The HTL2163B SoundBar has been designed by Philips to deliver a deep, faithful, room-filling sound that will enrich your home entertainment experience.
The 120-watt SoundBar has an elegant low-rise profile that blends seamlessly into any home décor. No need to purchase extra speakers, the virtual surround sound uses spatial algorithms to deliver the same sonic characteristics that occur when using 5.1 Dolby® Digital Surround Sound. Furthermore, you can enjoy an immersive experience with the external subwoofer, delivering thunderous explosions and warm deep bass.
With Bluetooth® connectivity, you can connect and stream audio from all compatible devices without the inconvenience of cables. The Philips HTL2163B is compatible with TVs, BD/DVD players, gaming consoles, MP3 players and many other audio entertainment devices. The HTL2163B also supports USB connectivity, so you can enjoy content straight from your USB device with seamless playback through the soundbar's high quality speakers. With the line and auxiliary inputs, you can enjoy your favourite music with a single cable, using your iPod, iPhone or any other music player.
Spec
Interfaces/Ports
Auxiliary Input Y
Power
Soundbar Wattage 2 x 30W
Subwoofer Wattage 60 W
Wireless Y
Sound
Speaker System 2.1ch
Key Information
Type Soundbar
Network & Communication
Bluetooth® Y
Features
Optical Audio Y
Dolby Digital Y
NFC Enabled N
Remote Control Y
All comments (66)
osstis
15 Nov 16#1
Just picked one up from Bradford Tesco Extra. Last one left on the shelf but can still order online or check your nearest store for stock availability. Cannot comment on quality as I'm at work now but getting very good reviews. I would recommend to buy optical cable separately as it's not included
m1chaels
15 Nov 16#2
Is it a wireless subwoofer?
osstis to m1chaels
15 Nov 16#3
No, it's wired. No wireless sub within this price range unfortunately
I have this too, it's very decent but maximum volume isn't that loud for large rooms if you're into listening to stuff really loud!
GiggleStool
15 Nov 16#11
best to have it decode HDMI audio.
Optical audio can't do true surround sound. All the cheaper soundbars use optical audio.
willp27
15 Nov 161#12
Got one of these from Argos for a few ££ more the other day. Big thing for me is that it comes with hdmi arc so the tv can turn it on and off. Went from a 5.1 setup with AV amp to this (downsize) and pleasantly surprised. Bass and treble adjustable as well as various sound modes. Miles better than TV.
TheDobbus
15 Nov 16#13
I want a sound bar, and this looks great. The only remote control I want to use is the sky remote tho. I have my TV set up with the sky controller so it does everything I need. Would I need to use the separate remote for this, or can I get my sky controller to work it too?
daz4225 to TheDobbus
15 Nov 16#14
I want to know the same :smirk:
willp27 to TheDobbus
16 Nov 16#18
I have a sky q remote which when you turn the box on, also turns on the tv which then turns on the sound bar. The remote is set up to control volume of soundbar rather than TV so it's the only one I use.
djames108 to TheDobbus
16 Nov 161#20
if you connect this to your TV using HDMI arc, if your TV supports it then as you increase the volume on it your soundbar volume will increase also. it will also turn the soundbar on/off as you turn your TV on/off
daz4225 to TheDobbus
16 Nov 161#21
Just bought it, works fine with sky remote I've connected via hdmi arc
BoomJack94
15 Nov 16#15
Bought these a few weeks ago at Argos. Great speakers. The bass is good and Bluetooth is a nice bonus, didn't really buy it for that but I use it all the time now. The remote is a blessing. I used to have normal PC speakers so I had to get up all the time to change the volume. I wish they could go louder however.
tommymcelroy
16 Nov 16#16
Is the best way to connect this via hdmi (arc) or optical cable?
ian18
16 Nov 16#17
So, if we had this can we add wireless rear speakers? For the last 50 years we have watched TV with the built in speakers so have no idea!
nomez
16 Nov 16#19
Does it make much difference mixing TV brands and sound bars? Or is it best to stick with same brand to optimize sound quality?
stressedman to nomez
16 Nov 161#22
no difference at all
stressedman
16 Nov 16#23
i have the Philips model that floats about £200 on amazon. the sound quality is really impressive for even that price.
