Showing posts with label samsung lcd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label samsung lcd. Show all posts

Samsung LN46A750 46-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN46A750 46-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have only had this TV for a few days, so this is not a complete review, but I wanted to warn others about some issues that they may find important.
Picture quality is great - I have not run a calibration or tested various known sources for difficult to reproduce scenes or motion. The blacks are so good that the image color looks over saturated at the factory default setting when placed next to a panel with lower contrast ratio. (It should be kept in mind that the eye has a logarithmic response to light, and a 50,000:1 contrast ratio may not be that much more than a 30,000:1 ratio.) In the store I was comparing this panel to a 46a550 and 46a530 all at their factory default settings. The 550's image was more natural looking at the factory default setting.
Watching SD analog content on digital TVs can be annoying with various artifacts visible in the conversion of the analog signal to the native digital of the TV. This TV does a very respectable job of this - with the SD images mostly just looking fuzzy and soft compared to digital content - pretty much what one might expect.
The TOC feature seems like a waste of time and may introduce some issues with light bleeding in from the environment. Not a problem for me in my home environment.
So, if I was happy with the image on the 550 why did I get a 750? Two reasons - Motion blur: the 650 and 750 panels have higher response times and higher refresh rates thus reducing LCD motion blur artifacts, and reason two: DLNA... DNLA is a very nice feature - super nice - I hope it takes off.
DLNA takes advantage of networking and media stored on a PC to provide viewable content through the TV. What's really going on here is that the TV designers are taking advantage of the computer they have inside the TV to enable them to do more digital media things with the TV. The TV has an Ethernet network interface - wireless or wired. We're computer geeks, we have a fairly robust network and my family has a strong interest in Internet downloads of various media content - in particular video. I have various foreign video content that I cannot get on a DVD. Netflix and others (Amazon, Apple, etc) have downloadable video content, although the DRM on much of this content is a problem. The rub is you have to watch this downloaded content on a PC, or a PC hooked directly up to a TV display or some other media PC kludge. DLNA helps get around some of these issues. The DLNA capability of this model is remarkable, not perfect, but still great. You have to install a piece of software on the computer that provides a way for the PC to share content on the PC through the network interface for the TV to "see". On the TV, you use the W.link feature to access the shared content on the PC. Music, Images and Videos stored on the PC are all accessible through the TV. Remarkably easy to access and view on the TV. Fantastic. There are a few glitches - The software on the PC was not able to handle all the media I threw at it in the first go around - I backed off (why would I play music through a TV?) and the software was able to complete it's build of it's database of content on the PC. I hope this problem will get cured in future versions of the DLNA server software that runs on the PC. Another small glitch was that when I decided to end my watching of these shows stored on the PC and I exited the w.link feature it appeared to crash the TV's OS. I had older firmware (1004), so I updated to 1007 and I hope this might cure the problem, although I have no evidence of this yet.
So DLNA looks very promising but it is not perfect. I have not tried viewing content that is locked with DRM of some kind, but I strongly suspect this is not going to work. Further proof that DRM is seriously flawed. Legitimate users (paying customers) should not be restricted in their reasonable use of the content.
The remote seems sufficiently user friendly - some lettering is large enough for older eyes to read easily and the back lighting feature works the way it should making it easier to _read_ the keys in the dark.
The manual's content seems complete and readable but the manual has a major and very annoying flaw. The manual is large with many many pages so being able to refer to page numbers is crucial. It does have page numbers but I defy you to read them in anything other than bright sunlight! They are black numbers printed on a gray field. Strangest printing setup I've ever seen. In the grand scheme of things this is only a minor detail but it is strange - the company knows about the importance of contrast. If I can download the manual as a searchable and linked pdf I won't care.
I have not yet discovered a way to edit the channel description in the channel list. A few digital channels have the information on what their station ID is, but many do not. I have not found a way to add or edit a description that tells me that, for instance, cable channel 117-25 is actually broadcast 33-1 or WBFS or some other more identifiable name.
I also am not yet aware if one can apply individual optimizations to each input. If one can this would be ideal.
Another minor point - I'm not too sure how "green" this TV is in it's energy use. I was quite surprised to discover it was noticeably warm when standing next to it while on.
Finally, my two major disappointments with this TV are:
1) PIP feature - which is quite limited, more like a cheesy cheap faux PIP. First, access to the PIP feature is not at all easy - one has to navigate various menus and sub menus to get at it. But the real problem is that the TV does not have a second tuner of any sort - you cannot watch two channels and swap between them without a second tuner connected through one of the external sources. In fact the PIP limits you to only being able to watch the built in Tuner content in the sub window of the main display which must be using an external source of a specific variety. Strange.... for a high end flagship product to have this kind of limited functionality... A little disturbing and makes you wonder what other cost cutting decisions one might discover with this product in the future.
2) The fixed base - the base does not swivel despite what the specifications at various sites say. I'll have to get a turntable.
Overall - where it matters most - the picture is spectacular. LCDs have come a long way. The picture makes me smile - it's just fun to watch.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN46A750 46-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color

Revolutionary design. Ready to make a statement in your home. The SAMSUNG LN46A750 HDTV offers a truly unique entertainment experience with new Touch of ColorTM. And InfoLinkTM RSS lets you stay connected. Instantly access news, weather, sports and stock information at the push of a button. Seeing is believing with Auto Motion Plus 120HzTM. It creates a crystal-clear picture and wonderfully realistic action scenes. Upgrade your home entertainment with the latest in HD technology

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Samsung LN46B530 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV Review

Samsung LN46B530 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
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I have owned this TV for about 5 months and I am very impressed with this TV and have many good things to say about it. I currently have this TV hanging on my wall and usually watch it at around a 12-foot distance which I believe is a good distance for a 46-inch TV. I am also using this TV as a monitor for a home theater PC which looks just as good as my other computer monitor, if not better. The only reason i didn't give this TV 5 stars is because of the built in speakersPROS
Matte screen finish (Reduces glare significantly which is a big plus when viewing in a room with lots of windows)
Built-in video up-scalar is awesome (I am always impressed when watching VHS and DVD movies.)
Power Consumption (Only 230 Watts powered)
Weight (Weight without the stand is less than 50 lbs which is light enough for me to lift it onto the wall by myself)
HDMI connections (3 HDMI connections seems plenty enough for the devices I have currently)
60,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (twice as good as previous model)
CONS
Built in speakers (Speakers started to rattle and buzz after the volume was turned up to around 50. I would defiantly recommend a home audio system if you want to get the full movie experience)
Component video connections (I had to buy a component switch that could handle my component connections from my Wii, Playstation, and DVD player)


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LN46B530 46IN 1080P LCD 530Series

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Samsung LNT4042H 40-Inch LCD HDTV Review

Samsung LNT4042H 40-Inch LCD HDTV
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I just got this TV set up in my home last evening and I couldn't be more pleased with it. For an "entry level" LCD HDTV, it displays an excellent picture- even on the standard cable channels! The High-def channels are absolutely beautiful. Overall the picture is very crisp and bright (VERY bright at the factory back light setting of 10; had to turn it down a few notches) and the colors are perfect as far as I'm concerned. While I'm sure extreme videophiles will disagree, I can't find any faults with this TV and would recommend it to anyone who's in the market for a flat-panel HDTV in this size and/or price range.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LNT4042H 40-Inch LCD HDTV

For anyone looking for a great value on a 720p HDTV, Samsung's 2007 model LNT4042H 40-inch flat-panel LCD is an excellent choice. As Samsung's entry level 40-inch LCD, it offers a 7000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, a 170-degree viewing angle, an 8ms response time panel, 3 HDMI inputs, and SRS TruSurroundXT from two side speakers. Between the design update, the aditional connections, and improved contrast ratio this model represents a distinct improvement on the popular comperable 40-inch Samsung from 2006 (LNS4041D).

The Samsung Digital Natural Image engine (DNIe) Video Enhancer refines all analog NTSC and wideband video inputs for an overall improvement in picture quality. DNIe improves contrast, white level, picture detail and incorporates digital noise reduction to improve lower quality video inputs. The 3D Y/C digital comb filter constantly analyzes the three dimensions of picture height, picture width, and picture changes-over-time to dramatically reduce edge image artifacts while improving transition detail.
High-quality virtual surround sound can be experienced with just the speakers built into the TV. SRS TruSurround XT technology delivers an amazing, simulated 3D effect with clear dialog and powerful bass through hidden side speakers. TruSurround XT audio adds three audio enhancement technologies to produce an amazingly immersive sound experience.
Dialog Clarity brings movie dialog into Focus during the playback of any surround-encoded material to make speech much clearer and crisper.
TruBass creates incredible deep rich bass allowing a person to perceive significantly deeper, richer low bass tones that are far beyond the physical low frequency capabilities of the speaker itself.
The SRS WOW feature widens the soundstage by processing standard two-channel stereo material as well as multi-channel encoded material for a dramatic improvement in the playback of any stereo audio over a two-speaker system.

Connections:
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) 3
RF in 1
Component (Y/Pb/Pr) in 2
S-Video input 2(1 side/1 rear)
A/V input 2(1 side/1 rear)
PC input 1
Headphone jack 1

What's in the box: Samsung LNT4042H LCD TV, remote control, 2 AAA batteries, Power Cord, stand, cleaning cloth, owners manual, warranty card.

