Panasonic SC-HTE80 Speakerboard Introduced As Sound Bar Alternative

Panasonic has announced a new speakerboard that it is touting as an alternative to sound bars, two of which were just introduced by LG last month. The SC-HTE80 Speakerboard is a no-nonsense looking device, being little more than a dark rectangle with a simple, mostly invisible screen. Panasonic promises that it offers strong bass, however.

The speaker was introduced to consumers today, with Panasonic hailing it as being a slim alternative to traditional sound bar audio systems for home theaters. Says the maker, the SC-HTE80 is a compact speaker designed for use inside an entertainment rack or beneath a TV, with the simple design being as such to give the appearance of neatness and lack of clutter.

The unit measures in at 460mm wide by 60mm high, with the chassis being made with a scratch-free coated top and giving the appearance of brushed metal. Due to its size, Panasonic says it is best used with televisions that range up to 42-inches in size. The design aside, the device offers a range of different connectivity options, both wired and wireless.

The SC-HTE80 has an HDMI input port for wired used, as well as Bluetooth for use with wireless devices. There's also NFC on board for rapidly connecting to devices with the same functionality. This works alongside the Panasonic Music Streaming app for playing audio to the device from a smartphone or a tablet.

There are two subwoofers and a couple Aero Stream Ports on the device, as well as an adjustable equalizer with six different modes: Standard, Stadium, Music, Cinema, News, and Stereo. Sound processing is achieved via the maker's H.Bass technology, while Clear-Mode Dialogue is on board to give the impression that audio is coming from the TV's display rather than beneath it.

SOURCE: Pocket Lint