Blu-ray Player Ratings and Surround Sound Systems Announced by 10rate

2013 has seen a number of new models introduced for all sorts of home theater equipment. Steve Holdgren, one of the main technology editors at 10rate.com, knows how important it is to find the best product to get the job done for the best deal. HDTVs, budget LED TVs, and 32" to 42" LCD TVs were his main focus while he also compiled lists of the best blu-ray players and home theater systems. Some of the criteria he used to rate the products from 1 to 10 were up-conversion video quality, features like built-in wifi and 3D playback, price vs value, and ease of use. Editor's choice awards for Best Quality, Best Value, and Best Budget products were assigned to those excelling in each category.

While reviewing TVs, Steve Holdgren started out broad before narrowing down his lists. For the HDTV Ratings page he awarded the Panasonic TC-P60VT60 plasma TV and the Samsung UN60F8000 LED TV top spots on the list. The Panasonic "has exceptionally saturated black levels and best in the market contrast. In fact only OLED TVs can beat the black levels and wonderful color saturation," while the Samsung has an incredibly bright picture, a plethora of Smart TV features, and a very appealing appearance.

He chose the Samsung UN55F6400 for the top spot of his Budget LED TV list. A big plus for this TV is the inclusion of active 3D playback as well as the Smart Touch remote that he claims is "about 2x faster than pressing arrow buttons" when surfing the internet and browsing the Smart Hub features. This model was also given the editor's choice award for Best Quality.

He wrapped up his TV reviews with a list of the best 32 to 42 inch LCD TV Ratings. Samsung's UN32F5000 was given the Best Value award because the "side angle viewing is better than most LED TVs of this price range due to the clearer screen. Appearance and design are also much better than the competition," Holdgren said. The price tag is also very appealing.

When it comes to watching media on a brand new HDTV, a blu-ray player is going to be one of the best options. His 3D Blu-ray Player Comparison list has the Samsung BD-F6700 as the best model with a rating of 9.5 and the Best Quality award. He said, "A big improvement over previous models is the inclusion of 4K upscaling. This is still relatively new technology, but for those capable of displaying UHD content it is a worthy addition."

A new TV and blu-ray player are not complete until they are set up with the right sound system. 10Rate's Home Theater System Reviews list features a number of affordable 5.1 speaker set ups perfect for anyone trying to level up their setup. The Sony BDV-N7100W was the top choice because, "It's a feature packed system that includes a 3D blu-ray player with 4K upscaling, wifi for connection to streaming media, and a 5.1 surround experience that will take your movies and games to the next level," the review said.

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