 | Samsung LN46A650 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color
Great TV -- 2009-01-04
I had bought this TV a month back and I am very happy with the price at amazon and the purchase.
If you want your films to look like video - this is the TV for you. -- 2009-01-04
First I would like to say that I've owned this TV for a whole five hours, and that I don't have HD yet, so I'm running it through Coax. That said this LCD is a disappointment as a SD TV. The ghosting is horrific. The 120hz is almost completely useless. But I figure some of these issues will be fixed when I go HD. Now my biggest problem with this TV is that it makes movies shot on film look like movies shot on video. I currently feel like I just wasted $1500 for a LCD TV that has a worse picture than my $250 CRT TV.
I'll make sure to update you all on the picture quality when I get HD.
|
 | Samsung LN52A650 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
HDMI Issues -- 2009-01-05
Before buying this model (or any model for that matter), I would suggest that you check with your cable company to see if they have had any problems associated with this model. After setting it up I began to have immediate and intermittent problems with loss of picture and sound. This was supposed to be fixed with a down load from Samsung and I was aware of it before purchasing. I down loaded it but the problem persisted. Samsung set approved warranty service at my home which took about seven days to arrange. I had to take part of the day off to wait for the repair service. The main board was replaced but the problems persisted. Samsung approved a second visit which was to replace the screen and power supply. Samsung and perhaps others who produce these TV's have "compatibility" problems from time to time with companies that provide the cable services (all of them). After a lot of persistence and before the second visit I was able to determine from Surewest my cable provider that they had an internal memo about Samsung TV and their HDMI issues with the "HDMI handshake" that goes on between the cable service and the TV. I was told that Samsung had this problem previously with the major cable companies and that they were able to straighten them our working with the companies to correct the code. Surewest told me it was the TV and not their fault so I am stuck with a TV that can't be hooked up to the cable provider via HDMI. Instead I am using a Surewest provided component cable and the problem has not reappeared since I switched away from HDMI.
Simply OUTSTANDING! (Samsung LN52A650) -- 2009-01-05
What a outstanding picture, clarity, color and shear SCREEN SIZE! This is what Blu-Ray movies are meant to be seen on and you can actually get the tru clarity and in some movies see a huge difference over standard DVD's. That said just watching TV whether standard or even better HD channels are wonderful, enjoyable day or night.
I went with the 650 over the 750 and 850 one for cost, two for "Auto Volume Control". That is where you have an option of two settings that will keep the volume almost uniform between tv shows and commercials. Why is that important to me. I hate LOUD noises or commercials and let me tell you ALL commercials on TV are set at a higher volume to force you to listen or notice a product or service. Of course I often would just mute or have to lower the volume in btwn. This set does it for me and I don't have ringing in my ears or have to jump to get the remote. For me that was a clincher.
The 750 and 850 models are thinner and lighter in weight but basically all have the same functions but if weight or space are an issue you can spend more on the 750/850 models. I have noticed now after the holidays that all of them of course are lower in price as that is always the case. They have to make room for the latest models that are usually out in late February or early March.
As for glare, I virtually notice none, if you have the TV near bright lights or windows, one close the blinds/shades and two you have a Dynamic, Standard, and Movie settings which has to do with day and night time watching on the Samsungs. Everyone has different likes and such with brightness, color etc, so it is easy to play with the settings to tune the visual just as you like it or your family.
I recommend this TV or any of the Bravias in this size, LG, Panasonic, and even Sharp Aquos I thought was not as good as this Samsung. This is my second Samsung and once again a hands down winner.
Key things you must do is go to the Best Buy, Circuit City or wherever you have a wide selection of brands and look at them all side by side. Do your reading of reviews on the store sites, Amazon and look for pro reviews too. When you are going to spend $1,500, $2,000, $2,500 on an item do your reseach and get what YOU personally like and what looks best to your eyes.
This TV at 50000 to 1 a 4MS response time and true 120Hz is outstanding. Remember 99% of cable companies broadcast at 60Hz and this TV will tell you onscreen what the Hz is when you change channels and such. The only thing I have had at true 120Hz have ben blu-ray movies via my Playstation. I look at it as I have the latest technology but the industry hasn't caught up yet. for example I am on Time Warner Cable and there HD boxes only output at 1080i at 60Hz that won't be changing anytime soon for them. Regardless the movies, the TV the games are simply WOW by anyone who has been to my home and seen any of the games, movies or TV programs. My TV is connected via the net and I pipe music from my PC through the receiver and look at all my thousands of photos using this awesome huge screen.
