Showing posts with label led backlight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label led backlight. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Samsung UN46C8000 46-Inch 1080p 3D 240 Hz LED HDTV Review

Samsung UN46C8000 46-Inch 1080p 3D 240 Hz LED HDTV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This TV is absolutely stunning. I was actually waiting for the C9000 to come out, but that TV's price is way over the limit. I found out that this TV which is the next step down and actually has the exact same technology as the C9000 minus the touchscreen remote (which can be bought seperately) and the slim profile, not a big deal considering the TV already looks beautiful and is half the price or less then a C9000!
In all honesty, I think this TV has one of the nicest pictures I've ever seen. One example is the pin-point dimming, which has garnered a lot of criticsm and skeptisism. I have seen the production TV model live and I must tell you, I think it's better then local-dimming and I'll tell you why... Unless there is a new panel that is made to fix the local-dimming "halo affect", this is currently the only way to get outradgeous contrast levels without that problem. The pin-point dimming on this TV dramatically lowers the dark spots on the screen in certain area's without a halo affect and actually goes completely pitch black when watching movies with dark screens just like a local-dimming TV. I think this TV actually excels at the dimming part over a local-dimming TV because it creates supurb black levels without any halo affects. That's a huge deal for me. Next is the color accuracy of this panel, I think the whites and colors on this TV are probably better then I've ever seen. Sure Plasma's can sometimes have better color temperatures, but they will not pop out of the screen with ambience like this TV shows. This TV is sharp looking and beautiful and it displays wonderful 3D and High-definition like never before.
Last, but not least... this tv is LOADED with features, easily making it one of the most feature rich TV's there is on the market. It's completely wireless, has 4-hdmi conenctions, has internet applications and streaming capabilities and best yet, it does it well! I have done a lot of research and have compared this TV with it's newest competitors and this one is it. Don't just take my word for it, go see it for yourselves and you'll just see what I am talking about.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung UN46C8000 46-Inch 1080p 3D 240 Hz LED HDTV

Samsung LED HDTVs combine breakthrough picture quality and advanced connectivity options that will keep you entertained 24/7. This UN46C8000 LED HDTV also makes it easy to be green, and will save you some green, by being ENERGY STAR compliant.

Buy NowGet 49% OFF

Click here for more information about Samsung UN46C8000 46-Inch 1080p 3D 240 Hz LED HDTV

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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Samsung UN46C7000 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black) Review

Samsung UN46C7000 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Fantastic picture quality! Easy to set up and use. Shippers were great, unpacked the TV and made sure it worked before they left. The only complaint is I spent my 1st whole night wondering why all my shows looked the Soap Operas. Turns out this is caused by Samsung "Auto Motion Plus" feature that adds extra calculated frames to the video stream. Turning this off made the picture look as I expected (i.e. Law and Order's proper gritty/jerky camera motion when the detectives are on the street). When this mode is off the tv is still running at 240Hz, but shows the same frames unaltered over and over just like the movie theater does rather than trying to "make stuff up" in between frames. I now only turn on the "Auto Motion Plus" when watching hockey.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung UN46C7000 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black)

Samsung LED HDTVs combine breakthrough picture quality and advanced connectivity options that will keep you entertained 24/7. This UN46C7000 LED HDTV also makes it easy to be green, and will save you some green, by being ENERGY STAR compliant.

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Click here for more information about Samsung UN46C7000 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black)

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Saturday, March 24, 2012

LG 47SL90 47-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV, Glossy Black Review

LG 47SL90 47-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV, Glossy Black
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
If you are looking for a latest technology LED HDTV you probably have come across this LED panel from LG. I read the other reviews on here and am a little suspicious some of these people might work for LG?
O.K There is good as well as bad and it certainly isn't all bad, but don't be fooled by some of the over zealous reviews on here about this product. It looks great in the stores but might not do as well in the realities of your home. Please read on.
The Good!
The panel looks great cosmetically, its slim, the boarder is there (its just that it doesn't protrude from the screen like most its contained within the glass panel it self. The price is competitive.
Picture clarity under ideal viewing conditions is impeccable. 1080P and 1080I modes ee this TV perform at its best. Connected to a Blu-ray player playing 1080P, with the all the blinds closed is top notch!!
The Not so Good.
The screen has some serious glare issues (as it's a glass screen) If you have this screen anywhere near a window(s) especially behind you the viewer, it's really difficult to get your eyes to focus out the images reflected from behind you. My much older Westinghouse LCD has an anti-glare screen and copes much better than the LG does in usual viewing situations like this. The 120 Hz True-motion setting just doesn't work and causes some serious pixel issues. This effect can be seen clearly around people on screen. The Panel works O.K when this feature is turned off. Calibration and cinema mode settings seem to work just fine.
Low resolution viewing (lower than 720P) is not that great and again is out performed, in my personal opinion, by my much older Westinghouse TV)
I have found some strange issues watching recorded programs on my DVR such as "Flash Forward" the other night which had a great deal of dark scenes. It seemed almost like I was watching in Low resolution, the picture quality was not at all good. However watching the latest Star Trek on Blu-ray is just outstanding - so I don't know if this is an issue with resolution, black levels or 1080I versus 1080P settings.
Conclusion:
If you are looking for a LED panel and have ideal viewing conditions and your primary input is going to be HD sources especially DVD's on Blu-ray, then this is the TV for you. If you are going to be watching multiple TV programs in more realistic household settings you may want to look at other options with screens that are less glossy.


