Archive for October, 2009

Amazon.com Price: $445.49 (as of 2010-03-09 23:54:54 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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LG 32LH30 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV, Gloss Black
 
Manufacturer: LG
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Product Description

32" LCD TV FULL HD 1080p (1920 x 1080p) resolution, 50,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, ATSC/NTSC/Clearn QAM - 1 Tuner, XD Engine, 178 True Wide Viewing Angle, SRS TruSurround XT, Invisible Speakers, Dolby Digital 5.1 Decoder, 3 HDMI, USB 2.0, includes swivel stand

Product Details

  • LCD HDTV features a slim profile contoured edges with swivel stand
  • 1080p Full HD resolution 1920 x 1080p with 3x HDMI v 1.3 digital inputs and PC input
  • Invisible speaker system with Dolby Digital 5.1 & Clear voice for richer more balanced sound & a polished look
  • Super ISFccc caple of professional calibration for picture performance
  • 50,000:1 Dynamic contrast ratio

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Customer Reviews

Making a case for LG; amazing tv.
 
Review Date: May 6, 2009
Reviewer: Is It Dead Yet, The Dark
LG does'nt get enough praise.

Just bought this TV for the sake of it being an IPS panel and for its apparent adjustability (and also 1080p). Plus this tv is so easy to calibrate; the 'picture wizard' is extremely helpful.

The amount of menu options is jaw-dropping, as is the style of the set. The LH40 model looks neat with the plastic square along the bottom of the panel, but I like the more minimalist look of the LH30, and I do not like the 120hz or the $100 price jump of the LH40.

I made a comparison to my sony 32M4000 (which I have now given to my father) and there are some interesting differences (many are polar opposites):

-The sound is far superior on the LG.

-Black levels are very close, sony's is a bit deeper and maintains black colors better at angles.

-The whiteness of whites is slightly better on the sony, but colors and mid tones definitely have more of a 'punchy' factor on the LG.

-Color is amazing; rich and saturated; best ive seen on any LCD, period.

-Color does not wash out at all from different angles, only very dark colors and black tend to become discolored (blue or red depending on the angle).

-Of course there are far, far fewer picture options on the sony.

-My sony has a ghosting problem with dark colors, not so on the LG; motion blur and lag is also reduced too.

-OTA HD channels look decent enough, not as sharp as the sony, but the better color makes up for it imo.

What was the main factor that made me get this LG?..its S-IPS panel.

Samsung is an excellent maker of lcds, but I steered clear of them this time, as buying a tv from them is like playing the lottery. They use 3 different panels with differing levels of color and contrast quality; you are not essentially getting what you pay for:

You may get Samsung's own S-PVA panel, the best quality (if you're lucky).

An A-MVA panel from Taiwan's AUO (a notch worse than S-PVA).

Chinese company Chi Mei's S-MVA panel (worst of the three).

Panasonics IPS Alpha panels are decent, but on some panels dark colors appear far too blue from different angles.

That narrows it down to LG's S-IPS panel; its color saturation, vividness, and response time are worth the slight sacrifice in contrast and black depth (at least in my opinion).

This tv is not perfect, however; I spotted 3 dead pixels right out of the box (2 bright, 1 dark), right around the middle of the screen. They are practically invisible without being a foot from the screen and looking hard for them, however.

Viewing angles demonstrate some darkening of the picture, but its not too bothersome (swivel stand helps).

No other flaws I can think of at the moment, I recommend this tv!

My calibration settings use color adjustments from cnet.com along with some of my own tweaks, try them out!


Picture menu:
Aspect ratio: Just Size
Energy Saving: Off
Picture Mode: Expert 2
Backlight: 60
Contrast: 88
Brightness: 58
H Sharpness: 60
V Sharpness: 60
Color: 50
Tint: 0

--Expert control menu
Dynamic contrast: Off
Noise reduction: Off
Gamma: Medium
Black level: Low
Real Cinema: On [grayed out]
Color Standard: HD [grayed out]
Color Gamut: Wide
Edge Enhancer: Off
xvYCC: Auto [grayed out]
OPC: Off
Expert Pattern: Off[grayed out]
Color Filter: Off

White balance: Medium
Method: 10 point IRE
Pattern: Outer
IRE: [see below]
Luminance: 137 (100 Luminance only, 90 through 10 are preset)

-- 10 point IRE calibration
IRE: [Red, Green, Blue results, respectively, for each IRE point]
100 [-8, 1, -40]
90 [-13, -5, -40]
80 [-20, -12, -40]
70 [-17, -14, -33]
60 [-17, -12, -31]
50 [-17, -13, -26]
40 [-13, -12, -19]
30 [-6, -4, -8]
20 [-6, -4, -10]
10 [2, 3, -1]

Color management system
Red color: 2
Red tint: 0
Green color: -1
Green tint: -7
Blue color: 2
Blue tint: 7
Yellow color: 0
Yellow tint: 1
Cyan color: 0
Cyan tint: 0
Magenta color: 0
Magenta tint: -2
Excellent Economy HDTV
 
Review Date: June 2, 2009
Reviewer: Playingpossum, Columbia, South Carolina
The LG 32LH30 32-Inch 1080p replaced a 720p 32 inch Samsung which I returned because of erratic sound quality. The LG provides a very clear picture for upscaled DVD movies and over the air digital signals. The speakers provide excellent sound for a small living room although the addition of a home theater system would substantially increase movie enjoyment. Standard definition signals also reproduce a stable clear picture. Colors are very good and the set provides sufficient tools to tweak the picture for personal preference. I have not used it for bluray as yet but HD from satellite is very good. The features of this unit described on the Amazon specifications list accurately describe its features and can be relied upon. I am not a hard core cinema/video buff but I cannot imagine that this unit will not satisfy most viewers who want a well priced midsized flat screen high definition TV. My five stars are based upon what I expect in similarly designed and priced units for a smaller room.
Stylish and perfect
 
Review Date: October 2, 2009
Reviewer: CallMeB, Minneapolis
First, I am feeling cheated right now, since I paid over [...] for this TV around a few months back. On the other hand, there is a lot of positive things about this TV which I really appreciate.

1. The picture quality is just amazing. It really has a enriched color display and your experience with sports will probably be awesome.

2. The sound quality is not the best I can get, but it is really close to perfection and I would still rate it 5.

3. The body has a rich color and is perfect and is stylish.

4. When viewed from various angles, there is very little depreciation of real output and a few faded spots do appear. On a comparison with other models, this is very minimal. Also, you would be viewing from a good distance, which voids the issue. We also use the swivel when you hook it up for games.