As for the touch of red around the TV itself, I read people complaining about it. I virtually don't notice it unless I am dusting off the TV, otherwise it is very minimal and just such a non issue, or it should be. It certainly won't clash with any decor being it is so subtle. Here is a more detailed list of the abundant features and I have a proline Onkyo TX-NR906 Receiver running everything with the desktop computer for optimal performance and control.
TV FEATURES:
**ToC (Touch of Color): Samsung's new Touch of Color design features a hint of amber color naturally blended into the traditional piano black frame of the Samsung 650 Series LCD television.
**HDTV Tuner: The TV has built-in over-the-air HDTV (ATSC) and Digital Cable (QAM) tuners, so you don't need a separate set-top box to receive and decode over-the-air HDTV/SDTV or unencrypted Digital Cable signals.
**Native Resolution: The television has a display resolution of 1920 x 1080. The HDMI and component video inputs will accept 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, and 480i (component only) signals and will display them as 1920 x 1080. The television features a full HD 1920 x 1080p digital format converter for all inputs.
**Ultra Clear Panel: Samsung's Ultra Clear panel provides a bright, clear, colorful and overall more vibrant picture. The Ultra Clear Panel technology enhances contrast and reduces reflection so you can enjoy an overall outstanding viewing experience
**Contrast Ratio: This TV has an 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, giving you brilliant brightness and contrast for superior picture and detail from both PC and TV images.
**Auto Motion Plus 120Hz: Auto Motion Plus 120Hz technology virtually eliminates any motion blur and creates smooth transitions between frames. Auto Motion Plus calculates the image between frames and inserts it, creating a non-repetitive transition from one to the next. The result is a clearer picture than ever before.
**4ms Response Time: 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 television's very fast 4ms response time virtually eliminates any blurring and gives you smooth-motion action scenes
**Digital Natural Image Engine (DNIe): Samsung's DNIe makes input signals sharper, clearer, and more lifelike. It's advanced image processors and six-times density enhancer help to create true-to-life colors and high contrast, while virtually eliminating digital artifacts. DNIe is made up of a Motion Optimizer, a Contrast Enhancer, a Color Optimizer and a Detail Enhancer to produce life-like images that rival reality.
**Picture Sizes: You can choose one of the following picture sizes:
--Wide Fit: Enlarges the aspect ratio of the picture to fit the entire screen
--16:9:Sets the picture to 16:9 wide mode
--Zoom 1: Magnifies the size of the picture and allows you to move the enlarged picture using the arrows on the remote
--Zoom 2: Magnifies the size of the picture more than Zoom 1 and allows you to move the enlarged picture using the arrows on the remote
--4:3:Sets the picture to 4:3 normal mode, with black bars on both sides
--Just Scan: To see the full image without any cutoff when HDMI 720p/1080i signals are input
**Automatic Picture Settings: You can choose one of the following picture settings, each input stores its own setting:
--Standard: Uses the standard factory settings
--Dynamic: For viewing the TV during the day, or when there is bright light in the room
--Movie: For viewing the TV in low light
Note: You can adjust and store the following settings for each picture setting: contrast, brightness, sharpness, color, tint, and backlight.
**Detailed Picture Settings: The Samsung LCD TV allows you to make the following precise picture settings.
--Black Adjust: directly select the black level on the screen from Off, Low, Medium or High to adjust the screen depth
--Dynamic Contrast: adjust the screen contrast from Off, Low, Medium, or High so that the optimal contrast is provided
--Gamma: adjusts the primary color (red, green, blue) intensity from -3 to +3.
--Color Space: color space is a color matrix composed of red, green and blue colors, you can select your favorite color space to experience the most natural color; you can choose from Auto, Native, or Custom (Red/Green/Blue)
--White Balance: adjusts the color temperature for more natural picture colors
--Flesh Tone: emphasizes the pink flesh tone in the picture
Edge Enhancement: emphasizes object boundaries; can be turned either On or Off
--xvYCC: provides a wider color space when used with xvYCC-compatible video components and content; using HDMI or component video connections; you can turn this feature On or Off; Picture Mode must be set to Movie to use this feature
--Color Tone: choose from the following Color Tones - Cool2, Cool1, Normal, Warm1 or Warm2
**Blue Only Mode: This function displays the blue signal only by removing the red and green signals from the video signal so as to provide a Blue Filter effect that is used to adjust the Color and Tint of video equipment such as DVD players and Home Theaters. Using this function, you can adjust the Color and Tint to preferred values appropriated to the signal level of each video device using the Red/Green/Blue/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow Color Bar Patterns, without using a additional Blue Filter.
