Use a "soundbar" as a center channel?

[RobFromCT]

Hi....I have a 7.1 setup and am thinking about new speakers to go along with the new TV I've purchased (Panasonic TC-P58V10). For normal everyday TV watching I'd like to have something the kids can operate that sounds better than the tv's built-in speakers and, unlike my home theater, doesn't require powering up, setting the correct input, etc. As such, a soundbar, with its built-in amplifier and its auto-switching seems ideal; it'll give me a decent sound without any fiddling around. (Plus, it benefits from a high wife/kid acceptance factor.) However, when we sit down with some popcorn to watch a movie, I'd like to fire up the receiver and use the soundbar to function as a center channel only, with the speakers functioning in an unamplified capacity (as the HT receiver is amplifying the signal) and feed it only the center channel signal. Has anyone ever been able to get a soundbar to function in this fashion? If so, which models support this, and how do you configure it?

[rbinck]

I've never seen such a soundbar.

[plort]

Panasonic Model SCHTB350 will give you what you want, has speaker wire (analog) connections as well as HDMI or digital, and a box to make sure it switches when you switch modes. Also comes with wireless subwoofer.