Bose Goes HDMI... 4 Years Later

You know HDMI has finally hit the mainstream when Bose decides its products need the new connector. A full five years (give or take a few months) has passed since the introduction of HDMI 1.0 and Bose is finally giving it a whirl in two of their latest Lifestyle products. The last remaining holdout (even Sherwood Newcastle and Harman Kardon have HDMI now) Bose updated its two new Lifestyle home theater systems with HDMI 1.2a connections (2 in, 1 out), built-in video transcoding and upscaling, and a hideaway media console, which connects with other source components.

Is this a sign that HDMI has finally caught on in the minds of consumers? This is certainly a good indicator of just that.

Bose's new gizmo, the hideaway console, makes it possible to hide connected source components since the unit works via an RF remote. In the Bose tradition of form over function, the only visible components in one of the Lifestyle-based home theater system is the TV, small speakers, and a small standalone Bose display with a handful of control buttons.

The two new Lifestyle systems are the V20 and V30 at $1,999 and $2,999 MSRP, respectively. These are also the first Lifestyle systems without integrated music and video sources such as a CD or DVD player. The idea is that consumers can add any source components they want, however this seems more like a cost-cutting measure since the majority of Bose systems are typically used without any additions apart from a display. It will be interesting to see how consumers cope with the fact that they may have to buy a non Bose-branded product in order to play anything other than the FM radio. That's right, that $3000 you just spent didn't even get you an integrated CD or DVD player, but at least both systems incorporate an AM/FM tuner.

Both 5.1-channel systems feature the ability to transcode video from connected composite-, S-, and component-video sources to HDMI and upscale connected video sources up to 1080p.

The new systems are available in all of the company’s 115 Bose-branded stores, Bose’s web site and toll-free number, and authorized Bose dealers. We expect reviews and ads for these products should be popping up any day now in Playboy, Stuff, Men's Health, DiscoveryHD channel and the usual places.