At a press event in New York City earlier this week, VIZIO was showing off solutions to improve the sound of any TV, without wires, and without breaking the bank. First up in the company's crop of new announcements is a 5.1-channel sound bar, known as the VHT510.

Designed for use with HDTVs 40 inches and up, VIZIO says that the VHT510 does not make that audio magic happen with just a single soundbar. Au contraire, the package includes a wall-mountable 40-inch sound bar for front left, center and right channel duties, as well as a wireless subwoofer and wireless rear surround speakers. The setup boasts Wireless HD Audio technology to get the audio job done, without wires from sound bar to subwoofer or from the soundbar to the rear speakers.  

To prevent having to plug each rear speaker into a power outlet, only the soundbar and the subwoofer need power, with the soundbar communicating wirelessly with the sub, and the rear speaker wires connected to the subwoofer.  So, as long as you place your subwoofer somewhere toward the back of your room, you won't have to worry about stringing those unsightly speaker wires from the front to the back of your room.  For maximum flexibility, the sub and wireless speakers can be positioned up to 60 feet away from the main unit. 

The setup features support for Dolby Digital, DTS, SRS CircleCinema HD and SRS TruVolume, courtesy of its one digital S/PDIF input and two analog stereo RCA inputs. The VHT510 package also comes with its own remote to scontrol volume and switch inputs. Expect the VHT510 to be available in Q3 2010, for $399.99.

If you're looking for something slightly smaller, VIZIO also announced the VHT210 for smaller HDTV setups. This 32-inch soundbar is similar to the bigger model, but with two 2.75-inch drivers and .75-inch tweeters. Also, it has the wireless subwoofer, but no surrounds. Featuring SRS Studio Sound HD and SRS TruVolume technology, the VHT210 provides both table- and wall-mounting options, with digital audio optical (S/PIDIF) and analog stereo (RCA) inputs. This will also be available in Q3, but for $299.99. 

If you prefer to enjoy your home theater sound discretely, then you might also want to opt for VIZIO's newly announced VHP100 Wireless Home Theater Headphones. This set features 40mm drivers, digital S/PDIF and RCA inputs, and a rechargeable battery. Also, thanks to active noise cancellation and a comfortable over-the-ear design, you can hoard sounds for hours on end. The VHP100 should be available in time to stuff stockings, in Q4, for $299.99.

Where to Buy:

• VIZIO VHT210 2.1 Surround Sound Home Theater with Wireless Subwoofer on Amazon.com
• VIZIO VHT510 5.1 Surround Sound Home theater with Wireless Subwoofer on Amazon.com

Other Announcements and Demos from VIZIO this week:

• VIZIO Unveils LED HDTVs in High Performance XVT Line including 3D TV Models
• VIZIO Bows VBR210, VBR211, VBR231 Blu-ray Players with WiFi, Internet Apps
• VIZIO LED/LCD 3D TV Will Use Inexpensive Passive 3D Glasses (XVT3D654SV)