LG LHB536 is a overall a good system for the price. Price will probably come down. So if you can wait to buy, keep an eye on the price. Sound is good and there are no wireless speakers but speakers are easy to hook up. The wireless connection is great for streaming video from Netflix. I love this feature. If you have cable set top box you connect the HDMI output from the box to an HDMI input on the LG system. Then you connect the HDMI out from the LG to an HDMI input on your TV. You DO NOT need a digital optical out cable if you connect using HDMI. The instructions that come with the system to set it up Stink but you can get good support by calling their support line.
PROS: Price, sound, picture, wifi with streaming video if you subscribe to Netflix, Vudu, cinemax etc., I POD connect, Bluray DVD. Good telephone support
Cons: The remote is not a learning remote, so it will not turn power on for your TV or cablebox. Manual is lacking details
Update to my review on april 18, 2011. LG has updated the software on this system to include Amazon VOD and additional premium applications. I have networked the Lg to my mac computer and I can listen to my music files and view my pictures on my TV. NICE! Amazon now has the best price on this system under $400.00. Buy it! LG LHB536 1100W 3D Blu-ray Home Theater System with Smart TV Integrated Wi-Fi
I normally would have ponied up for a real AV receiver and speaker setup, but my main issue was that I didn't have the room to fit a large Onkyo receiver. And in the small room I'm in, the little 5.1 system I had at the moment was fine, so I decided to look around and see what I could get that was smaller in size.
Pretty much all of my options had Blu-Ray players with them, which I didn't really need because I had a PS3, but I decided what the hell. I'm mainly buying this to have a 5.1 system that does HDMI, my old setup was using optical cables. Plus the newer DD and DTS modes is an upgrade for me and overall this is cheaper than buying a real AV receiver + speakers.
I'm pretty impressed with this system, it's got a lot of bang for the buck. For starters, this will be my default BD player now just because turning it on and starting up a movie is a lot faster than going through the PS3. Coupled with a HDMI switch, I have a total of 5 devices plugged into it, my DVR, a PS3, Xbox 360, a HTPC, and a HD-DVD player.
If you don't already have some type of HTPC or box for playing back video files and/or streaming, this device will take care of your needs. It plays MKVs and AVIs fine from a network or USB device, plays music files fine, has an app for online radio streaming that I love, and in an update last week, they added Amazon Instant Video playback, which is great for my free Amazon Prime videos. In the end, I'll still use my HTPC for my video playing because it gives me more features and options, but this is fine as a backup and I'll still use it for my primary online streaming playback. The online source it's missing though is Hulu. It does have Netflix, Vudu, and Amazon. (among others)
I haven't tried out the built-in radio tuner since what stations I'd listen to I can listen through the online streaming app, but this unit has an AM tuner unlike most of the other units out there, so if you want that for your sports radio/news/talk stations, you have that access.
I've been impressed with the LG SW updates too, there was an update already when I pulled the unit out of the box 2 or 3 weeks ago and an update last week that added some features, so they keep improving things.
It comes with an iPod/iPhone dock, I haven't tried my iPod but I've tested my iPhone 4 and it plays back ok. Unfortunately all playback is controlled from the player itself, not the LG. You'll want to fiddle with the sound modes because the Natural Plus that I use with TV (which mixes 2 channel audio into the center speaker) doesn't sound good with music.
About the only negative I have, which I didn't score against it because it's not it's problem, it's my remote's, is that there aren't any native codes for my Harmony One remote at this time, I had to have the remote learn them. But that's not a big deal, it's learned the codes so my remote works with it. The thing it's lacking is a direct code to switch between the HDMI ports, but that's not a big deal either because my HDMI switch has a remote with codes in the Harmony system, so all of my most used devices are on the switch.
Ok, I take it back, there was one thing I'd like to change, which is the speakers. I'd prefer to have speakers that had some type of protection over cones. That's just me, these do look nice and I've seen units from other vendors have the same type of lack of protection, so it's not a rare thing. The 535 cones had protection, but from I hear, the 536 pretty much fixes any flaws the 535 had, so I won't complain too much.
I don't normally do written reviews, only star ratings, but I had to put my 2¢ into the conversation. First of all, like some others I totally agree that it is ridiculous to expect a wireless speaker system if you know anything about systems at all, wireless or otherwise. The description is pretty clear in that the wireless term refers to the internet connection only. Anyway, I first bought an inexpensive RCA HTS, and would have been content except that the system was made defective from the factory (which I realized only after seeing reviews after I purchased- dumb not to research before I bought, I know). In disgust and in a hurry to try out the 3D on my new TV, I ordered this system and waited for it to arrive before returning the defective RCA system, and when I went from the old to the new, I couldn't believe the difference in the sound!! OMG, totally worth every penny spent on this LG system.
But, I do have a complaint. When changing inputs on the remote, the button descriptor is poor at best. I could figure it out, but my wife rolled her eyes when I tried to explain how to navigate through the new remote (so I know when I am traveling I will get the, "how do I put it on..." call). I was surprised that on the $160 RCA HTS, the system had 5 HDMI inputs and the remote had a button to match each input. The LG remote has 1 input selector called "Radio/Input" which each press scrolls through all the choices which cannot be re-named. They are HMDI 1, HDM1 2, AUX, etc.-- try explaining that to a non-tech-savvy spouse.
Back to the good points. The sound quality is what you want out of a system: thumpin' bass, crisp voice and good high end. I connected via LAN, and took advantage of some of the trial memberships in the first few days. Netflix online-only sucks, as the selection is limited to older releases. I quit Netflix a while back because of this, and thought they would have figured it out but hadn't. I canceled the trial membership the same night because I couldn't find anything we wanted to watch. Vudu was new to me, but this is the one for me. I watched an HD (1080p), 3D movie (streaming)with no hiccups AT ALL, and the picture quality was as if I had a 3D blu ray in the player-- amazing!
Bottom line: money well invested, and bringing our family together in one room to enjoy the new 3D TV/HTS system. Daughter now has the cool house, so we just need to keep the fridge stocked for all the teenage appetites! Now considering a cover charge to walk through our door. - Blu-ray Player - Home Theater Systems'
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