Panasonic SC-BT330

Panasonic SC-BT330 review

Styled in gloss black, this Panasonic's unremarkable main unit could easily pass for a bog standard Blu-ray deck. But the SC-BT330 brings a number of multimedia experiences to the party, including VieraCast 'net video, DLNA networking, SD card playback and a built-in iPod/iPhone dock. Throw in a 5.1 speaker system with 7.1 virtual surround, the latest HDMI with audio return channel and the option to upgrade to Wi-Fi rear speakers and Wi-Fi networking and you have a system with more cutting-edge features than a chain saw factory. The speaker array comprises a pair of skinny tallboys, a side-firing sub, a diminutive centre and pair of bookshelf rears. All very tidy and unimposing. Equally tidy is the recessed iPod dock, lurking under a flap on the top of the unit. Hooking up the speakers using the colour-coded bell-wire is a doddle, whilst the only other cables required are HDMI, Ethernet and possibly digital optical connections for a digibox, etc. Installation is made easy by an auto speaker setup mic and a Smart setup wizard. There are also plenty of tweaks in the menus, such as manually setting the 1080p24 BD output.