(28 February 2008 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Consumer electronics major Sony in the US has introduced four component home theatre systems designed to complement high-definition televisions and Blu-ray disc players.

Optimised with 1080p-capable HDMI inputs, the HT-SS2300 and HT-CT100 models support full HD video and eight channels of uncompressed audio. The HT-7200DH and HT- DDWG700 models round out the line, offering 5.1 channel home theatre surround sound.

The HT-SS2300 and HT-CT100 component systems are designed for Blu-ray disc players and other high-definition components using three 1080p-capable HDMI inputs, in addition to optical and coaxial digital inputs.

The 5.1 channel HT-SS2300 system, with 1,000 watts (RMS) of power, features a slim AV receiver designed to match Sony’s line of 2008 Blu-ray disc players. It will be available this summer for about $400.

At 250 watts (RMS), the 3.1 channel HT-CT100 unit includes a sound bar and separate subwoofer, which delivers realistic surround sound using Sony’s S-Force PRO Front Surround Sound technology eliminating the need for rear speakers. The system will be available in March for about $300.

The units offer a set-up feature with Sony’s Digital Cinema Auto Calibration (DCAC) that uses an included microphone to measure speaker distance, level and frequency, automatically calibrating the listening environment to accurately optimise the sound field.

In addition , the new home theatre systems offer an updated Portable Audio Enhancer. This improves the clarity and depth of a connected music player by adding information to the audio signal that had been removed during compression.