5. I have it connected with DVD players and it is awesome so far. Very satisfied with picture quality.

I kind of wish I have a bigger screen though. I saw this 37" 1080p [...]which is also glossy black at a local store and is just a [...] extra.

It depends on your viewing distance and how far your sofa is from the television. With 1080p and a deep discount, I would call this a deal!!
LG 32LH30 - Great Value & Picture
 
Review Date: October 28, 2009
Reviewer: Edward Lane, Central NY
Having recently bought a 42" LG for my family room, when I decided to outfit my bedroom, I stuck with LG and I am glad I did. Although "conventional wisdom" says you don't need 1080P on a 32" set, I am glad I paid the small extra for it on this model.

Setup was a no-brainer, the picture is phenomenal, and I think LG is a far better value than similar sets from Samsung and others. Best about the LG models is the dizzying array of picture controls, so no matter your particular pleasure, you can be sure you'll find a setting you like, or ones you can modify to suit your tastes.

Although I have home theater also installed in the bedroom, I ran the HDMI cable from the cable box direct to the TV and for everyday TV viewing the sound is fine. But I ran optical from the cable box to the receiver, so when I want to watch a movie in Dolby 5.1, it's there.
Best 32" LCD on the Market
 
Review Date: October 30, 2009
Reviewer: J. Cook, TX USA
Very pleased with the LG 32LH30. Fantastic picture and sound quality in a beautiful glossy black frame. Before purchasing, compared this with other entry-level 1080p sets; almost purchased the Sony S series until I saw a side-by-side comparison. In my opinion, LG makes the best 32" LCD on the market. Only complaints are the poor layout of the remote control and no analog stereo outputs, but otherwise, a great product for the money. I'm now considering the larger LH90 series for the family room. And, thanks to Amazon for the quick service and on-time delivery.

Amazon.com Price: $286.83 (as of 2010-03-09 23:54:56 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote Control with 3.5-Inch Color Touch Screen
 
Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc
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List Price: $499.00
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Product Description

The Logitech Harmony 1100 gives you powerful home-entertainment control through a customizable, 3.5-inch full-color touch screen. Controls are easy to access and are backlit, so you can easily find them in the dark. One-touch, activity-based controls turn on the right devices in the right order with a single command. RF wireless capability lets you control devices without direct line-of-sight, so you can keep components in a closed cabinet or even another room (requires Logitech Harmony RF Extender, sold separately). The on-screen commands are customizable, so you get the commands you want, when you want them. The Harmony 1100 supports more than 5000 brands and over 225,000 devices.

Product Details

  • One-touch, activity-based controls
  • 3.5-inch, full-color touch screen
  • Customizable commands, icons and screens
  • RF wireless capability. Support for 5,000+ brands and 225,000+ devices
  • Rechargeable, complete with charging stand

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SureConnect Elite TSC-HDMI-ELT-12 HDMI Cable with Teal LED (Black, 12 Feet)
 
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SureConnect Elite TSC-HDMI-ELT-4 HDMI Cable with Teal LED (Black, 4 Feet)
 
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Samsung LN26B360 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

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Samsung LN26B360 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV
 
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Amazon.com Price: View Sale Price (as of 2010-03-09 23:54:59 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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SureConnect Elite TSC-HDMI-ELT-8 HDMI Cable with Teal LED (Black, 8 Feet)
 
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Samsung UN55B6000 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV
 
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Amazon.com Price: $1,799.99 (as of 2010-03-09 23:53:46 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Samsung LN52B750 52-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV with Charcoal Grey Touch of Color
 
Manufacturer: Samsung
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Product Description

Make the move to the smoothest LCD action ever, with Samsung's LN52B750 LCD HDTV. Start with the incredible color and rich clarity of Full HD 1080p resolution, all on a 52-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 your remote. 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.

Product Details

  • 52-inch high definition TV with 1080p resolution
  • Four HDMI, two component, one PC, and two composite video inputs; two 10W bottom speakers and SRS TruSurround HD for a rich surround-sound experience from two speakers
  • Samsung technology like Auto Motion Plus 240Hz, 2ms response time, 150,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and Wide Color Enhancer 3 for a stunning high contrast picture
  • Medi@2.0 lets you enjoy Internet@TV for content via Yahoo! and more; sync home electronics with DLNA; enjoy pre-loaded Flash content like recipes; use USB 2.0 for connecting thumb drives or cameras
  • One-year parts and labor warranty

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Great for mini home theater
 
Review Date: May 17, 2009
Reviewer: EarlyMon, New Mexico, USA
I've been an HDTV owner for six years and during that time, I've assisted about two dozen friends in their HDTV home theater setups. I've just upgraded to the Samsung LN52B750 and I couldn't be happier. For reference, I'm upgrading from a Samsung DLP and I own another Samsung LCD HDTV.

There's a lot that's misunderstood about this TV, so rather than the usual Pros and Cons, I'd like to share how I'm getting viewing value from this set.

First, if you're reading this, you're either already an LCD owner or have read about them - and have read about this new breed and if you're like I was, you're wondering what's what.

Color swirls - you never read about this, but if you've watched TV on an LCD set in the past, especially with standard def (SD) stations, you've seen it. The backgrounds look like compressed colors from jpg photo files. My earlier LCD HDTV (8ms response time) had it - this one simply does not. (I did have trouble watching compression artifacts in a movie from 1930 on TCM on this TV - but that movie was so hosed, I can't blame the TV only.)

Contrast - you've read by now that all LCD set makers lie about this. If you're confused and remember the old audio days, that works like this: You'd have a 35 watt RMS/channel amp (into 8 ohms). Some would lie and call it a 70 watt amp. Then lie some more and call it a 140 watt amp (how about 4 ohm speakers?). Then lie some more and refer to peak instead of RMS - and suddenly a 35 watt amp is legally lied about as a 200 watt amp. Now - I don't know the ins and outs of legal contrast lying, but I believe what I've read - it exists in this industry. This set is rated at a contrast of 150,000:1 - with every stretch of legal lying possible - the contrast on this set is amazing. I still cannot believe that it's an LCD. It's simply that good in terms of contrast. One plasma-owning friend insisted for a half hour that I was wrong, and had gotten a top line plasma.

Blur/response/lag - LCDs are noted for this weakness. Not this TV. Read on.