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Samsung LNT4065F 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV Review

Samsung LNT4065F 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
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I had recently purchased the Samsung LN-S4095D 40" 1080p LCD HDTVfrom Amazon, but it had a good amount of back light issues exactly like the Sony XBR's. I have read that it sometimes goes away by itself after a few weeks of use. But after 3 weeks it was still cloudy. I shipped it back and received a full refund. I'd heard that the LNT-series of Samsung's were coming out in March and that the problem had been resolved. After many in store demo's at BB and CC by asking the sales associates to hook up a blu-ray 1080p DVD (luckily they all had "Happy Feet" so they were exactly the same movie compared) I product tested the Samsung LNT4061F 40" 1080p LCD HDTV, the LNT4065F, and LNT4066. Along with two Sony's that caught my eye Sony KDL-40XBR2 40" Bravia XBR 1080p LCD HDTV,Sony KDL-40V2500 40" Bravia V-Series 1080p LCD HDTV. All were within my price range. But the Sony V2500 wasn't even close to standing with the Samsung LNT's. The XBR2 is great, but watch out for clouding which Sony will NOT admit is a problem, I recommend googling the XBR clouding problem before buying from SONY. If you're looking for the best all around TV (price, sound, picture quality, no CLOUDING, hook-up versatility(3x HDMI)) then the LNT4065 is the perfect TV for you. It has hidden side speakers that sound very rich and full. If you already have a sound system and prefer a matte finish to your TV get the LNT4061. The LNT4061 has poor sound from its hidden bottom speaker, but the matte screen is excellent to prevent glare. The LNT4065 has a semi-gloss screen, which makes the 15K:1 contrast ratio look amazing! I haven't had any glare problems at all. The only difference between the LNT4065 and LNT4066 is that the 66 has a different chasis. The internals are all the same. I've confirmed this through extensive research. The 65 has buttons on the top of it, while the 66 has pressure sensitive buttons on the bottom left corner. Not worth the extra money to me. PS2 and Gamecube games look fantastic on it. I don't have a Wii or PS3 to try on it yet, but I'll submit another review when I do. This TV is so versatile. So many features for sound, gaming, and picture quality. You can adjust everything you want. LCD is the only way to go, with this TV you get the CR of plasma without the ghosting! This is the TV to buy!
Big plus to Amazon. I bought the TV for $2199 and saw that a week later it was 1905 and they refunded the difference.
JUNE 5, 2007 UPDATE: I purchased a PS3 and a Wii and both look fantastic! The 1080p HDMI 1.3 look crystal clear, I've played Fear(720p), and Ninja Gaiden (1080p). The 1080p upconverting that the PS3 does with the recent firmware upgrade makes all of my regular DVD's look great, and my PS2 games look just as good. The Wii only uses RCA but it looks great with 480i. Zelda and the Wii Sports look fantastic. Having three HDMI ports really comes in handy with a PS3 and DirecTV (HDMI 1080i).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LNT4065F 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

For people looking to step up to full 1080p resolution in a 40-inch flat-panel LCD, Samsung's 2007 model LNT4065F is a good choice. Besides offering full 1080p resolution the LNT4065F also features a 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for rich blacks and subltle tecture display, an 8ms response time panel for smooth motion, hidden side speakers, an NTSC tuner, and 3 HDMI ports.
Compared to other Samsung Models The primary differences between Samsung's LNT4065F and the lower priced LNT4061F LCD HDTV is in the contrast ratio and video processing power. Where this model offers a 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and a 10-bit video processor, the LNT4061F has a 10,000:1 ratio, with an 8-bit video processor. The LNT4065F should display finer gradients of shading making for more detail in darker scenes. The video processing difference should ensure smoothermotion in fast moving scenes.
Image Processing The Samsung Digital Natural Image engine (DNIe) Video Enhancer refines all analog NTSC and wideband video inputs for an overall improvement in picture quality. DNIe improves contrast, white level, picture detail and incorporates digital noise reduction to improve lower quality video inputs. The 3D Y/C digital comb filter constantly analyzes the three dimensions of picture height, picture width, and picture changes-over-time to dramatically reduce edge image artifacts while improving transition detail.
Audio Features High-quality virtual surround sound can be experienced with just the speakers built into the TV. SRS TruSurround XT technology delivers an amazing, simulated 3D effect with clear dialog and powerful bass through hidden side speakers. TruSurround XT audio adds three audio enhancement technologies to produce an amazingly immersive sound experience.
Dialog Clarity brings movie dialog into Focus during the playback of any surround-encoded material to make speech much clearer and crisper.
TruBass creates incredible deep rich bass allowing a person to perceive significantly deeper, richer low bass tones that are far beyond the physical low frequency capabilities of the speaker itself.
The SRS WOW feature widens the soundstage by processing standard two-channel stereo material as well as multi-channel encoded material for a dramatic improvement in the playback of any stereo audio over a two-speaker system.

What's in the box: Samsung LNT4665F 40-inch 1080P LCD TV, remote control, 2 AAA batteries, Power Cord, cleaning cloth, owners manual, warranty card.

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Samsung LN52A650 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN52A650 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
When I purchased this TV from Amazon.com I had already decided on this Samsung 52" series and was trying to decide between the 650 and the 750. At the time there was a small price difference between the two on Amazon.com. I ended up choosing the 650 because I was placing the TV inside a nook that had limited space.
The 650 has a less bulky frame around the LCD screen and therefore it was only 50.2 inches wide as compared to the 750 which is 52" wide. Both screens have the exact same visual display area. Beyond trying to accommodate my limited space, I felt that the smaller frame looked nicer on the TV than the larger frame.
The other reason I chose the 650 is that it can swivel on the base, whereas the 750 is fixed on its base. Because I have placed the TV in a nook, this swivel feature has come in very handy as I have had to get behind it from time to time to plug in cords, etc.
I have read a lot about screen reflection and was bracing myself for a potentially unpleasant experience during daytime viewing, especially since the room the TV is in has windows all the way across two walls and is full of sunlight daily. I'm happy to report that screen reflection is absolutely no problem. The TV that I was replacing with the Samsung LCD was an older 32" Panasonic Panablack analog TV with the glass screen, which had a lot of reflection. As a point of reference, the Samsung has about 20% of the screen reflection of my old TV (judging from when the TV is off). When the TV is on, the Samsung has about 5% of screen reflection compared with what I used to have with my old TV, which may be due to the incredible brightness of the display.
I spent a number of months on this decision and I feel like I hit a home run with this purchase. Samsung has certainly exceeded my expectations with this model and I have been very satisfied with my first experience of buying a TV online from Amazon.com.
DEC 20, 2008 UPDATE: I've now owned the TV for more than 6 months. No regrets. The TV has survived well in a family with 5 kids under age 10. It's taken some direct hits to the screen with toys thrown by a 2-year-old but any marks on the screen easily rubbed off. It still looks just like the day I first got it and runs perfectly. I'm very happy with this purchase.
JUNE 7, 2009 UPDATE: Still going strong after 1 year. Absolutely no problems with the TV. Best purchase I ever made. Everyone who has seen it can hardly believe the picture quality. I get positive comments all the time.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN52A650 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Get innovative HD design and performance on a brilliant 52-inch LCD screen. The Samsung 52" LCD HDTV has superior picture quality with a unique bezel design. The Touch of Color accents the top and bottom edges of the bezel with a unique amber tone. Full 1080p HD resolution and 50,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio offer stunning image detail and vivid colors. Auto Motion Plus 120Hz and Ultra Clear Panel technology work together to offer the smoothest motion and boldest bright and dark tones. Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp - Provides colors in your picture that were not available before Fast 4ms response time minimizes blurring of moving video Widescreen NTSC/ATSC Tuners with Clear QAM Ultra clear panel enhances contrast and reduces reflection Viewing Angle - 178 x 178 Degrees DNIe (Digital Natural Image Engine) delivers a crisp, lifelike picture that is closer to film Auto volume leveler Audio amplifier - Watts per channel - 10 Watts x 2 channels to bottom downfiring speakers SRS TruSurround XT sound delivers virtual surround using built-in speakers 4 HDMI, 2 Component video, RF antenna inputs S-video, A/V, PC inputs Hook up your MP3 player or digital camera via the Wiselink USB 2.0 connection Headphone output HDMI-CEC allows peripherals to be controlled by remote control Stereo broadcast reception (MTS & SAP) with 181 channels Picture-in-Picture V-Chip Auto wall mount compatible - 3-dimensional operation via TV's control Swivel stand Wheel key remote control English, Spanish & French on-screen displays Variable sleep timer Dimensions - without stand - 50.2 x 31.7 x 4.1; with stand - 50.2 x 34.1 x 12.8 Weight - without stand - 64.6 lbs.; with stand - 76.7lbs.