**Film Mode: The TV can be set to automatically sense and process film signals from all sources and adjust the picture from optimum quality.
**Digital Noise Reduction: If the broadcast signal received by your TV is weak, you can activate the Digital Noise Reduction feature to help reduce any static and ghosting that may appear on the screen.
**Auto Volume: Auto volume automatically adjusts the volume of the desired channel, lowering the sound output when the modulation signal is high or raising the sound output when the modulation signal is low. This reduces the difference in volume when changing channels.
**EQ: You can adjust the 5-band EQ, which includes the following frequencies: 100 Hz, 300 Hz, 1 kHz, 3 kHz, and 10 kHz. You can also set the balance between the left and right channels.
**Automatic Sound Settings: You can choose from the following sound settings:
--Standard: Uses the standard factory settings
--Music: For watching music videos and concerts
--Movie: For watching movies
--Speech: For watching a show that is mostly dialogue
--Custom: Recalls your personal EQ settings
**SRS TruSurround XT: TruSurround is a patented SRS technology that solves the problem of playing 5.1 multi-channel content using only two speakers. TruSurround delivers a compelling, virtual surround sound experience through the two speaker internal playback system. It is fully compatible with all multi-channel formats.
**Wiselink: A side-panel USB 2.0 type-A port allows you to connect a USB mass storage device to view JPEG files and play MP3 audio files. Wiselink only supports the FAT16/32 file system. You have access to the following functions:
**Photo (JPEG) List: This menu shows JPEG files and folders saved on the USB device and allows you to do the following:
--Sort: You can sort photos by month, time, color, composition or folder so you are only viewing images you want to see.
--Slide Show: You can play files on the USB device in a slide show. You can adjust the slide show speed to Slow, Normal, or Fast. You can also choose an MP3 file on the USB device to play as background music during the slide show. The repeat function allows you to play the slide show again and again.
--Rotate: This feature allows you to rotate the selected image by 90°, 180°, or 270°.
--Zoom: You can enlarge a picture 2x or 4x. Once the image is enlarged, you can pan through the image.
**MP3 List: This menu shows MP3 files saved on the USB device and allows you to play them back. You can choose from the following play-modes.
--Sort: You can sort the music files by Title, Artist, Mood, Genre Folder or Preference.
--Once: The music file is played once.
--Repeat: The music file played repeatedly.
**Firmware Upgrades: Samsung may offer upgrades for the TV's firmware in the future. These firmware upgrades will be possible by connecting a USB drive to the TV's USB port.
**PC-Capable: This unit has a 15-pin D-Sub (RGB) input that allows you to use it as a high-resolution computer monitor. The HDMI input can also be used for connecting the PC. The TV can be set to automatically adjust to the video signals received, or you can use the setup menu to adjust the screen quality and position. No cables are supplied for connecting the TV to a PC.
**InfoLink RSS: The Samsung 650 Series LCD TV features an Ethernet port which allows you to connect the television to your home PC's network through a router so you can use the InfoLink RSS function of the television. The InfoLink RSS feature gathers up-to-the-minute content from USA Today and displays it on the television screen so you can always stay connected to the News, Weather and Stock Reports while watching TV at home.
**1-Tuner PIP: This TV has one built-in tuner, which does not allow PIP to function in the same mode. You can only watch an analog TV broadcast in the sub picture window while watching a different video source from the Component, HDMI or PC input on the TV's main window. You can change the size of the PIP window and even view the two pictures as a 4:3 or 16:9 split screen. You can also move the PIP window to each corner of the screen. In addition, you can switch the audio over to sub PIP picture window.
Note: While the V-chip is in operation, the PIP function cannot be used.
**Digital Signal Strength Meter: The digital signal strength meter can be used to help you find the antenna position that delivers the highest HDTV digital signal strength.
**Analog Channel Fine Tuning: The fine tuning feature allows you to manually adjust analog channels for optimal reception. A separate fine tuning setting may be put into the TV's memory for each analog channel.