Click Here to see more reviews about: LG 47SL90 47-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV, Glossy Black



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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Toshiba 40UX600U 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss) Review

Toshiba 40UX600U 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This TV has an amazing picture. Great deep blacks and vibrant colors. You must have a good clean HD signal to fully appreciate this TV. I have an RCA amplified HD antenna (rabbit ears) and the World Cup 2010 games are superb. I leave the settings on SPORTS mode and play with the brightness and color settings depending on the content. The NET TV feature is nice. It requires an internet connection through WIFI (wireless) or ethernet (wire). VUDU is great for instantly renting movies and the quality is excellent. The other content needs better programming in the future.
PROS: Great dynamic picture, Low power consumption (1.3 AMPS), Aesthetically pleasing beautiful design, only 2 inches thick, great menus, good remote control unit, low price.
CONS: NO ANALOG AUDIO OUTPUT JACK.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba 40UX600U 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss)

Enjoy a stunning picture bursting with color and clarity as well as a wide variety of on-demand entertainment with the 40-inch Toshiba 40UX600U HDTV with LED backlighting, which features a 1080p Full HD resolution. The stunning 3M:1 dynamic contrast ratio LED backlighting produces a clearer, crisper image and is supported by Toshiba's CrystalCoat high contrast screen coating and AutoView ambient room light analyzer. It also boasts Toshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz feature, which doubles the video frames from 60 per second to 120 per second to virtually eliminate motion blur--making this a perfect set for watching fast action movies and sports.
Toshiba's Net TV provides on-demand entertainment from such Internet sources as VUDU (with over 3,000 1080p HD movies) and Pandora for streaming of personalized music channels. You can connect the set to a wired home network via the Ethernet port, or connect to a Wi-Fi network using an included Wi-Fi adapter.

This UX600U Series HDTV provides a number of convenient home entertainment options and key picture quality features, including DynaLight dynamic backlight control for deeper black levels and four HDMI digital inputs for simple high quality connection to cable/satellite boxes, DVD players and more. Plus, the HDMI ports feature fast InstaPort switching for quick changes from one source to another. With the Gaming Mode function, you'll experience reduced game control delay and improved reaction time--perfect for PC gaming--and the Photo Frame capability with Auto Slide Show enables you to display slideshows of your favorite images when not watching TV programming.

Offering an ultra-slim Air Lagoon design that's less than 2 inches deep, this UX600U Series HDTV also features MP3 playback via the integrated USB port, a PC input, a removable stand, and Energy Star 4.0 requirements.



Toshiba Net TV Enjoy a new level of on-demand, Internet-based entertainment with the UX600U's integrated Toshiba Net TV capabilities, which includes a wide variety of entertainment and social networking applications. It provides access to VUDU Movies, which offers true 1080p HD, 5.1 surround sound and gives you access to over 3,000 HD movies on demand.
Additionally, video and photo services such as YouTube, Flickr, and Picasa Web Albums let you share content with friends and family wherever they live. News services including the New York Times, AP, National Weather, and more, provide up to the minute information about the world around you. And, the customizable Ticker available at the bottom of the screen allows you to keep up to date with information from Twitter, News, Weather, or Stocks, automatically.

In order to provide simple and instant access to the Internet, the UX600 Series comes equipped with its own Wi-Fi adapter (compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n networks), delivering the latest content right out of the box and eliminating the need to purchase additional accessories. You can also connect to a home network via a wired Ethernet port.



Key Features
1080p HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
PixelPure 5G 14-bit internal digital video processor increases gradation levels (4,096 levels, or 16x that of a standard 8-bit processor) to create smoother, clearer images.
ClearFrame 120Hz screen refresh rate virtually eliminates motion blur, making this HDTV a great choice for fast action movies and sports. Toshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz system doubles the frame rate of an LCD TV from 60 frames per second to 120 frames per second using superior Motion Vector Frame Interpolation technology.
Resolution+ super resolution technology upconverts and enhances 480i/p and 720p input signals for a more detailed picture.
CrystalCoat prevents ambient room light reflections from washing out the television picture, creating up to 30 percent better contrast in bright rooms and allowing you to enjoy a deep, high contrast picture in all lighting conditions.
AutoView helps ensure an ideal image at all times for the day by combining an ambient room light sensor with incoming video content monitoring. AutoView automatically sets most of the TV picture parameters for you.
DynaLight Backlight Control utilizes advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame, and adjust the backlight intensity accordingly. This precision creates seamless transitions with deep blacks for increased detail and depth analysis.
Photo Frame capability allows this HDTV to act as both a TV and a digital photo frame. You can showcase your favorite memories as a clear, crisp slide show on the high-resolution television screen--all controlled with just the TV remote.
Gaming Mode takes the gaming experience to a new level by reducing game control delay, thus giving the player improved reaction time and a more realistic playing experience. This is great when used with popular gaming consoles, or with PC games using the TVs PC Input.
Built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning allows for tuning of standard cable channels as well as off-air digital broadcasts, in addition to digital "cable-in-the-clear" broadcasts.
Native Mode restores the size of the picture by the 3-5 percent that is generally lost during the normal over-scanning that occurs on traditional sets.
Cinema Mode 24 fps (3:2 Pulldown): This HDTV performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too--a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture.
Color Temperature Control enables you to adjust white balance to achieve the best television picture possible in any viewing environment, or simply adjust the picture to suit your personal tastes. The "Warm" setting delivers a redder image that is ideal for display in a dimly lit room, while "Medium" and "Cool" provide a progressively bluer image for the best picture as room light levels are increased.
Three TheaterWide modes are ideal for displaying HDTV signals as well as enhanced for widescreen television DVDs.