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Samsung LNS4051D 40-Inch LCD HDTV Review

Samsung LNS4051D 40-Inch LCD HDTV
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(More customer reviews)
Flat HDTV prices are falling almost as fast as the stock market these days. It would seem that this might be the right time to jump into the HDTV craze. Let the research begin then. I'll get to the details of the Samsung unit itself after a brief, er, long background intro.
I tend to be the type of consumer that will read every unbiased CR style review, online article, visit every store within a 100-mile radius and test every model in existence--no matter what the purchase. This is particularly helpful when purchasing a television, since you really don't know just how good a picture will be, no matter what the specs say, until you see it side-by-side with the competition.
I've been holding out for the $2000 price-point for a large-screen Flat HDTV, and the time has now come when there are several options from which to chose. CR reports, quite accurately I might add, that Costco has some of the best prices among retailers, but I will say, as a HUGE Costco fan, that the selection is a bit limited, as is the nature of their business.
After looking at about 50 (literally) different Flat-TV's, and originally wanting to go with a Plasma, I narrowed the choice to a 37-inch LCD from Viewsonic, a 42-inch LCD from Philips, and two 40-inch Samsung LCD units. Consideration was made for size, picture quality, design and style, features, overall research and brand reputation/reviews, value, bang-for-the-buck and more. Say what you will about Plasma, and they are beautiful, I've seen too many red-glow, distorted and burned pictures, and the last straw was a brand new floor model that had already gone bad in 2-weeks at a local store. LCD it is then--I purchased the Viewsonic at Costco, only to receive a unit with a defective tuner, back to the store for a full refund--no worries. As I'm strolling through the aisles of another establishment, I come across a vision of beauty, she looks amazingly like Liberace's reincarnated baby-grand piano. She is brilliant in her little black dress, even standing next to the costliest supermodels from Pioneer and Sony--in fact, she may be more beautiful. The Samsung LNS4051D they tell me. Samsung name, 2 HDMI inputs, 4000:1 contrast ratio, PIP, you know the rest...and stunning good looks to boot! But the cost was too high. A few clicks later, I find her on Amazon for my target price, including shipping...S-O-O-O-L-D, says I!! Return policy is a bit harsh, but delivery was on-time, and price was unbeatable. Well done Amazon.
Panasonic may hold a slight edge in overall picture quality, but Samsung is the world's largest producer of LCD screens, and they can be quite proud of this unit.
A few areas for improvement--not even the most beautiful of ladies is perfect--blacks still need work, which is what keeps it from being the best-of-the-best, the remote needs work (don't they all), and once hung on the wall, the connections are nearly impossible to access, due to the back, rather than side connecting style.
Flat HDTV prices are slated to continue falling over the summer, and will then flatten out--if you are lucky, you might just be able to snag a date with one of these hot little numbers, before they're all spoken for.


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Samsung LN46B750 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV with Charcoal Grey Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN46B750 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV with Charcoal Grey Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
If you are seriously consider purchasing this tv, please read this review completely. This is a bit critical in nature, but I hope to provide a balanced review based on my experience with this unit. Depending on what you are looking for, this set may or may not work out well for you.
Just for background context, I mainly watch HD content hooked up via hdmi on my PS3. This includes bluray movies, hd content and some gaming. Regular tv and sd viewing were not as much of a concern to me. I own a 3 year old 26 inch sony lcd, and have also more recently owned a vizio 42 inch xvt, and samsung's latest 40 inch b550, which is the non 120 or 240hz model of their current lineup, and most recently the 50 inch Panasonic G10, which I purchased after returning this B750 that I am reviewing. I may refer to some of these in the review.
As you will read there are a few major issues I found that made me return. If you feel these wont be a problem for you, this model should work great for you. After all if you are going to pay a little under $1,700 for a tv, one should be completely satisfied with it.
Design
This tv looks beautiful, understated, elegant and simple. It has a very slight touch of gray at the bottom that you can barely notice, and it should complement pretty much any decor in your home. The unit is quite thin at around 3 inches, and I was able to lift and set up the tv myself. Cheaply made screws, almost as bad as ikea used to setup the stand were a bit of a pain to put in and remove when I decided to return the unit. After a correct assembly, the tv still sort of wobbles around and generally doesn't feel like it is solid on the stand, though it shouldn't pose any problems. I noticed the same thing on the Samsung B550 by the way. The swivel design works smoothly and easily, and though I didn't use it at all, I could see how it would come in handy.
Picture Quality and Viewing Experience
The picture quality in general on this unit is gorgeous. Nicely saturated colors and comfortably deep blacks for an lcd. I tested several blurays and they all looked excellent. You will definitely need to dial back the setting to get a more realistic picture, as much of the regular setting have over-cranked saturation, brightness and contrast to impress in stores like best buy. Overall, I can say even the most discerning movie goers and enthusiasts will find it hard to really put down the picture quality itself, though there are definitely better sets out there for the money. The picture was definitely an improvement over the cheaper Samsung B550, but wasn't drastically better. i think much of the sense of better picture over the b550 was the glossy screen and better motion processing. It supposedly has a better/newer panel (10-bit vs 8-bit) over the b550 and other cheaper model lcd's. I guess the difference between very good and very very good is a subtle one.
You are given a bevy of picture tweaking options to adjust the picture to your particular room and your eyes. If you are like me, you will fiddle at least a little bit with these, and will switch between settings depending on what you are watching.
The 240hz processing to my eye, and many other reviewers will not provide any visible difference from 120hz. But the manner in which it is implemented is really nice. You can adjust judder and blur separately to get the picture to the way you like it. I felt this worked well, and really helped in the overalls smoothness and motion intense scenes. I had blur at 10 and judder between 3 and 6 depending on what I was watching.
However, this was all marred by a few issues, the worst of which was auto dimming. I had read about this on the led side lit samsungs 6 & 7000 series (which you can also find at your local best buy and amazon as well), but did not know this was included with the b750. Gizmodo did a feature on this for the b7000 with the phrase "avoid!" in the title. Basically, anytime the scene gets dark, the tv will sense that and automatically drop or dim the backlight dramatically to get deeper blacks. The problem is that is happens usually a split second after the scene has already started and it is extremely distracting. It also darkens many bright spots in the picture somewhat, like city lights over a dark sky, or stars in a dark sky. This is very noticeable for example on the Dark Knight bluray. The more I watched, the more annoying it got. The fact that the lcd already does a good job of getting very black without the dimming is what makes it really unnecessary. It also does this while flipping channels on tv, and pretty much anything you watch. There is no way for the consumer to switch this off, as far as I know. I tried everything in the menu, from dynamic contrast to eco mode etc. There might be a more techie way, but I am pretty well versed in tech, and was not able to turn off this distracting feature. It is possible the autodimming wont bother you, but if it sounds like it might, please take note. This was a bit hard to swallow for me, because almost none of the reviews mentioned this on the b750, including cnet. This also may be solved by a future firmware update from samsung, but don't hold your breath for it. (UPDATE: Apparently this can be fixed from the service menu. However the average consumer should understand that this could potentially void your warranty and mess up your tv. If you are confident though, search some forums online and try to fix this yourself.)
The next issue was what appeared to be slight "clouding" or patches of grey-whitish color on the panel. I didn't notice at first, but once a few black screens or dark scenes came on, it was both noticeable and distracting. This could be just my specific unit, or a defect. I had read that the b750 was very good in this respect and had a uniform screen, but the whitish patches became very noticeable, and in dark scenes, it looks like there were subtle hints of cloudy patches on top of the screen. I have read that this is a common issue with many lcd's, so it depends on what you end up with. But you do run the risk of this problem with the b750 or maybe any lcd. Still, my old sony, and the samsung b550 never had this problem, so it was a little disappointing.
Another issue was a thin flickering white/silver line that would flicker on top of the screen right under the bezel during many dark scenes. It was not too noticeable, but enough to become a slight nuisance. This was really obvious on dark knight, and also the Planet Earth bluray during the immersive underwater scenes.
I know the issues of glare on lcd's has been addressed ad nauseam, but I just thought I should chime in. The screen is pitch black and VERY reflective, to the point of acting like a mirror. I have a room that gets ambient, not direct, sunlight and it was quite distracting during the day. It is rather difficult to see, so you need to crank up the brightness, which helps a bit. The display definitely gets as bright as you need. In the evening, with very dim lighting, it is still possible to see yourself reflected in the tv when it goes black in between scenes. The Samsung B550 (a cheaper tv), has a sort of matte-glossy hybrid display that I thought worked much better when compared to this one. But, the glossy display is partly responsible for the richer color and deeper blacks you get on this unit. Always tradeoffs. If you are ok with glossy screens on tv's, you will be ok with this one too. P.S. best buy is not a good place to figure out if you are ok with glossy screens. They don't look the same at home.
Off angle viewing on this unit is just not very good. The moment you move even a little bit away from the sweet spot of the couch right in the center, the blacks start to wash out, and the whole picture starts to look different. Not necessarily terrible, but different. The cheaper B550 had much more consistent viewing angle experience for some reason, I'm not sure why. Basically, if you have 3 or 4 people over for a movie, some will probably be seeing a slightly different picture.
Gaming
Reading several reviews of the b750, some said gaming was too laggy (ie: when you press a button it doesn't register right away) on the it, some said it was fine, so I had to give it a shot. I felt it was far too much lag to play games well. In other words, you will die or miss more often. You wont know why, you just will. The lag is on a millisecond level, but much of the twitch response in gaming is that way. Your eyes wont really notice that it is lagging, but it is definitely there, and significantly I might add. The "Game" mode does a little to remedy this, but it is still not perfect and the picture a bit harsh in game mode, since you can't adjust any picture settings. If you are a very casual gamer and are playing games that don't really require good timing, then the lag wont really bother you. For me, I can't really recommend it for gaming. For reference, I was playing games like Resistance 2, Little big planet, Street Fighter 2 hd remix, guitar hero etc for testing. The lag is much better, almost nonexistent on the Panasonic G10, which is a plasma. For lcd, I believe the Samsung B750 gives average or maybe below average performance. Strangely, the Samsung B550 for comparison was a little better in my experience and so was my old sony lcd.
User Experience, Menus and extra features
Going with the theme of lag, I have to say Samsung's menus are extremely slow to respond and laggy. They look ok I suppose, with a blue graphical touch. All menu navigation has extra animations and movements that make them less responsive (reminds me of a Samsung cell phone I used to own). Compared to other tv's I have used, Samsung menus tend to cover more of the screen, which I feel is also a...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN46B750 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV with Charcoal Grey Touch of Color

Make the move to the smoothest LCD action ever, with Samsung's LN46B750 LCD HDTV. Start with the incredible color and rich clarity of Full HD 1080p resolution, all on a 46-inch screen. Add the power of Samsung's newest Auto Motion Plus240Hz technology, for a new level of the most lifelike LCD action on the market. Samsung's Medi@2.0 feature puts customizable widgets, with content from partners like Flickr and Yahoo!, under your control via yourremote. A pre-loaded Content Library offers hours of built-in digital entertainment and information, from games to yoga routines. Four HDMI inputs make DVD, cable or satellite HD box, or Blu-ray Disc connectivity a snap. And with the attractive Touch of Color design, the subtle charcoal grey accent at the bezel's edge underscores this LCD HDTV's elegance.