HugoLuca
16 Nov 16#24
Any recommendations on a awesome surround sound cinema 5.1 or better that can be used with 4k and 4k uhd movies? At a super price :P
EN1GMA
16 Nov 161#25
ah what the heck, just ordered due to the positive feedback from you guys.
flockdogg
16 Nov 16#26
Just picked one up from Walsall Extra, looks like they've still got a fair few in stock. Marked up with 2 prices (£59.16 and about £62) but scans at £59.16. Great find OP.
killabyte
16 Nov 16#27
Got the one from argos. £62.27 but got a free £5 voucher. Returned the item in another town and then bought using the voucher again making it £57.27. Just set it up and have to say it's very good for the price paid! I love it
PhilsterUK to killabyte
16 Nov 161#28
Wow, that's a whole lot of effort and time to save yourself a fiver!
killabyte
16 Nov 16#29
Not really Cause I was Going Past 2 Argos's And It Wasnt An Issue For Me. Still Got Another 5 Pound GiFt Voucher!
ian18
16 Nov 16#30
Sounds like fraud. You should have returned the original £5 voucher.
killabyte to ian18
16 Nov 16#31
Not really. Left the extra £5 voucher at one of the kiosk for a lucky customer! :smiley:
ian18
16 Nov 16#32
However even if you did, Argos still lost £5 as you obtained it £5 cheaper. Not sure how that is correct.
pete147
17 Nov 16#33
got one from Tesco burnt tree island. one left on the shelf.
many thanks OP
swinbag
18 Nov 16#34
Picked one up from my local Tesco's last night - very surprised it has HDMI ARC given the price.
Initial impressions last night were very good - there are a number presets for sound and some settings to play with but can't complain for £54 using some CC vouchers :smiley:
Cheers OP.
pitlab1
18 Nov 16#35
We are all here in 1 purpose - aren't we? To save a few £..
markjohnson
18 Nov 16#36
Got this yesterday ,set up is easy with superb sound :laughing:
osstis to markjohnson
19 Nov 16#39
no issue at all.
GoTeamGaz
19 Nov 16#37
Just got this & set it up to my Samsung tv & Sky Q. It's my first sound bar, never realised how bad the tv audio was, sound is crystal clear and the bass is amazing! Well worth the money!
Can confirm changing the volume & on/off works on every remote (soundbar, tv, blu-ray & sky q)
killabyte
19 Nov 16#38
Anyone else having issues with theirs? The sound on mine cuts out, it's like a 1 sec cut out of sound like it's muted. It only happens with hdmi or optic. Bluetooth is fine however...
Don't think this is compatible with my Samsung TV. I exchanged my soundbar for another as I thought it was fault. But it wasn't because the new soundbar is also having that issue. I'm gonna try changing the cables I have. But works fine on my brothers TV. Guess it means that something wrong with my TV and it's not fully compatible with the soundbar. It's a shame. Really liked the product!
killabyte
20 Nov 161#42
Yeh mate optical cable is your best bet. Only downside is that you'll have to control the volume from the remote supplied and not ur TV remote.
Destard
20 Nov 16#43
I have a Samsung series 6 from 2008.
It doesn't seem to have ARC.
It does have 4 HDMI ports and a digital optical.
Would I simply connect the digital optical to this soundbar, and then connect the soundbar to a mains socket? Is that all, or will I need to configure settings on the TV or need to buy something else?
Also, how does the sub woofer connect? is it to the soundbar, or does it require a separate connection of it's own to the TV?
Thanks.
osstis to Destard
21 Nov 16#44
You need just standard optical cable for straightforward connection. From soundbar remote control select "optical" and That's it. I have similar TV with HDMI 1.3 no ARC. All HDMI 1.4 and above supports ARC
maisoldman
22 Nov 16#45
Sorry maybe being thick here , first sound bar purchase. I understand it doesn't come with a cable so am I looking for an hdmi to audio cable ( arc ) ?
Ogre to maisoldman
24 Nov 161#46
No, you need a tv that does hdmi arc and a hdmi 1.4 or above cable
NeilB
24 Nov 16#47
Does anyone know if you can turn the bluetooth off on this?
IamJon
25 Nov 16#48
Might pick one of these up tomorrow.
Not expecting amazing sound but hope it will be an improvement on my old 40" Samsung Series 6 built in speakers (20W RMS). Only going in bedroom so doesn't need to be too loud.
MIB15
25 Nov 16#49
Great price....thanks for posting OP
osstis
25 Nov 16#50
I think everyone who is buying Sharp 49inch from Tesco looking for soundbar
Tequila
25 Nov 16#51
very poor bass.
and very average sound.
even at this price.
maybe ok if you have a REALY bad sounding TV but don't expect much.
another really annoying problem is that it doesn't turn on automatically when you turn on the tv.
mattjcollins7 to Tequila
25 Nov 161#53
Having to press one button on a remote really infuriates me, too.