TheaterWide 1: Letterboxed image is digitally expanded 33 percent horizontally and vertically. Useful for reproducing Academy Standard (1.85:1) formatted software.
TheaterWide 2: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 42 percent vertically. Particularly of use when viewing narrow letterboxed images originally filmed in Panavision or CinemaScope.
TheaterWide 3: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 24 percent vertically. Can be utilized when displaying letterboxed images that incorporate narrow bands at the top and bottom of the picture.



MP3 audio and JPEG image playback via 2 USB ports or SD memory card slot
REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC) allows peripheral AV devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by the remote control.
InstaPort fast HDMI switching between A/V components: Typically, when you switch HDMI inputs, there can be a five or six second delay. With InstaPort, as soon as you select an HDMI source, it will connect in a fraction of the time.
Ethernet port for connecting to wired home network.
Bottom-mounted invisible speakers integrated into stylish Horizon bezel design (20 Watts total power; 10W + 10W).
Channel Browser allows you to easily scan through the last 32 channels you have viewed, with screen images for the last five channels displayed, by channel, by favorites, and by input, at the touch of a button.
Channel Labeling allows you to put station call letters on the screen along with the station numbers, so you always know what channel you're watching
Input labeling enables you to name the individual inputs to denote usage, such as "DVD Player" (instead of having them display as just "HDMI 1" and "HDMI 2").
Removable stand for wall mounting (200mm x 400mm VESA mounting pattern)
Tri-lingual onscreen menu (English, French, Spanish)
Dual band Wi-Fi adapter (802.11a/b/g/n) plugs into USB port (security options--WEP64/128, TKIP, AES, WPA/WPA2-PSK, WPS, None)
Warranty: 1-year limited warranty on parts and labor

Connections
HDMI: 4 (HDMI-CEC) with 2 ports on the side
Component: 1 (on the side)
Composite A/V: 1 (on the side)
RF (antenna): 1
PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1
Digital audio output: 1 optical
Analog audio input: 3 pair (for each component and composite video input)
Ethernet networking: 1
USB: 2 (side)



Dimensions
TV with stand: 39.65 x 27.05 x 12.95 inches (WxHxD); 38.6 pounds
TV without stand: 39.65 x 25.12 x 1.96 inches (WxHxD); 32.2 pounds
What size TV should you get?



What's in the Box UX600U Series HDTV, remote control (with batteries), dual band WLAN adapter (WLM-10U1), removable stand, cleaning cloth, printed owner's manual
Toshiba 2010 REGZA HDTV Comparison
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Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

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Click here for more information about Toshiba 40UX600U 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss)

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Samsung UN46D7000 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV (Silver) Review

Samsung UN46D7000 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV (Silver)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I just got the TV in today, and from I experience so far is that this TV is amazing.
Black level is great! One of the best I seen so far.
Internet connection is great on the TV. Very useful for watching Netflix.
The qwerty remotes that came with my TV is very useful for web browsing, but don't expect the browser to be like normal computer browser because it is very bad, slow, hard to navigate, and cumbersome.
For gaming, in my opinion, there is no lag if you turn off the picture enhancements options, and also turning on the game mode. I would say the lag on the TV would be probably somewhere between 30-50ms.
3D is great! I watched Shrek 3D, and it's just stunning. A major improvement from last year model. I probably will buy Tron 3D, and see it on the TV soon.Cons: HDMI input is located on the side. Clouding & Flashlighting that can be seen in dark screen. Update: After 2 weeks of having the TV I noticed some flash lighting / clouding that can be seen in pitch black room. Not a big deal at first, but overtime I am starting to be annoyed by it. I am thinking of getting it exchange for higher end model. Therefore I am rating the TV 3/5 stars. If would be a solid 5 stars if there is no flaw.
Update 2: Returned my set and bought 46" Sony HX929.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung UN46D7000 46-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV (Silver)


3D Technology Checklist
This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use the checklist below to ensure you have everything you need. 3D viewing requires:


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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Samsung UN55C7000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black) Review

