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Spring Tech Preview: Home theater

Spring is the season of renewal and that applies to home theater, too, with major manufacturers typically rolling out their new lines in March and April.

Matthew Moskovciak
Covering home audio and video, Matthew Moskovciak helps CNET readers find the best sights and sounds for their home theaters. E-mail Matthew or follow him on Twitter @cnetmoskovciak.
Matthew Moskovciak
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1 of 5 Simple.TV

Simple.TV

Simple.TV won CNET's Best Of CES 2012 in the home theater category for its innovative, app-based approach to recording over-the-air TV. At only $150, the initial buy-in price is low and there are no monthly fees for standard program guide data. Simple.TV says it's looking to release the product in "late spring," so cord-cutters will likely have to wait a while before getting their hands on this next-gen DVR.
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2 of 5 Onkyo

Onkyo TX-NR515

If you just can't get enough HDMI ports in your AV receiver, keep an eye on the the Onkyo TX-NR515. It has an incredible eight HDMI inputs with a list price of $600, although I'd bet the street price dips under $500 if Onkyo's pricing trajectory is similar to previous years.
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3 of 5 Panasonic

Panasonic DMP-BDT220

Last year Panasonic's DMP-BDT210 was awarded CNET's Editors' Choice Award and the DMP-BDT220 is its successor. Not much has changed, with the DMP-BDT220 featuring built-in Wi-Fi, 3D, and a solid suite of streaming-media services. Even better, it looks like it will cost significantly less this year, with street prices already showing up at less than $150.
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4 of 5 Dish Networks

Dish Hopper DVR

Dish made a splash at CES 2012 with its kangaroo-themed press conference, but the actual product announcements were pretty cool, too. The Dish Hopper DVR sports all kinds of impressive specs, including a 2TB hard drive and the ability to record six (!) programs at once. The Hopper has already started rolling, so if you're a Dish subscriber, it's worth checking out.
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5 of 5 Sony

Sony NSZ-GS7

Sony was an early proponent of Google TV, and the company is continuing to support the platform with the NSZ-GS7. It will be the first Google TV-powered set-top box since Logitech's (now discontinued) Revue, and Sony's remote looks a lot less intrusive than a full-blown home theater keyboard. I'm still not sold on Google TV's software, but this looks like a step in the right direction in terms of the hardware. Look for it later this spring.

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