Quality of SD programs - some controversy exists. Not a problem on this TV. Read on.

240 Hz AMP - this is the most misunderstood feature I've read about on this TV. Nothing I've read in any review prepared me for what to expect. I was buying the TV partially for this feature, noting that depending upon whom you believe, you turn this feature on, off, on for movies but not sports, on for sports but not movies.

It's none of those on/off things. It's adjustable. Here are my simple recommendations based on my setup:

1. DirecTV.

I use a Dayton HDMI cable, also bought on Amazon (amazingly good cable - buy it), from my DirecTV HR20. I have the HR20 set up to display all resolutions in Native mode. The LN52B750 switches resolution so quickly that this is not a problem. Unlike earlier sets I've owned, the HDMI input on this TV accepts 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p - the HR20 outputs all of those on HDMI. In DirecTV circles, it's well-known to set your TV and your HR20 to the TV's native resolution and turn Native output off on the HR20. This is because the HR20 is purportedly better at 3:2 pulldown processing than the top of the line chipsets/firmware used only a few years ago, in that the pulldown is done between the steps of converting the satellite signal to TV frames - and my own experience agreed with that.

However, I offer this simple advice - set your HR20 output to Native, all resolutions, and set the B750's 240Hz processing to: Blur=5, Judder=3 - and you'll be exceptionally happy with the results from all program input. My Boston Legal reruns have never looked so good and they appear on some of the poorest-signal (highly compressed) stations in my lineup. So, with this setting, SD as well as satellite 720p and 1080i programs look great - not fake at all. (And all you have to do to see the controversy on this feature is to "turn it on" without customizing its adjustment - and wait for your eyes and stomach to turn.)

I played baseball as a kid - loved it. Still remember what a ball looks like going through the air. When you're at the right angle, you see a stobe of blur and clear, red stitches. With the Blur=5,Judder=3 adjustment, I have finally seen just that watching a dropping curve ball (720p source). Any higher or lower, the ball looks wrong - oh, yes, very exciting - but wrong.

So I strongly recommend this set for its 240 Hz processing - providing you are willing to change those two parameters slowly and study a lot of source material to dial in what's right. I contend that if you're a DirecTV HR20 owner, I've just given you the key to really great SD and HD viewing.

And don't fear about those great blurs being missed from movies that wanted it there - Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire looked really great in that regard.

BTW - resolution switching on this set is FAST - you'll experience little or NO extra delay when switching resolutions. (Not true on my older HDTVs.)

2. HTPC (Home Theater PC)

I use a Mac mini. I know, people hate them, you pay too much for Macs, yadda, yadda, yadda. The Mac mini is THE correct form-factor for a HTPC. You can find duplicates of this form-factor - and directly comparable features - in the Windows world for **exactly** the same price as a Mac mini - so, 'nuff said on price.

But - so far as a I know, only the built-in Apple DVD Player plays movies at 24 frames/second. Last I checked (and this may have changed by now), all other software (Win) does playback at TV rates: 60 frames/sec, with progressive scanning, etc.

Now - I'm not explaining all of this to brag about Macs - this is all about Blu-Ray vs. DVDs.

The de-judder tech being targeted by the 240 Hz processing is all about reconciling Blu-Ray 24 fps (read: real theater) vs. 30/60 fps (read: TV signals).

I don't own a Blu-Ray player - my gut, after all of these years, is still telling me to wait for the right features and prices.

But, I do use a Mac mini for my HTPC and if you do - or are considering one - here is my recommendation (based on Leopard 10.5.7): set the DVD Player to Best Quality Deinterlacing, set the Mac Display preferences to 1920x1080 at 24 Hz (it's progressive by default), and feed that into your LN52B750 with the 240 Hz options set to Blur=5 or 6, Judder=6 or 7 - and your jaw will drop. If you have a copy of Moulin Rouge - use it as your reference for the settings. I particularly recommend noting that you'll actually see the dust kitties on the floor in the Tango Roxanne chapter (among other things) and also suggest that you'll really love the depth and details of the stars, lace and glitter in Your Song.

With those settings you'll not only get a great HTPC, but you'll get possibly the best standard DVD player you've ever owned. Before the LN52B750, it was very good - now it's really incredible. Ghost Dog and Moulin Rouge on DVD are now completely three dimensional (not exaggerated foreground fakey - actually 3-D looking) - I didn't even know that this sort of picture was possible from a DVD.

I think my setup shows how well this TV works with a 1080p/24 fps source - I can only imagine that Blu-ray looks even better.

(edited 5-26-09)

3. Sound

People complain about the sound quality of the LN52B750. I don't know. I haven't used a TV for sound in 8 years. I don't wish to sound snobbish, but really - you're spending a boatload on your TV and input sources, why listen to TV speakers?

I don't go for surround sound. I'm an audio purest that prefers the highest fidelity stereo. To each his own, but if you're like me, here's the secret on that: route the optical audio out from the LN52B750 into the Mac mini, not from the DirecTV's optical port. This routing is surprisingly better. Use Rogue Amoeba's free LineIn software, set all buffers to default values except for output - use a buffer size of 2048 - convert the optical to copper stereo and pipe that into your stereo system. This is the best TV-to-stereo sound I've gotten in 8 years.

I'm using large electrostatic panels, driven by a 400 watt (peak)/channel amp and a 2 kW servo-controlled subwoofer. You hear sound from all over the room and the depth and spacial qualities are great. I recommend more money into a better stereo and less room wiring over surround sound, but that's just me. To each, his own.

4. Miscellaneous Adjustments

Next, some words on clouding, screen adjustment and glare.

Glare - I don't have any. Yeah - I can see some reflection in the screen at various times of the day. The picture quality is so deep - as is the contrast - that I don't even notice glare, if it is there. And the screen is neither glossy nor matte. It feels glossy, but is low-glare like matte, but sharp and clear like glossy. They're telling the truth on that improvement.

Clouding - let the set burn in for a few days before looking. This is great advice for any large LCD, by the way. Clouding - I don't have any.

Adjustments: Go. Very. Slow. I'd recommend not touching a thing for a full 24 hours of viewing. So far, I've turned down the backlight and the contrast and turned up the brightness. I'm not going to suggest numbers here, though - there are too many factors, such as your room, that will dictate what's right. I will say that out of the box, the contrast is too high, as is the backlight (but not the brightness) - so, as I said: Adjust. Each. Parameter. Slowly. You'll be pleased.