NeilB to Tequila
25 Nov 161#54
Have to disagree with this, Ive just got this and as we live in a semi-detached we didnt want anything too earth shattering, but this is a noticeable improvement on TV speakers. We have a very decent Panasonic LED TV and this is a marked improvement. Seems to work perfectly via HDMI ARC so the Sky remote controls the soundbar volume automatically when its switched on. No complaints here at all.
Ogre
25 Nov 16#52
Mine does
osstis
26 Nov 161#55
I had Technika 2.1 soundbar and Logitech 5.1 system. Technika is very poor compared to this one. Logitech was excellent but subwoofer broken aftet 3 yrs. Philips is a great in this price range. Bass is not perfect but still very good and much improvement over my Toshiba Regza TV
Tequila
26 Nov 16#56
it does only if you use HDMI Arc not optical.
even then, there is a VERY long delay from when you turn on the TV till when you hear the audio.so slow.
Tequila
26 Nov 16#57
well i wasn't looking for anything earth shattering at all,I had a basic samsung soundbar which I foolishly sold, and that one had much better bass, was better looks and more importantly much more smart.
yes with this Philips I can use HDMI Arc instead of optical, which enables auto on when tv is turned on but why waste a HDMI port? at this price range there is zero advantage for HDMI Arc vs optical cable..also where are the on screen setting when you use HDMI arc? non existent! just a blue screen.
and worse than all even through HDMI arc, it takes a good 20 seconds after tv is turned on until you can hear the audio.
none of these issues where present on the budget samsung soundbar.so it just shows philips' lack of intelligence and common sense when they designed this.
Tequila
26 Nov 16#58
one button on remote and waiting 20 seconds until you can actually hear the audio.
again these issues shouldn't be there.other soudnbars don't have these problems.
mattjcollins7
26 Nov 16#59
Fair point. Mine appears to be fine with the standby start, however I will say it does have to be put into standby in HDMI arc mode for the function to work.
I do not have a 20 second delay either. TV = Samsung 40JU6445.
mattjcollins7
26 Nov 16#60
Quick advice: I know nothing about audio formats... To start with dialogue audio was incredibly quiet, playing from PS4. Realised that my TV was set to PCM as was PS4. Changed both to Dolby and happy days now.
robwatto
28 Nov 16#61
I am so glad I visited this deal page. Was looking to get rid of wall mounted speakers which were surround sound. The amount of wires was just ridiculous.
Got one of these at Argos and I have to say it is the best £62 I have spent in a long time. Run mine through optical cable. The sound is amazing. Simply stunning. For the small amount it cost it delivers almost like cinema sound. Even my two young children are blown away with the sound.
I'm no audio engineer in terms of quality of sound but in terms of cost and for what we need it for it is perfect. Who cares if there is a slight delay in sound coming through. 20 second delay is no deal breaker. If you want to spend x3 times more on a soundbar then go ahead but I feel you don't really need to!
Awesome find. Thank you very much Op! :smile:
NeilB
28 Nov 161#62
We don't have a 20 second delay here, it 6 seconds from turning on to getting sound out for us. Not something I'm going to worry about :smiley:
IamJon
30 Nov 161#63
Picked one of these up from Argos yesterday for £62.27.
Already having an expensive 5.1 AV setup in the living room I wasn't expecting too much from this but got it as a step up from the built in speakers on bedroom TV.
HDMI and Bluetooth both seem to work well out of the box (not looked at firmware update yet). Was immediately impressed by the sound quality. Can't compare to the full range speakers + sub of my 5.1 setup but voices, films and music all sound clear with a decent level of bass available (no earth shattering LFE effects though). Way better than the speakers in my old 40 LCD which sound distorted and lacking in any bass. Also still a step up from the speakers in my new mid range 55 incher. The treble, bass controls, sound modes and night mode all seem to work quite well allowing you to tune the sound to your liking without making everything sound over processed.
Volume is fairly limited. Plenty for normal TV viewing and even music in a largish room, but not up to cinema reference levels or loud parties. Can still go loud enough to annoy the neighbours though.
djloopuk
5 Dec 16#64
Bought one today from argos, running it thru phono until I get optical cable, but it sounds terrific with my xbox, very pleased
djloopuk
11 Dec 16#65
£80 in argos now
bogdan_bele
22 Feb 17#66
Not anymore. Tesco doesn't seem to stock it anymore and Argos has it at 89.