Samsung UN55C7000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've owned this television for a few weeks now, and I've been putting it through a battery of tests using a variety of different sources and room lighting conditions. To get right to the point, I am returning it -- it will be picked up this week -- and waiting for either the UNC8000 precision dimming edge lit led set, or perhaps either the XBR-HX900 or XBR-LX900 from Sony. The C7000 is a good TV. It compares favorably -- if not signficantly so -- to any of the edge lit led lcd's that Samsung released in 2009. However, it doesn't hold a candle to the UNB8500 that was released late in 2009. It is also outperformed by Vizio's latest (552), the Sony XBR 8, and even LG's LH 90 gives it a run for it's money and outperforms it in a few important areas. Essentially the performance of the C7000 is either matched or exceeded by multiple televisions that cost significantly less. If you are not a videophile and do not concentrate on picture performance in a completely darkened room, I'm sure this television will suit you just fine. However, if you are a videophile and/or picture performance in a completely darkened room and accurate reproduction of theater film viewing is very important to you, this television is not for you. This TV exhibits many of the same problems that plagued Samsung's 2009 series of edge lit led's -- namely, a lot of light shining through from the corners, top and bottom, and sides of the picture while viewing in a darkened room -- and does not perform the way you would hope for a television that costs this much. Samsung did improve upon the fluctuating back light problems of last years edge lit led's. This television does not have a fluctuating back light problem at all. However, I must come back to the issue of light shining through from the edges of the screen. It's a big concern for anybody who wants to reproduce a natural theater experience and view films the way they were meant to be seen. You simply cannot recreate that experience with this television. When you view a film -- or any other content -- in a completely darkened room, it is impossible not to notice the light shining in from the edges. That is a huge problem for a lot of us. I will say that when you are viewing a film in a bright room, this television is an outstanding performer. It is also an excellent performer for viewing sporting events, animated features, and other lively bright content in a brightly lit room. Of course, most of us do not wish to pay $3,300 to only be completely happy with our televisions when we are watching them in a brightly lit room. The light shining in from the edges also creates the potential to create a lot of problems with 3D viewing once we have sufficient 3D content available. Imagine trying to immerse yourself in a 3D viewing experience and not be able to focus on the 3D atmosphere due to the fact that there is light shining into the viewing area. I just don't see it working. It seems that it would be a major obstacle in viewing 3D content. Imagine going to see Avatar in 3D or IMAX 3D and having light shining into all of the edges of the film. There's just no way that it wouldn't distract you and take away from your viewing experience. I foresee this being a huge problem for 3D viewing once we have the content. I will discuss some of the positives of this television because I don't want anyone to think it's a bad television. I would have really given it 2.5 starts out of 5 but Amazon doesn't allow for a half star so I went with 3 because the positives probably do outweigh the negatives on this TV. The color accuracy is what we have all came to expect from Samsung, which is to say it's flawless. The black level is outstanding -- if not up to par with the local dimming led sets such as the 8500 and the XBR8, or the Pioneer Kuro 151 plasma -- and does not have the fluctuating backlight problem. The black level is definitely better than last years edge lit led sets. The video processing and motion resolution is beyond reproach. It appears that this particular feature is probably comparable the 8500, which is the only lcd in history to be able to resolve all 1080 moving lines. It will be interesting to see if this television can do that once the reviews come out and the video processing has been tested. This television handles 24fps content perfectly, and reproduces the proper cadence of film based content. It is definitely a good television, it just has some major flaws, and is outperformed by a few sets that cost over $1,000 less. The potential for 3D viewing problems definitely exists, and Samsung needs to find a way to cure the problem of having light shine in from the edges of the screen.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung UN55C7000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV (Black)

Samsung LED HDTVs combine breakthrough picture quality and advanced connectivity options that will keep you entertained 24/7. This UN55C7000 LED HDTV also makes it easy to be green, and will save you some green, by being ENERGY STAR compliant.

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Sunday, November 27, 2011

LG 47LX6500 47-Inch 3D 1080p 240 Hz LED Plus LCD HDTV, Espresso Review

LG 47LX6500 47-Inch 3D 1080p 240  Hz LED Plus LCD HDTV, Espresso
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
==Updated Jan 20th==
My first impression was positive, the hardware is beautiful and appears well made, the interface too initially seems pretty good. The 2D picture is great and the price is very appealing.
That said... Be warned the 3D crosstalk on this television is TERRIBLE! We bought it with hopes primarily of enjoying a bunch of 3D games on our PS3 (Call of Duty: Black Ops and Gran Turismo 5) only to be confronted with staggering crosstalk and ghosting. It was bad enough that my wife asked "Is the TV broken?" I find that the 3D crosstalk makes playing some games dizzying, annoying and fatiguing. In particular scenes with black on a bright (usually white) background will have your eyes crossing and head aching. For the record, we've tried with both 1.3x and 1.4 HDMI cables to no avail.