**Input Source Names: You can assign a name for the component connected to each of the inputs. When input naming is completed, you will no longer have to remember which component is connected to each input when selecting a source to watch. Source names you can choose from include: VCR, DVD, Cable STB, Satellite STB, PVR STB, AV Receiver, Game, Camcorder, PC, TV, IPTV, Blue-Ray, and HD DVD.
**Channel Labels: Each analog channel programmed into memory can be labeled with a name up to 5 characters. Digital channel names are already assigned and cannot be edited.
**Favorite Channel: You can create a list of your favorite channels and recall the list using the FAV.CH button on the remote.
**Program Reserve: The television allows you to reserve a program you want to watch at a later time which changes the channel automatically to the reserved program at the selected time while you are watching another channel.
**V-Chip:The V-Chip automatically locks out programs that are deemed inappropriate for children. You can set up the parameters for the V-Chip using the TV Parental Guidelines, MPAA (movie) ratings, Canadian French, or Canadian English ratings systems. The V-Chip function is protected by a 4-digit PIN.
**Energy Saver: This feature adjust the brightness of the TV in order to reduce power consumption. When watching TV at night, set the Energy Saver feature to High to reduce eye fatigue as well as power consumption. You can set this feature to High, Medium, Low or Off.
**Sleep Timer: The sleep timer switches the television off after a specified amount of time. The sleep timer can be set to 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, or 180 minutes.
**On/Off Timers: The three On/Off timers allow you to program the television to turn itself on and off by selecting a specific on time and a specific off time. You also choose the On Timer's channel and Volume. The on and off timers work independently of one another.
**On/Off Melody: A unique melody plays when the TV is turned on and off. You can turn this feature off if you prefer
INPUT/OUTPUT:
**Quad HDMI Inputs: The Samsung LCD television features three HDMI inputs on the rear-panel and one HDMI input on the side-panel. The HDMI 2 input can also be used to connect a device with a DVI output (a DVI-to-HDMI adapter cable is necessary). If a DVI-equipped device is used, separate audio cables will also be needed from the device to the "DVI In" RCA stereo audio jacks. No audio cables are needed for an HDMI-equipped device. The HDMI inputs can also be used to connect a PC to this TV. The HDMI jacks will accept 1080p, 1080i, 720p, and 480p signals.
**Dual Component Video: The two Component Video jacks will accept 1080i, 720p, 480p, and 480i signals. Separate RCA stereo audio inputs are provided for each Component Video input. The Component Video 1 input can also be used as a composite video input.
**Digital Audio: The optical digital output (with plastic cover) on the rear panel will output Dolby Digital (when available) or 2 channel PCM.
**PC: This input consists of a stereo mini-jack and an analog RGB (D-Sub 15-pin) jack. This jack allows you to connect a personal computer with a D-Sub 15-pin output. When using the RGB (D-Sub 15-pin) jack, you must use the PC Audio 3.5mm input for your audio connection.
**LAN (Ethernet): The television's rear-panel Ethernet port allows you to connect an Ethernet cable from the TV to your home PC's Network to obtain Samsung's InfoLink Service.
**EX-LINK:The EX-LINK port connects to an optional Samsung wall mount bracket which allows you to adjust the TV viewing angle using the provide remote control.
**Wise-Link: This side-panel USB port allows you to connect a USB mass storage device to the television so you can view photo files and play audio files through the TV.
**Side Panel A/V Input: The television features a side-panel A/V input that consists of a composite video or s-video connection and a stereo audio connection.
**Headphone Jack: Also on the side-panel is a 3.5mm headphone jack for connecting an optional set of headphones. The TV's speakers automatically mute when a pair of headphones are connected to this jack.
|
 | Samsung LN32A450 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV
Great TV-lousy remote -- 2009-01-04
There are plenty of reviews that will praise the picture quality, and I would concur, but oh that remote. It's shaped so it's slightly tapered on the front and back so your guaranteed to have to look down to see which way it's orientated. While it is flat on top, it's half round and slippery on the bottom, and is akin to holding a wet bar of round soap. Nice design Samsung, someone on the design team isn't firing on all cylinders. The numbered channel buttons are also on the top of the remote so your forced to hold on with one hand and push the buttons with your other hand. It's not near as easy as being able to hold on to the remote with one hand and change channels with your thumb as with a properly designed remote.
