Panasonic SC HT56 Blu Ray Home Theater Receiver Blu Ray Player Sold Separately
Panasonic SC HT56 Blu Ray Home Theater Receiver Blu Ray Player Sold Separately
A Home Theater in a Box will improve your movie experience on any TV. It’s no wonder why Home Theaters have become so popular. The Panasonic SCH-T56 5.1 Home Theater in a Box includes VIERA Link HDAVI Control, HDMI connection, and Wireless speakers(adapter sold seperately). Panasonic offers top of the line sound quality which sounds professional and crisp; you feel as if you?re sitting in an actual movie theater. Surround sound, using multi-channel audio, encompasses a range of techniques for enriching (expanding and deepening) the sound reproduction quality, of an audio source, with additional audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. The three-dimensional (3D) sphere of human hearing can be virtually achieved with audio channels above and below the listener. The descriptions of surround sound specifications below distinguish between the number of discrete channels encoded in the original signal and the number of channels reproduced for playback. The number of channels reproduced for playback can be changed by using matrix decoding. A distinction is also made between the number of channels reproduced for playback and the number of speakers used to reproduce (each channel may refer to a group of speakers). The graphics to the right of each specification description represent the number of channels, not the number of speakers. This notation, e.g. “5.1″, reflects the number of full range channels; including a “.1″ to reflect the limited range of the LFE channel.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Good value for a blu-ray compatible system
I have been using a 4.5 year old Sony HT-DDW660 Home Theater System which has worked excellently, in my 13′x13′ TV room, to give me 5.1 surround sound with my DVD player and HDTV. However, I am planning to buy a blu-ray player soon and I realized that the SONY lacks an HDMI or component analog inputs which would allow me to hear the new lossless sound formats that are available on blu-ray discs. So I looked for an HDMI system that would be an easy replacement for my current HTIB. One that decodes the new audio formats is not necessary since the new BD players do that and send the resulting PCM to the audio receiver via HDMI. Well, I was in luck that 6th Ave Electronics had a special that let me get the Panasonic SC-HT56 delivered for about $200, total.
I had no trouble setting up the Panasonic. The subwoofer fits into the lower shelf of a bookcase, just where I had the SONY’s. The 2 surround speakers had the same screw holes on their backs as the SONY’s so I could attach them to already existing ceiling brackets. There was already wire to those brackets. The wire supplied with both the SONY and Panasonic systems seems to be the same gauge so I just used the existing wire to complete the connections between the speakers and receiver. Thankfully, the SC-HT56 doesn’t use proprietary wire connectors like some other HTIBs.
The Panasonic had a microphone for audio setup. After setup, I found that the subwoofer was at the maximum which was far too much for me so, using controls on the remote, I cut the level down considerably to something easier on my ears. The Panasonic has a larger center speaker (2 cones instead of 1) than the SONY so dialog seems to come through clearer, but even here I had to cut down the level by -3dB. Sound now seems to be at least as good as on my old system.
While physical setup was easy, I found it quite difficult to understand the manual on how to actually operate the HTIB. Here is an important tip. On the back of the main unit there are 2 HDMI, 2 optical audio, 1 digital coax audio, 3 pairs of analog audio inputs, FM and AM antenna inputs. Except for the antennas, each is given one of three meaningless labels: TV, BD/DVR, DVD-P. You have three buttons on the remote labeled, TUNER–BAND, TV, BD/DVR–DVD-P. If you press TUNER–BAND once you get FM radio; if you press it again and hold for a few seconds, you get AM. It you press BD/DVR–DVD-P you get an input that is connected to one of the 3 BD/DVR terminals on the back of the receiver; if you press it again and hold for a few seconds, you get an input that is connected to one of the 3 DVD-P terminals. If you press TV, you get an input connected to one of the two TV terminals. There probably is a priority order that is used to decide which input is chosen if more than one input to identically labeled terminals is turned on. It would have saved me a couple of frustrating hours if somebody had explained all that to me.
But I am happy with the system performance and all set for getting the BD player.
5 Stars Great entry level home theater system.
I purchased this system when it was on sale at 6ave.com for $188 shipped. It is a great entry level system. I am no audiophile but I think this system sounds great in my house. I purchased it to hookup to my PS3 (for movies and games) and TV. I hooked it up to the TV using an optical out cable from my TV to the Panasonic SC-HT56. I have my PS3 running to the Panasonic SC-HT56 via HDMI and then HDMI from the Panasonic SC-HT56 to my Samsung LN52A630. I really like the fact that I can have the SC-HT56 powered off and still run my PS3 just fine and have the audio come through my TV speakers (wife insist on this when the twins are sleeping downstairs). I also noticed that when I have my Samsung LN52A630 and the SC-HT56 powered ON, that if I hit the power button on my Samsung TV remote it also powers OFF the SC-HT56. This is nice as it saves me having to grab one more remote to power off the SC-HT56. When I power ON my Samsung TV with the TV remote it has no effect on the SC-HT56. I have friends that have spent way more than me on their surround sound systems, and I can tell that theirs do produce a better sound than mine, but not enough for me to justify spending the $600-$1000+ that they spent on their systems. I am very happy with this setup.
5 Stars Panasonic has always impressed me with sound
It is a home theater out of a box…..and you know what who cares???? It is fantastic sound. I use to have a panasonic dvd surround sound where people were constantly complimenting it. Not the biggest fan of the five disc thing however,….but it was still a great wireless 5.1 system. I decided to take the leap into blu-ray. It did not connect to my current dvd system so of course being the nerd that I am I purchased this system to hook up to my blu-ray. ANd I cannot tell you how impressed I am. It is flawless. I loved my dvd system but this makes that old system a child wearing its respectful dunce cap, in the corner with tear ducts aplenty. It just makes the quality of sound seem so professional. So crisp. It is seriously like you are in the movie theater. (insert spaniard voice) I NO Lie! I Truth! The system is amazing for price, forget price it’s just amazing. The set up is a little confusing at times but not too too bad. And I wanted the 7.1 kit or the SC-BT 100 kit, to become a super loser,..but alas they did not have the wireless kit available. It seems it is selling out. You will need an extra HDMI cable and if you go the route of speaker stands investigate cause some won’t fit with certain systems. ANd I actually make shifted mine to work cause I bought the stands without investigating. But I guess if worse comes to worse you can make shift it to fit like me. I realize I’m going off track here but trying to give you all the info you need,….and with that rambling explanation I think I be done.