5-26-09: Three things - absolutely *turn off* Dynamic Contrast and Edge Enhancement!! Also, Digital Noise Reduction (NR) defaults to auto - certainly on DVDs, this causes an electric sort of look to things like paper; better at Medium or High.

Color - I read a review that favored Auto over Native - I agree.

Film mode - It defaults to Auto2 (optimized for scrolling text). Use Auto1 (film optimized) - text looks just fine.

5. Internet

This is not a worthless feature. I thought it would be - but it isn't. If you're using a Mac mini and getting the net wirelessly, go to System Prefs->Network->Ethernet, and set DHCP with manual IP - set IP to 192.168.2.1 - then go to Sharing and share your Airport connection through the Ethernet. Run an Ethernet cable 100/1000BaseT type (looks like a big phone connector) from the Mac to the TV. Set the TV internet as follows: IP=192.168.2.2, mask=255.255.255.0, and BOTH Gateway and DNS Servers to 192.168.2.1 - and you're all set.

Note - this doesn't support your DLNA features into the TV - and if you have a HTPC, especially a Mac, you don't want that anyway. Your music files will all have to transcode to support the feature - stick with your native music format, and simply switch to Mac Front Row for your music listening. You'll get higher quality and you've already made those music import decisions - and I suspect the same is true if you're a Vista/Home Media user and that's your HTPC. (Update - with [...] software, this config does support DLNA features from Mac to TV - if you need that sort of thing.)

BUT - and this is a big BUT - if it's easy, hook up your Mac or other HTPC to share its internet connection. You already get your OS upgrades via the net, regardless of whether you prefer OS X or Windows. Well, guess what? This TV is at its heart, a whole lot of computing technology. Out of the box, my LN52B750 firmware was marked from 3-30-2009 - and last week (in May 2009), Samsung already had a firmware upgrade for this set. What did Samsung upgrade? I don't know and I don't care. I let my Windows XP and Mac OS X computers upgrade themselves all the time. These guys want to fix things for free, I don't argue - I take the fix.

Get it connected to the internet and you'll never have to sweat getting an upgrade or remember how to transfer it to your TV via a USB stick. For upwards of US$2k, I like not sweating things. BTW, please note that at this point, the TV doesn't seem to support automatic updates - so you still have to go over to that menu option. Not bad. (10-13-2009 update: firmware updates are now automatic if hooked to the net.)

Having gotten that far, I tried out the Yahoo widgets. This is an underrated feature by far. I'm now set up to get the quick 5-day forecasts here, back where Mom is, and out where my company's other locations are. It puts the TV show being watched into its own shadowbox while viewing the widget. This is insanely faster and easier than using my Mac Dashboard or the DirecTV widget for the same thing - and I never lost track of my show and I never picked up a mouse.

Oh - I also used Yahoo News and Video to get the latest web video of the Hubble repairs during a long commercial break. Sure, it was low-res. But I did it with my remote, and not a mouse, and didn't lose track of time on the web looking at Hubble stuff during a commercial break.

So - I strongly recommend the internet connection option for this TV, too.

6. Heat

LCD sets get hot, the longer they're on. I burned out my first LCD HDTV from days-long ontime. I left this TV on for 50 hours straight. It is summer (here in the desert), and I do have my swamp cooler on - but this TV screen is still barely warm to the touch.

7. Trusting commercial reviewers

Anyone who publishes that they've tested the X-inch model of this set, but this one is the same - don't read them, don't believe them. Quality control for manufacturing LCD sets increases almost exponentially as you go up in size. Only trust reviews on the actual set you're looking at - not the next one over, not last year's model.

8. LCD response time

This set is rated at 2 ms. I've heard that's a lie in a review of 120 Hz sets - although the reviewer wouldn't mention manufacturers. That reviewer said that they were simply taking 8 ms panels, and rating them at 4 ms when doing 120 Hz processing - and so, while my TV was in transit, I rightly wondered if the 2 ms is simply the same math applied to an 8 ms screen at 240 Hz (4 time as fast as 60 Hz, four times as fast as 8 ms).

I have no earthly idea. All that I can say for a certain fact is that this thing is razor sharp and lacks the motion artifacts (and swirls) I've seen on my other 8 ms LCD HDTVs. I hope this helps, some, with that confusion.

9. Actual Size

I don't why it does this but it does: it sees my Mac via the DVI-HDMI connection and gives me a Fit Screen size adjustment. No more lost pixels, no more need for SwitchResX or DisplayConfigX. No such option from the DirecTV HDMI input. I don't know why.

But I do know this: for years, HDTV makers were hiding a bit of the edges from their input sources - causing no end of grief for HTPC owners. This set does away with all of those woes.

(**** UPDATE, May 23 - The Screen Fit option works with any HD source - DirecTV or HTPC. Switch to 480i input, and the screen fit option goes away. Also - when you get the typical HistoryHD show where they just stretch the letterbox picture horizontally, giving everyone that Pillsbury Doughboy face, you can fix that by quickly switching the TV to 4:3 mode. You end up with an HD in letterbox - not as good as full-screen HD, but way better than watching the Pillsbury Doughboy.)

10. Correct Adjustment.

They tell us that the only way to do this is with a TV tech, and to pay for it professionally. Believe them. This TV has no less than 9 adjustments for red, green and blue - add in brightness, gamma, etc and you have over a dozen adjustments there.

Think: 12-sided Rubic's cube - now you've got the idea.

So, I'm just adjusting the brightness/backlight/contrast myself. Independent reviewers all claim that the Samsung brand rocks right out of the box for color correctness. That wasn't true of my older Samsungs - it most certainly is for this one. The color just looks great.

13. The Remote

I had things down to just my Mac remote and my DirecTV remote. Now I've got that third remote happening again, to use some of this TV's cooler features. Just like most people use surround sound while I use stereo, it seems most people get integrated remotes instead of using several.

OK - I'm a Luddite or something. We use multiple remotes. (This one for music, sound, photos and DVD control, this one for DirecTV and now this one for switching source inputs and checking out my Yahoo widgets.) My wife and I just find this easier. So, if you're like us in that regard:

This is a great remote. It feels comfy in the hands like you wouldn't believe, it has backlighting, the buttons are big enough to read. What more can I say than that?

