Home theater gifts for dads

Put an end to your dad's remote clutter with the Logitech Harmony 650. It's the best universal remote value on the market and setup is simple with its web-based programming. And the truth is your dad might be hesitant to spend his own $50 on a remote control, but once he has one, it will be one of his favorite gadgets.

The best, cheapest way to get your dad in streaming video game is the Roku LT. For just $50, it offers an incredible lineup of streaming media services, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, HBO Go, Pandora, MOG, Rdio, and MLB.TV. There's also built-in Wi-Fi and the user interface is straightforward to use. It's tough to go wrong with the Roku LT.

No modern home theater is complete without a Blu-ray player and the Pansasonic DMP-BDT220 is the best value on the market. It will can handle Blu-rays, DVDs and CDs, plus its built-in Wi-Fi makes it easy to access its extensive suite of streaming media services. And if your dad's into 3D, the DMP-BDT220 can play 3D Blu-ray movies too, provided he already has a compatible TV and glasses.

Buying Dad a surround sound speaker system may sound expensive, but its cheaper than you might think. The Energy Take Classic 5.1 is a truly incredible buy, with excellent sound quality, fantastic aesthetics and very reasonable $400 price tag. You'll need to pair the Take Classic 5.1 system up with an AV receiver, but it will sound much better than a sound bar system.

If Dad already has an iPhone or iPad, the Apple TV is a no-brainer gift choice. You can buy/rent movies and TV shows from the iTunes store, plus there are a few other streaming services like Netflix and MLB.TV. The Apple TV's real secret weapon is AirPlay, letting you stream music, videos and photos from almost any app on an iPhone or iPad.

Upgrade your Dad's aging tabletop radio with the Sonos Play:3. It's a single speaker radio you can control om any iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or Android smartphone using a free app, given you access to your own digital music of streaming music services like Pandora, Rhapsody and Rdio. The only catch is it needs to be connected via Ethernet or you'll need the $50 wireless Sonos Bridge accessory.