Comparison Sony HT-CT290 vs Sony HT-CT390

— Airplay. Wireless technology for connecting an external signal source to the projector. Developed by Apple, it is mainly used to connect with its devices (for example, iPad tablets or MacBook laptops), although it is also used by other manufacturers. AirPlay allows you to transfer not only sound, but also text and graphic information, and even video, which can be useful when connecting the projector to a TV. This technology, by definition, means support for Wi-Fi (see below), because. it is based on this interface.

— Airplay 2. The second generation of the AirPlay technology described above, introduced in 2018. Among the main innovations of this version is support for the "multi-room" format, that is, the simultaneous transmission of several audio signals to different compatible devices installed in different places. In this way, you can, for example, turn on an online broadcast of a news programme in the living room, relaxing music in the bedroom, etc. In addition, AirPlay 2 received a number of other improvements — improved buffering, the ability to stream to stereo speakers, as well as support for voice control via Siri.

— Chromecast. The original name is Google Cast. A technology for broadcasting content to external devices developed by Google. Allows you to transmit an audio signal from a PC or mobile device to the soundbar, the broadcast is standar...dly carried out via Wi-Fi, while the receiver and signal source must be in the same Wi-Fi network (Chromecast media players are an exception). Note that in signal sources (smartphones, tablets, PCs, etc.), Chromecast is implemented at the level of individual applications. For example, at the time of its creation, this feature was available, among others, in the YouTube and Netflix apps for Android and iOS, as well as in the web versions of these apps for Chrome. Thanks to this format, this technology is extremely widespread nowadays, and the ability to connect a particular gadget to an audio system with a Chromecast is usually limited to the ability to install appropriate applications on this gadget.

— Wi-Fi. Wireless technology with multiple applications. One of them is connecting to a computer network; in sound projectors, it is primarily used for local resources (see DLNA below) or AirPlay technology (see above), as well as for controlling the projector over a network. Another option is to connect directly to other devices. The possibilities of such a connection in different models may also be different; one of the most popular options is remote control of the projector from a smartphone, tablet, etc.

— Bluetooth. Wireless technology designed to directly connect different electronic devices to each other. In sound projectors, it is primarily used to broadcast audio wirelessly from another Bluetooth device, such as a smartphone or laptop. However, there may be other options — for example, connecting wireless headphones to the projector itself or remote control from the same smartphone. It is worth noting here that the sound quality when transmitting via Bluetooth is somewhat lower than with a wired connection; on the other hand, this is offset by convenience, and some models of sound projectors may even have a "sound restoration" system.

— NFC. NFC is a wireless communication technology over short distances, up to 10 cm. In sound projectors, it is used mainly as an auxiliary, to facilitate connection via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It looks like this: instead of manually digging into the settings, just bring an NFC-compatible device to the projector chip and confirm the connection.

— FM radio. The projector has a built-in FM tuner. This function actually turns the device into a full-fledged radio receiver, allowing you to receive broadcasts on the FM band (which broadcasts most music radio stations). Note that some models with a tuner may support other bands, such as AM or digital DAB.

— LAN. A standard wired connection to a computer network, also known as Ethernet or RJ-45. Like Wi-Fi (see above), in sound projectors it is used primarily for working on a local network; however, LAN capabilities can include both playback of network content via DLNA (see below) and control of projector settings via a network from a computer. A wired connection is not as convenient as Wi-Fi due to the need to run a cable, but it is more reliable and can come in handy when the air is “loaded” (an abundance of Wi-Fi devices nearby).

— DLNA. A technology used to connect various electronic devices into a single digital network with the ability to directly exchange content. Devices for which support for this standard is claimed are able to effectively interact regardless of the manufacturer. And the network itself works on the basis of a conventional computer "local area", connection to it is carried out via LAN or Wi-Fi (see above). In sound projectors, DLNA can be used, for example, to play music from a computer hard drive.

— RS-232. A service interface used to connect the sound projector to a computer and control the sound settings from the PC through a special programme. On some models, it can also be used to update the firmware.

— Connecting an iPod. Special interface for connecting Apple iPod players. Most often it is based on a regular USB connector, to which the player is connected via an adapter cable; however, it may look like a dock — a stand with a proprietary connector, where the gadget is directly placed. Anyway, connecting in this way provides not only playing music from the player, but also other possibilities — for example, switching tracks from the projector's remote control, charging the battery, etc.

— Wireless connection to TV. Ability to connect the sound projector to the TV wirelessly. The advantage of this option is obvious: it eliminates the hassle of additional cables. On the other hand, a wireless connection is usually based on a certain proprietary technology (LG Sound Sync, TV SoundConnect, etc.) and requires a TV that supports the corresponding technology to work. This limits the use of this feature. In addition, such a connection is more susceptible to interference than a wired one, and “wireless” projectors are more expensive than wired ones. Therefore, it is worth specifically looking for a model with such a function if you have a TV with wireless technology support and at the same time the absence of extra wires is fundamental.

