Philips Home Theater System Reviews and Specifications on Surround Sound Packages

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Philips Home Theater

Philips Surround Sound HTS3544/37 Theater System

Key Features 
Included Components: DVD Player
Number Of Speakers: 5 Speakers and Subwoofer
Front Speaker: 3 Way
Playable Disk Types: DVD Video · VCD · SVCD · DVD-R · DVD-RW · DVD+R · DVD+RW · CD (Audio) · CD-R · CD-RW
Playable File Formats: MPEG2 · DivX · MP3 · WMA · JPEG · MPEG1
Remote Control: Yes
Audio 
Surround Sound: Dolby Digital® · DTS® · Dolby Pro Logic II
Audio DAC: 24 bit / 192 kHz
Dynamic Range: 65 dB
DVD 
Number of Discs: 1
Progressive Scan: With Progressive Scan
TV Resolutions: 720p (750p) · 1080i (1125i)
Inputs: Digital Audio (Coaxial) x 1
Front Panel: USB 1.1 · MP3 Line-in
Outputs: Composite x 1 · S-Video x 1 · Component x 1 · HDMI x 1
Built-in TV Tuner: NTSC
Tuner 
Built-in Radio Tuner: AM · FM
Tuner Presets: 40

“I’d been looking for a decent home theater sound system for under 200 bucks for a while, had looked at some used systems but didn’t find what I was looking for. I saw this one at Wal-mart, read the good reviews online there and decided to give it a try. Bought it, got it home and set up in about an hour. I am very impressed with the sound. Center channel is crisp and clear, bass is booming, surround effects are very good. Very good sound with little distortion even at higher volume levels. I watched the second movie in the Lord of the Rings series and it was just like being back in the movie theater. My wife called me from upstairs in the middle of the movie and said the surround sound had surrounded the house…she thought there was a thunder storm outside but it was just the subwoofer, and system volume was set at 12 – goes up to 40! The system sounds just as good as others I’ve seen for more than twice the price (got it for 198 dollars at Wal-mart). Critiques – small remote buttons and small lettering make it hard to use the remote for these 49 y/o eyes, but should get better as I get used to the remote. Also, the speaker wire that comes with the system is light gauge and hard wired at the speaker and the plastic clips that plug into the amp, so changing out to heavier speaker cable won’t be easy and will probably involve some soldering. On the plus side is the Ipod docking station and USB connectivity – my daughters will appreciate that. Picture quality on the TV is excellent, and I’m just using the composite cable – I expect it to be even better when I get a decent component cable hook up. As far as adjustments, volume can be controlled +/- 6db for each individual speaker, and delay can also be set individually for each speaker as well. Overall, I think it’s an excellent system for those seeking quality home theater sound on a budget.”

“After buying a front projector I needed to upgrade from my cheap $50 surround sound system, which for the price was impressive, but two of the speakers had gone out and the subwoofer had blown. So, I decided to upgrade to a true digital surround sound system.
So, I went to Wal-Mart going down the line demoing all of their systems from $150-$600. The Philips HTS3544 system sounded the best overall, to my surprise since it only cost about $199.95 It had a nice warm sound for the price, nice deep bass that can rattle your floor.
It turned out to be a perfect match for my high definition DLP front projector. The DVD player is very nice, but since I have a front projector I am always using my HD-DVD player. DVDs sound superb even with composite (red and white cables) hookups, but when I switch to digital it’s just awesome for the low price. Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are on a level that surprised me at how great it sounds for the price. It really made me wonder how much better a $20,000 system could be.
The DVD player included is great for playing MP3 discs or CDs. It has great sound for music. It has warmth, nice bass and is just really clear and can go pretty darn loud. So, this surround sound system s just really great for movies or music. It’s been awesome for playing Rock Band for the 360. We’ve had a blast. This system adds a new dimension to the game. Other X-Box 360 games makes you feel like you’re in the game and everyone else always grins from ear to ear when they first see my setup and hear the sound coming from it. It’s very theatrical.
You can calibrate the volume of each speaker, including the subwoofer, which is a plus. I turn of the center channel for clearer dialogue, bump up the bass a few notches and turn up the rear speakers. When you get it just play with these settings and find out what works best for you.
All in all, this system is the best true 5.1 surround sound system for your money. The one flaw is that I wish this system had an optical digital audio intput so I could hookup my HD-DVD player without needing to convert the HD-DVD player’s optical audio to digital coaxial with a converter box. It was cheap to do so, but still, a bit of a hassle. You can get the the converter box and digital coaxial cable for about $20 on ebay.
Don’t waste your money on the rest of those overpriced Home Theater In A Box setups at Wal-Mart costing upto $600+. They are not worth the price difference and from what I’ve heard they aren’t even as good as this. You don’t always get what you pay for in this world…..sometimes you get better! hehe.”