(Note: As of Dec 8th the following seems to no longer be an issue) Furthermore after viewing 3D content on the PS3 and then returning to the XMB we'd be in a very messed up state where the LG UI was corrupted and remained so until another 3D movie was played. Really screwy stuff. Hopefully we'll get a firmware update on the PS3 or LG end soon?
Update (Nov 29th): Please see the user images above for examples of the crosstalk in 3D video.
Update (Nov 30th): We've called LG twice about the crosstalk, the first call consisted of a 45 minute wait before they insisted we end the call and try against another kind of 3D content (we did, the problem persisted). The second call resulted in a 60 minute wait, speaking to a person for 2 minutes to confirm my name and phone number, then a 10 minute wait before being accidentally hung up on... LG is _really_ not impressing me here.
Update (Dec 2nd): We just had the LG Tech over about the 3D crosstalk issues. He confirmed that the 3D glasses and IR Transmitter were all functioning properly. After insisting there was no problem by examining some low cross-talk videos (like under water scenes) we showed the tech the scene I attached screenshots of (to user images above) and he was finally convinced that the crosstalk was really bad. He then left to his van for a bit (I assume to talk to his boss) and returned insisting that '3D is in it's infancy and you can't expect the 3D to work very well'... What?! If you know it doesn't work, why are you selling it?! We suggested to him that maybe the white/black (or light/dark) refresh rate of LG LED TVs might not be adequate for 3D but he insisted that the refresh rate is perfectly fine for 3D (I beg to differ!). The tech finally offered to replace the IR unit in the TV but claimed he 'didn't think it would help at all.'
So we confirmed that the TV is fine, the glasses are fine, the 3D content is fine (and the LG tech insisted that the light/dark refresh is fine) but somehow because 3D is in it's "infancy" there is horrible crosstalk?! That doesn't make any sense.
Update (Dec 8th): So the LG technician came by again yesterday to replace the part (the one that he said had no chance of resolving the 3D crosstalk problem). He (and I) were right, replacing this IR board did nothing at all to effect the 3D crosstalk/ghosting issues. I've confirmed the same amount of crosstalk in the PS3 Sizzler video and in MotorStorm 3D Rift. The technician explained that replacing the part is all he can do and from here on out it's between us and LG support... I love it when an employee of a company absolves themselves of helping you... /sigh.
Update (Dec 13th): Minus one star because LG is making this whole crosstalk problem so painful for us. We just ended our 8th call with them and they're insisting on sending another tech to look at our TV rather than giving us a replacement.
Update (Dec 15th): I've done an analysis of the crosstalk on this TV with a high speed video camera, you can see it here: [...] I think this is very convincing evidence that this TV suffers from strong crosstalk.
Update (Jan 20th): So we've now made two dozen calls to LG and had six technicians check out our TV. Although every technician agrees with us that crosstalk is a major problem on this set LG is stonewalling us and refusing to exchange or replace the TV. In the executive service reps words "we don't deal with customer service issues" and "in eight years here I've never seen a replacement offered to an unsatisfied customer". I wish those were LG's official mottos because if they were I could have saved myself a lemon of a purchase.
The Good:
* The 2D image is really great in most situations (No complaints watching Avatar, playing GT5, COD:BO, etc. in 2D).
* Good value for the size and features.
* The firmware for this TV is being actively supported by LG.
* This is the only TV I've ever owned that doesn't letterbox when connected to my wife's Mac mini.
The Bad:
* 3D crosstalk/ghosting ruins 3D functionality for almost all movies and games.
* Terrible telephone support from LG.
* Horrendous flash-lighting on blank black screen (especially with auto-dimming off)
* Overall the brightness seems very uneven in dark scenes, with or without local dimming enabled.
* Local dimming is a joke, there appear to be only about 24 dimming fields. This is not enough resolution to be practically useful.
* The UI is mediocre, you will be shown an annoying pop-up every time you enable 3D or DLNA. I hate pop-ups.
* If you have any problems LG will be completely loath to help you, we're 8 calls, 2 tech visits and countless hours into dealing with them and have no resolution in sight.
* LG, admitting problems with the 3D technology in their LED TVs is moving to another, passive, tech for their next generation of 3D sets.
Note: DON'T BUY FROM ADORAMA unless you are VERY sure you are going to love your TV. Their return policy is "No Hassle" only in as far as it's no hassle for them since they will not accept returns.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG 47LX6500 47-Inch 3D 1080p 240 Hz LED Plus LCD HDTV, Espresso


This HDTV is Internet-ready. To view Internet apps on this TV, you may also need:

Broadband Internet service
A router
Cabling
A Wi-Fi adapter (if there is not one built in)
A PC for subscriptions or payments

To learn more about Internet-ready HDTVs, visit Internet-Ready TV 101.

3D Technology Checklist
This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use our checklist below to ensure that you have everything you need. If you have any questions or want to learn more about 3D, we invite you to visit 3D 101--our center for everything 3D. To get started with 3D, please ensure that you have:
If you want to get more information about 3D, shop our 3D products, watch videos, or interact with other customers, visit 3D 101, our customer center about everything 3D.

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Click here for more information about LG 47LX6500 47-Inch 3D 1080p 240 Hz LED Plus LCD HDTV, Espresso

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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Samsung UN46C6800 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV (Black) Review

