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Sony's STR-DA6400ES and STR-DA5400ES receivers hands-on


Sony's ES line of AV receivers has been growing for months now, but it was the CEDIA-announced STR-DA6400ES and STR-DA5400ES that we were most interested in. As predicted, these buggers were pretty beefy, but it's hard to gripe with all those ports around back. We thought the no-frills styling looked pretty sophisticated in person, and when we got real close, we could almost feel those seven channels of amplification just emanating. You know the drill -- peep the gallery below when you're good and ready.

Sony's BDV-IT1000ES and BDV-IS1000 HTIB systems hands-on


Sony's CEDIA booth was stocked with the outfit's latest pair of Blu-ray HTIB systems, and for those looking to dive into the Blu and get into surround sound at the same time, neither set is a bad choice. Each BD deck is actually customized specifically for these packages, and while the innards are likely similar to the those found in the BDP-S550, the inclusion of an internal amplifier makes 'em special. See which speaker style suits your fancy in the gallery below.

Sony's STR-DA6400ES and STR-DA5400ES receivers do HD streaming over CAT5e


Sony's got a smorgasbord of new kit comin' atcha from the heart of Denver, so we'll get things started with two new ES-series receivers. Just when you thought you'd seen the last of Sony's 2008 ES lineup, along comes two more making their US debut. Both the STR-DA6400ES and STR-DA5400ES offer up second room high-def video / audio distribution via CAT5e wiring, meaning that you can zip along HD content over your existing home network. Additionally, the former unit packs two CAT5e inputs and is DLNA-compliant. Wondering what that means for you? It means that Sony now has an AVR that can stream music, photos and video from a DLNA-compliant PC while accessing online music content from Rhapsody and Shoutcast sans a PC. Beyond that, there's the Faroudja DCDi Cinema chips, support for x.v.Color / Deep Color, Direct Stream Digital decoding, BRAVIA Sync and a 120-watt x 7 internal amplifier in each device. Catch the full release after the jump, and catch whichever unit suits your fancy within the next month for $2,500 / $2,000.

Sony's BDV-IT1000ES and BDV-IS1000 HTIB systems do Blu-ray


Sony's BDV-IT1000 HTIB was outed late last month, but that's not stopping the powerhouse from making it official alongside the BDV-IS1000 today at CEDIA. As you likely know, these two are Sony's first offerings in the burgeoning Blu-ray HTIB market, as both packages come bundled with an elusive BD-Live-capable deck (the BDP-S350, we presume?) along with integrated support for the firm's S-AIR technology. Each set packs a pair of HDMI inputs, XMB menu navigation, 5.1-channel surround sound, Digital Media Port (for hooking up your PMP), BRAVIA Sync and even an IR repeater on the IT1000ES. The aforesaid BDV-IT1000ES ($1,999) includes oh-so-slim drivers (pictured after the jump), while the $1,000 BDV-IS1000 includes the same "golf ball-sized" speaks as the HT-IS100. Both sets are shipping next month, or so says the release waiting after the break.




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