Philips HTS3251B/F7

Among budget-priced options, it would be a challenge to find a home theater system that offers a better mix of performance and value than the Philips HTS3251B/F7. An integrated Blu-ray player -- not a more basic DVD spinner -- is part of the mix. Video performance with Blu-ray discs is pristine, and it's good enough with DVDs to please most viewers. Features aren't very abundant, but there's support for Blu-ray's BD-Live features as well as streaming from Netflix (though not from other Internet content providers). One negative with the Home Theater in a Box's (HTIB) web connectivity is that you'll need a wired Ethernet connection close at hand as Wi-Fi is not supported. A more general negative is that connectivity options are limited, and there are no analog or digital video inputs.

Sound quality also isn't the best, according to some critics, though it's fine for watching movies. Users, on the other hand, have fewer issues with the  sound from this 1,000-watt (overall system power), 5.1-channel HTIB. Many report that the Philips HTS3251B/F7 has enough oomph to rock the house -- as long as the house is on the small side. Still, if you have the budget for it, the Panasonic SC-BTT370 (Discontinued) garners a bit more praise. Video performance is excellent, there's a more robust line up of Internet providers (and built-in Wi-Fi to make getting them a little easier) and sound quality is more highly regarded.

Among the pros, ConsumerReports.org provides the best review. There are also lots of user reviews at Amazon.com and Walmart.com.