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Opening post
The HTL2163B SoundBar has been designed by Philips to deliver a deep, faithful, room-filling sound that will enrich your home entertainment experience.
The 120-watt SoundBar has an elegant low-rise profile that blends seamlessly into any home décor. No need to purchase extra speakers, the virtual surround sound uses spatial algorithms to deliver the same sonic characteristics that occur when using 5.1 Dolby® Digital Surround Sound. Furthermore, you can enjoy an immersive experience with the external subwoofer, delivering thunderous explosions and warm deep bass.
With Bluetooth® connectivity, you can connect and stream audio from all compatible devices without the inconvenience of cables. The Philips HTL2163B is compatible with TVs, BD/DVD players, gaming consoles, MP3 players and many other audio entertainment devices. The HTL2163B also supports USB connectivity, so you can enjoy content straight from your USB device with seamless playback through the soundbar's high quality speakers. With the line and auxiliary inputs, you can enjoy your favourite music with a single cable, using your iPod, iPhone or any other music player.
Spec
Interfaces/Ports
Auxiliary Input Y
Power
Soundbar Wattage 2 x 30W
Subwoofer Wattage 60 W
Wireless Y
Sound
Speaker System 2.1ch
Key Information
Type Soundbar
Network & Communication
Bluetooth® Y
Features
Optical Audio Y
Dolby Digital Y
NFC Enabled N
Remote Control Y
All comments (66)
Yes.
Optical audio can't do true surround sound. All the cheaper soundbars use optical audio.
many thanks OP
Initial impressions last night were very good - there are a number presets for sound and some settings to play with but can't complain for £54 using some CC vouchers :smiley:
Cheers OP.
Can confirm changing the volume & on/off works on every remote (soundbar, tv, blu-ray & sky q)
It doesn't seem to have ARC.
It does have 4 HDMI ports and a digital optical.
Would I simply connect the digital optical to this soundbar, and then connect the soundbar to a mains socket? Is that all, or will I need to configure settings on the TV or need to buy something else?
Also, how does the sub woofer connect? is it to the soundbar, or does it require a separate connection of it's own to the TV?
Thanks.
Not expecting amazing sound but hope it will be an improvement on my old 40" Samsung Series 6 built in speakers (20W RMS). Only going in bedroom so doesn't need to be too loud.
and very average sound.
even at this price.
maybe ok if you have a REALY bad sounding TV but don't expect much.
another really annoying problem is that it doesn't turn on automatically when you turn on the tv.
even then, there is a VERY long delay from when you turn on the TV till when you hear the audio.so slow.
yes with this Philips I can use HDMI Arc instead of optical, which enables auto on when tv is turned on but why waste a HDMI port? at this price range there is zero advantage for HDMI Arc vs optical cable..also where are the on screen setting when you use HDMI arc? non existent! just a blue screen.
and worse than all even through HDMI arc, it takes a good 20 seconds after tv is turned on until you can hear the audio.
none of these issues where present on the budget samsung soundbar.so it just shows philips' lack of intelligence and common sense when they designed this.
again these issues shouldn't be there.other soudnbars don't have these problems.
I do not have a 20 second delay either. TV = Samsung 40JU6445.
Got one of these at Argos and I have to say it is the best £62 I have spent in a long time. Run mine through optical cable. The sound is amazing. Simply stunning. For the small amount it cost it delivers almost like cinema sound. Even my two young children are blown away with the sound.
I'm no audio engineer in terms of quality of sound but in terms of cost and for what we need it for it is perfect. Who cares if there is a slight delay in sound coming through. 20 second delay is no deal breaker. If you want to spend x3 times more on a soundbar then go ahead but I feel you don't really need to!
Awesome find. Thank you very much Op! :smile:
Already having an expensive 5.1 AV setup in the living room I wasn't expecting too much from this but got it as a step up from the built in speakers on bedroom TV.
HDMI and Bluetooth both seem to work well out of the box (not looked at firmware update yet). Was immediately impressed by the sound quality. Can't compare to the full range speakers + sub of my 5.1 setup but voices, films and music all sound clear with a decent level of bass available (no earth shattering LFE effects though). Way better than the speakers in my old 40 LCD which sound distorted and lacking in any bass. Also still a step up from the speakers in my new mid range 55 incher. The treble, bass controls, sound modes and night mode all seem to work quite well allowing you to tune the sound to your liking without making everything sound over processed.
Volume is fairly limited. Plenty for normal TV viewing and even music in a largish room, but not up to cinema reference levels or loud parties. Can still go loud enough to annoy the neighbours though.