Can't beat it -- 2009-01-04
We had been looking around for a 32" for our breakfast area. We had seen some really good reviews on the Sony KDL 32 4000. At a few sites it was $498, sold out quickly and then they raised the price to $598. We were in Fry's 2 days before Christmas and saw the Samsung 32A450. It was $498 and it had a better picture than all of the tv's displayed in the same category. We purchased it and we are very pleased. It is a sleek looking, great t.v. with a beautiful picture. We already owned a Samsung 46" that we have had for 3 years that we purchased through Amazon. Amazon is the greatest for ordering anything and great on returns also. We knew the Samsung was a good t.v. so we had no 2nd thoughts about purchasing it. When I got home, I went to this site and I am so pleased with the other reviewers comments. You can't go wrong with this t.v. at this price.
One nice feature is that it has side imputs as well as rear. Most t.v.'s the imputs are in the rear. It has 3 HDMi imputs and also a PC imput. It was a snap to set up. This LCD actually gets a sharper picture than the 46" 1080i Samsung DLP that we purchased 3 years ago. Perfect for a small to medium size room.
|
 | Samsung LN40A550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
Fantastic HDTV -- 2009-01-05
After going back and forth between different HDTV models for about a month, we finally decided to go with this television, the Samsung LN40A550. We could not be any happier. It is missing a few key features that the newer models boast (120Hz, an extra HDMI, Touch of Color, higher contrast ratio, & ability to "seamlessly connect" to many other digital devices), but we decided that most of these features were ones we didn't absolutely need to have, and for about a $500 savings, we have no doubt that we made the right choice.
This television has a myriad of inputs (3 HDMI, Components, Composite, S-Video, VGA). I can't imagine ever running out of inputs, which is a concern I've had with every other television set I've ever owned. The picture quality is fantastic. It doesn't support 120Hz, but after watching it for a week, I don't mind at all. The sound quality is also exceptional, with very little tweaking. Delivery service was great, too.
As far as overall quality goes, I believe this TV to be on par with most of the Sony models out there, for a couple hundred dollars less. We were also impressed with the new Philips line of HDTVs... they also had great picture quality, so check them out, too.
A Great Buy -- 2009-01-03
I ordered this model for Christmas 2008 and have been using it for about 2 weeks now. It is everything I had hoped for; wonderful picture right out of the box. The shipping went flawlessly and was delivered into my house by the shipping company.
|
 | Sony Bravia XBR KDL-52XBR6 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV
Sony delivers! -- 2009-01-03
You could not pay me enough to choose a different unit over Sony's XBR lineup. I own a 52" XBR4 (now in the bedroom), and purchased the 52" XBR6 for the living room. Sony's televisions aren't as mainstream popular as Samsung's comparable units, as they are a bit more money, but I'm a buyer who prefers quality over cost, and Sony delivers to A/V enthusiasts who know what they want from a unit. Even the differences between the XBR4 (purchased Feb '08) and the XBR6 (purchased Dec '08) indicate Sony is putting great effort into their R&D to offer the best possible television to the market. Samsung and Sony share an LCD manufacturing plant in Korea; Samsung still makes great televisions, but the gloss screens weren't for me. Sony's matte finish screens and extra video options are great for those who like to tweak, and the Bravia Sync features are very wife and family friendly.
The Jekyll & Hyde of HDTVs -- 2009-01-03
I spent a good 6 months researching HDTVs, reading reviews and visiting local stores to check them out before I decided on the Sony 52XBR6. But now I'm returning it; read on to find out why.
The only reason I went with an LCD instead of a plasma was because of the screen reflection issue. Our TV will be directly across from a large bay window, with our sofa in-between the two. So my wife and I didn't want to constantly have a reflection of the window behind us in the TV screen. So I never even considered plasma for this single reason.
After speaking to local salespeople, they recommended the Sony XBR6 over all other LCDs, including Samsung. They informed me that although Samsung TVs look nice, they have a quality control issue, where they allow an error rate of 8%-9% off the production line, as opposed to Sony who only allows 1%-2%. One store I went to that services the brands they sell said they stopped carrying the Samsung TVs altogether because they were spending too much time fixing them! So I ordered the Sony XBR6 and my wife and I eagerly awaited delivery.
