16 AMERICANWAY
JULY 1 2009
G A D G TE S
VizioVO37LF
Sizematters—but so does your
mortgage payment. Split the difference
bymaking this affordable 37-inch
HDMI-ready television the centerpiece
of your high-tech playpen. Featuring
1080p resolution (today’s top
benchmark), this TV’s picture quality
is razor sharp and unmistakably full
high-definition. It can be enjoyed from
multiple seating angles and in brightly
lit areas—but simply position it
facing the couch for instant prime-time
gratification.
PanasonicSC-PT670
Tomaximize enjoyment of this combo
five-discHD video upconvertingDVD
changer, iPoddock, and cost-conscious
5.1 surround-sound setup, create an
equilateral trianglewith your seat and
the front left and right speakers (placed
equidistant from theTV). The center
speaker should sit above or beneath the
TV, directly in linewith your position.
Surround speakers should then be
placedbehind and to your left and right,
while the subwoofer can go anywhere
besides the corners. All speakers should
be set at ear level.
SonyPlayStation3 (80GB)
Sure, you could always buy separate
value-priced components cheaper
piecemeal (at least up front), but
bundled together, this one-stop
multimedia hub— capable of
runningHDBlu-raymovies; digitally
downloadingfilms, software, and
television shows; surfing theweb;
streaming audio and video; and (oh
yeah) playing awe-inspiringgames—
still offers significant cost savings.
Universal Remote
Control Digital R50
Forget the nominal SRPof $149:
You’ll find vendors hawking this sweet
universal remote for nearly half that
online. It’s capable of controlling 18
individual components, and thebuilt-
in configurationwizards— including
a two-inch color LCD screen for
user-friendlywalk-throughs—make
installationabreeze. Program thedevice
toperformmultiple actions in sequence,
set it on the coffee table, and you’ll never
want toget upagain.
SlingMediaSlingbox
PRO-HD
Having invested inawinning setup,
whynot spenda littlemore to enjoy its
creature comforts evenwhen you’remiles
away fromhome?Add this nifty little
device— capableof pushingHD video
fromaDVR, cablebox, satellite receiver,
andDVDplayer via the Internet toa
cell phoneor remotely locatedPC— to
your system, and you’ll bedoing just that.
BlackBerryand iPhoneusers are the
latest to tune in.www.slingmedia.com
HOWTOBU¬LDAHOTHOMETHEATER—FORLESS
As serious home-theater enthusiasts know, the perfect screening room can easily set you back tens of
thousandsof dollars. Thankfully formoviebuffswhodon’twant to spenda fortune (especially thosewith
spouses), with today’s advances in technology, it’s still possible to scoreadecent budget build-out. Here’s
how togiveyour dena twenty-first-centurymakeoverwithout blowinga fuse.
ByScottSteinberg
$580
$400
$300
$80
$300
TOTAL =
$1,660
