Audio Video News

All-in-one home theater systems can mean a variety of things. Sometimes they mean a home-theater-in-a-box, a package of multiple speakers and all the gear you need to hook it up. Sometimes they mean a soundbar, a one-piece way to pump up your HDTV's audio. As of today, they can also mean no speakers at all. Bose just announced its VideoWave entertainment system, a combination HDTV/sound system with no discrete speaker enclosures.

Within the VideoWave's 46-inch, 1080p HDTV body are over a dozen separate drivers that provide a simulated surround sound experience. 6 woofers, 7 midrange/tweeters, and Bose's new PhaseGuide sound radiator high-frequency drivers sit behind the LCD, packed into the 6-inch-deep chassis. It seems to be the most complex and powerful integrated speaker system built into any HDTV.

The VideoWave entertainment system is controlled by a separate box that serves as the A/V receiver, keeping all media sources organized and piping the selected source to the HDTV. It features 5 HDMI inputs, 2 component video inputs, 2 optical audio inputs, 1 composite video input, and a USB dock. Bose's new click pad remote controls the entire system, replacing the majority of the buttons found on other remotes with an iPod-like clickable touchpad and an on-screen display that offers navigation controls.

The Bose VideoWave entertainment system will be available in mid-October in Bose stores across the country, and will retail for $5,349. The price includes delivery and installation.

— Will Greenwald