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>> Matthew Moskovciak: Hi. I'm Matthew Moskovciak, Senior Associate Editor at CNET, and we're going to take a look at the Samsung HWC450. This is a sound bar home theater system, which means you don't need a separate AV receiver, and it's currently selling for about $300. The design on the HWC450 is unique in that it's less than two inches thin, which is really impressive when you consider that it has built-in amplification. Along the top are a few touch sensitive buttons, and there's also an LCD display. So you have some visual feedback when you're making adjustments. The HWC450 also includes a wireless subwoofer, and we didn't have any problems with dropouts or noise during our testing period. A small remote is included, and we appreciated that Samsung kept it simple with an uncluttered design. We also like that you can adjust the subwoofer volume right from the remote instead of having to go into the menu. Around back are the connectivity options, which are less extensive than we would have liked. The big omission is HDMI connectivity. and Sony's competing HTCT150 offers three HDMI inputs for around the same price. The Samsung includes two optical inputs and a mini jack input. So you should make sure that that's enough to accommodate your home theater gadgets before you buy. As for sound quality, we were really impressed by the HWC450, especially for its size. Movies sounded particularly detailed, and there was also enough power for smaller rooms. The Samsung didn't fare as well with two-channel music, so it's not the best option if you still plan on listening to a lot of CD's or mp3's. All together, if the lack of HDMI connectivity doesn't bother you, the Samsung HWC450 is one of the sleekest sound bar home theater systems we've tested, making it a good pick for style-minded buyers who mostly watch movies. I'm Matthew Moskovciak, Senior Associate Editor at CNET, [music] and this is the Samsung HWC450.
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