Samsung UN46C6800 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Disclaimer: I actually purchased the UN46C6900 which is the exact same television with a different colored bezel, however all here applies to the 6800 as well.
After doing a great deal of research online and in the shops, this TV really seemed to make a lot of sense in terms of price vs. performance, and after my purchase I have to say I certainly agree. I am coming from a higher end 32" Samsung LCD from about 3 years ago, and have spent time with friends and their various Samsung, Toshiba, Sony LCDs and Panasonic plasmas. Hopefully this review will help you make a decision and also provide some insight into using it for various input sources, particularly with a PC.
The first question you need to ask yourself is if you want 3D... if you're like me, you'll find the added cost probably isn't worth it, particularly if you already have a Blu-ray player (given that you can get a better deal on 3D glasses with a Samsung Blu-ray bundle). For me it would have cost around $400-500 more to go 3D (for the added set cost of the UN46C8000 and two pair of glasses), and after seeing it in person, 3D will definitely get a lot better in the years ahead. Outside of the performance and illusion (which was pretty cool from my in-store demos), the two problems for me in particular were that the basic and advanced rechargeable glasses weren't comfortable with my prescription glasses, and the basic glasses use a non-rechargeable watch/coin style battery which sounds like a pain to deal with. That said I am definitely interested in 3D (particularly for games), in a few years I will likely upgrade looking closely at 3D sets to see if the quality and ergonomics have improved.
So anyway, actually on the topic of this tv! The main reason I chose this particular set was because I was interested in 120 or 240hz LED-LCD (mainly due to decreased energy consumption), and also some type of smart backlight technology to get better blacks. I've also had good success with Samsung sets, and they seem to offer the most models compared to Sony or Toshiba, so I could really dial in what features I wanted (or didn't want). So in terms of features, because many edgelit LED sets historically have been pretty horrible in terms of light uniformity, particularly in dark scenes, I was initially interested in the local dimming backlit LED sets such as the UN46B8500. Desire to save some expense and wanting to get a 2010 model year set (improved firmware considerations), I settled on this particular version given it's "precision dimming" functionality. Of course the challenge here is that the 6800/6900 set is edgelit, so while the same trickery in the B8500 was going to be impossible (turning off light directly behind the LCD), it pulls off a similar effect pretty admirably with a thinner profile and lot less cost. How this works is, first imagine a series of LEDs placed around the entire perimeter of the screen (picture a movie-star dressing room mirror with bulb lights all around it). These LED's can be turned on/off on the fly, dynamic to the content on the screen. For an extreme example, picture a game with a completely black loading screen, but with white text "Loading" in the lower right corner. In this scenario, all the perimeter LEDs are turned off, except for the ones in the corner, so the black areas are definitely black while the text is back/side lit. In some scenarios, where the solo text is in the middle of the screen, you get a bit of a projection of light from above and below, but this is very subtle and generally noticeable only from off center viewing. In dark scenes and places where pockets of black are on the sides of the screen, the precision dimming effect is really great. The design overall is a good compromise between the previous backlit LED sets in terms of price and form factor versus performance.
Regarding power consumption, I'll say I'm pretty impressed. Using a kill-o-watt meter on my complete system alternating both of my TVs (this and Samsung CCFL-LCD 32"), I did a test using identical conditions and watching the same video clip on my Playstation 3. While using this C6900, the system overall drew 80 less watts while watching the clip. I was especially impressed given that this set is quite a bit larger, so at most I was expecting the power savings from the CCFL would be offset by the increase in size. Actually saving power overall is a real bonus.
Regarding performance over different inputs... when using this set, I have the following items connected:
- Playstation 3 (via HDMI through Sony receiver STR-DN1000)
- Nintendo Wii (from component RGB to the Sony receiver, upconverted to 1080i and sent to TV via HDMI)
- PC (Windows 7 64-bit, slow fan spinning ATI Radeon 4850 via DVI to HDMI cable to HDMI1 port, designated for PC)
- Antenna (for over-the-air local HD, I don't have cable or dish, I generally just watch shows/movies through PC, Netflix streaming, Hulu, etc)
NOTE: If you are using a PC with this set there are many special considerations that I have discovered. As with many 1080p sets, to get perfect 1:1 pixel mapping at 1080p resolution, the TV and PC require proper configuration when using HDMI (or in my case DVI-HDMI).
First off, the PC should be connected to HDMI port 1 (labeled for DVI devices). Once you have the PC connected, turned on, it must be set to 1920x1080 resolution (note that if you have an ATI video card, you will also need to set the Overscan Ratio to 100% in Catalyst Control Center, with Nvidia or Intel graphics this is not required).
Second, the TV must be configured properly. There are two ways to achieve perfect 1:1 mapping (or close to it) that require separate settings on the TV and each have their own pros and cons. Both require changing the "label" of the HDMI1 input within the Samsung TV menu:
Method 1: Use the DVI-PC label. This method will provide perfect 1:1 pixel mapping and the sharpest possible picture from a computer. However, I have discovered the big downside is that in this mode, most the TV's bells and whistles are disabled including "precision dimming" and "auto motion plus" (the polarizing smoothing effect introduced with 120/240hz sets). Losing precision dimming sucks (particularly 4:3 content such as videos and emulated games) because you essentially get glowing bars and generally poor blacks, essentially making this TV in PC mode look like the Samsung C6500. This condition also exists when using the PC-VGA port, you lose most of the control over the set and most processing effects are disabled.
Method 2: The DVI Devices label. Initially this method scales the screen funny and does not appear to provide 1:1 mapping, but does enable all the whiz bang effects afforded by this TV (precision dimming, etc). However, much to my delight I recently discovered that by using the screen mode function (the method to toggle the screen between 16:9, 4:3, 4:3 zoom, etc), you can select a "screen fit" mode that effectively scales the 1920x1080 resolution to the total screen size with no over or under scan. The method provides an image that is probably only 98% (read: hard to notice) as sharp as method 1, but in my opinion getting precision dimming back well more than makes up for it. It looks great using this configuration with the PC when playing games (iRacing, Dirt2, colsole emulators), web browsing (text is plenty sharp enough in this mode), watching videos, etc.
Ultimately, because you need to configure the set in this way to get the most out of the PC connection (changing the input label), it becomes impractical to connect the PC via a receiver with all of your other gear connected to the TV via one HDMI cable. I was little disappointed by this initially, but running two separate HDMI cables and occassionally switching inputs on the TV is a pretty easy compromise. You COULD run just one cable, and change the label of the input each time you would switch between PS3 and PC for instance, but the way the TV menus are setup, it becomes a pain, particularly because each input type may have special contrast/color settings. In the end, I have found two HDMI inputs configured independently is substantially easier to deal with.
With all that out of the way, the other inputs via my PS3 and Wii via the Sony receiver look just as fantastic, I couldn't be happier. The color is great and the crispness is there particularly with HD signals. Since I'm a huge Wii gamer (Big props to Sin and Punishment 2, No More Heroes 1/2, Mario Galaxy 2, Zack and Wiki, Metroid Trilogy, and lots of awesome WiiWare games, Cave Story, Light Trax, You me and Cubes), I will concede I'm used to resolution compromises, so I bit the bullet with my old TV and got an upconverting receiver which takes the Wii component signal and upconverts to 1080i to the TV via HDMI. Obviously this doesn't do miracles to the 480p signal (or 480i in some games), but it produces a significantly sharper image than using direct input via component on this TV. Edges are sharper, but yet smoothed out quite a bit, and the colors really pop... Mario Galaxy 2 and Sin and Punishment 2 are particularly striking). I hightly recommend going this route if you're a Wii gamer who wants the most out of the systems's image quality. PS3 of course looks gorgeous via Blu-ray movies and various games I play such as GT5 Prologue, Street Fighter IV and Wipeout HD.
So far so good then, right? Well, the one small criticism I will levy towards this TV is that the viewing angles are not quite as good as was hoping for. I will say that my older Samsung 32", while not having the same black levels and brightness certainly, did hold it's image consistency better from an angle. If you're on center, it looks gorgeous, but move a couch cushion to the right or left (from 7' away), and...Read more›