Upon setting it up, the picture was fine: very clear, and HDTV channels looked crazy good. We popped in the Planet Earth Blu-ray disc, and again we were blown away. I also liked the on-screen menus -- very fluid, sorta like the PS3 or an iPhone. We couldn't have been happier. Little did we know that we were seeing the "Dr. Jekyll" side of this TV, and once nightfall came the "Mr. Hyde" side would emerge...
That night, we sat down to watch a movie on Blu-ray. Almost immediately, even before the opening credits came up (while the screen was still dark), I noticed lights shining from the corners and edges across the screen. There were also a couple of cloudy patches. I pointed them out to my wife, and she said "It looks like a marquee sign!"
I played around with the picture settings for a while, but even when I set the backlight to "Min" (the lowest setting) and the power saving mode to "High" (which is supposed to reduce the backlight to save energy), I could still see the lights. Of course, when the movie was playing I rarely saw them because the picture on-screen overwhelmed the flaws in the backlight. But whenever a dark scene came on, or a scene faded to black before the next scene faded in, you could see these lights. I saw the lights no matter what the source: Blu-ray, DVD, cable TV. My stomach sank, because I found it so distracting that I knew I couldn't keep the TV if something couldn't be done.
I contacted Sony tech support through their online chat feature, and after describing the problem and following a few of their troubleshooting tips, the problem remained. That's when the Sony tech support said, and I quote:
"This is the characteristic drawback of LCD technology. If you think that the LCD technology is not acceptable, you may purchase a plasma display to avoid the clouds."
Here's the kicker... Sony doesn't even make plasma TVs! So they were basically telling me to return their TV and buy a competitor's product!
So why am I giving this TV 3 stars instead of 1? Because in all fairness it does produce a great picture when feeding it an HD signal, as long as the picture is relatively bright all across the screen. If you watch mostly sports, sitcoms, and animation, you'll probably never notice the flaws in the backlight. But if you watch a lot of movies or TV dramas with dark scenes in them, you'll find the backlight flaws totally unacceptable. Maybe you'll get lucky and get one without flaws in the backlight, but that's the chance you're taking.
As for me, I'm getting a plasma, reflections be damned. In fact, I took my wife out to see the Panasonic plasmas at the same store where we bought the XBR6, and she said, "THAT'S the reflection you're talking about? That's not bad at all, I can live with that." And besides, that's what curtains are for, right? So it looks like our replacement TV will be a Panasonic plasma.
If you want to see what the leaking backlight looks like, I posted some photos here: www.webapalooza.com/sonyxbr6/
|
 | Panasonic Viera TH-42PX80U 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV
Great Plasma TV for the Money! -- 2009-01-05
I purchased this TV during Black Friday. So far I have been extremely pleased with it. "Burn In" is really not an issue with newer plasmas, rather Image Retention or IR is what people need to be concerned with and even that not a terrible concern as IR normally go away fairly quickly. I have personally not had any problems with IR. I did turn down the brightness level below 50 for the first appx. 100 hrs to "break-in" the tv. I don't know if it is necessary to be honest, but I decided to caution on the safe side just in case.
Pros:
+Great value
+Great picture
+Viera Link (I can turn up the volume on my Denon receiver witht he tv remote and also when I turn off the tv power it also turns off the receiver)
+Convenient HDMI input in front of tv under flip-down panel
Cons:
-Not many "frills" such as PIP, etc
-Plasmas use more energy than LCDs
Neutral (could be negative for some or might not matter
*720p - While compairing the 1080p equivalent of this tv at the store I could not tell a difference while standing 6 or more feet away. If are sitting closer than 6 you may notice the "screen door" effect and it gets worse the closer you get. If you will be sitting close to this tv, for example - maybe playing video games, you may want to consider paying a few hundred dollars more for the 1080p model.
*Number of HDMI inputs - Just note that there are only 2 inputs on the back. The 3rd is in the front. I run everything through my receiver first and run only 1 HDMI to the tv so its not a problem for me.
I'm sold- I'll take a Panasonic Plasma over any LCD -- 2009-01-03
I currently own a 42" LCD, but was looking to pick up a plasma for a relative. I had never owned a plasma before, so I was a little apprehensive about the so-called burn-in issues, and increased power usage.