Phillips Surround Sound HTS-6500/37 Theater System

The Philips HTS-6500 Home Theater System combines style and performance in an elegant and hassle-free system indulges you with endless hours of viewing and listening pleasure. With Dolby Digital and DTS decoding this system manages to deliver surround-like Sound using 2 speakers and a Subwoofer instead of using 5 speakers and a subwoofer. The end result is a Virtual-Surround environment that’s easy to set-up and use in any home.
Key Features 
Included Components: DVD Player · Radio Tuner
Number Of Speakers: 2 Speakers and Subwoofer
Main Speakers Power Output: 70 Watts
Playable Disk Types: DVD Video · SVCD · DVD-R · DVD-RW · DVD+R · DVD+RW · CD (Audio) · CD-R · CD-RW
Subwoofer Power Output: 100 Watts
Playable File Formats: MPEG4 · DivX · MP3 · WMA · JPEG
Remote Control: Universal
Audio 
Surround Sound: Dolby Digital® · DTS® · Dolby Pro Logic II
DVD 
Number of Discs: 1
Progressive Scan: With Progressive Scan
Inputs: Composite x 1 · Component x 1 · Analog Audio x 1
Outputs: Composite x 1 · S-Video x 1 · Component x 1 · HDMI x 1
Tuner 
Built-in Radio Tuner: AM · FM
Tuner Presets: 40

“I wanted a home theater package that would nicely complement my Plasma without a terrible expense and without having to spend a fortune or have too much of a headache with respect to setup. I also needed to upgrade my current DVD player to one that will up convert to 1080i. Most of the HTiB systems have a 5 disk, I actually was trying to stay away from that; I felt as though I would be buying something I’d never use because I watch 1 DVD at once, then put them back. A true 5.1 or 6.1 would be nice, but I’d have to mount speakers, and wire cables through my walls and floor.
This system delivers. After being in the market for several months for a 2.1 that offers all that I want, I came across this beauty. Comparable to the Bose at a small fraction the price, I set it up in 10 minutes without even reading the instructions. The system looks futuristic with a sweet front loading DVD, it sounds great at 500 watts, and it plays movies at 1080i though an HDMI cable (not included) and TV sounds great with ease of setup. The 40 station digital delivers nice AM/FM, but I rarely use it for that. The two front speakers deliver nice mids and highs while the subwoofer (although almost comically large) delivers a satisfying bass that resounds through the room.
So far this fits my needs perfectly with little or no complaints. There’s a fella that gave this only 2 stars because he couldn’t figure out the instructions and was expecting 5.1 quality surround. Although this product advertises surround sound, we have to be realistic. It’s an awesome 2.1 system that will take you to 1080i without having to buy blueray or HD DVD at a very nice price.”