14. Viewing Distance

I watch mine at 12.5 feet from the screen. This is well within reason for this size TV. If you watch at a showroom, be prepared to pace off what your viewing distance will be. I often go through stores and see people judging HDTVs by being 8 feet in front of one, 12 feet in front of another. Don't ever do that. I cannot overstate the importance of judging TVs from the distance consistent with your own use.

15. Pilot Delivery

I got my LN52B750 via Amazon's supplied Pilot Delivery. These guys were great. Others have had issues, many haven't. Pilot seems to employ local guys for their white glove delivery. My local guys were great - 'nuff said.

16. 6/13/2009 edit - If you register your TV on the Samsung website, they give you an additional 3 months on your warranty.

Well - that's it. Thanks for reading. Hope I've helped.
Excellent Pictures !!!!
 
Review Date: September 15, 2009
Reviewer: Songhai, Yakima, WA
A caution about this LCD before the praises.....
1. It is wide...you need a second pair of hands to help you get it out of the box and mount it, if you are like me who was eager to mount it all by myself, you will end up with acute low back pain..oooh.
2. This TV uses liquid crystals, so it is advisable to let it stand for 45 minutes before turning on the power,after all the shaking while getting it out of the box.
3. Do not dispose of the large box it came in,it will be hard to find a box this large just in case you got a faulty set and have to send it back.
4.Prices are coming down, shop around and buy from a retailer that will price match for you.
5.Samsung has an awful customer service buy from a retailer with a reliable warranty history.

Now to the review.......

Like most reviewers, I had spent months researching into LCDS and came out impressed with Sony V100, XBR6, XBR8(LED),Samsung B750 and B8000(LED).The Samsung B750 came out tops in all categories combininig the strengths from each one into one beautiful TV ....

I will not go into much technicalities as one of the reviewers here "EarlyMon" did a fantastic job and is more techsavvy.I will only say that I am more than happy with my purchase.

However, I shall add that the future of HDTV will be either LED or OLED.The technology on LED/OLED TV has not been perfected and will not be until 3 to 5 years down the road.So, why did I go for a SAMSUNG B750 CCRT LCD TV rather than for a LED TV?
Very simple.It is the best LCD in the market as of today Sept14th,2009 and might be for a long time to come.A point supported by both professional reviewers and users.

The Samsung B750 beats the LED Sony XBR8 (too pricey) and Samsung B8000 (uneven pixation). It compares very well with black scenes in both LED TVs, the white may not be as white as the LED TVs, but IT does not give the unnatural blue hue the LED TVs add to white color, perhaps that is why they seem to produce a whiter white.Just like the LED tv, the Samsung LN52B750 does not produce harsh pictures nor are the pictures scrabby.

The B750 has a practical wider viewing angle than both LED TVs mentioned above. It also has a better uniformity of colours.Do not get me wrong the LED TVs give very impressive pictures but since they are still in what I shall call beta stages, the prices on them are rather high for their current performances compared to what they are capable of doing.Just Like when Plasmas came out some years back, they were pricey, average cost was $4000.00 for the low end models.Inspite of their high prices then, yesterday's Plasmas in terms of performance are not as good as today's Plasmas which cost far less. They went through a period of fine tuning during which time their prices came down.Could you imagine buying a 46in Plasma for $900:00 in 2004.Yet today you could get one for that amount with little issue of burn in and better performance. A similar scenario will be played out with the LED TVs of today. So while waiting for LED technology to be perfected, it makes reasonable sense to buy an excellent TV at a "reasonable cost" to enjoy for the next 5 or so many years before the LED TVs get perfected or near "perfection".

To be honest, as much as Samsung tried to eliminate glare, this TV does have a minimum of glare compared to older Samsung LCDs but it is very minimal.If you have not noticed the glare on your laptop, desktop or your old CRT tv, then you will not be bothered by glare on this TV with the improved anti-glare technology.

If you are an enthusiast of Nature,fast action movies or sports, this is the TV for you. This TV shows leaves in a tree distinctively not just a bunch or cluster of green like most TVs do.You see clearly the individual droplets of water, as a wave breaks not just a splash of whitishblue.With fast movies or sports, no blurr or motion artifacts are seen.Colors are naturally vivid.No leaking of colors.

Do you need calibration? Yes, you do. Out of the box, the picture it gives is very impressive.Bear in mind that the manufacturers do not know anything about your living room light condition but they have a fairly good knowledge of what the light condition of a retailer's electronic dept is like.An since, the manufacturers do not know which of their TVs will be displayed by a particular retailer, they adjust the settings on all of their TVs coming out of the production line to meet the light conditions of a retailer which most time is a very bright light condition.They want their TV to look brighter,sharper and more crisp than their competitors'. This might mean less than an optimal picture quality for your room and more energy cost for you. Calibration has also been touted to prolong the life of the pixels.So if you can afford the 2 grand on this TV why can't you pick up a calibrating disc for $30.00 or less, to get an optimal performance, lower energy cost and prolong the life span of your TV?

If you decide to calibrate your TV,it is adviced to let your new TV break in, like a new car before making the adjustment.Some suggest as few as 24 hrs of regular TV watching others have suggested 1 month.I calibrated mine after 45 hrs of regular TV watching.The difference in picture quality after calibration is like NIGHT and DAY.

There are quite some good calibrating discs out there but the best for video is "High Deifinition Benchamrk by Spears & Munsil". This is very simple to use, the instructions are very elementary.I recommend the Blu-ray edition, if you have a Blu-ray player. For audiophiles, "AIX RECORDS" audio calibration disc is a winner. It has HD music sampler.For those with surround system, it will test the output and locate the positions of each of your speakers one by one for you.Both discs can be purchased online and for those who purchase the OPPO-BD 83 Blu-ray player,it is an added bonus.

However, for those who do not want to buy a calibration disc or pay for a professionl calibration service, here is an ABC of do it yourself calibration.

The primary features involved in calibration are, brightness,contrast,sharpness,color and hue.

Brightness:
This controls the depth of the blackness.Slot in a DVD movie into your DVD player and look for a night scene with someone wearing a black suit.Adjust the brightness control until you can make out clearly the edges of the suit lapel and the breast pocket of the black suit.

Contrast:
Controls the white. Look for a scene of someone wearing a white shirt.Adjust the contrast control until you can make out clearly the white buttons on the white shirt.

Sharpness:
Slot in a sports DVD e.g football,athletes meet, lawn tennis match etc.Look for a scene with line markings.Play with the adjust control from minimum to maximum and watch the line markings as you do so, the lines will have doubles or ghost images.Adjust the control slowly until the double or triple lines become one line or the ghost images of the line dissappears, leaving you with a single line.