I was debating between this Panasonic plasma, and a rival Samsung PNA450 set. Ultimately, after reading through hundreds of posts at AVSForum, decided that the Samsung only offered a swivel stand as the price premium over the Panasonic. Most users seemed to prefer the Panasonic for color reproduction, as well as reliability. Of course, don't take my word for it- I encourage you to view both TVs in-store at your local Best Buy or Fry's or HHGregg. I had a chance to view both TVs side by side at Best Buy, and I felt the colors were both brighter and more accurate on the Panasonic.
Out of the box, even with the settings turned down for the first 100 hours of break-in, the picture is incredible. The colors are bright, accurate, and the blacks are blacker than even the best LCDs, IMO. And this is all on a budget plasma. I haven't noticed any burn-in so far, so hopefully there won't be any issues on that front.
Power consumption-wise, the peak power usage is above 300 watts, but that's only if you're running at full brightness, in vivid mode, with a white screen flashing all day. With optimal settings, this tv consumes about the same amount of power as your typical LCD.
I'm definitely going to be looking at Panasonic plasmas for my next television.
|
 | Sony Bravia XBR KDL-40XBR6 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV
White Glove Delivery Service is a Joke! -- 2009-01-05
The Sony HDTV lives up to its billing in every way; however, Amazon is advertising "White Glove Delivery Service" for 40" and larger TVs. All that happened when the CEVA delivery team arrived, which was within the window adverised, was that one person asked where I wanted the television. He then set the box down on the carpet, ripped it open and asked me to provide him a screwdriver to attach the base to the set. When questioned as to why he didn't have one, he said it was in the truck (located 20' from the door). He plugged in the power cord and said, "See, it has power. Sign the delivery receipt here." I found a pen, signed the form and asked where the checklist was that Amazon stated would be provided to guide me through ensuring the television was in working order. He stated he knew nothing about a checklist and left. They also said they didn't remove packing material. It was only after I removed the shipping box did I discover that the bottom of the box was extremely dirty and and left dark marks on the off-white carpeting wherever it touched. The carpet had to be cleaned to remove the smudges left by the box.
Amazon should carefully re-evaluate customer (lack of) satisfaction with their choice of carriers. If there is no improvement in "White Glove" delivery, Amazon should expect CEVA to have a negative impact on customers reordering this type of merchandise from Amazon.
Best Purchase of 2008 -- 2009-01-05
I ordered this TV on the X-mas sale for $1319 including S550 Blu-Ray player. I got my TV in good shape and timely-manner. I was little worried about Ceva carrier but they called me to setup the schedule and time. Ceva guy opened the package and made sure that TV Stands and other including accessories are in there. He put the TV on the Stand and turn on the TV. Boom.. HD picture Quality is un-real. My wife was liking Sumit are we watching 3D or what.
The picture Quality get worse from the Angle. Hey I don't watch TV from Angle my wife does :-)
|
 | Samsung LN52A750 52-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color
GREAT TV! VERY HAPPY! -- 2009-01-02
I purchased this TV from a local H.H.Gregg, but I got them to match the price when Amazon had it at $1,899.00! This was cheaper than the lower 650 series Samsung and it comes with extra content and, in my opinion is more astheticly pleasing with a wider glass bezel rather than the "rounded" plastic corners of the 650. It also has VERY subtle DARK red around the outside that is barely noticeable. CNET and others complained of the red, but I can barely see it, even when looking for it.
Others also complained of the extended bezel corners caused an annoying reflection/glare by reflecting the light from the screen in the corners and causing some distraction, I have also looked for this and did so on the store model as well and have not noticed ANY distracting light or reflections. I have heard that there are different screens and coatings that may have been used that could contribute to this affect. My TV says SQ01 as a version number which may tell those concerned some info about my specific model.
The complaints about the extra content are valid as it truly does feel "tacked on", however it is a nice feature that can be used to add ambient background during parties and to show off your TV at the same time, as the pictures that come with it are stunningly gorgeous. The fact that I got this TV cheaper than the 650 Series that did not come with this content (i.e. cooking recipes, wallpaper type pics, children's games, etc.) is really the only reason I can justify getting it.
I have also found the complaints about the remote "wheel" (like a cheap version of the iPod navigation wheel) to be true for the most part, as it IS NOT very responsive...BUT I very rarely notice b/c you can just click the bottom, top and left/right portions to have it act as arrows would, which IS VERY responsive. I find myself not even utilizing or missing the wheel feature.
