Polk Audio's SurroundBar®360° DVD Theater

[The following is a release from Polk Audio]

January 4, 2008

At the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, Polk Audio is debuting the $1,199.95 SurroundBar®360° DVD Theater: a two-piece surround sound system that includes a single, attractive SurroundBar 360 multichannel loudspeaker (44½" W x 4 7/8" D x 4 1/8" H) and a separate, compact electronics console (16½" W x 11½" D x 3 3/16" H) that contains an integrated DVD/CD player, SDA® signal-processing amplifier, AM/FM radio, and a host of digital, analog, USB, and video inputs. The SurroundBar 360 speaker is Polk Audio’s response to consumer demand for true surround audio and deep bass from a single cabinet. The sleek, gloss black enclosure, which is designed to subtly complement all flat-panel displays, delivers full 360° surround sound thanks to Polk's proprietary SDA® (Stereo Dimension Array) technology that the company first introduced in its flagship 1980s speaker models—loudspeakers that are still actively sought after today for their low distortion and enveloping sound. Taking the SDA concept into the 21st century, the SurroundBar®360° DVD Theater features a new active version of SDA technology that combines signal processing and acoustical geometry to create 360° surround from the SurroundBar®360°'s eight drivers. Polk's patented Power Port® Bass Venting System ensures that the SurroundBar®360° supplies clean, low distortion bass without the clutter of an external subwoofer. “Consumers who invest in a high-definition flat-screen display understand the difference between average and superior performance, which is why the original SurroundBar compact speakers are such a hit with end-users,” commented Al Baron, Product Line Manager, Polk Audio, Inc. “Now, with SurroundBar 360, we can offer these same consumers an equally impressive soup-to-nuts amplifier/processor with all the necessary ingredients for high performance home theater without the endless clutter of boxes and cables.” The SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater electronics console features HDMI high-definition video output and uses Faroudja DCDi2 upconversion to turn any S-Video or composite signal into high-definition video – 480p, 720p, and 1080i resolution. The SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater also displays — and enhances — digital still pictures in JPEG and Kodak Picture Disc formats. The USB input makes attaching digital photo sources and MP3 players easy and intuitive. DTS Digital Surround and Dolby Digital DVDs are both accommodated, as are MPG2, MPG, CD, CD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, MP3 at resolutions up to 384kbps VBR (Variable Bit Rate). The speaker enclosure is magnetically shielded, so it can be mounted as close to the display as conditions dictate. Included in the package are four cradles (two low, two high) for stand-mounting the speaker, a single 15-foot console-to-speaker cable, six-foot composite video cables, ninefoot power cord, an on-wall mounting option, dipole FM antenna, loop AM antenna, quick-start guide, owner's manual, and remote control.

Read More: