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Around twenty years ago an essential component of any high-end home cinema was a scaler, with companies such as Faroudja and Snell & Wilcox striving to deliver the very best picture from the humble old DVD. Twenty years later all equipment seems to have some form of scaler built in. So why the need for a high-priced outboard model, such as Lumagen's Radiance Pro 4242?

The Ultra HD Blu-ray format, launched during an era when streaming services are eating into physical media sales, has posted impressive retail figures that compare favourably to the first few months of Blu-ray, according to US industry mag Home Media Magazine.

It's perhaps surprising that the concept of ultra short throw projectors for the home hasn't taken off more readily. Unlike traditional home cinema beamers, which cast images across 3m to 5m, UST models like this £1,000 Optoma GT5000 throw up a 100in image from just 30cm. 

Denon's AVR-X2300W is an AV receiver after my cash-conscious heart. Available for £500, it offers buyers at this price everything they will probably expect, all wrapped up in a neat design and delivered with a welcome understanding that those investing in home cinema separates may still be AV novices.