Color:
Hopefully, you are not color blind.If you are,ask a friend to help you with this adjustment.This adjustment depends on what you appreciate of skin tone.Focus on the color of the skin of the actors, usually the face.Play with the control up and down and see how the skin color changes.Adjust the control more slowly until you get a match close to what the person's color would look like to you,were the person standing close to you.Hopefully, you are not in the habit of looking for aliens or martians.

Hue:
Also refers to color.Look for a color like red, blue or green and adjust the control to get the nearest match of that color in real life.

These tips are to help you make a decision between the best available HDTV to date.And if you are like me who was debating between a CCRT LCD OR LED LCD, I hope that I have provided sufficient reasons why I went for a CCRT LCD rather than a LED LCD for now. I might upgrade to a LED TV in five years from now.

Happy viewing on your new TV. You can not go wrong on Samsung LN52B750 !

Addendum (01/29/2010):

AESTHETICS:We have had this TV for about 5 months now. No problems with it.And we have never been bored looking at it, either when it is turned ON or OFF.It is a beautiful piece and blends very well with other pieces of furniture in our family room.The black screen overlaps beautifully with the black frame.The design remains ever sleek and unobtrusive.

SOUND:I have often wondered at the comments people have made about the sound quality not being loud enough. We have our TV hooked up to a Phillips 6 piece surround system that was already in place before the TV arrived.But without the surround system the TV Sound is fine.Our son prefers to play his game without the surround system and finds the inbuilt TV speakers more than adequate for him and neither have his friends complained when they come arround.For a TV this size and varying on the size of your room, a soundbar or an external surround system should be a fitting addition to the TV.Caution, if you do use an external speaker source with the TV remember to turn off the TV volume so that you do not get an echoing effect. Happy listening!
Great LCD TV!
 
Review Date: May 13, 2009
Reviewer: G. Arteaga, Chicago, IL
I just received my LN52B750 this week and have to say it is simply an amazing display of the high definition experience. For the price, this LCD is a great value IMO - and not just because I purchased it, I shopped around for about 1.5 months and could not find a better LCD with the features this set offers.
A friend has last years LN52A750 and I can honestly tell the differences and upgrades to the 'B' model - such as the increased contrasts ratio, 240Hz refresh rate and the improved Media 2.0 USB functionality.
If you are looking for a decently priced LCD (with higher end features), this is the TV for you!

Pros:
-Picture quality is stunning- need to see it in person to appreciate it.
-Functionality of Media 2.0 (USB) port is improved and very useful for looking at picture/movie files and music.
-Swivel stand is convenient.
-Charcoal TOC is far more subtle than the red on other models.
-Shipping and delivery was spot on through Amazon.

Cons:
-Sound quality (honestly isn't THAT bad; get a nice surround sound or sound bar and the issue will be moot).
Great Television
 
Review Date: June 30, 2009
Reviewer: MM, USA
I've had this TV for just over a month and I really love it. I honestly have nothing to complain about. The main thing I was concerned about with this TV was the glossy screen because my living room is pretty bright during the day, but this baby is so bright that it isn't an issue. Plus, the glossy screen makes the picture look so much better than the matte screens, especially when the room is dark.

The picture quality is amazing and the TV simply looks good, even when it isn't turned on. I use it mostly to play FIFA '09 on PS3 and to watch Blueray's, and it does a stellar job with both. My friends are impressed too.

Another thing I love is the Touch of Color. What I mean to say is that I love that this TV doesn't really have one. I was so happy that Samsung got rid of the Red Touch of color on this model. It is a matter of personal taste, but I think the red accented TVs are ugly, so much so that I probably wouldn't have bought this if it had those red accents. This TV is a nice piano black and makes my living room a more beautiful place.

I've seen a lot of people complaining about the sound and even giving it 4 stars solely because the sound supposedly isn't very good. I personally couldn't disagree more. I mean, it's not comparable to a $[...] surround system, but the sound quality and volume is fantastic for people like me who live in an apartment and think it's important to be on good terms with one's neighbors. The sound quality and volume is certainly better than the CRT TV this Samsung replaced, and that CRT wasn't even 4 years old and was one of the best in it's class.

I bought this TV from Amazon and am so happy I did. Their service is truly impeccable and the delivery was a breeze. Amazon's price was fantastic too, and it is always great to avoid sales tax when it's 9.25% in your county.

As silly as it will surely sound to some, I really wouldn't change anything about this TV. It is pretty much perfect, so if the price is right and you're in the market for a really awesome LCD TV, then go for it. I highly doubt you'll be sorry.
This LCD really is great!
 
Review Date: May 1, 2009
Reviewer: Jarod D. Makowski, Columbia, NJ USA
I know a lot of you are looking at a lot of hdtvs. Let me tell I looked at all the t.vs in best buy to see how they look. I saw the ln46b650 as it stood out from the rest with clarity. So i decided to take a gamble and pre order this one. I even owned a pn50a760 plasma and sent it back because it had poor clearity. This t.v has an extra setting for the upscaling which makes it ajust to the size making it a little clearer for normal dvds then the regular upscaling.
PROs for this t.v: Clearest picture i've seen so far for LCD. No artifacts on 240hz settings. The colors are bright and stunning. For you video game addicts. I have a ps3 and a xbox360 hooked up to it and let me tell you the game looks crisp and has no lag whats so ever.
Cons:The internet capabilities and media stuff arent exciting. Only thing its good for is maybe knowing the weather and uploading pictures on the tv when having family events. When people speak while playing video games they seem a little quiet other then that they sound pretty decent. The blacks are probally the best you can get for lcd but its still not as black as plasmas can get. Only other thing is its viewing angles, its best to sit at a centerish seat.

THe cons are very very minor overall this t.v I will recommend to anyone looking for something great in all area's for the price. Regular Dvds look nice a sharp and blue rays look even better. Even my girlfriend that knows nothing about t.vs says WOW thats a lot better then the other one we sent back. YOu could also see the jealousy in my friends eyes.
I hope my technical comments help you decide if this is the t.v for you.

