#Polk audio surroundbar 9500bt review trial
You're still doing some tedious trial and error (enter "0004" and see if your TV turns off), but at least it's up there on the screen, and not in a hard-to-read manual.
We particularly liked that the remote programming-setting it to control third-party TVs and cable/satellite boxes-was all done via the onscreen menu as well. Just hit the "360 setup" key on the remote for an onscreen menu, and adjust settings as you see fit. Setup is aimed at novices, and-for once-is pretty simple and straightforward. The Console also includes a dimmable LCD screen on the front panel, while the disc tray is stealthily hidden on the right-hand side. They use a piano keyboard design, with five small buttons (video transport) inset between six larger ones (volume, source, power, and disc eject). You'll probably want to stick with the remote, though, because the controls on the DVD Console are somewhat cramped and confusing. We'd be more comfortable investing in a dedicated universal remote instead, but this one gets the job done in the meantime. It's a universal model that can also be programmed to control a TV and cable/satellite box (including changing inputs on the TV). The remote is a fairly elaborate affair that doesn't quite match the otherwise straightforward design of the SurroundBar 360. If you want to keep things simple, you can get away with just the three wires: the speaker cable, the video output to TV (HDMI or otherwise), and a power cord.
The DVD Console is a reasonably svelte 3.25 inches tall by 16.5 inches wide by 11.5 inches deep-not much larger than a standard DVD player. The umbilical cable uses proprietary connections, so don't expect to do any DIY extensions. (If you're sitting in front of a TV, note that you might be blocking the TV's remote control IR receptor.) Alternately, the speaker can be mounted with keyhole slots or screwmounts.Ī single 15-foot umbilical cable connects the speaker bar to the head unit, which Polk refers to as a "DVD Console" because it houses the disc player, in addition to all of the electronics and inputs and outputs. Polk includes two pairs of cradles for the speaker bar-one that makes it nearly flush with the table, and another that raises it a couple of inches.
#Polk audio surroundbar 9500bt review drivers
Remove the grille, and you'll notice the eight separate 2.5-inch speaker drivers are evenly grouped at both ends, with nothing in the middle. Like that model-and subsequent Polk SurroundBars-the 360 version uses Polk's proprietary "SDA Surround" technology (Stereo Dimensional Array). Externally, it looks similar to the original Polk Audio SurroundBar we reviewed in 2005. The speakerbar portion is 4.5 inches tall by 64 inches wide by 5 inches deep. The SurroundBar 360 aims for simplicity in design and setup, and-thanks to a straightforward two-piece design-largely achieves that. In the meantime, those who don't mind sticking with DVD will find the SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater to be a superior and easy-to-use all-in-one single-speaker system. We're hoping Polk Audio revisits the product, with either Blu-ray onboard, or with a host of HDMI inputs so you can add your own HD video player. Judged against current expectations-and what we expect to see in 2009-the lack of Blu-ray in a system that retails for $900 to $1,200 is now a legitimate concern. Unfortunately, the product slipped from its originally scheduled April debut, instead hitting the market toward the end of 2008. While it ultimately didn't take the crown, we were still looking forward to the final product: our brief initial exposure to the home theater in a box system revealed superb sound quality from just a single speaker bar, and-unlike most other similar systems-it was able to deliver palpable low-end bass without the need for a subwoofer. We first saw the Polk Audio SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2008, where we chose it as one of only three home audio finalists for Best of CES.
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