go boom?

FIRST-CLASS SEAT Leather seats, power reclining, 5-inch-thick cushions - the home theater seats custom-made by Elite HTS bestow luxury viewing on the serious enthusiast. Details like scratch-resistant cup holders and a "wall-hugging" reclining mechanism that needs just 4 inches of clearance behind make all the difference.