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Samsung LED HDTVs combine breakthrough picture quality and advanced connectivity options that will keep you entertained 24/7. This UN46C6800 LED HDTV also makes it easy to be green, and will save you some green, by being ENERGY STAR compliant.

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Saturday, August 20, 2011

LG 47LE5400 47-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Internet Applications Review

LG 47LE5400 47-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Internet Applications
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This review is for the LG 47LE5400 47-Inch Edge Lit LED/LCD 1080p HDTV! (what a mouthful!) This is a new model and Amazons date for "first available is wrong.
After much comparison, and much online and in-store research I decided to plunk down my hard earned cash on this bad boy. So far, I am very glad I did.
My criteria for purchase was a screen no larger than 47 inches (to preserve the image quality of my AVI files and SD programming) and also something that had perfect geometry (unlike the Mitsubishi DLP that recently died on me) and something that would display and maintain a bright uniform picture. (unlike my Pioneer Plasma did) I also had hoped for a display that could display a 50hz PAL video signal as long as it was first upconverted to 720p or higher. (The LG will NOT display a 576 line image , but will take that image if upconverted , even while remaining 50hz so no format conversion is required for motion correctness, just upconversion to 720p / 1080i or 1080p)
Purchased the set at a brick and mortar location (initials are BB) so in case things didn't work out I could return or exchange it with no problems. I easily carried the box inside my house (I am pushing 60 with arthritis) and had the stand assembled and mounted on the TV in about 20 minutes total from bringing in the box. The TV is packed well, but not filled with unnecessary packaging material. There is a quick start guide included and the entire manual resides on a CD-Rom which I personally HATE but at least you can't spill things on it right? Also included were warranty materials, a separate set of instructions and CD-ROM for the web connectivity stuff , some cable adapters, a cleaning cloth and the remote with two AAA batteries.
The TV was in perfect condition, wrapped in that foam cloth stuff and with the prerequisite plastic film over the frame bezel. Easy to remove all of that stuff and it didn't leave any trace of sticky residue which was nice. Jacks are group on the rear left with the USB and headphone jacks on the left side but behind the bezel. This TV is very thin and not all that secure on it's stand. The stand is fine, but I would recommend strapping it down whenever you put it unless you use a wall mount of some kind. Just sitting on a table you are one false move away from turning your beautiful LED TV into a doorstop. And the TV itself is very nice to look at, very easy on the eyes really.
I am not currently using the web connectivity stuff or the Netflix online feature so I can not comment on those functions in this review. If they work as well as the rest of the unit, things should be fine. While it is 'internet ready' it does not include a wireless dongle so you either need to physically connect it to your router with an Ethernet cable, or purchase a USB wireless dongle from LG . (Yes, they are proprietary, unfortunately)
Connected my HDMI cables from my Fios DVR and Oppo Blu Ray and plugged in the power. This TV will power up and ask you if you want 'home use' or "store use' which is of course flame thrower mode. Pick 'home use' and go from there. Just remember which inputs you plugged what into so you can easily get to them. The manual will tell you how to custom label your inputs if you can't remember HDMI 1 or 2 or so forth.
The first thing I did was set the picture to "Standard" and then lower the back light, the contrast, the brightness and color and even sharpness levels. Then I went into the advanced settings menu and turned off all the noise reduction and cut the auto contrast setting down to low. The TV will not look all that great out of the box as it is meant to attract your attention in the store, but those setting are pretty useless at home if you want your picture to look rich and natural. All in all, it took me maybe 15 minutes to get a starting point where I could watch and be more than happy with the picture.
You can download the manual from LG's website and get to know this unit before you purchase. That's what I did and it saved me tons of time. LG also includes a 'Picture Wizard' that helps you to easily and quickly calibrate an input to your taste and achieve fairly accurate color and proper contrast and brightness. You can then assign that setting to any input or inputs you wish and save it . You can do this twice and save each one with the 'Expert' function and of course you can adjust the other preset picture modes and save them as well. LOTS of options in that regard!
A word about the 120Hz True Motion. Like hot sauce, a little goes a long way. LG offers you your choice of ON, OFF, LOW, HIGH and USER. In the user mode you can adjust both judder AND motion blur separately which is a big improvement in software for this model I think. To me, the True Motion gives you almost the same effect as watching a video tape rather than a film. It does lend itself to some program material, making certain things appear even more real, a sort of hyper reality. It does introduce some other artifacts into the picture quality that you may or may not notice and ultimately you may decide not to use it at all. The good news is, it can be switched off but also adjusted to suit your needs and personal taste. Does it completely eliminate motion blur? Not by a long shot! For now, motion blur is something that is inherent in LCD displays. Maybe someday they will find a way to get them to switch on and off quicker (the pixels) and perhaps start putting some beefier processing chips into these things as well. As it is, on very rare occasions the display seems to 'skip a beat' and the chip seems to be temporarily overloaded. It all happens in a blink of an eye and is over before it started, but it DOES happen.
The dreaded lip sync issue that you may have heard about regarding LG has happened to me once so far after changing channels on my DVR. I had to shut off the display and reboot and it went away the first time. I plan to update the firmware as soon as I connect to my Cable router and hopefully it will be a thing of the past. I have used it heavily for more than a week and it has only happened once so far.
My BIGGEST criteria for selecting my new TV was it's ability to play PAL DVD video with no conversion. I have a very large collection of British and European DVD's and am not happy with 'converting' them to NTSC even with my Oppo. By making some sense out of the LG specs I had guessed it might be able to display PAL properly with no format (50 to 60hz) conversion, resulting in a much better picture than standard DVD could ever provide. IT WORKS PEREFCTLY! (but you MUST first upconvert it to 720p or 1080i or 1080p for the LG to be able to display it. Any upconverting DVD player can accomplish that for you!)So far, only my Pioneer Plasma could display PAL without conversion so this was a huge plus for me. My Babylon 5 PAL DVD's look VERY close to HD and a real revelation, not to mention my LOTR Extended Editions in glorious PAL!! Also, standard NTSC DVD video is quite good, depending on your player and source material and off the air (or off Fios in my case) SD material looks very good. And it goes without saying that Blu Ray or HD DVD material will simply blow you away once the set is even basically calibrated.
By the end of the day I had both my DVR and Blu Ray inputs calibrated to my liking and I must say the overall picture quality is nothing short of excellent. Sounds is 'ok' , not too awful, but not good enough to satisfy a movie lover. (hook up to a surround system and you will be glad you did)
So far, I have just ONE complaint and for many people this is a big one. In a word, FLASHLIGHTING !
This is when the LED's which illuminate the LCD pixels shine through the edges of the picture and make there way in to dark areas on your screen, such as night time, or a fade out . During any other time the picture is outstanding, but no matter how low I set the back light (within reason) you can easily see it during any dark scnes. I personally have chosen to ignore this problem and just enjoy the TV.
You will not notice the flashlighting problem in the store. They make sure and supply program material that never goes dark on the edges so any deficiencies in contrast or flashlighting are hidden from the consumer. Bring your own USB drive with a movie that features a lot of dark scenes, the new Harry Potter comes to mind, and you will see for yourself. That's of course if they let you do that!
I had also considered the Vizio 47 inch LED LCD set for about the same price and IT features local dimming on the LED array which eliminates this flashlighting problem. I just don't feel comfortable yet with Vizio as a brand and opted for the LG. Videophiles would think I am nuts, but there you have it! Neither Vizio nor the king of local dimming LED, Samsung ,can display native PAL video. I feel I made the right choice for me anyway.
This TV really provides you with a HUGE wealth of signal processing tools (adjustments) to shape your picture quality any way you want it to be. There are 2 expert modes that let you tweak and calibrate to your hearts content, and not even my Pio Kuro had this amount of control over it. Honestly, except for the flashlighting problem I am totally happy with this LG. Honestly, I can live with it, but many could not. I would say the average person would rarely, if ever notice it , but it IS there and as such a deal breaker for many would be buyers.
With that said, This TV seems to be well made with a good solid build quality, the remote is much better than most (although I just use a Harmony One for everything) and it does everything I want it to do and more. Now lets see if the thing holds up to heavy use. As a parting...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG 47LE5400 47-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Internet Applications


