Just a very quick post today to let you know about some other great HD TV reosources.
Please check out our sisters sites at...
Planet LED TV for great LED TV reviews and resources (3D TV news and information is here as well).
Planet Plasma TV for all the latest news and TV model releases on Plasma TVs.
Planet LCD TV - there are some great deals on LCD TVs at the moment and we are adding lots and lots of great new reviews, videos and some great deals on LCD TVs as well. Get along and check it out!
Enjoy! And let us know what you think or write your own review and send it to us!
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Samsung UN65C8000 65 Inch 3D LED TV
I just knew this would happen! I knew when my HD TV Buddy Tom got himself the predecessor to this TV (The UN65C6500) that Samsung would bring out a 240Hz version sooner or later. His decision did surprise me and I did have reservations despite the brilliant performance of the 6500.
Depsite the fact I really enjoyed viewing Tom's Tv and it worked well in his large room setting, I reallt felt he should have just held out for this newer version
And, despite the 6500 giving an outstanding performance, Samsung really have pushed the boat out with the new Samsung UN65C8000 65 Inch 3D LED TV. Now with full 1080p 240Hz and 3D ready...WOW, what an amazing TV this is. Samsung have put everything you can imagine into this model.
On the UN65C8000 Samsung have introduced"Ultra Clear Panel" picture technology. Samsung's advertising says this "Advanced technology (Ultra Clear Panel) lets you enjoy crisp image details, natural skin tones, excellent shadow detail, and vibrant colors".
Having ready the sales brochure I just had to get a look at this new Samsung monster. Right at that moment I wasn't quite sure how I was going to make that happen, so...I went down to see the Guys at the local store who by now are my new best HD TV Buddies! So, I asked them when they might be getting a Samsung UN65C8000 in. As it happened they were off to a trade show in Seattle the following day and after a bit of bartering I managed to get a spare ticket they had going. It's amazing isn't it...what can happen when you set your mind on something!
So, the next day I was in HD and 3D TV heaven, making a beeline for the Samsung stand and there she was...in all her resplendent beauty this stunning new Samsung 65 Inch 3D LED TV. Oh, yes...I want one of these, before I have even seen the pictures...I just want one!
It's true to say that the picture is the most important thing on a TV, so first up I'd better talk about that!
Whilst you and I understand the Samsung advertising it simply sales puff and boast, they are right! The picture is truly brilliant. I was really impressed with the skin tones, the reality of it and the way shadows looked, it was different. Colors were amazing, blacks the blackest and for such a large screen, even close up the images were so crisp and clean.
First impressions are normally right and the Samsung UN65C8000 3D LED TV was making a big impression on this hardened HD TV watcher. It was almost emotional :>)
So, what exactly is the full package with this TV? Well as I said it's upgraded to full 1080p, 240 Hz HD and the set is 3D ready.
Funnily enough the native 3D demo they had running was the same canyon demo I saw in London. When the water back-splashes on the screen got me again! Then they played Star Trek (the latest film) in 3D. Again I had seen this before but it was still hugely enjoyable.
I do like 3D, but I have a little grumble. I wear glasses and don't particularly "get on" with contact lenses. So, there can be no argument that it does get a little uncomfortable wearing the 3D glasses after a while.
And it's something that has been brushed under the carpaet! None of the promo advertising I've seen for 3D...anywhere, U.S, UK, Canada ever shows someone wearing the 3D glasses over prescription glasses. It's an issue that needs dealing with if 3D is going to really be taken up properly!
How much would a pair of prescription 3D glasses cost if indeed they are possible? I dread to think. So as things stand looks to be either wear lenses or suffer. This issue has definitely been conveniently ignored by the advertising people!
I do think 3D is here to stay though as more and more DVDs are produced in 3D and 3D programming starts to come over the airwaves.
Back to the Samsung UN65C8000 3D TV...even the 2D picture is powerful. And I think powerful is the right word!
The Samsung UN65C8000 3D LED TV has every connectivity issue you could imagine covered. Internet@TV offers all of your favourite digital content at the press of the remote, you can connect up your digital camra or camcorder, access videos playlists and there is an enhanced Game Mode which is stunning and enhanced from the 7000 series. I managed to get a preview of "Michael Jackson - The Experience" on Wii and it was huge fun and amazing game play quality.
A digital tuner included which means you don't need a set top box and "AllShare" allows you to wirelessly hook up any other wireless devices you have. So you can store all of your music and film and have it available at the tpouch of a button all in one place.
So...now I have a real problem. I want one of these! Yes, it's true I said I was going to hold on with 3D, and I have to get a big spending request past Alison (this set is still over $5k), so authorisation will be extremely tough! And, if I'm totally honest with myself...my viewing area is too small for the Samsung 65 Inch 3D LED TV, but I still want one!