— USB A. In this case, we mean a USB connector that allows you to connect external drives (flash drives, hard drives) to the projector and play content directly from them. At the same time, models with video outputs (see below) can often work as a media centre, outputting the video signal to a TV or other external display.

— mini-Jack (3.5 mm). By itself, the 3.5 mm plug can be used in different types of interfaces; in this case, it means a linear audio input with a mini-Jack socket. This input is mainly used to connect portable audio equipment (players, smartphones) to the sound projector.

— RCA. Technically, RCA (colloquially "tulip") is a type of connector that can be used in different interfaces. However, the term "RCA input" is used to refer only to line inputs for connecting an analogue signal in stereo format. Note that this input consists of two sockets for RCA cables, because. Only one channel of sound can be transmitted through one cable.

— Optical. Connector for digital audio signal connection via TOSLINK fibre optic cable. This interface allows for multi-channel audio transmission and is virtually immune to electrical interference; its disadvantage is the fragility of the cable.

— Coaxial S / P-DIF. A connector for connecting a digital audio signal via an elect...rical cable with an RCA connector (not to be confused with linear RCA, described above). Similar to the optical input described above, in particular, the ability to transmit multi-channel audio through a single connector. At the same time, a coaxial cable, on the one hand, is not so delicate, and on the other hand, it is sensitive to electrical interference (therefore, it is advisable to use a special shielded wire for such a connection).

— Composite. In this case, we do not mean a full-format composite interface of three connectors that allows you to transmit audio and video signals, but only one connector for working with video. And since sound projectors don't display images, the composite input is used to send video through the projector to another device, such as a TV. The composite video interface does not allow working with HD and is not of high quality; on the other hand, it is widespread and can even be used to work with frankly outdated video equipment. Typically this input uses a yellow RCA plug.

— Component. An input designed to receive an analogue video signal for further transmission to another device — a TV, video projector, etc. This connection typically uses three RCA connectors, each carrying a different video component (hence the name). Due to this, the component interface has good bandwidth and picture quality, it allows you to work with HD and is considered the most advanced modern analogue video standard.

— IR control input. Connector for connecting an external infrared remote control receiver. When properly placed, such a receiver will allow you to use the remote control even in places where the signal from the remote control cannot reach the main (built-in) sensor — for example, in another room. Note that the role of the receiver can be played not only by a specialized device, but also by another component of the audio system — for example, an amplifier with an IR control output.

The diameter of the full range speakers installed in the sound projector. Broadband speakers are called speakers responsible for reproducing the entire main frequency range — from bass (with the exception of the lowest) to treble. They are used in single-lane projectors. The general rule of acoustics says that the larger the speaker, the higher its power can be and the lower its operating frequencies. Accordingly, the size of full range speakers is usually relatively small.

The ability to control the soundbar, in addition to the standard push-button from the device case, also includes control from the remote control, the TV remote control to which the acoustics are connected, through the application from a smartphone or tablet, and in some cases using a voice assistant. More details about each of them:

— Remote control. The presence in the configuration of the classic remote control on IR sensors, like those used in TVs. It can contain much more settings functions than the controls on the body of the device and, of course, makes it easier to control the soundbar.

— TV remote control (HDMI-CEC). Connecting the soundbar via the HDMI port allows you to control it via the HDMI-CEC protocol via the TV remote control. This solution will reduce the number of remotes in the room and facilitate the comfort of the settings. However, the functionality of the "non-native" remote control may be limited. In this case, the compatibility of the TV and the soundbar can be achieved using other protocols (not necessarily HDMI-CEC).

— Smartphone control. The ability to control the soundbar through the application. This makes it easier to “search” for the remote control, because the phone is always at hand. The application also has extensive settings and such control is highly likely to be supported by t...he TV, which allows you to execute absolutely any commands from your smartphone for a comfortable pastime on the TV.

— Voice assistant. This is not about the assistant built into the soundbar itself, but about compatibility with external devices that have this function (for example, with a smartphone or tablet). But even such compatibility allows you to give commands to the voice projector by voice — this is often more convenient than more traditional control methods. The specific set of supported commands and languages may vary depending on the voice assistant and its specific version. And among the most popular at the moment are Google Assistant, Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa.

The total power consumption of the entire system, both the sound projector itself and the external subwoofer (if present). Usually this indicator is indicated by the average power consumption at maximum volume. Note that on individual signal jumps, the actual power consumption may exceed the claimed one; in some cases (for example, when connected through a voltage stabilizer), this must be taken into account.