Samsung HT-Z310T 5.1-Channel Home Theater Surround Sound System (Set of Seven, Black)

Overall, it's a nice product. I use it with a Samsung LNT-4065F. It's the first surround sound system that I have purchased, and I think that in the future I will probably build a professional system. This unit doesn't have enough inputs. The single optical input kind of sucks. Most televisions do have optical out, which I read in the prior reviews. However, what those reviews don't tell you is that nearly every TV on the market doesn't provide Dolby 5.1 through the optical output. It downsamples to PCM/Stereo sound. Therefore, if you hook up your PS3, DVD, XBox 360, AppleTV, etc. to your TV with HDMI, and an optical cable from the TV to this receiver, you have to depend on the receiver to upsample the 2 channels that the TV is sending it. The best solution is to run an HDMI cable from the device to your TV, and an optical cable from your device to the receiver. However, there's only one optical port on the receiver. Barring expensive switching devices you're screwed. Either upsampled 2 channel audio, or hook just one device to the receiver.

Had I known better, I probably would have built my own system. I didn't know enough about it at the time.

The sound quality is pretty decent if the inputs fit your needs. Sometimes the sound I get sounds a little muffled. The upsample of 2 channel audio isn't really *that* bad.

I don't use the upconverting DVD functionality. I use a PS3 to play DVDs, so I can't speak on that feature.

Excellent sound for the price and small size. It's not audiophile quality, but is really quite good. I saw the other comments about upconversion, but didn't have such issues. On my Samsung 720p, my DVDs look very near to HD quality with no particular pixellation problem.

Cons: The controls/menus are clunky, and the receiver does not automatically turn on when I turn on my Samsung TV with Anynet function, which is a bit irritating.

Product was packaged nicely, easy for even me to install, sounds great for my space.

I have had home theater systems for years and this receiver is terrible. 1st of all, when I turn it on to listen to sound from my satellite TV receiver (through the D.IN input) I get audio for a few seconds and then the audio cuts out, the display says "good-bye" and it shuts off. I then have to turn the Samsung back on and then the audio stays on until I shut it off. I have to repeat this sequence EVERY time I choose to listen to watch TV and listed to the audio through the home theater receiver. The Samsung has very limited audio controls if you are using any input other than the DVD player. I completely regret this purchase.

I bought this item as a surround sound system for my bedroom. It was extremely easy to set up and looks very sleek. The upconversion is decent, not the best I've seen but certainly passable. I used a reference quality picture to test (Lion King) and it looked pretty damn good. Having said that, it sounded even better. I used a Transformers HD-DVD to test it and is was loud, clear, and had good surround. I'm impressed for such a low-priced entry-level system.

Don't listen to the reviews that knock the upconversion or the ability to adjust individual speaker levels. Both are fine. Granted, the speaker levels have to be done from a menu but that's handled while the film's paused, not only if the player is empty, as a reviewer stated.

My biggest con (and the reason its not getting 5 stars) is the insane lack of inputs. One, count 'em, ONE RCA input. That's crazy! Sure, I can run sound through my TV's multiple sound inputs but if I want to use my record player on the sound system without having my TV on, no luck unless I want to switch cords every time, which, of course, I don't. That aspect is a huge disappointment and a major annoyance. Thank God it has an optical input or I'd be returning it tomorrow.