Labs

Samsung's HT-X30 is the cheapest kit in the group that can accept digital audio from an external source. Its optical S/PDIF input means you can connect a games console, media centre PC or HD-DVD or Blu-ray player. It also has several other useful features.

In addition to the S/PDIF input there are SCART, component and HDMI outputs on the back. The HDMI output will upscale DVDs to 720p or 1080i resolutions, so you will see a marked improvement in picture quality on many LCD TVs. However, the SCART socket isn't bi-directional, so to get the HT-X30 to play your TV's audio you'll need an extra cable to connect the TV's audio output to the unit's stereo phono input.

The

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HT-X30 looks great. The gloss black main unit is sleek and stylish. All the front ports are tucked away behind a flap and there's a big silver volume control and a dimmable blue LCD screen. The remote is slender and tapered, with well-organised and labelled controls.

The oval speakers are simple but pleasing to look at, and the clip terminals on the rear let you replace the speaker wires, so you could run longer or better-quality wires from the main unit. The speakers are heavier than most here, with two drivers hidden behind the foam grills. They are among the loudest speakers in the group and have some bass, so the frequency gap between the satellites and subwoofer is less pronounced than on the cheaper kits. Pioneer's DCS-363 and the three sound-only kits sound better balanced, though.

The HT-X30 plays a wide variety of video files, but again we found that video played from a USB storage device had a poor frame rate. Photo files are displayed at a maximum resolution of 576p, rather than taking full advantage of the 720p and 1080i HD resolutions available.

The HT-X30 is inexpensive and has plenty of inputs and outputs. It's excellent value for a home cinema kit with a built-in DVD player, and it wins a Best Buy award.