Amazon.com Price: View Sale Price (as of 2010-03-09 18:19:51 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV
 
Manufacturer: Samsung
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List Price: $2,299.99
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Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description Enjoy more picture and less frame with Samsung’s HL-T5687S DLP HDTV. The piano black bezel is just 0.6" wide; the set's slim depth lets it fit where others won't. The energy-efficient 56" screen features a powerful, long-lasting LED light engine that turns on almost instantly. Full HD 1080p resolution and Samsung Cinema Smooth technology deliver a wide range of brilliant colors, with bright images and crisp definition. The blackest blacks, brightest whites and nuanced tones are yours with a 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Hidden speakers deliver clear, robust SRS TruSurround XT sound.

The HLT generation of Samsung DLP HDTVs are capable of displaying future 3D games, movies, and other programming via 3D compatible glasses and hardware.

Samsung's LED color and light engine
The revolutionary new LED system available on Samsung DLP HDTVs offers better color, and energy efficiency.
LED (Light Emitting Diode) for modern color realization
Samsung's new LED light engine replaces the arc lamp & color wheel design of previous DLP HDTVs, and realizes beautiful color. LED will last the life of the TV. Samsung LED DLP TVs eliminate the need to replace the consumable lamps every few years, and thus have less impact on the environment and on one’s wallet. Samsung's LED light engine makes possible an Ultra-Wide Color Gamut that exceeds the NTSC defined color space spec for richer color than you've seen before on TV. Samsung DLP HDTVs with an LED engine are more energy efficient than similar sized flat panel displays, and the lack of a moving color whell in the design means they perform with less noise than any previous DLP HDTV design.

Samsung Cinema Smooth light engine
Samsung's Cinema Smooth light engine create's images with a smoother, more film-like appearance.
Cinema Smooth Light Engine
Samsung is the worldwide leader in creating light engines that harness DLP HDTV technology from Texas Instruments. Samsung’s Cinema Smooth light engine brings together the right optics, electronic circuitry and replaceable light source to create a brilliant picture that’s more lifelike and much closer to film. Now in its sixth year of evolution, Samsung’s Cinema Smooth light engine delivers crisp, 1080p High Definition resolution with high contrast and brightness, defined edges and sharp detail.

Next Generation DLP Chips from Texas Instruments
Samsung employs a Texas Instruments DLP chip that is comprised of millions of microscopic mirrors. The DLP chip is faster than any other HDTV technology, with the mirrors switching on & off 15,000 times a second to deliver a razor-sharp picture for fast moving images. When combined with Samsung’s new Cinema Smooth light engine, the result is a crisp, bright picture with deep, rich colors that’s closer to film.

Samsung Cinema Smooth light engine
SRS TruSurround offers a surround sound experience from only two speakers.
SRS TruSurround Samsung HDTVs are equipped with the best that technology can offer in sound quality. Even when viewing regular broadcasts, Samsung's two speaker surround sound makes you feel as if the theater has been brought to your living room.

Product Details

  • 56" LED light engine DLP HDTV
  • 1920 x 1080-pixel resolution; 10,000:1 Contrast ratio
  • Measures 50.4"(W) x 34.9"(H) x 14"(D).; 69 Lbs
  • Connections: 3 HDMI, 2 S-Video, 2 Composite, 1 DVI Audio in, 2 Component Video Input, 2 RF input, 1 Video Out, 2 Audio out(RCA L/R + Optical), 1 USB, 1 PC in
  • Customers may receive HLT-5687X-XAA or HLT-5687SAX models. Samsung has confirmed there is no difference outside of model number suffix.

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Customer Reviews

Samsung Delivers a Winner
 
Review Date: June 1, 2007
Reviewer: Calvin (SF), San Francisco, CA United States
Okay, here's my list of what's great about this TV:

1. The QAM Cable tuner took my standard cable connection and found about 30 new or so DTV (digital HD) channels to complement my analog cable channels. I can now get all my local channels in HD (720p or 1080i) through my cable connection. Additionally, some other analog channels have a sister DTV channel broadcasting in 480i.

2. I was able to connect my old rabbit air antenna to the TV and lo and behold, I received my local channels in HD. But with the QAM Cable Tuner, I don't really need my rabbit airs.

3. The HD Channels truly look spectacular on this TV.

4. I was surprised how good Standard Definition (analog) channels looked on this TV as well. Because this 56" baby is so big, I can make the SD channels 4:3 (instead of widescreen) and it still looks big. I measured the 4:3 screen and it comes out to about 46".

5. The remote control and menu layout of this TV is very intuitive. Easy to use! The remote has a separate button to change the screen size to 4:3, 16x9, Zoom1, Zoom2, Just Scan. There are other dedicated buttons as well for Picture Mode, Sound Mode, Freeze Picture, SRS Surround Sound, Game Mode, Sleep Mode, Info, Closed Caption, etc. There's also a button to switch easily between cable and an external antenna.

6. After you autoprogram your channels, you can setup a favorite channels list. The remote has a favorite channel button which will only scroll through your favorites.

7. I'm in the process of getting an upconverting 1080p DVD player, but my standard DVD player with S-Video/RCA jack connection looks pretty dang sharp on this TV. The cartoons (Cars, Happy Feet, etc) that my kids watch on DVD almost look HD like.

8. When changing channels, the TV will temporarily display the show's v-chip rating, the picture quality (480i, 720p, or 1080i), and native screen size (4:3, 16x9).

9. Another wonder is that I can set the picture size to 4:3 because most of my cable channels are still analog. However, when a DTV channel comes up, the TV will automatically expand those channels to 16x9 if the DTV channel is supposed to be in widescreen format.

10. Hopefully the LED light engine will last a long time. No more bulbs to replace.

11. Amazon's delivery service was good. I was able to schedule a 8am-11am Saturday delivery. I live on the 2nd floor of a flat and the delivery guys carried it up to my living room. They waited for me to test it out before I signed off as well.

Here's my list of dislikes:

1. When changing channels, there's about a second or two delay before the channel appears. My old CRT shows the next channel immediately. I don't know if all HDTVs do this. I didn't really test other HDTVs at the store by changing the channels.

2. I think all bigger screen TVs have this problem (whether it's Plasma, LCD, or DLP), but the TV isn't really that heavy. So if you live in earthquake country like I do, I can see this TV swaying and falling down on its screen size...OUCH! This flatscreen TV makers ought to attach a strap on the back of the TV that can hook on to the TV stand for more stability.