“I will start off by saying that I am not a person who writes reviews, ever. But I have read several reviews on this product and just felt I had to chime in.
I have seen a couple different times that the sub on this system is weak. I think that is crap. I bought this system to go in my bedroom, which is 20×14. The sub can be heard throughout the house, when the volume is set midway up.
i have also read that the system doesnt have sound adjustments. I guess for someone who is into VERY detailed programming, then this is not for you, but i am a simple person. i wanted a simple system that sounded great. this system has settings that allow you to pick the type of movie your watching (drama, action, scifi, concert) then if you have an ipod or the tuner on playing music it gives you additional options (rock, rap, ect..). the difference between the settings is clear. that is all i need personaly. simple. press a button and pick the one that sounds best.
I hooked this system up with an HDMI cable to my 42″ lcd, and the picture is perfect.
The whole system took minutes to set up. You tell it what type of room it is in (wood walls, solid walls, ect), you tell it how far the left and right speakers are from each other, then how far away your normal sitting area is. again.. simple.
I compaired this system with the Bose 3-2-1, which costs 900$ at circuit city. I paid 250$ for this one. If someone says they can tell the difference in sound quality between the two, they are full of it. the sound quality is incredible. I think it sounds better than the 600$ kenwood system i bought 5 years ago, and the set up and functionality of the system is much better than the full kenwood system i had.
i would recommend this system to anyone. the only reason i could see not to buy it is because you want more options and knobs or menus to do the same exact thing that it does automatically.”

Philips MCD708 Theater System

A high quality component system flaunts a stylish and stunning design. The real rosewood speaker and ribbon tweeter produce powerful bass and crystal-clear high tones. With DVD playability you can now feast your senses on perfect sound.
Key Features 
Included Components: Receiver · DVD Player · Radio Tuner
Number Of Speakers: 2 Speakers
Front Speaker: 2 Way
Main Speakers Power Output: 50 Watt RMS
Playable Disk Types: DVD Video · VCD · SVCD · CD-RW · Picture CD
Playable File Formats: DivX · MP3 · WMA
Remote Control: Yes
Audio 
Surround Sound: Dolby Digital®
DVD 
Number of Discs: 1
Progressive Scan: With Progressive Scan
OSD: Yes: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Portuguese, Turkish
Playback Features 
Instant Skip / Replay: Replay
Tuner 
Built-in Radio Tuner: FM
Tuner Presets: 40

“I needed a small music system for my small apartment and the philips mcd708/37 looked to be exactly what I wanted. I purchased the item from costco for about $200. Physically, it is a beautiful product with rosewood colored speakers and mirrored faces on the amplifier and DVD/tuner components. A very nice blue mood light appears around both components when the system is turned on or adjusted. Controls on the front panel are basic and pleasing to the eye. Everything needed to set up the system, even batteries for the remote, is included though the length of the speaker wire could be longer.
I set the system up and instantly noticed one speaker was not working at all. After troubleshooting and deciding it was a faulty speaker, I contacted Philips customer service and was on the phone with a tech in less than 2 minutes. I would have preferred Philips send me out a new speaker but they wanted me to ship them the bad speaker to a service depot. I instead opted to take the entire system back to costco in exchange for a new one. Thank goodness for Costco’s excellent customer service!
I have had the system playing MPS’s now for several days with no trouble. Sound is decent. I was hoping for better but considering what I paid and the amount of style I got, the sound is acceptable. Highs are good but the bass is lacking. I have a small subwoofer I’ll hook up which should even things out without upsetting the neighbors too much.
The DVD player works well. I have a hand me down TV so clarity isn’t a strong point but the system functions as it should. The remote control is basic like the front panel controls but does the job. The only function I miss is shuffle.”

Philips HTS-3565 Theater System

High definition pictures and powerful surround sound delivered by this elegant system provide unbeatable home entertainment. Enjoy sharp pictures with 1080p HDMI upconversion, as well as convenient iPod playback via the dock included.
Key Features 
Included Components: DVD Player
Number Of Speakers: 5 Speakers and Subwoofer
Front Speaker: 3 Way
Main Speakers Power Output: 125 Watt RMS
Playable Disk Types: DVD Video · VCD · SVCD · DVD-R · DVD-RW · DVD+R · DVD+RW · CD (Audio) · CD-R · CD-RW
Subwoofer Power Output: 250 Watt RMS
Playable File Formats: MPEG2 · DivX · MP3 · WMA · MPEG1 · WMV
Remote Control: Universal · Yes
Audio 
Surround Sound: Dolby Digital® · Dolby Pro Logic II
Audio DAC: 12 bit / 108000 kHz
DVD 
Number of Discs: 1
Progressive Scan: With Progressive Scan
TV Resolutions: 720p (750p) · 1080i (1125i) · 1080p (1125p)
Inputs: Digital Audio (Coaxial) x 1 · Aux in
Front Panel: USB 2.0 · Microphone · MP3 Line-in
Outputs: Composite x 1 · S-Video x 1 · Component x 1 · HDMI x 1
Built-in TV Tuner: NTSC · PAL
Receiver 
Rear Input Connectors: Digital Coaxial x 1
Rear Output Connectors: Composite (Video) x 1 · S-Video x 1 · Component x 1 · HDMI x 1
Tuner 
Built-in Radio Tuner: FM
Tuner Presets: 40

