Aiming to be the last word in budget audio visual home entertainment, Sony's feature packed BDV-E370 gets Blu-ray, 3D, iPod compatibility and more.
Judging by early feedback, the BDV-E370 does as much as any system to disprove the old saying 'jack of all trades, master of none' with an all round performance that belies it budget price.
As far as the majority of consumers are concerned, the BDV-E370 will earn its keep with Blu-ray (profile 2.0) playback; but it is also ready to play 3D movies with a suitably equipped TV and active shutter glasses. The unit is based on Sony's highly regarded BDP-S370 Blu-ray player.
As a whole, you get a central control unit, which brings together a Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player and 850W 5.1-channel amplifier, along with five compact satellite speakers and a passive subwoofer.
While you will need to invest in a wireless dongle to access online features without cables, BRAVIA Internet Video offers some compelling features. You get access to the BBC's iPlayer, YouTube and Lovefilm to name a few. DLNA is another useful feature which enables you to play media via your networked PC.
Supported file formats include DivX, MPEG-1/2/4, WMV9, MP3, WMA, AAC and JPEG as well as AVCHD from discs. You can play these files directly through a built in USB port.
A dedicated iPod dock would have been nice, but what you do get is iPod certified USB inputs through which you can charge your device and control your tunes via the Sony remote.
With built-in decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio, an FM tuner and Sony's 'monolithic' design, the BDV-E370 starts to look like something of a bargain.
While are enthusiasm is tempered a little with a level of sound reproduction that falls somewhat short of the best and the requirement for an extra dongle (in addition to the wi-fi equivalent) to get a wireless speaker set up, the Sony still represents remarkable value for money.
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