Highlights include speaker packages that offer omni-directional and floor-standing speakers that can be detached from the stands and wall-mounted. Other key features include JVC's exclusive Smart Surround setup technology, DVD-Audio compatibility, and one system that offers DVD recording.
“JVC was extremely customer focused when it developed its latest home theater-in-a-box line,” said Steve Howcott, General Manager, Consumer Audio, JVC Company of America . “We collected extensive customer feedback to create one of the most innovative, sonically superior and easy-to-use home theater packages on the market.”
This year's entire DVD receiver system line includes JVC's exclusive Smart Surround Set-Up Version 2.0 technology. With this feature, users can kiss complicated surround sound set-up goodbye. They simply sit where they usually would when watching television, clap their hands and the system quickly calculates all speaker settings for optimum surround sound performance. The five DVD player models feature a five-disc changer that supports DVD Audio/Video, and JVC's omnidirectional surround speakers, this year updated to provide an even wider soundfield by raising and tilting forward the top-firing driver. One system offer JVC's new floor-standing detachable wall-mount speakers.
Other features common to the five DVD player systems include Dolby Digital/Pro Logic II/DTS decoding, Digital Direct Progressive Scan output, support for DVD-R/RW/RAM, CD, CD-R/RW, SVCD/VCD, MP3/WMA and JPEG formats, 12-bit/108 MHz video DAC, 192kHz/24-bit audio DAC, and component, S-video and composite video outputs.
The entry-level system is the TH-C3 with 810 watts of total power (front: 140W x 2; center: 130W; surround: 130W x 2; subwoofer: 140W). Its speaker package includes bookshelf front speakers, bookshelf omnidirectional surround speakers, center channel speaker and subwoofer.
The step-up TH-C4 offers total power output of 1,002 watts (front: 167W x 2; center: 167W; surround: 167W x 2; subwoofer: 167W) and the same speaker package as the TH-C3. The 1,002-watt TH-C5 offers a different speaker package – a pair of sleek wood-cabinet, floor-standing speakers, bookshelf omnidirectional surround speakers, two-way center channel speaker and 10-inch subwoofer.
The 1,002-watt TH-C6 offers speaker placement flexibility by including JVC's new two-way floor-standing detachable wall-mount speakers for the front and omnidirectional surround channels. Consumers can use the slim, sleekly-styled stands to hold the speakers or opt to hang the speakers on the wall – an attractive solution for the front speakers when using a wall-mounted flat panel television. When used with the stands, the stand and speaker are integrated in such a way that they appear to be a single piece.
The TH-C7, another 1,002-watt system, features a pair of two-way, four-driver tower front speakers, bookshelf omnidirectional surround speakers, two-way center channel speaker, and 10-inch subwoofer.
At the top of JVC's DVD receiver home theater system line is the TH-R4, a 1,002-watt system with DVD recording. It records in the DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD-RW formats and can play DVD Video, DVD-RAM/-R/-RW, SVCD/VCD, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3 and JPEG formats. Its speaker package includes three-way bookshelf front speakers, two-way bookshelf omnidirectional surround speakers, two-way/three-driver center speaker and 10-inch subwoofer. The front and surround speakers can be wall-mounted.
Surround modes include Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS/ES and DTS 96/24. Other features include seven-mode digital audio processing, All Channel Stereo mode, virtual surround back (Dolby Digital EX/DTS ES), Digital Direct Progressive Scan Output and Motion Active Progressive Scan Output. Front connections include audio left/right input, and S-video and composite DV inputs. Rear panel connections are analog audio input/output, digital audio input, component video output, S-video input/output and composite input/output.
Following are availability dates and nationally advertised prices for JVC's DVD receiver home theater-in-a-box series:
Model Available Nationally Advertised Value
TH-C3 March $329.95 TH-C4 April $385.95 TH-C5 April $439.95 TH-C6 April $549.95 TH-C7 June $769.95 TH-R4 May $769.95