“Between April-June 2008, I tested all following under $300 systems (in alphabetical order):
JVC HT-G40
LG LHT854
Panasonic SC-PT660
Philips HTS-3565
Philips HTS-6600
Philips HTS-3566
Samsung HT-Z310
Samsung HT-Z410

Despite first HTS-3565 being defective (froze in STANDBY MODE), the sound was so much better than other brands, I gave it a second chance. This one froze too. I suspected static electricity (a problem in dry Southern Nevada). Unplugged unit. This seemed to restore things to normal.

I believe it is currently the 2nd BEST home theatre system you can buy for under $300.

Here’s why …

Sound quality Out of ALL the other systems I tested, only the Philips HTS-3565 and LG LHT854 produce 5.1 surround sound when watching live HDTV. Without adjusting ANY of the volume or balance controls, sounds great from anywhere in my 14×22 foot master suite.
Video Upconverts DVD to 1080p with excellent picture quality. Same quality applies when watching a DVD from my Samsung DVDR via HDMI connection.
Plays DVDs in MP4, AVI or VOB formats. Although the Philips website says you must be the HTS-3566 to play MP4 disks, I tested 3 and they all play perfectly. Found it interesting that my current “top of the line” Samsung DVD-AR650 DVD recorder won’t play the same MP4, AVI or VOB disks that work perfectly in this Philips.
Sleek design. Piano black glossy finish on main unit matches my Samsung DLP TV, DVDR and VCR. Headphone jack (mini RCA) and USB input are nicely hidden behind a little flip open door on right side of front panel. Two round control dials on front function like an iPod control. One has a button in center to manually change input modes.
FASTEST DVD/CD Tray If you test or own any other DVD player, recorder or Home Theatre System you might be frustrated by the amount of time it takes to load or unload a disk. Multi-disk changers seem to take the longest, which is why I opted for a single-disk system. This Philips responds as fast as a CD/DVD tray on your computer.
iPod Dock. Nice-looking dock holds your iPod or iPhone upright so you can see the screen from across a room. Interface will work with your TV so you can select and play tunes using the Philips remote.
Universal Remote Friendly I have Logitech Harmony One and had no trouble programming it to run the HTS-3565 functions.
HDMI CEC If you connect unit using an HDMI cable or via the Digital audio input, this function should automatically turn on your TV or other component and change that mode so they work together.
Delivers excellent 5.1 sound quality when left in the AUX1 mode for watching live TV or recorded TV from DVDR.

CONS

Aside from first unit being defective, my only other issues are the speaker wire configurations and Coaxial Digital Audio input. Speaker wires are permanently attached to each speaker with a proprietary plug that snaps into back of main unit. With my pre-wired room, this forced me to do a bunch of cutting and splicing.

Coaxial audio input is not same as Optical (Toslink) on most TV or DVD equipment today. You may need to buy an Optical to Coaxial Converter which can cost up to $80. Best price I found was at MonoPrice for about $15 delivered.

If I discover any other relevant info, I will update this review.

UPDATE: 5/16/08. Just like the first unit I returned to Wal-Mart, this one seems destined to same fate. Today it suddenly froze. Wouldn’t produce ANY sound. Tried to turn off/on and it froze in the STANDBY mode. I unplugged it and it’s now working again. Dear Philips: Your HTS-3565 doesn’t like static electricity.

UPDATE: 6/3/08. Received & tested JVC HT-G40. Huge disappointment. It won’t play any DVD recorded in MP4, VOB or DVD-Video formats (all formats that other HTS systems easily play). Included worst user guide and on-screen interface I’ve seen in years.