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Samsung LN40B530 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV Review

Samsung LN40B530 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I waited a few months after purchasing this tv, before attempting a review.
MY experiences/opinions are (scale of 1-10, 10 being the best):
Handling, ability to move to desired location: 10 ... light, easy for 1 person to move,maneuver, install on stand
Easiness to initially setup/get useful asap: 10 ... You really do NOT need the directions, but they are excellent
Connections amount,availability, setup: 10 ... I have cable, a PS3, and Xbox360, dvd ... too easy if you ask
me !
Viewing: 9 ... great from even extreme angles. Adjustments in the menu DO fine tune your individual needs.
: the 1080P shines in action movies, sports, and especially video games ... resolution is phenomenal !
: I've experienced NO bleeding of colors or blurriness in high speed transitions
Audio: 7 ... OK at best, but I bought it for its viewing capabilities, NOT expecting a 'Bose' audio capacity.
One of its menu items allows you to keep advertising volumes the same as network broadcast volumes...
Mine does NOT function that way... commercials still too loud
I have it (easily connected to) enhanced by my stereo system, so this is a wash as far as I am concerned
when wanting to listen to a Nascar race, music concert, or other venue.
Price: I did a LOT of homework, and found the price very acceptable in comparison to other tv's boasting
similar if not identical capabilities... I bought mine on sale at Best Buy, but lucked into a good price
Green : Not much heat coming out of the uppermost exhaust vents
My end result: A great buy.

YES, a thumbs "UP" !
After owning a SONY HD tv, and experienced their lack of customer attention/satisfaction... a
lack of callback on their part force me to forever part with them as a trusted manufacturer.
In my opinion, their (SONY) trusted name is forever trashed/overpriced... if they will not
service what they sell... I want no part of them !



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A glossy black bezel and a transparent edge are just two reasons you'll fall in love with the LN40B530 LCD TV. It also has 1080p resolution for the sharpest images on the market today and an impressive 60,000:1 contrast ratio which adds to the superior picture quality. Best of all, this HDTV is Energy Star compliant, which means you'll save on your electric bill.
1080p resolution
Enjoy outstanding clarity and resolution with this SAMSUNG LCD HDTV. Images are crisper, sharper, with superior details.
built-in digital tuner
All SAMSUNG LCD HDTVs have an integrated digital tuner. So, whether you're watching over-the-air HD digital broadcasts or connecting to cable/satellite service, SAMSUNG has got you covered.
game mode
Get in the game with enhanced blacks, sharp picture quality and optimum audio. At the touch of a button, game mode speeds up the image processing response so you get the most out of your gaming experience.
ENERGY STAR compliant
By being ENERGY STAR compliant you are assured that your SAMSUNG model is helping the environment by using less energy while saving you money. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy promoting energy efficiency.
60,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
Contrast and brightness levels achieve new heights in this HDTV. Get a more realistic, sharper picture quality that's sure to catch your eye and watch movies and shows come to life.
6ms response
One of the most important features for an LCD panel is the pixel response time. Response time refers to the amount of time it takes a pixel to "refresh" itself-to go from being active to being inactive, (ready to be re-activated). The lower the milliseconds, the faster the response time. A very fast 6ms response time virtually eliminates any blurring and gives you smooth-motion action scenes.

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Samsung HLN617W 61-Inch Widescreen Projection HDTV with DLP Technology Review

Samsung HLN617W 61-Inch Widescreen Projection HDTV with DLP Technology
Average Reviews:

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When I bought my new house, I decided that my basement needed a MONSTER tv to make me feel all spiffy and like a big man :P. The choice for me was between the 70" Sony Grand Wega XBR and this 61" Samsung DLP.
DLP and LCD both have their pros and cons.. Seeing the two TVs at Circuit City (where I got mine) nearly side-by-side gave me the opportunity to notice things that I might not have remembered otherwise had I bounced back and forth between stores to make my decision.
Either TV is great.. These are both top of the line sets and you really can't go wrong.. However, here are a few things that I noticed.. And be aware, different people see different things so your mileage may vary..
LCD Pro: The LCD was very slightly crisper in general. For the most part, you couldn't tell the difference. However, there were certain cases where you could see a slightly sharper image on the LCD; namely the TV logos in the bottom right corner of the screen and the edges of cetain images. The picture was stunning and the black-depth was quite good, although not quite as deep as on the DLP.
DLP Pro: I am a big video game player, animation fan and movie buff. Video games and anime tend to have very rich colors since, after all, it is artificially generate.. In video games you will seen greens and blues that you rare ever come across in your life. In the color area, the DLP shines.. While the Sony XBR color was such that you could not criticize it in any way really, the DLP just blew it out of the water. The color on the DLP is *perfect*.. There is no over-saturation or bleed-through.. Colors are crisp, distinct and beautiful. The blacks are JET black.. Top notch.. Another huge plus, although irrelevant for most, is that the Samsung actually has an XGA port in the back, allowing me to hook a computer up to it directly so as to surf the web from my sofa.
DLP Con: As some people have noted, DLP really exposes flaws in your source.. If you have an 'iffy' signal quality, the DLP will make you aware of that. For me this was a non-issue as I bought the Monster Powerbar and the Samsung DVI progressive-scan DVD player.. Since I have a great-quality digital cable feed here, the images look perfect.
LCD Con: This was the killer. Some people do not notice it, but I did and it ruled out the Sony. LCD has a problem with 'motion blur' when there is fast motion taking place on the screen. This is VERY VERY slight.. so slight that even with movies, you are unlikely to notice it. However, as I stood perusing the TVs, the demo-disc cycled to a college football game.. And there it was.. On a long 50-yard pass, as well as a breakaway run, there was clear motion blur around the ball and the athletes.. The LCD just cannot keep up with the image at that level of speed.
As a huge sports nut (FOOTBALL!), this killed it for me..
So, again, you can't go wrong with these TVs. I was all set to spend the extra $2,300 to get the extra 9" of screen, since I do love Sony products.. But that motion blur killed it for me and I happily plunked down the money and took home my Samsung.. I have been COMPLETELY satisfied with it.
NOTE: Do yourself a favor.. Buy this locally (sorry Amazon) and get the extended warranties.. I never buy those but on LCD and DLP TVs, it will pay for itself.. CC's was $499 for a 4 year extension that covers bulb replacement as many times as you call it in.. Bulb replacement can run $200-$300 and is recommended every 2000 or so hours.. So, the extended plan will pay for itself over the life of your TV.

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The 61" DLP TV displays a breathtaking widescreen viewing area that is elegantly framed in an ultra-light, thin-bezel cabinet. Weighing about 80 pounds and only 19.4 inches deep, it fits almost anywhere. You will experience perfect vision: Samsung's DLP projection TV delivers unmatched brightness, contrast levels, and color accuracy, plus full digital convergence and a host of top-notch features. Its sleek design and lightweight construction also make this monitor possibly the most attractive and versatile TV your home has ever seen.
HDTV with DLP technology Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology is found in leading digital cinemas the world over. The heart of DLP technology is a micro-display panel no larger than a postage stamp, which integrates 921,600 microscopic mirrors to deliver eye-popping, high-definition detail, color, and clarity. Samsung applies the magic of DLP technology to your home theater via its patented, compact optical engine that replaces the large, heavy picture tubes found in direct-view sets. Best of all, Samsung DLP projection TVs are lighter, more affordable, and use far less power than plasma TVs. Now you can enjoy the spine-tingling thrills of digital television in a sleek, tabletop design that's significantly smaller, lighter, and brighter than a conventional projection TV. Samsung's advanced convergence technologies also make DLP projection TVs compatible with your HDTV tuner, PC, DVD, game console, VCR, camcorder, digital camera, and much more.
Samsung optical engine Samsung's patented optical engine ensures maximum brightness, flicker-free video, detailed text, and still images, and a full 160-degree viewing angle. DLP micro-display technology and Samsung's proprietary Bent Light Lens System give you a big-screen TV without the big-screen hassle. Its ultra-slim, ultra-lightweight design lets you put it virtually anywhere. And its optical engine is durable, long-lasting, and never needs calibrating.
Digital perfection DLP technology is the only display solution that enables projection systems to create a purely digital connection between a digital video or graphic source and the screen in front of you. The surface of the DLP panel is covered with almost a million micro-mirrors (1280 x 720) that act as pixels. This incredibly high pixel count creates a striking, digital image with seamless resolution, amazing detail, and brilliant, lifelike colors. And because the pixels are less than one micron apart, you won't notice the "screen door" effect apparent with other TVs.
Ultra-smooth action Samsung's DLP micro-mirrors can switch on and off over 5,000 times a second--that's up to 10 times faster than other micro-displays. This allows DLP Projection TV to smoothly and accurately display fast-switching content like HDTV and DVD.
Brighter and clearer
Consistent screen image The DLP projection TV is much more durable than competing technologies because the display doesn't physically age or deteriorate. Its ultra-high-pressure lamp delivers consistent light output and picture quality throughout its long lifespan.
Cinema progressive scan and 3:2 pulldown The cinema progressive scan enhancement automatically upconverts all nondigital signals to a smooth, clear 720 lines of progressive scan. The 3:2 pulldown feature is a must for any movie enthusiast. It analyzes each frame of video, removing unclear frames that were added during the transfer from film to video. These added frames cause blurring, stuttering, and other motion artifacts, especially during fast-action sequences. 3:2 pulldown eliminates them and gives your DVDs a look and feel that's much closer to film. Cinema progressive scan with 3:2 pulldown is powered by Faroudja's patented DCDi video processing on Samsung DLP projection TVs.
1280 x 720 progressive display quality Samsung delivers flicker-free, static images, thanks to its all-format conversion system. Progressive scan is a must for rock-steady text, still images, and smooth action sequences.
Wide viewing angle Left side, right side, or upside-down--whatever your location, Samsung DLP projection TVs allow you to see any display clearly, thanks to its 160-degree-wide viewing angle. Unlike traditional projection TVs, the image doesn't get darker as you move away from the center.
What's in the Box TV, remote control, two AAA batteries, and user's manual.

