Home theater

The good: Tiny bookshelf-size home theater in a box; numerous connectivity options including two HDMI inputs that support up to 1080p; USB port for digital media; iPod audio and video playback; attractive price point.

The bad: No built-in DVD player; small speakers and relatively low wattage limit power and sound quality; supports only three concurrent AV sources; no HDMI up-conversion for analog video sources; USB mode requires you to select the type of media before you play it; new iPods will only be able to play audio through the unit.

The bottom line: While the sound isn't overpowering, the wealth of connectivity options and features bundled into the JVC TH-L1 home theater in a box makes it well worth the inexpensive price tag.

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