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X710T

If you don’t have a lot of money to get started in home theater, you can still get your feet wet. The Samsung HT-X710T system includes good-sounding 2.1 DVD player home theater system; wall-mountable; strong digital media playback includes DivX, MP3, WMA, WMV, JPEG files;  iPod dock; USB port and Bluetooth streaming compatibility all for under $500 for the complete boxed set.

The system focuses on DVD playback and offers wireless rear surround sound, which makes for simple set up, an always welcome feature for beginners. On the downside, once you do get used to home theater, you’ll find minimal inputs on this system which makes expansion difficult, and some customers are put off by an awkward design asthetic that makes the system look somewhat dated.  At the end of the day though, the Samsung HT-X710T provides everything a beginner needs at an affordable price.