Sony BDV-E370

Zitat: Pro: + Full to bursting with features + superb sound and video performance for the money Contra: - HDMI inputs would be handy - no on-screen iPod control

Zitat: The good: + The system delivers superb pictures from Blu-ray discs, packed with detail and clean colour. Audio quality is also generally strong, with the five surround speakers equally comfortable when serving up loud surround effects or subtle, more nuanced detail. It’s easy to set up too (thanks to colour-coded speaker connectors) and loads and starts Blu-rays far more quickly than most of its rivals. The bad: - The overall look of the BDV-E370 is disappointingly nondescript, but more irritating is the lack of HDMI inputs for hooking up other HD sources (a PS3, for instance). You also have to pay £70 extra for Sony’s own dongle if you want to upgrade to Wi-Fi – non-Sony dongles won’t work. On the performance front, the subwoofer has a tendency to overpower louder scenes with formless booming. A fine entry-level 3D Blu-ray system. Sound isn’t perfect, and you’ll find more features on certain rivals – but video performance is fantastic.

Zitat: A fantastic Blu-ray player paired with decidedly substandard speakers. It´s still tempting at this price but we recommend spending more.

Zitat: The good: + The system does a stellar job with Blu-ray movies in both two and three dimensions, delivering incredibly detailed pictures bursting with punchy colours, sharp edges and deep, dark black levels. Standard def DVD upscaling is handled with aplomb too. The speakers may be small but they’re not shy: they belt out audio with surprising force, blowing most rival compact all-in-ones out of the water when it comes to sheer sonic power and dynamics. The bad: - Putting on our nitpicking cap, we could point to the lack of HDMI inputs and a dedicated iPod dock as flaws – but given the price tag (and the fact you can hook up your iPod via USB), we’ll forgive Sony these minor missteps. A low price, great performance and a cracking selection of tech features. An outstanding entry-level all-in-one, all things considered.

Zitat: Pros: + 3D ready + great sounding speakers + operating system + picture quality + features Cons: - Subwoofer - looks - optional WiFi support - no HDMI inputs After such a closely fought contest, choosing a winner is tough. All four manufacturers have crammed their systems with so many cutting-edge features that they almost make Blu-ray playback feel like a sideline. What´s more, each system does a faultless job of reproducing hi-def pictures and their operating systems are universally impressive. Bringing up the rear is Panasonic, due to the disappointing build quality of the speakers, which translates into flawed sound quality. It´s also a shame that you need to fork out for a USB dongle to get Wi-Fi - once you´ve factored in the price of that it´s almost the same price as the Wi-Fi equipped and superior-sounding LG HB965TZ. Next in line is the Samsung HT-C6500, a stylish system that earns kudos for its integrated Wi-Fi, wide range of web content and stellar format support. What keeps it in third place is the sound quality, which isn´t bad by any means but is just a little rougher round the edges than the Sony and LG. It´s a close call between the remaining two systems. Sony´s BRAVIA Internet Video offers a better selection of content than LG´s NetCast, plus Sony´s Xross Media Bar is slicker than LG´s gorgeous-looking but sluggish menus. Ultimately though, the LG is the all-round better package - it´s more attractive, comes with built-in Wi-Fi and, most importantly, boasts better sound quality thanks to its superior subwoofer.