This HDTV is Internet-ready. To view Internet apps on this TV, you may also need:

Broadband Internet service
A router
Cabling
A Wi-Fi adapter (if there is not one built in)
A PC for subscriptions or payments

To learn more about Internet-ready HDTVs, visit Internet-Ready TV 101.
Offering energy-saving LED backlighting, 1080p Full HD resolution for crystal-clear detail, and TruMotion 120Hz technology for virtually no motion blur, the 47-inch LG 47LE5400 LED LCD HDTV is also great for watching sports and movies with fast action thanks to its 2.6ms (millisecond) response time. The latest in HDTV technology, LED delivers deep blacks, bright colors and crisp images to rival any display category, and are the slimmest, most energy efficient televisions available. Improved motion capture allows smooth, natural pictures, even with fast paced action.
With LG's NetCast, you get access to TV shows, movies and more, streamed directly from the Internet to your television screen. And the LE5400 series also provides compatibility with Wireless 1080p Connectivity (wireless media kit required and sold separately).

Other features include an incredible 4,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for more stunning colors and deeper blacks, two USB ports for connecting external drives for playing back MP3 audio, JPEG photo and DivX HD video files, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, and four HDMI inputs.



NetCast Entertainment Access NetCast Entertainment Access brings the best Internet services direct to your TV--no computer required. Instantly access movies and TV shows, news and weather and the world's largest library of HD movies in 1080p. (Note: Internet connection & subscriptions required and sold separately.)




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