Want to watch DVD movies on your computer monitor in all their 5.1-channel glory? Yamaha's TSS-1 Theater Surround System can give you sonic depth even if you don't have deep pockets. Included are five tiny satellite speakers, each with a 2-inch driver, a bass module with a 5-inch driver, and a 48-watt processor/amplifier that does Dolby Digital and DTS decoding and also has a 4.1-channel game mode. All the speakers are magnetically shielded, and each satellite has an integral stand. Price: $230. 800-492-6242, www.yamaha.com
If DVD has made you hungry for better quality from your video recordings, Toshiba's W808 VCR might be able to help. Its Super VHS ET capability lets you record on regular VHS tapes with the 400-line resolution of the S-VHS format. Digital noise-reduction circuitry reduces video dropouts in each frame, and the deck's six self-cleaning, 19-micron heads give a sharper picture in EP mode. Other top-of-the-line features include VCR Plus and a satellite/broadcast recording control. A backlit remote is supplied. Price: $350. 800-631-3811, www.toshiba.com/tacp
The Diamond 8 Series speakers from Wharfedale aim to give you brilliant home theater sound for less than the cost of a precious stone. The entry model, the Diamond 8.1 ($200 a pair), measures 7 7/8 x 11 5/8 x 7 1/8 inches and has a 1-inch silk-dome tweeter (used throughout the series) and a 5 1/8-inch long-throw woofer; frequency response is rated as 55 Hz to 20 kHz ±3 dB. The slightly larger Diamond 8.2 ($250 a pair) and the floor-standing 8.3 ($350 a pair, not shown) each have 6 1/2-inch woofers, while the Diamond Center speaker ($150) uses dual 5 1/8-inchers. The speakers are all front-ported, and their medium-density-fiberboard cabinets are finished in maple woodgrain or black vinyl. 781-440-0888, www.iagamerica.com