UPDATE: 6/4/08. While shopping for food at the membership warehouse that begins with C and rhymes with Mostco, ran across the HTS-3566D/37 which is an upgrade from the HTS-3565. Philips website says that the only differences in the 3566 are supposedly hi-boy rear speakers, slightly better audio range and ability to boost some video to 720 or 1080. However I found a number of other noticeable improvements and the price for the HTS-3566 was actually $2 lower. With a couple of hours to spare, I dashed home, repacked the HTS-3565, returned it and bought the HTS-3566. You can read my review of it to see all the differences I found, some of which Philips doesn’t mention on their website or in the manuals. I’ll post the HTS-3566 review as soon as the Epinion Gods add it to this website. I can say after only 3 days of use, I am loving the HTS-3566 and the the hi-boy speakers produce the best mid-range and tweeter sounds I’ve heard from any speakers in a long time (including my former & expensive Bose system).”

Philips DVD Home Theater System HTS-3555

Key Features 
Included Components: DVD Player · Radio Tuner
Number Of Speakers: 5 Speakers and Subwoofer
Front Speaker: 3 Way
Main Speakers Power Output: 250 Watt RMS
Playable Disk Types: DVD Video · VCD · SVCD · DVD-R · DVD-RW · DVD+R · DVD+RW · CD (Audio) · CD-R · CD-RW
Subwoofer Power Output: 250 Watt RMS
Playable File Formats: MPEG2 · DivX · MP3 · WMA · JPEG · MPEG1
Remote Control: Universal
Audio 
Surround Sound: Dolby Digital® · DTS® · Dolby Pro Logic II
Audio DAC: 24 bit / 192 kHz
Dialog Enhancer: Yes
DVD 
Number of Discs: 1
Progressive Scan: With Progressive Scan
TV Resolutions: 720p (750p) · 1080i (1125i)
Inputs: Analog Audio x 1 · Digital Audio (Coaxial) x 1
Front Panel: USB 1.1
Outputs: Composite x 1 · S-Video x 1 · Component x 1 · HDMI x 1
OSD: Yes
Built-in TV Tuner: NTSC
Tuner 
Built-in Radio Tuner: AM · FM
Tuner Presets: 40

“- good price (paid $170)
- sound is quite clean for something that costs so little
- plays DVDs well
- can’t switch to USB without waiting for it to attempt to load a disk
- usb functionality is fantastic – it plays DivX and XVid – this is what I like about this unit the most. It says you can only put in USB keys and I read some reviews that said not to put larger USB keys, but I tried a couple of USB hard drives and they work. I have a 1TB drive hooked up to it. I also tested a couple of smaller drives. Watch out for USB powered drives as some of them might not have enough power out of this USB port to function.
- firmware is upgradable
- the processor is too slow to smoothly decode content with lots of simultanous moving details (many birds taking off for instance). Not a big issue though – this doesn’t happen very often, unless you are into bird shows
- once you are deep into a DivX/XVid movie, the fast forward / backward does not work very smoothly (CPU speed issue I suspect)
- biggest frustration is with viewing pictures – can’t get to show full screen – it shows all my pictures with big border around them
- I wish it played mkv files (it would have to have faster CPU to begin with though).
- upconverts to 1080i
- why, why, why does it take so long to eject or load a disk – actually, I don’t care why, it just shouldn’t
- has HDMI (it doesn’t come with a cable, but you can buy it on-line for 2.59 like I did)”

