Philips HTS8140 Expert Reviews

The main soundbar unit measures 40in wide, 7in high and 5in deep, and is adorned with a slick, touch-sensitive control panel that slides to one side to reveal the DVD player. The subwoofer unit isn't quite so elegant - at almost 18in high and 12in ...

Good audio quality, along with upscaling DVD player and iPod connectivity

Virtual surround sound isn't very effective

Raising the sound bar...

Solid surround performance Superb upscaled DVD pictures; iPod dock and USB input; Cool touch sensitive controls

Long, fat cable between sub and bar; Audio inputs on sub rather than bar

An all round winner of a better home cinema system

The latest Philips SoundBar is a virtual surround sound system with integrated DVD player offering improved cosmetics and solid sound quality.

Great with music ; excellent DVD playback ; iPod dock ; 1080p DVD upscaling ; slick styling

No video switching ; no wireless ; bass needs adjusting for music

 If you're looking for a discrete budget system that's equally at home with music as it is with movies, they don't come much better than the Philips SoundBar HTS8140.

philips soundbar hts8140 review: If you're looking for a discrete budget system as equally at home with music as it is with movies then they don't come much better than the Philips SoundBar HTS8140.

Great with music, Excellent DVD playback, iPod dock, 1080p upscaling, Slick styling

No video switching, No wireless, Bass needs adjusting for music

If you're looking for a discrete budget system as equally at home with music as it is with movies then they don't come much better than the Philips SoundBar HTS8140.

Don't want to get into a tangle with a full 5.1 surround setup? This stylish Philips one-bar system could be just the ticket…

Looks natty. Fuss-free setup. Excellent picture and decent sound

Surround sound not real 5.1. Audio inputs on subwoofer

If you don't have the room or the need for a full 5.1-channel surround sound system, Philips has just the thing...

As long as you're not expecting 'proper' surround sound, this is an impressive do-it-all movie player

More convenient than a six-speaker system ; very good upscaled DVD pictures ; decent ability with movie soundtracks

Sound doesn't surround as well as a 'proper' speaker package ; not agile enough for CDs ; units are fairly large

This bar-and-subwoofer combo from Philips isn't just a surround sound solution – it's an entire home cinema system in its own right, sporting a built-in DVD player, FM radio and iPod dock. So, can that doyen of home theatre, Philips, deliver the most ...

The Philips HTS8140 looks fantastic and futuristic in equal measure. Tap a finger on the sparkling glass front panel and it slides across to reveal the disc tray. On the audio front, Philips' Ambisound technology succeeds in "wrapping" the audio ...

The system is a bit larger than most soundbars and, with the separate subwoofer, you'll also need to keep some floor-space free. The sub also needs to be connected to the bar, and the lead provided is long and thick - so you could end up having to ...