The TH-S3 is a prime example of the plummeting prices in the home cinema market. While we've seen setups from unknown brands gracing the shelves of our local supermarket for as little as £70, this system is from one of the most respected electronics companies in the world - and yet costs just £150. It would no doubt have cost almost twice as much a year ago. Let's just hope JVC hasn't let standards slip to reach this low price point...
Budget beauty?
While not as good-looking as some of JVC's more expensive systems, the brand's attention to detail is still evident on this ultra-affordable model. It's certainly more eye-catching than your typical supermarket system! The main unit is compact - especially considering that it contains all the system's surround sound amplification and processing - and the blue insert on the DVD loading tray gives it a stylish twist. The partnering speakers feel solidly built, and their tiny dimensions made for a discreet installation when we placed them around our test room.
Setup is straightforward and, as with most of today's one-box systems, speaker connections are clearly labelled to make the home cinema novice feel at ease. What's more, the remote control is reasonably sophisticated for the price, neatly hiding lesser-used controls beneath a flap.
The TH-S3 continued to belie its budget price when we looked at its features. Topping the hit list is its ability to playback high-res DVD-Audio music discs (a feature that certainly wouldn't have appeared on a £150 system a year ago), closely followed by the presence of component video inputs for taking top-notch progressive scan pictures to your flatscreen. Dolby Digital and DTS decoding is onboard for 5.1 DVD soundtracks, while Dolby Pro-Logic II processing can convert stereo sources into near-digital surround sound.
Hooking up the TH-S3 to our TV via its component video outputs produced images that were very respectable for the price. The web-slinging action of Spider-Man 2 is a tough test for any system, but we were impressed by the TH-S3's detail resolution, even during fast-moving fight scenes. Colours are also strong, though skin tones were sometimes less rosy than they should be, making Kirsten Dunst look paler than ever!
