Sony HT-AS5: Surround-sound system named after redneck licence plate

Yee-haw! We've long complained that gadget names -- especially home-cinema products -- are incomprehensible strings of letters and numbers. Sony has taken our grousing to heart, and gone down the unexpected route of naming its latest surround-sound system after a redneck licence plate. Say howdy to the Sony HT-AS5.

This fine piece of HT-AS5 has plenty of junk in its trunk. It's designed to work with Sony's 3D home-cinema range of Bravia tellies, Blu-ray players and PS3 games consoles -- this includes 3D pass-through on three HDMI inputs and one output. Importantly, the HDMI output offers an audio-return channel. Sound can be sent in both directions between telly and sound system via one HDMI cable, instead of needing an extra audio cable.

To connect your console or set-top box to your HT-AS5, there's a coaxial and two optical digital inputs. It packs a 1,000W S-Master digital amplifier in its subwoofer unit, and offers 7.1-channel LPCM from Blu-ray players.

If you want get your hands on some HT-AS5, it'll cost you around £400. HT-AS5 is available online now. The sound will rise again -- if you turn up the volume that is.