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Samsung LN52A750 52-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN52A750 52-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
[...]
Amazon tracking indicated it would take 2 weeks to arrive. CEVA tracking listed it at two days earlier. I received the call for delivery in less than a week - and this included the holiday period!
CEVA showed up with it yesterday. The heavy cardboard box had an 18" gash/tear in it and my heart sank. They removed the box and I noticed the screen was supported about 8" from the cardboard and there were no signs that whatever caused the gash had touched anything. We quickly plugged it into the wall and ran it thru some of the built-in menus. Relief - everything worked fine. With the 30-day return guarantee there was nothing more to worry about.
The previous day Amazon had delivered a new Onkyo receiver to replace my older Yamaha. I had already disconnected the Yamaha and wired all the components and speakers to this new receiver (to take advantage of its HDMI capabilities). It now only took a couple hours to make the final connections with the receiver, cable sysem, over-the-air antenna, HTPC and network.
Every single system worked perfectly, even though it sometimes took a few minutes to discover the correct input settings on each device to get everything communicating. The biggest surprise was the quality of the picture. After reading everything I could find on various forums I expected to have some tweaking to do before obtaining the best images. While critically inspecting the imagery for each type of input I could not see a need to adjust anything! Just for experimentation I did make a few selections of alternate settings, but always wound up returning to the original. I'll likely use an Avia program to verify adjustments later, but can't imagine any improvement.
The "halo effect" feature on the upper and lower bezel was obvious (albeit faint) to see, but it was not distracting. In fact, if there were a switch available to turn it on and off, I'd still leave it on - it's neat! The red bezel highlighting (the TOC) is so subtle that it is nearly invisible. If I didn't know it was there I'd likely not have even noticed it. Perhaps it would be more visible in a room with bright daylighting?
Another neat feature is the touch sensitive controls on the lower right bezel. They are invisible until you touch the area, causing them to temporarily sequentially illuminate. I haven't fully explored this feature yet.
Another nice feature was discovering that I could hook up the computer to HDMI connection #2 and play computer games without any special adjustments. There was no lag or any problem except that I'll need to upgrade the computer's video card in order to take the display all the way up to its full resolution. Nevertheless, the Samsung must have been upscaling the image since it was extremely sharp. (Same thing with the 480i DVDs we played on it - very sharp). When not in use we intend to leave the computer hooked up so the Samsung will continuously display it's screensaver which cross-fades family photos like a huge digital picture frame.
The Samsung has a TOSLINK out connection which I connected to the receiver. This vastly simplifies audio connections since all audio sent to the TV can be amplified from a single connection to the receiver. If you can connect everything via HDMI there will be significantly fewer wires and a much more simplified operation.
The only thing I would have preferred is if the base would swivel. I understand the 650 models swivel, can't imagine why Samsung wouldn't include that feature here.
We're very happy with this purchase.
EDIT- 6-18-08
After nearly 3 weeks of use we are even more impressed with this TV.
I have upgraded the video card on the attached computer so that it can now attain full 1080p resolution, only to find the text too small to be readable at a normal viewing distance of about 12 feet with my 60-yr-old eyes. Backing off the resolution makes the text large enough to read while retaining its razor-sharpness.
The attached computer is connected with a wireless hub to my home network, allowing it to stream pictures, music, or movies from any of the computers. The TV must be upconverting the movies to 1080p because they are displayed more clearly than when sent to a regular computer monitor.
The hub also provides a patch cable to the TVs' network port, which allows it to run all the InfoLink connection functions (weather, news, stocks) without the need to even configure that connection.
We added a PS3 a week ago to view blu-ray movies. What an incredible picture! Even though we are using inexpensive $3 HDMI cables, there was no flickering or other problem as reported on another Amazon review. My son tested out his new Metal Gear PS3 game and was impressed with the image and game play. We used the default settings and did not even switch to "game" mode.
We've now had time to run THX and TVBlink video calibration tests and were not surprised to find that all the default settings were already set to the optimum values for our personal tastes.
The set is now mounted on one of those entertainment center "stalks" which allows it to be easily rotated (for easier access to the rear connections). This mounting has taken care of the only complaint we had about this set - its' lack of a swivel base.
Edit - 7-16-08
After 6 weeks of use I must say that this has proven to be one awesome piece of electronics. I simply cannot believe how great this set has performed. The color and details have greatly exceeded my highest expectations. We have begun replaying our old DVD library because the upscaling capabilities built into this set appears to make them very comparable to the Blu-Ray movies we've viewed. It's like seeing a new movie!
It is quite a kick to be using the computer while watching the nightly news in HD via the PIP function.
A lot of people have calibrated their sets using the published settings on AVSforum.com. We tested all of those settings and found that they each resulted in a darker picture that has lost details in shadowy areas and the colors are dull, without the "pop" of the factory settings. Keep in mind that our entertainment area is in a dark, windowless room which should make viewing dimmer features easier. We tried compensating the calibration with various picture adjustments but were unable to attain comparable performance. After a week of trying to perceive any improvements we reverted our settings back to the original, tweaked, factory settings.
Several people have made similar observations, leading us to a conclusion that either there is a wide discrepancy between personal preferences and/or each of these sets have varying image displays. We have no doubt that many people do see improved performance after calibrating their sets - but before you spend a lot of money on professional calibration try the AVSforum settings first to verify if you see any improvement.The only complaint we have is that we've now been spoiled by what this set can do. We picked up a new Samsung T260HD computer monitor (which also includes an HDTV tuner). This is a 26" monitor that has a similar TOC bezel to match the LN52A750. You can read our review here on Amazon - in a nutshell, we are disappointed with it's performance.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN52A750 52-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Enjoy pre-loaded HD content, including cooking, fitness, children's entertainment, and a photo gallery on the LN52A750 52" Full High Definition TV with 1080p Resolution. Full 1080p HD resolution and 50,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio offer stunning image detail and vivid colors. Auto Motion Plus 120Hz and Ultra Clear Panel technology work together to offer the smoothest motion and boldest bright and dark tones. Stay connected to your home network via the DLNA networking feature. The InfoLink feature provides RSS web content from USA Today. The WiseLink USB 2.0 input and user-friendly interface gives you access to pictures and playlists from a specially designed Wheel Remote. Ultra clear panel allows you to enjoy crisp image details, natural skin tones, excellent shadow detail and vibrant colors. SRS TruSurround XT is a patented SRS technology that solves the problem of playing 5.1 multichannel content over two speakers. TruSurround delivers a compelling, virtual surround sound experience through any two-speaker playback system, including internal television speakers and headphones. It is fully compatible with all multichannel formats up to 5.1 channels. High-resolution HD-Grade 1920x1080 pixel resolution has built-in image scaler to handle inputs from a variety of digital and analog audio/video sources. Wide Color Enhancer optimizes a color's hue resulting in more natural colors. Fast 4ms response time minimizes blurring of moving video. Entertainment Mode allows customized picture settings, optimized for different content. SRS TruSurround XT Down firing speakers CATV/VHF/UFH 75-ohm, F-type Antenna Connections - 4 HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface, 2 Component video inputs (rear), 1 S-video input (side), side and rear composite inputs, PC input (rear), Wiselink Pro (USB 2.0), RF antenna inputs, and Headphone Dimensions -52.0 x 33.9 x 13.3 / 52.0 x 31.7 x 4.2 without stand Weight -66.4 pounds.

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Samsung LN52B550 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN52B550 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I researched the purchase of this TV for over six months- far more than I ever researched even a vehicle purchase. I've had it for approx 2 weeks now and am very impressed. I was originally planning to purchase the 44in model but eventually changed my mind and purchased the 52 in model.
The only feature I was worried about not having was the 120 hz. I went to an electronics store and viewed both 60 and 120 hz side by side and could not tell the difference- the 60 hz is plenty fast for me.
Many people complained about the sound quality of last year's model. Unfortunately I have no pertinent information to add here as I am utilizing a surround sound system.
You will not regret purchasing this TV

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN52B550 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

With the Samsung 52-inch LN52B550 HDTV, you're investing in a high-quality LCD TV that offers top-of-the-line picture quality with 1080p high definition resolution. Enjoy the sharpest details and vivid color with 70,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for more realistic images and a 6ms (millisecond) response time--virtually eliminating any blurring and providing smooth motion while watching fast-paced sports and action movies. Superb connectivity and networking with a USB port and four HDMI 1.3 ports with Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) means this HDTV plays well with all of your other electronics.

