Panasonic SC-PT865W home theater system

By Pam Carroll, CNET.com.au, CNET Asia
Oct 3, 2008

The flagship SC-PT865W is one of the rare remaining home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems available to feature wireless surround. A relatively niche segment, many vendors are now offering optional wireless upgrade kits as alternatives. And it's not difficult to understand why from a cost standpoint. If we were to pit the Panasonic against the equally competent albeit wired JVC TH-D7, it might be tough to convince an average Joe to part with another S$200 (US$144.33) just to cut out the selected cords. Whether it's worth it or not, here's our quick take on this new 2008 Japanese kit.

Design

Panasonic's SC-PT865W home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) system is designed to look compatible with the company's Viera flat-panel TVs, but with its classic black components, it should coordinate nicely with most of the big screens on the market right now. Even with four 1,123 x 252 x 235mm tall boy speakers and a large 361 x 181 x 315mm subwoofer, the system isn't visually overpowering, and it blended in surprisingly well in the home environment we tested it in. The center speaker is surprisingly small at 94 x 270 x 95mm. More on this later.

Unfortunately, the sophisticated design of the speakers and DVD player is not matched in the remote control. A squat, grey plasticky number, the remote is jammed with a multitude of buttons--all arguably needed as the HTIB has a fair range of controllable modes and features, but the form factor surely could have been elongated to provide more space between the tiny rows of buttons so you didn't have to squint at the thing to be sure you were pressing the right one. There is no back light, but most annoyingly, the oft-used mute button is buried at the bottom of the remote and is not easy to find and press in a hurry.

Tags: TV, Speaker, Panasonic, flat panel, DVD player

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