What if your next home cinema system was hiding inside your TV box? That's the bet Orange is making with its newly unveiled "Décodeur Home Cinéma", a compact unit packing 4 speakers, Dolby Atmos support and an acoustic design entrusted to Bang & Olufsen. The French operator is aiming for a more immersive sound experience, sparing its users the cost of a separate soundbar, with the added option of two wireless rear speakers to beef up the surround effects. It's a proposition unveiled on Thursday 8 October that stands out in the TV box market, even if it remains reserved for Livebox Max subscribers for now. Here's everything you need to know.
Dolby Atmos, but virtual?
Built by French manufacturer Sagemcom, the "Décodeur Home Cinéma" measures less than 20 cm wide, a size that lets it keep the look of a conventional set-top box despite all the acoustic hardware crammed inside. Beneath its fabric covering, Orange has fitted a dedicated bass driver, 2 side speakers tasked with widening the soundstage and a centre channel designed to improve dialogue clarity. Bang & Olufsen had a hand in designing the system to deliver a sound suited to films, series and sporting events, with no need to install any additional audio kit.
On paper, Dolby Atmos is among the formats the device supports — except it has no up-firing speakers to reproduce height effects directly, so those are generated virtually instead. Users after deeper sonic immersion can, however, add two wireless rear speakers, each fitted with a front-facing driver and a second pointing upwards, to heighten the sense of immersion in compatible content. The press release explains that the speakers rely on Dolby Atmos FlexConnect technology, which adapts sound reproduction to their position in the room and thus sidesteps the usual placement constraints of a home cinema system. All you need to do is plug them into a mains socket and they communicate wirelessly with the box. The one snag is that the device isn't compatible with any other wireless rear speakers, while no additional subwoofer is planned for those after punchier bass, particularly in a large living room. A shame there, too.
Audio isn't the only area where Orange is looking to beef up its hardware, as the Décodeur Home Cinéma also supports 4K, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. It runs on Android TV (a first for an Orange box sold in France) and gives access to the Google Play Store for downloading apps and games. On the plus side, the device can also double as a smart speaker.
The Freebox Delta has been here before...
Now that the introductions to the Décodeur Home Cinéma are out of the way, it's worth remembering that building an audio system into a piece of TV kit isn't entirely new: Free launched the Devialet-designed Freebox Delta back in 2018, only to drop it in 2023 due to weak demand. Orange had also dipped a toe in this market in 2017 with a soundbar developed with Cabasse, but that one complemented the box rather than merging the two functions into a single device. The new model therefore takes a different approach, which could appeal to users who want to improve their TV's sound without installing a soundbar under the screen or adding yet more cables. We'll have to wait until we can test the device in real-world conditions to find out whether its performance lives up to Orange's stated ambitions, especially in large rooms where the lack of a subwoofer could make itself felt.
Livebox Max only (with extra charges)
It should be noted that the "Décodeur Home Cinéma" won't be offered to all Orange subscribers, as the operator is reserving it for its Livebox Max package, priced at €47.99 per month for the first 12 months for new customers, after which the subscription rises to €57.99 per month. While the device doesn't push up the subscription price, activating it does carry an extra cost of €50 when taking out a new contract, while existing Livebox Max customers will have to pay €40 to swap out their current box, provided they're on an eligible plan. Those wanting to round out the setup with the two rear speakers will also have to stump up €80 in activation fees.
Either way, the concept has plenty to interest households after more immersive sound without investing in an extra system, but the technical and software constraints could limit its appeal for the most demanding users.