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Samsung LN40B550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN40B550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

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I was undecided between this 2009 model and last year's LN40A550.
The features are substantially identical, but after figuring that the difference between best prices for the two, which I could find after extensive shopping around, was only $50, I went for newer one for its updated look and lighter weight.
In the reviews, one of the principal complaints for 2008 was the sound quality. I can't directly compare 2009 and 2008, but found 2009's LN40B550 to have perfectly adequate, if not excellent speakers, as far as TVs go.
Picture quality, menus, setup are excellent as expected.
One aspect that I did find puzzling is Wiselink not being able to recognize my old trustworthy USB Flash Drive. I even tried formatting the drive in various ways, unfortunately none of the tricks worked.
Perhaps, it's the ancient drive not being comparable in some way, but it had never let me down before. Anyhow, I ordered a few different flash drives, and will try again, and then post an update.
====================================
Tried four various flash drives, all of them work just fine in computers, all four freshly formatted same way (FAT32). Two of the drives are read by the TV with no problems, the two others are not recognized at all... Go figure... The slideshow functionality is nice, quite limited, but does the job.
Just for the reference, one of the drives that does work in this TV is Kingston Data Traveler 4GB.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN40B550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

It features a 39.9" screen (measured diagonally) with widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio, 1920 x 1080 pixels, and Touch of Color high-gloss finish--black with red accents. There are built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) and a built-in QAM cable TV tuner receives unscrambled programs without a set-top box (cable service required).

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Samsung LN46A850 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN46A850 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

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First off let me provide some basic info so you have an understanding of the use, location, and expectations for this TV. Let me state that this is the first HDTV we have ever owned. This is a replacement for a functioning 25" Zenith color console with a rotary dial (only has a flat UHF and VHF input) that we purchased new 25 plus years ago. We have basic cable (Time Warner) that was hooked up to the old TV through a VHS and DVD (separate) player. We started researching HDTV's last year. After information overload from all of the various manufactures as to why they were better we settled on the Samsung brand just to start narrowing it down. After that we took up the Plasma vs. LCD. We settled on the LCD and then quickly narrowed it down to the 46" model based upon our living room layout. We have three interior and one exterior wall, with the exterior wall facing east and is all glass. We have a fireplace at the end of the room and that is where the TV has always set. After all of that was done we were ready to pull the trigger and purchase the LN46A650 but waited for a while ($$). By the time we were ready to purchase, Samsung had just released the 850, 860, and 950. Jump back into research to see what the differences were. Well thin is what we needed to help with the room arrangement so we quickly changed to the 850 (ToC red) / 860 (ToC blue) model. We purchased the 850 on Cyber Monday. It arrived the following Monday.
1. CEVA Logistics, Just after placing my order I received a confirmation from Amazon with the tracking #. Goggled CEVA, placed the tracking # in the main web page to locate the TV and there it was, at the warehouse outside of Harrisburg Pa. I checked it several times that week and followed it through their system. I received a phone call from the local agent on Friday who setup a delivery time on Monday (7 days after the order) for a delivery between 9 and 1. They arrived at about 10:00 with a small urban type delivery truck. The two deliverymen were college aged and friendly. They met me at the door and we inspected the package together. They advised me before stepping into the house that they were only to unpack and check that it powered on. They did just that and there were no issues. I tried to tip them but they politely refused and went on their way. I am mentioning this here as some reviews were all over the place on them.
2. The TV, It was easy to hook up. Screwed in the cable to the back and turned it on. It went through a couple of quick menus and then it was searching for channels. It even tells you on the screen where it is in the process. We only get about 60 basic cable channels so I was quite surprised when it said that it was up to about 150 and still going. Once it reached the end it stated "removing scrambled channels" which brought the number back down. It found all of the HD channels that Time Warner provides free and I never new they were there.
3. Navigating the built in menu system is fairly easy. Once you get the hang of the remote you can set up the entire TV in about 30 minutes (in my case).
4. I will say that the remotes are pretty particular that they are pointed at the lower left side of the screen. One remote has everything on it. The second remote in the box that is pretty basic. It will turn the TV off and on; change the channels and the volume.
5. ToC, this is a non issue in this model. You can barely see it at all and there is no glare that we can detect at all through the sides that affect the picture.
6. The black bezel is extremely glossy and looks spectacular. When our room has all of the lights on you can see the reflections off of it but it has not interfered with our viewing. We mostly have one light on in the room at the far end in the evening and it is not noticeable. Daytime viewing, in the morning the room is brightly lit as it gets the rising sun. The screen is not affected from it.
7. Factory defaults, from the start we left them alone till we had a better feel for the TV. We have been tweaking here and there and believe that everyone can customize to their tastes. The picture is just exceptionally clear and the TV does a great job of adjusting the straight 4:3 broadcast into what ever format you want. I think that there are 5 different settings here (4:3, 16:9, zoom 1, zoom 2, wide fit) and you can set to your tastes.
8. DVD Player, Hooked it up to the TV with component cables as the connection. The player is a 2001 model and is pretty basic. We placed a Star Wars DVD in because of the THX calibration (Google it) and was utterly amazed that it looked that good. We did not do a calibration and left all of the settings alone. The TV has a built in surround sound emulator that can be turned on and off if you do not have external speakers. The sound was absolutely great compared to what we had before. I am sure that it does not match a true 5:1 or 7:1 but in no way is it weak as other reviewers have claimed.
9. Update on DLNA (12-20-2008),(additional info posted under comments, 1-19-2009) You do not need to install the software if you have Vista Home Premium, Vista Ultimate, or Windows Home Server. The DLNA hooked up while I was trying to figure out the instructions in the manual. That is about the only good I can say about this at this point. The instructions in the user manual are almost worthless. It makes it seem that you have to install the software which is not the case if you have any of the 3 OS above. The DLNA found my extensive home photo library and that part works OK. The USB on the side of the TV will not support anything but FAT 16/32 formatted keys. It will not allow the running of an external hard drive on the port. Home Movies and an extensive music library will not play on the TV. DLNA supports a very limited set of formats and codec's. Nothing that I have will run in either of these two categories without an error message "format not supported". How many folks will want to convert hundreds of gigs of home movies and music? After doing a little research I am finding that there is software that will sit between your storage devices and the TV that will convert on the fly. It will be till January sometime that I have a chance to try that out.
Final Thoughts on DLNA, I am disappointed that Samsung did not choose formats that more closely resembled what the general population has sitting on their home computers. The use of converters and the shortcomings here are a major let down as compared to the rest of the TV. I will say that my photo library looks stunning on the TV. Samsung has a way to go to support home movies and music. While this is a major shortfall it does not take away the viewing quality that this TV produces when watched. Just be aware that you need to be somewhat Techy to get DLNA working.

10. Infolink, The INFOLINK found everything the first time. News, Sports, Weather, and Stocks etc can be programmed fairly easy.
Final comments, the channel search found double channels on all of the major broadcast affiliates (NBC, ABC, FOX, ETC). It is easy to go through the menu system and tell which is analog and which is digital. Delete the analog as you can see a major difference in the quality. One can hit an "info" button on the remote and it will give you all of the technical stuff on the channels. I really like the feature that tells you which format the broadcasts are in, 4:3 or 16:9, and the resolution 420i, 720P, 1080i. The HD channels and shows themselves are clearly awesome as you see features on the shows that you have never seen before, blemishes on the actor's faces, individual strands of hair, subtle makeup differences in shades ETC. The swivel stand is nice and the TV itself is not that heavy. It comes with a micro fiber cleaning cloth. Only time will tell if this model will give us the longevity that we are accustomed to. We are totally pleased with our purchase.
Thanks
GM


Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN46A850 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color

Samsung's 850 Series has the Touch of Color design with a slim depth and narrow bezel and features a built-in tuner, full high definition 1080p resolution with Auto Motion Plus 120Hz.A fast 4 ms response rate with a Ultra Clear Panel produces smooth-motion scenes for sports and action movies and a dynamic contrast ratio of 50,000:1 makes for deep blacks and crisp lines.Superb connectivity and networking with 4 HDMI 1.3 ports (3 rear/1 side).Turn your LCD into a full-scale home viewing gallery and watch your favorite photos in a slide show and listen to your MP3's with WiseLink (USB 2.0). Samsung's InfoLink provides RSS feeds of customizable stock quotes, weather, and brief news articles.