3. The SRS Surround Sound reads a lot better than it sounds. It's okay though.

4. I wish this TV had PIP...oh well, I didn't want to pay extra for the model that had it.

For the money and screen size, this Samsung is a steal IMO....especially if the LED light engine last as long as Samsung claims. As for the reviewer who wrote that his LED light engine cost him $1200, he must have bought a different Samsung LED model than this one since this model hasn't been around 11 months ago. Date of my review is 5/31/07. Also per my Warranty details, this model is covered for 1 year parts and labor as long as it's not used for commercial use. So the light engine should have been covered.
best one on the market
 
Review Date: August 20, 2007
Reviewer: L. Bridenne, Capitola, CA United States
I have been looking at upgrading by 27" CRT for a couple of years now and this TV is made me pull the trigger. Why?

1) No lamp - don't have to worry about cooling and lamp going out (the LEDs may go out after something like 8000 hours, compared to the 3000 for bulbs)
2) No color wheel - don't have the "rainbow effect" as other models do
3) 3 HDMI - enough for me HD receiver, PS3 and ?...
4) no loss of color/brightness (compared to other models like Sony's SXRDs)
5) low power consumption
6) good picture on SD channels (compared to other models like Sony/Panasonic/Toshiba)
7) This TV is BRIGHT (even at medium settings)
8) silent
9) good speakers (haven't cranked it up over 25 yet)
10) turns on in less than 5 seconds (Sony's took for...ever...)

LED is the way to go until OLED big-screen TVs can be produced (CNET has great info I used for my TV research). Don't waste your money on TVs using bulbs. They fade and they go out quickly.

I really believe this is the best you can get for your money. First time I buy Samsung... not the last. I was a Sony guy.

Shipping was great. No problems. Great communication. They came in within 4 days, unpacked, placed it in the entertainment center and took all the packing with them... within 10mn.

Thank you Amazon, thank you Eagle, thank you Samsung.
Great TV and Purchase Experience
 
Review Date: October 20, 2007
Reviewer: BillK, Phoenix
Samsung HLT5687S 56" Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV

This is a review of my total buying experience with this TV, not just a review of the TV.

This is the first major appliance I have ever ordered on-line from Amazon (or anybody else, for that matter), and I was pretty apprehensive.

I needed this TV to be delivered within a certain time window. I spoke to an Amazon representative on the phone, and she told me to order it on September 27. So I did.

I called Eagle, and they received the TV right on time and delivered it to me exactly when I needed it, two days later; they were very cooperative. This has been SO much more convenient than buying it locally and having to either pay extra or lug it home myself. Amazon and Eagle get an A+ for great service! I am no longer apprehensive about ordering a large TV on-line.

I paid $1800 for this TV, shipped and delivered to my home. When you consider that any local dealer charges sales tax, I saved nearly $400 over the best local price. Great price. I discovered that Amazon has dropped the price to $1700, so I asked them for a credit and received an e-mail (on a Sunday, no less) indicating that my credit card will be credited $104.

As delivered, the TV set appeared to be perfect, except for the often cited bowing problem: long, straight, horizonatal lines across the top one-third of the screen were bowed slightly in the shape of a frown. I called Samsung and they dispatched a local (Phoenix) field engineer. The field engineer fixed the problem by inserting a shim in the cabinet. Technically speaking, the out-of-the-box geometry was within the specification of 1/4" or less horizontal bow, but the technician improved it so that the bow is almost imperceptible. Had the technician not fixed the problem, the bowing would have been a distraction to my eye in certain scenes, even though it was within spec.

I have a 50" plasma, a 23" LCD, and a 37" LCD. The Samsung is my first projection TV. As noted above, the geometry of the Samsung is not perfect, not as good as my other TVs. Nevertheless, overall, I like the Samsung best. Even though the Samsung has a larger picture than the other TVs, the picture is actually sharper and better than the other TVs. It is pretty spectacular! I love this TV.

I would repeat this transaction, in a heartbeat. It has been a completely positive experience.
Best picture quality in a rear projection TV
 
Review Date: May 29, 2007
Reviewer: Brian Dunn, Ladera Ranch, CA
If you need a big screen TV for a living/family room, the only affordable option is a rear projection. This Samsung has a bright, richly colored picture that looks like a flat screen LCD. In fact, everyone who has seen it has assumed it was a Plasma or LCD. It has the best contrast ratio, response time, resolution and color saturation in its price range.

I had read that if you turn your head quickly while looking at a DLP, you would see a "rainbow" effect (like colors smearing). I looked hard for this effect and never saw it.

The TV is lightweight for a projection system, not too deep (so it can fit into shallow niches) and uses a lot less power than my old rear projection system.

It also looks cool with the thin black bevel frame and the blue-lit power button.

I have two minor complaints:

1. My only minor complaint is that it takes about 5 seconds for the TV to turn on. The picture requires no warm-up, but the TV has built-in software that apparently gets loaded when you start it.

2. The input jacks are all located on the side of the TV rather than the front or back. If you want to plug in a camcorder or laptop computer, you need to reach around the side of the TV. At least this gives you a clean look on the front of the TV, but it is a bit awkward.

I highly recommend this TV. For the money, you can't get a better picture. The LED lamp is supposed to last for years without replacement and use 75% less electricity than the same size TV with an incandescent lamp.

Fantastic TV - Delivery Unsatisfactory
 
Review Date: July 11, 2007
Reviewer: Michael D. Bedwell, Denver, CO
The Samsung LED DLP HD picture is outstanding. I have not seen a LCD or Plasma that compares. The Samsung easily switches between HD 1080i, 720p and 480p giving an outstanding picture in all supported modes. Standard DVD movies viewed using an Upscale DVD player are close to true HD quality. I highly recommend this LED DLP. However, the shipping company Amazon uses, Eagle Air Freight is the most incompetent shipper I have ever dealt with. The TV was delivered a week after it arrived in their Denver facility. The only reason it was ever delivered to my address was that I tracked it down and called them. They stated they were short of help and did not have time to contact me to setup a delivery date. After getting Amazon involved and their area manager I was able to get it delivered.

Amazon.com Price: View Sale Price (as of 2010-03-09 23:55:01 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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Samsung UN40B6000 Luxia Series 40-inch LCD 1080p HDTV (120Hz) w LED Technology & Sherwood BDP-5003 1.1 Profile Blu-Ray Disc Player Bundle
 
Manufacturer: Samsung
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Product Description

Samsung UN40B6000 Luxia Series 40-inch LCD 1080p HDTV (120Hz) w LED Technology & Samsung Blu-Ray Disc Player w/Netflix Streaming Capabilities - BDP1600

Product Details

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