Philips LX3500D Theater System

The ideal theater for homes with standard or high-definition televisions, the Philips LX3500D consists of a Dolby Digital/DTS-decoding surround sound receiver with an integrated single-disc progressive-scan DVD/CD player, five satellite speakers, and a powered subwoofer. The DVD drive reads DVD, DVD+RW, and VCD, as well as CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3 CDs. A full onscreen display simplifies setup and operation. If you’re using (or plan to use) a high-definition or HD-ready TV, you’ll appreciate the system’s progressive scanning, which is referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image. This feature creates a picture with twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD image, providing sharper, higher resolution images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. The LX3500D also offers 3:2 pulldown. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown corrects this distortion to display a film-frame-accurate picture
Key Features 
Included Components: Receiver · DVD Player · Radio Tuner
Number Of Speakers: 5 Speakers and Subwoofer
Main Speakers Power Output: 25 Watts
Playable Disk Types: DVD Video · VCD · DVD-R · DVD-RW · CD (Audio) · CD-R · CD-RW
Subwoofer Power Output: 75 Watts
Playable File Formats: MP3
Audio 
Surround Sound: Dolby Digital® · DTS®
DVD 
Inputs: Analog Audio x 1
Outputs: S-Video x 1 · Analog Audio x 1 · Digital Audio Coaxial x 1 · Digital Audio Optical x 1
Tuner 
Built-in Radio Tuner: AM · FM

“I bought a Philips 60″ HDTV and the LX3500D was included “free” as part of an incentive package. It normally retails for $349. I mailed in the rebate to Philips on 12/5 and it was delivered on 1/13, not bad! Now when you get anything for free you don’t really worry about its capabilities and features as much as when you fork over some hard earned cash. Its a progressive scan unit which was my only real had to have feature.
The box was opened and I quickly found out the Philips people really pay attention to details. The instruction book is thick and in all mandatory languages. Those large picture type instruction pages were also included in three languages as well. Let me tell you, you don’t need instructions to set this up, its that well labeled.
First off the DVD unit is of the newer slim, stream-lined design. It is very attractive unit in an silver color with the pre-requisite tinted window running down the middle with electronic lights and such. The unit itself is actually heavy! It feels like those old VCR’s from the 70′s did, only on a much smaller size scale. I don’t know what the inside looks like, but the use of plastic components must have been kept to a minimum.
The sub-woofer is large and very attractive very much like the DVD unit. The five speakers gray tone colored come with “techie” yellow covered speaker grills installed, but Philips also includes a much toned down grayish set for us “older buyers”. The grills can be changed out on all 5 speakers in under 2 minutes! The design and method for doing this is engineered and executed the right way. This is beyond the call of duty and much appreciated.
Philips includes every cable and wire you could possibly need. Now about those speakers and wires. As you turn the DVD unit around and look at all those connection possibilities you begin to panic. But wait each connection including the ones for the speaker wires are color coded and labeled. Guess what, each of the speaker wires have a color coded marking that matches the DVD player and also the color coded connections on the back of the speakers. The speakers also have clearly printed text which tells you where they go, “ie center, left front, right rear”. I positioned and wired up each speaker with out looking at the directions, Philips made it that easy.
There is a clearly marked switch on the back of the unit that allows you to turn off progressive scan if your TV is not capable. The remote control unit gives you individual buttons for volume control of the center, rear and sub-woofer speakers. The overall volume button controls all at once. You can also access many menus for setting up volume delays on the speakers in mili seconds for exact tuning of your system. There is also a test button which sends a tone around to each of the 6 speakers for you to test the system. There is also a on-off screen saver for you pause a DVD during playback. I’ve only begun to explore the sub-menus as they are plenty with this unit.
Now the one item I’m unhappy about, scaling. My cheapie ($49) Apex AD-800 progressive unit I’ve been using allowed me to alter the image size sent to my TV. In other words I could stretch the image from the X or Y axis of the picture. This was most welcome when the image on my widescreen TV was still in letterbox but not filling my screen due to its 14:9 ratio rather than the 16:9 widescreen format. It might somewhere be in the capabilities of the Philips system but I haven’t found it yet.
But in the end I’d like to thank the folks at Philips for producing a well designed, well engineered and well built system.”

“the lx3500D package is a great setup for small to mid size rooms but lacks the volume to fill larger rooms. This is one tough cookie! I bought mine when it was returned twice and has a very large dent that looks like a TV got dropped on the dvd player, I got it home and the only thing needed to be fixed was the setting output for the dvd. Another thing lacking is a video input that would be nice so that a vcr could be run through it. (basicly the dvd player would act as a reciever) I got a great deal on this system and for the price I got it at it’s probably the best home theater system.”

If you would like to leave a comment or review of your home theater experience please use the form at the foot of the page and it will be reviewed and published on this site.

Philips Home Theater System

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