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Samsung LNS3241D 32-Inch LCD HDTV Review

Samsung LNS3241D 32-Inch LCD HDTV
Average Reviews:

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I went into my local Circuit City recently intending to look at the Sharp Aquos LC-32D40U. I had heard so much abou the Aquos TVs and how good they were. Since it was on sale I came close to buying it. But the Samsung LNS3241D was sitting right next to the Sharp on the rack and I immediately noticed that the Samsung's picture just looked a whole lot better. Compared to the Samsung, I couldn't believe how washed out the blacks were on the Sharp. I even played with the controls on the Sharp to make sure it's settings weren't messed up. It became very clear that the Samsung has a way better contrast ratio...in fact it pretty much looked the best out of all the other 32" TVs on display except for maybe the Sony XBR which is twice the price. So I picked up the Samsung and have loved it ever since. Mine didn't have a single burnt pixel out of the box. The built in speakers are pretty respectable. When having friends over to watch movies...they have asked if all that sound was coming from the TV's speakers. The picture quality is great with Comcast HD and with DVDs. It's awesome to have an LCD with such deep, rich blacks, but my only complaint is that sometimes the darks are a bit too dark. It may just be a setting issue. I haven't tried seriously to fix it because it doesn't bother me that much. I was also blown away by the quality I was able to get hooking up my laptop computer to the TV. since the PC connector is just VGA and not DVI, I thought "this is going to look like crap" but it looks great...extreamly crisp and clear. The TV. could very well be used as a computer monitor too. All in all, I'm a very happy camper...except for the fact that Amazon's price is now cheaper than Circuit City's sale price! aarrgh. Oh well. It's a great TV.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LNS3241D 32-Inch LCD HDTV

If you're just entering the HD arena and don't want to break the bank on your first flat-screen television, the entry-level 32-inch Samsung LNS3241D LCD TV is a great fit for your budget and it offers many of the same video processing features as its higher end 51- and 52-Series siblings. It features an integrated HDTV tuner, 10-bit video processor, and a 3000:1 contrast ratio for smooth, vibrant pictures. It also includes dual HDMI inputs for simultaneous signal transfer of audio and video from digital devices and PC connectivity. The dual purpose pedestal stand can also be used as an articulating wall mount when it's folded back. Additionally, the stand can be removed for wall-mounting via optional VESA compatible hardware (such as Samsung wall mounting kit WMTL4001).
The Samsung Digital Natural Image engine (DNIe) Video Enhancer refines all analog NTSC and wideband video inputs for an overall improvement in picture quality. DNIe improves contrast, white level, picture detail and incorporates digital noise reduction to improve lower quality video inputs. The 3D Y/C digital comb filter constantly analyzes the three dimensions of picture height, picture width, and picture changes-over-time to dramatically reduce edge image artifacts while improving transition detail.
The LNS3241D features a stunning 3000:1 contrast ratio, 500 cd/m2 brightness rating (for brighter whites, deeper blacks, and every shade in between), a 1366 x 768-pixel resolution (for a widescreen 16:9 screen aspect ratio), 178-degree viewing angle, and a super-fast 8ms (millisecond) response time, which minimizes blurring of moving images and is especially helpful for sports and action movies. Other convenience features include:
Picture-in-picture (PIP) enables convenient simultaneous viewing of TV programs and video or PC sources.
Built-in image scaler to handle inputs from a variety of digital and analog audio/video sources.
Parental Control (V-Chip) helps parents monitor what their children watch on TV by establishing rating limits.
Auto volume leveler keeps audio volume consistent during channel changing.
Multi-lingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French.

High-quality virtual surround sound can be experienced with just the speakers built into the sides of the TV. SRS TruSurround XT technology delivers an amazing, simulated 3D effect with clear dialog and powerful bass. It produces 10 watts of power per channel (for 20 watts total) and offers the following connection options:
Composite (RCA audio/video): 2 inputs (1 on the side)
S-Video: 2 inputs (1 on the side)
Component (Y/Pb/Pr): 1 input
HDMI: 2 inputs
PC: 1 D-Sub15 input
RF: 2 inputs
Sound monitor output: 1
Digital optical audio ouput: 1
Headphone: 1
RS232 port: 1

Tech Talk HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver) with your TV--all over a single cable. HDMI supports standard, enhanced or high definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. It supports all ATSC formats--standard (SDTV), enhanced (EDTV), and high (HDTV).
TruSurround XT audio adds three new audio enhancement technologies to produce an amazingly immersive sound experience.
Dialog Clarity brings movie dialog into Focus during the playback of any surround-encoded material to make speech much clearer and crisper.
TruBass creates incredible deep rich bass allowing a person to perceive significantly deeper, richer low bass tones that are far beyond the physical low frequency capabilities of the speaker itself.
The SRS WOW feature widens the soundstage by processing standard two-channel stereo material as well as multi-channel encoded material for a dramatic improvement in the playback of any stereo audio over a two-speaker system.
Component video (also called Y/Pb/Pr) features a three-jack video input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. You will need a separate RCA left/right audio cable for sound.
What's in the Box 32-inch LCD TV, tabletop stand, remote control (with batteries), AV cable, AC power adapter, printed operating instructions
Warranty 1 year parts and labor (90 days parts and labor for commercial use)

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Samsung LN40A750 40-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN40A750 40-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
... buy this model. We got it to replace a three year old, 32-inch Sony that has served us very well in our bedroom, but we wanted a bigger screen. We got the bigger screen in a better looking cabinet, and, a much better picture, much better sound, and a much better tuner.
UPDATE (8/24/08) - If I could give this TV more than 5 stars, I would. When I registered my TV with SAMSUNG online (as opposed to mailing in the warranty card), they automatically extended the warranty from 12 to 18 months. Then, 2 days ago, I got a box in the mail from SAMSUNG with their USB wireless network adapter. For free! I attached it and gave myself a crash course in setting up wireless network security. At first I used automatic network setup on the TV menu. It worked well but intermittently with WPA-PSK encryption, but, flawlessly when I used manual wireless setup. The content this gives you is from USA Today. I found out what "That Darn Wheel" on the remote is really for. When you read a multipage news story, you have to use the wheel to turn the pages. There's no other way.
I ordered a cheap HDMI cable from an Amazon independent vendor (cost $6, including shipping) and hooked the TV up to a Philips 160 GB HDD/DVD recorder with a built-in digital QAM tuner. Got rid of all the other cables to neaten up the cable tangle situation. The recorder does 1080P upscaling if you use the HDMI interface and the TV automatically senses and adjusts its resolution mode to match. Makes even regular channels look almost as good as the HIDEF ones. I don't use the recorder's tuner all the time for normal TV viewing, but when I need it, its there to add a new dimension for enjoying this TV's many features.
I got almost $150 back during the 30 day grace period, and the price has fallen another $159 since, but I got it when when I needed it and don't regret not getting a better price. Every time I turn it on, I am glad I chose this model.
Back to my original review -
PLUSES -
CABINET - The jet black bezel has a subtle tinge of red, and is accented with a clear rim. It's stunning.
SOUND- I chose this model for the internal subwoofer. We don't want multiple speakers in our bedroom, and the Samsung's internal speakers work fine. We loaded a Blueman Group DVD and the internal woofer was pretty powerful. I turned up the bass on the built-in equalizer and had to throttle it back to neutral so the room wouldn't shake. The factory settings are fine.
PICTURE - The picture is sharp, even on analog channels. Digital channels look even better. The wideband flourescent backlight delivers the promised color performance. The factory settings make both analog and digital pictures look fantastic, but I detuned the picture to dim down the light emitted into the room and set the energy saving feature to high which also degrades the picture. Know what? It still looks great.
TUNER - We don't have and don't want to use the cable company's box, but, we can get all the analog content and unscrambled digital, high def channels they offer (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, and PBS). The Sony's tuner used to break up on Fox and ABC high def channels, but the Samsung's tuner locks in tight on everything. The Sony took a few seconds to lock on digital channels and the Samsung does this much faster.
MINUSES - Not many.
PRELOADED CONTENT - The content the factory loaded on the internal flash drive seems silly. It includes games, artwork, recipes, and entertaiment. The artwork includes high def works by Monet, Van Gogh, and Latrec. I can see that it might be nice to use the TV as a picture frame, but who needs it. The other content is OK to look at once, but after that, never again. You can't add content to the internal memory, but you can use MP3 and JPEG content on an external USB thumb drive.
THAT DARN WHEEL - Overall, the remote is also great, but the wheel is twitchy and there isn't a single thing you can do with it that you can't do easier by just using it as a 4-way switch (up, down, left, right). It's more awkward to twist the wheel with your thumb than it is to push down on the wheel's edge, but if you aren't careful the slightest twist will change the function you are trying to adjust. It's not hard to master the feel, but the wheel is a totally unnecessary feature. Wonder how much it adds to the remote's production cost. The remote lights up when you touch it, which is great while you are learning where all the buttons are, but it does run the batteries down faster, so the instructions say. You can easily enable and disable the light function.
Amazon's price was right and it dropped $45 between the time I ordered and when it was delivered. Getting a refund for the difference took less than 5 minutes on the phone. The TV was delivered 5 days earlier than promised.
Directions on how to adjust the TV on/off melody sound, which is annoying, are on page 61 of the manual. Navigate to menu/setup/external settings/melody. then select "off."

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN40A750 40-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

A little Touch of Color(TM) is all it takes to shake up the HDTV world. One look at the industry-leading color-infused bezel on this new HDTV series confirms it. The LN40A750 is a truly exceptional HDTV and offers an incredible entertainment experience. SAMSUNG's new Touch of Color(TM) design is sure make a statement in your home. And InfoLink(TM) RSS lets you instantly access news, weather, sports and stock information. Seeing is believing with Auto Motion Plus 120Hz(TM). It creates an amazingly clear picture and more realistic action scenes. Satisfy your craving for the latest in HD technology with the SAMSUNG LN40A750 LCD TV.

