Every seat on the coaster has a "guest interface panel," which is a touchpad that allows them to choose what music they want to listen to during the ride. Their choice is then pumped through individual Polk Audio speaker setups designed to ensure that they hear their own music and not the music of the people around them.

During the ride, 14 cameras will be filming them. There are six on each car and eight along the track. The footage is then edited with the music you're listening to and you're able to take it home with you, for a price of course.

Look for the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit to open later this spring/summer. [Universal Orlando]

So while he's roasting a pig...or two...or three...Seville can listen to an unspecified but bold looking wattage-worth of Polk Audio speakers and Alpine amplifiers. He can watch his Samsung TV complete with Valor DVD receiver. And then, when he's all done partaking in the digital deliciousness, he can sink his teeth into some succulent smoked ribs, or maybe just a simple brat and beer.

Damn we need to get to an Octoberfest already. And fast. [Crutchfield via Bornrich]

Polk Audio to Debut Single Speaker Home Theater System at CES '08
— SurroundBar®360º DVD Theater Offers the Perfect Blend Of Form and Function in a Two-Piece System —

What: Polk Audio will use the occasion of the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show to debut the SurroundBar® 360º DVD Theater, a complete, two-piece home theater featuring a single, sleek, aesthetically pleasing SurroundBar multichannel speaker and a separate, compact console with integrated DVD/CD player, FM/AM tuner, and a front USB input for connecting a portable MP3 player.

The speaker enclosure features a physical design that is similar to the company's acclaimed SurroundBar single-cabinet multichannel speaker. Like its immediate predecessor, the new 5.1-channel SurroundBar® 360º DVD Theater incorporates the sonic benefits of the company's SDA® technology and patented PowerPort® bass venting for true-to-life surround imaging

The system includes a host of inputs/outputs, HDMI connectivity, a single 15' cable (console to speaker) and two sets of Cradle Mounts for installation flexibility. The SurroundBar®360º DVD Theater is clearly the high-output home theater solution for consumers who want maximum performance and convenience, without the clutter of typical component systems.

Polk Audio will conduct a limited number of SurroundBar® 360º DVD Theater demonstrations at CES. Appointments are recommended. (See below for contact information.)

Also on display will be the new I-Sonic® Entertainment System 2. This second generation I-Sonic features the same stunning sound as the original tabletop model, but with an iPod dock and full player control. Additionally, the I-Sonic ES2 features iTunes® Tagging for HD Radio®.

When: 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, January 7 - 10, 2008 Where: South Hall Booth #20507, Las Vegas Convention Center

Active surround sound: Plug and play, no external amp needed
Philips Ambisound ($1,000) - You get a lot for your money with this one. Not only is it an active surround system, but it comes with an iPod dock and has a built-in DVD player.

Yamaha YSP series ($900 to $1,800) - Real deal audio projectors rely on reflection against back walls and a particular sweet spot, but often do very well to convey the 3D sound feel. The new flagship does video upscaling via HDMI and can handle iPods and XM radio.

Yamaha YAS-70 ($600) - This is very promising, for the money. It's meant specifically for smaller rooms, but promises the same surround as its siblings. And like the YSPs, it also requires a separate subwoofer.

SoundMatters SlimStage (Still "Under $1,000") - A powered sound-bar billed as slim yet so powerful and rich in frequency range, it doesn't even need a separate subwoofer. Too bad it hasn't shipped yet. When it does, it will succeed the $429 MainStage HD.

Denon DHT-FS3 Active Surround Sound System ($1,200) - 5-channel built-in amplifier for surround, plus a powered 50-watt subwoofer. (Three digital inputs, one analog one.)

Passive surround sound: Needs a little juice
Polk SurroundBar50 ($1,100) and SurroundBar ($950) - Delivers true five-channel sound, but does it the old fashioned way: It requires a 5.1 amplifier, like an A/V receiver or a home theater in a box. Also, you still need to supply a subwoofer.

Stereo sound bars: Not true surround, but you can fool some people some time
Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two ($400) - Today's Boston Acoustics entrant promises just 2.1, with a wireless "woofer" for middle to low-end fillout.

ZVOX ($200 to $600) - A bit chunky and stereo all the way, this all-in-one speakerbox has a cult following because of how much it eerily mimics surround sound with nothing more than stereo source. Great for people who just don't care about things creeping up from the rear.

A few of you audiophile folks might be wondering where some of your favorite sound bars are, like the Paradigm 3-in-1, the Mirage Uni-Theater or the Atlantic FS-5000 Flat Screen Speaker. These are all pretty awesome speaker bars, but they don't fulfill the specific goal of the others: they don't keep you from installing surround speakers behind your couch. Anyone who buys one of these and not use it as a complete surround system (in some cases, by buying a second to mount in the rear) is just dumb, or at least should have probably stuck with that tasty ZVOX.

Well, are they the end of the world? I don't think so. As you can see, there are just too many different types at work here, some are bound to be good, others not so much. The most important takeaway for all of us, including that stuffy editor, is that in the coming year there will only be more, not less, of these. So it's good to know what we're in for.

Measuring 51 x 4.5 x 5.1 inches, the SurroundBar50 comes with a bracket that you hang either above or below your TV, and will cost $1099.95 when it is released in October. [OhGizmo!]

Product Page [Via Uncrate]

Seems like a pretty damn good radio that will do damn near everything. But like any all-in-one device, it carries a pretty hefty price tag: $600. Check out the video, and let that Polk Audio guy sell you on it. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Orbitcast]

Custom Installation has just jumped the shark (or as we like to say now in honor of TomKat, jumped the couch) with Polk Audio's new LCi-UP Ultra High-Performance In-Wall/In-Ceiling Louspeakers (yes, that's the complete official name for them). Made for IP networked systems, Polk promises the speakers will still sound groovy with analog systems as well. Includes integrated digital amplifiers, built-in Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and a supplied Room Correction Software program, which Integrators can play with via a front panel USB connection and PC (or through the NetStreams network) to optimize each speaker for room location and speaker configuration.

LC265i-IP [Polk Audio]