As with every review, I will give you bad news as well as good, with the good news coming first.
The Good...
Samsung
is the top-seller of DLP TVs for 2007, and second only to Sony in LCD
HDTVs. Samsung prides itself on innovation, in design as well as
technology.
Many consider Samsung LCD HDTVs as a viable
alternative to Sony, as it has comparable quality at a lower price.
Apart from the popularity of LCD and DLP sets, Samsung is also admired
for the high contrast ratio in its plasma sets, resulting in deep blacks
and vivid colors.
Innovation
While most HDTVs are black, Samsung adds an amber tone to its TV cabinets.
CRT
sets need their lamps to be replaced every 3-4 years, which will set
you back a few hundred dollars, every time. Samsung was the first to use
the Texas Instruments LED technology to eliminate this problem and, in
consequence, the necessity of replacing the lamp. Also, this technology
is said to have a life of twenty years, which implies large savings, in
the long run.
Role Of HDTV Redefined
Samsung has an avowed
aim to redefine the role of HDTVs. To this end, its HDTV sets - both
entry-level and premium - in 2008 come with side-mounted USB 2.0 and
HDMI ports. This facilitates connection of digital devices to view video
and images on the HDTV.
Interactive HDTVs
Some advanced models can receive streamed web content and select RSS
feeds,
as well as PC files. This is facilitated by a digital media adaptor -
an optional accessory. An admirable attempt to convert a TV into an
interactive device!
...The Bad And The Ugly
LCD Blues
Samsung
LN-S4695D 46" LCD TV has a poorly written manual. That apart, the set
has no cable card if you are looking for that feature.
There is color bleeding - a resultant of the backlight. "Pixelization" is evident when you view Standard Definition TV.
This
set has a sluggish remote, and channel changes are slow. DVI and USB
connections are missing; HDMI and other input ports are at the back,
instead of the sides. It also has an 8ms response time which is
relatively lower than 4ms in competitor brands.
The next model in this line, the LN-S4696D ha a flawed backlight display.
The
Samsung 52" LCD Black Flat Panel HDTV has an intolerable amount of
glare. Also, it is difficult to set-up, with much tweaking needed,
before you can get a satisfactory picture.
Not Much Luck With Non-LCD Either
An
owner of the Samsung TX-T3092WH CRT TV says the set has "some geometry
issues", with vertical and/or horizontal lines that are not perfectly
straight.
The HP-S4253 Plasma TV is said to have an audible buzzing
sound that cannot be ignored even when you turn up the volume. It also
has HDMI problems. This set is heavier than an LCD TV.
The Samsung 50" Widescreen Black Plasma HDTV (FPT5084) has a glare problem.
The
Samsung HL=S5687W 56" DLP HDTV has an audio problem, and sounds like a
mono even when set in stereo mode. This could have to do with the design
of the internal speakers. The only solution appears to be to connect it
to an external surround sound system.
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