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Samsung LN46B550 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN46B550 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I recently purchased this TV from Amazon and have been using it for about a week now. The picture is gorgeous out of my PC to the TV using a DVI to HDMI converter. Playing DVDs at 1080p is an amazing experience for me who is stepping up from a 27inch 720p set. There are loads of inputs to connect all your old equipment like a PS2 etc. You can send the audio out of the TV to your receiver using a single optical cable and this makes the clutter much less behind the receiver. The auto highlighting of the active inputs present on the TV makes it easy to know if the equipment you have connected is working or not.
The touch of color is an ok feature..just makes the TV look good and most of the times you need good lighting behind the TV to actually see the red color on the edges.
Is 120Hz worth it? Well right now it is not for the extra 200-300$ per set. I was thinking of getting the Sony Bravia with 120HZ but when I viewed the screen between these two i could not tell the difference.
Films and games mostly are shot/produced at 24-30 frames/sec...since this set has twice the sampling 60hz you should expect a pretty smooth frame rate and should not have any motion lag. 120hz samples at 4 times and will make it look even smoother..but you would need a giant screen to note the difference. at this size it is marginal so save your money and go with this Gem from Samsung.

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Samsung 46" 1080p LCD HDTV

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Samsung LN52A850 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

Samsung LN52A850 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Average Reviews:

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So, if you're like me you research and research, obsess a bit, and then research some more before making a television purchase. So, I thought I would offer a few simple thoughts that might help. First this is an amazing television. The picture is simply amazing, the slim design is wonderful, and the remotes and features are very fun if not all that necessary. Here are some goodies to think about.
As you read on, you'll see that Amazon has pulled the various prices out of my review. Sorry about that, but I'm guessing this review will last a while and that prices always change. Anyway, the general gist is still there.
1. 120 LCD televisions (especially Samsung) are designed to give a 3D-ish effect. They do this through inserting extra film clips between the regular clips. This means that sports look AMAZING, but that movies look like you're watching stage theater. Truly, like it's live video. For some people this is amazing, for others it's completely horrible. I personally hate it. But don't worry. Simply turn the 120 htz off or switch the TV to "Game" setting and you'll have a traditional wonderful movie picture.
2. Is there a difference between the 650, 750, and 850? YES!! Your decision should really come between the 650 or the 850 if your focus is on the picture. If you feel that you want to consider sound as a big part of the package then the 750 should come into the mix too. The 650 and 750 have the same picture and the 750 has a bit more bass. However, the 850 has a higher grade of pixel and produces much deeper blacks and richer whites. You won't find this on the basic specs, but trust me...it's true. There is also some thoughts that the thinner design contributes to the higher black levels. However, looking at a 650 and 850 side by side is enough to easily see the difference. The 850 adds greater depth and detail to your picture. I think it's fully worth the difference in price.
3. The sound question: Consumer reports says that the 650 has "Very Good" sound and the 850 has "Good" sound. I think this hits it just right. The 650 has nice rich tones and you could easily get away with not having a big stereo system. THe 850 is nice too. Just lacking those rich tones. It sounds more like a regular television. Just fine, but you're not getting a "wowswer" effect. However, the 650 is not going to replace a nice surround sound system by any means. The 750 does have a nice bass speaker thrown in which surpasses both. However, my view is that you should focus on your picture when it comes to the television and then look at a surround system for sound. The 850 is just fine for regular TV and the 750 would be nice for a movie, but nothing compared to a good surround system. My advice, by the 850 and save up for a nice mid-range three to five hundred dollar surround sound system from Costco. You'll be blown away.
4. Ohhhh, but maybe a plasma. Yep, plasmas are nice. They glare a bit, but so does the 650-850 series. Plasmas are not as sharp and crisp, but have higher contrast. They won't give you that "stage" look though. I looked at a lot of plasmas and went with the 850. I thought it had wonderful contrast and still maintained those crisp features that are all part of the LCD experience. You'll pay more, so if you want to save 600 or so I might jump down to a Plasma. Fully reasonable choice. Not as good a picture in my mind, but very rich (too rich for me) colors.
5. Ok...maybe a Plasma then: Sure, if you do you might consider panasonic. I haven't researched them as much, but they process at a higher level 480 hrtz vs. the 180 hrtz that a Samsung processes at. Doesn't make a big difference, but Panasonic has been making plasmas a long time and brags about how strong the glass panal is on the front. Supposedly more "wii" safe. Granted no one is playing wii next to the 850. ;) Also important to know that burn in is never covered by a warranty. You should also know that the repair costs for a plasma tend to be twice that of an LCD. The average repair cost for a Samsung LCD is about [...] Plasma average 400-900. If you go plasma, you might want to consider that [...] extended warranty.
6. Be ready to tweak: All high level televisions, including Samsung are built to really dial in. You're going to love your picture out of the box, but if you are bothered by something mess around with all the settings. Kick back and say "I'm going to take an hour to just play with the picture settings." Different combination gets different results. Some increase a "real" look. Others soften. It's going to take some time to dial in. Enjoy it. You can always "reset" the picture if you get too far off.
7. White Glove: Let me save you some time. Amazon has the best deal. Truly. They deliver within a week or two, the guys set up the television wherever you want it, and they are outta there. You sign the papers, and hit power on the remote. They'll even take the box...but you might want to save it. 2% of Samsungs have a problem with clouding (whiteness on the screen in uneven patches) or something else. Watch your tv for a while, if you're in doubt Amazon is awesome about sending a replacement and they will (if asked) take and deliver on the same day. You only have 30 days though so watch that calendar.7.5: The Jutters: So, you'll see characters jutter across the screen at times. You'll think "I just spent two grand on 120 hrtz to avoid this." Don't stress it. It's not the televisions fault. First, all big screens jutter. Plasmas do it, DLPs do it, and yet, LCDs are famous for it. Flip on a NBC HD game and you'll see nothing but perfection. Here's the deal. Jutters come from a few places. First, it happens on normal televisions too, but often the picture is so small we miss it. Next, the input has everything to do with it. Some DVDs, Blu-Rays, and television stations produce a signal that has a jutter to it. Once you know this little fact you can stop blaming the TV, and realize that on ANY set you'd be seeing that jutter. Funny thing, once you start looking for it you'll see it everywhere. I was jogging and noticed the goal post juttering on my track. Our eyes can only track so fast. ;) The other thing to note is that you're jumping up to a 52 inch television. The people on the screen can be one to two feet high! You're just going to have to process a lot of motion. It takes some time. After a bit, it doesn't even matter. Again, sit back and enjoy.
8. Random things I learned that you might want to know:
1. Go to best buy or someplace and look at the televisions. You need to see your choices. Have them reset the pictures so they are all on the same settings and look. That needs to be your biggest selling point. Then buy from Amazon. They might match, but Amazon has AMAZING customer service.
2. If you register your Samsung within a few weeks of delivery they will give you 3 extra months of warranty for free.
3. Prices jump around all the time. Haggle. Usually a television at this level should come with some sort of promo (150 off a blu-ray) or something of that nature. However, once you purchase from Amazon the largest fluctuation I've seen is 50.00. They are pretty steady. Best Buy and Circuit City will jump [...]
4. HDMI cords. You want a Version 1.3. Those are the highest grade available that what this TV supports. You have four inputs. I find the best configuration is xbox, blu-ray, ROKU (check it out at Netflix), and Cable into the TV, with a digital optical out from the tv to my sound system. VERY simple set up. Of course, choose the four devices that work best for you.
5. Cables: Amazon will offer you some HDMI cables at [...] a pop when you purchase your television. I might consider it. I purchased mine from Costco at 20 dollars a piece because they were gas filled and all super cool...did it make a difference. I don't know. But They were a nice tan color that doesn't stand out too much. I like that. DO NOT BUY ANY 70.00 HDMI cables. That's just a rip off. Save your [...].
6. I'm crazy about reading the manual. The biggest thing that popped out was the fact that the 850 screen must only be cleaned with water or LCD specific cleaners. The cabinet is water clean only. There are all sorts of other products out there that say they are safe...but why risk it right. So, keep that in mind.
7. The sand vs. the wall. Both are equally safe. The stand is very wide and strong on this TV. A wall mount MUST hit both studs. You will then have 4-6 of play to center your TV on sliders that are build into the stand. A plus is that the stand swivels and you don't see cords. A wall mount could get you...3-4 inches closer to the wall. It's a personal call, but make sure you've really found studs when mounting. Many older homes have lath and plaster or 1/4 layer of wood behind the drywall. This can give you a misreading on a stud finder and "could" cause a bad mount. You might be fine, you might not. IF you're worried higher someone that guarantees their work or just use the stand.
8. The FAN question: You'll read some reviews about fan noise and this TV. I haven't heard it yet, I'll keep you posted. It has a lot of venting so I would be surprised. If it does have a cooling fan I would be amazed to have it be louder than the television itself. I'll keep you posted.
9. Remote Control Block: You'll read that this television blocks a cable remote from working. This is no longer the case. New TV's aren't a problem and if it is, there is a firmware update that will fix the problem. Firmware is a file that you download from the Samsung website onto...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung LN52A850 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Samsung's 850 Series has the Touch of Color design with a slim depth and narrow bezel and features a built-in tuner, full high definition 1080p resolution with Auto Motion Plus 120Hz.A fast 4 ms response rate with a Ultra Clear Panel produces smooth-motion scenes for sports and action movies and a dynamic contrast ratio of 50,000:1 makes for deep blacks and crisp lines.Superb connectivity and networking with 4 HDMI 1.3 ports (3 rear/1 side).Turn your LCD into a full-scale home viewing gallery and watch your favorite photos in a slide show and listen to your MP3's with WiseLink (USB 2.0). Samsung's InfoLink provides RSS feeds of customizable stock quotes, weather, and brief news articles.

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