I have set each input for the various accessories I have, being Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3. The PS3 input is set for dark room Blu-ray viewing per CNET's recommended settings. It IS BEAUTIFUL! I recently viewed my friend's 50" Sony DLP, watching Casino Royal "on below DVD downloaded quality granted" but noticed that the blacks were DARKER on HIS, but with the overall better picture quality and brighter picture I am still EXTREMELY pleased with this TV! Very little color adjustment is needed out of the box, I just left mine alone and set it on WARM 2! The "Game" mode for the 360 and PS3 when playing games is great!. The "Sports" mode is very accessible through the E.Mode button via the remote allowing a quick change from the dark room film settings for my cable box! I would only recommend (as many others have said) the 120Hz being turned on for SPORTS ONLY, unless you want to see cheap background sets and props in Blu-rays and DVDs! I noticed many of these in Pirates of the Caribbean, The Strangers, and The Dark Knight when playing with the 120Hz settings.
Overall great TV and got a great deal thanks to Amazon's pricing and H.H. Gregg's price matching policy! Love this TV it is great mounted on my wall in my bedroom!
Great TV - Ln52a750, -- 2008-12-30
An absolutely amazing LCD TV, great for games and the picture quality is exceptional. My suggestions to you are - 1. get the ps3 - 2 - get the ln52a750 3- enjoy life.
|
 | Toshiba 19LV505 19-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with Built-in DVD Player (Black)
Excellent Little TV -- 2009-01-05
It's sleek and works perfectly. I hooked the cable to it and it automatically identified all analog and digital stations available and ignored the others. I also have a PC connected and it works great too.
Disappointing Upgrade -- 2009-01-04
We replaced our JVC 19" CRT TV in the home office with what we thought would be an upgrade. The size is perfect for the shelf in the office & it looks good. DVD works fine & allows presets for viewing size and captions which is a nice. The picture is ok (a bit darkish) and the sound good enough for the space, but the tuner takes 3-5 secs to select & display a channel. That's ridiculous given all the high tech features built into this TV. Why not install a high tech tuner? Overall the old JVC was a better TV. I wish we had done more research on brands of this size. We won't make that mistake when we buy a larger LCD TV for our primary TV....and it mostly likely won't be a Toshiba.
|
 | Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color
Not the best, but very nice. -- 2009-01-05
I've owned the set for 4 months now, so its enough time to review the set and be objective about it. Firstly, I think the Sony XBR series sets and the Pioneer Elite series have the better picture, but it comes at a large jump in price. At the time this set was purchased at Amazon.com, the price was $1299.00 and represented one of the lowest prices you could find; there are other places that were less expensive, but for the price difference of $100.00 or so, I'd rather spend my money on a sure thing that Amazon.com represents.
The picture is very clear and the adjustments to the picture quality are available, though the menu for set makes you jump thru several screens to get there; once there, the adjustments are easy enough to do. I found the set to be too bright when set at the default settings, so I turned the brightness down to 40.
The red touch of colour seems to make the set stand out; yet, that isn't what I complain about this set. The piano black bezel seems to attract dust like nothing I've ever seen, it is necessary for me to clean the bezel several times a week to keep it clean.
The standard speakers are something of a surprise; they sound a lot better than I thought that they would, so if you're not into surround sound or home theater, it ought to be good enough. I have the set hooked up to a Yamaha 5.1 receiver, with Polk frnt speakers, Klipsch center speakers and Onkyo rears with a B&W sub for watching certain movies; though most of time I use either the tv speakers or just the front Polk's to listen to.
The 120 Hz feature does make a difference in high action scenes, but even with normal movement it does sharpen the picture and is not a distraction, so I leave it on.
If you must have the best picture, then this is not the set for you; having said that, you will have to make a large jump in price in order to get a better picture. For the money spent, this set represents an excellent value and a good comprise between price, picture quality and ease of use.
Great Tele -- 2009-01-03
I bought this tele from Amazon 3 months ago. It's a great set. The color definition is really good, and it's an incredible value for $1450 - the price I paid for it. I took a month to decide between a 40 inch and 46 inch model. In the end I'm glad I chose the 40 inch model. I reside in an apartment and although the apartment is pretty big the 40 inch fits better with the decor.
I also purchased the Samsung extended warranty. Time will tell if I will use the warranty.
I would highly recommend this tele!
|
|
|
|
|