This is not logical and I know it - far from it, but, in my defence, the Samsung UN65C8000 is so beautiful both on and off. With the tinge of color in the dark slate surround and the way it springs into life with such a stunning clarity, all logic is transcended!
Now Darling, how about a nice meal out tonight? Your choice...honestly anywhere you like? Some champagne....
Monday, 4 October 2010
Panasonic Viera TCP50G25
Panasonic Viera TCP50G25 Plasma TV
As my band of HD TV Buddies expands I am now getting review sin from all over the world! Clearly my reputation in the HD TVmarket is growing!My latst HD TV review comes all the way from London and my Buddy Brad.
I first met Brad at the CEDIA exhibition in London where he's worked as consultant salesman in the Audio Visual industry for many years. He's just got himself a new Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, so he knew I did these reviews, so he kindly sent me one of his new TV.
Here's what Brad had to say about his new Panasonic Viera 50 Inch Plasma, you'll have to excuse the English :>).
I 'm a huge football fan (that's soccer to us) and love my Sunday afternoon or Wednesday evening game on the T.V. I'm a big Chelsea fan, indeed I used to have a season ticket, but it's too expensive these days, so being such a sports fan as soon as I could afford it I decided to upgrade to HD.
To be fair, working in the audio visual industry gave me a great advantage when it came to do my research, so I hope what I found out can help you too. As I knew many resellers around the country I was able to access to pretty much any model I wanted. Indeed, I was quite shocked to find a plasma come out on top, especially when it was the the Panasonic Viera G25 that ticked all of my boxes. I had it in my mind that LCD was the way to go, but my advantageous research (and the complimentary viewings afforded me) pointed firmly to the Panasonic Viera TC-P50G25 Plasma.
What surprised me most was that a friend of mine had an early LG Plasma and he definitely has a screen burn problem, this really turned me off the idea of a plasma initially. In fact, most professional reviews will tell you this is an on-going problem on plasma sets. These so called "expert" reviews will also tell you vieiwng a Plasma in a bright room is another "problem". They are certianly issues I made sure I covered fully as I completed my research and viewings.
To be fair the Panasonic manual warns about screen burn and advises not to leave an image on the screen for long time or to watch 4:3 for extended timespans. However, Panasonic have added some neat features to help overcome this problem.
Firstly there is "orbiting pixel technology" which is extremely clever in that is moves the pixels about but ever so slightly. So slightly in fact that it is completely undetectable to the eye - amazing! especially as it doens'ty impact the quality of the picture. Secondly they have added a "scrolling bar" which can be run across the screen to help cleanse it. Added togethyer these two unique pieces of technology massively reduce the chances of screen burn - so far no issues!
So, what about the Panasonic Viera TC-P50G25 TV itself?
The swivel stand comes as standard as does the back lit remote (with batteries), I really like the back lit controller! There is also a detailed instruction manual and a quick start guide (which I used vry successfully to get me up and running).
To be honest, set up was a breeze. Panasonic have also made the box easy to open, that's got to be a first! There are some plastic clips integrated with the box that flip off allowing you to remove the entire lid with ease!
Getting the screen on to the swivel stand was easier than I thought as well. You need two people, but the set isn't heavy and it does slip on to the stand with ease. So far so good.
The room I've got Panasonic Viera TC-P50G25 Plasma set up in is big - vry big in fact. And...it's bright, very bright, even on our usual cloudy days here in the U.K!
To make absolutely sure on these "plasma issues", once I'd whittled my list down to three TV sets...I called in a few favours (favors - Ed). I chatted up some of the AV Buddies and got some home demos arranged. Of course I undterstand that most people can't do this, but...this was a big purchase for me and I needed to watch my Chelsea games with exactly the right colour (color - Ed) and brightness. My most important facets were to have a bright, clear, crisp picture with deep contrast. And I was worried about thyese issues so as I had the ability to make sure...that's what I did!
In all honesty I needn't have worried, but better safe than sorry - that old English reserve maybe?
The picture was amazing especially for watching my beloved Chelsea and other sport.
Football (sorry - Ed) is a colouful, (ah, I give up, excuse the English - Ed) spectacular sport. In fact it was
watching much of the colour and amazing action of the World Cup that finally decided me it was time to upgrade to HD having watched many of the games in HD. So, I was amazed at how bright and vibrant the picture was even when the sun came out! The action was crisp and crystal clear, almost like being there - I was sold.
And, with the new Panasonic anti-glare screen, the glasses natural reflective characteristics are down to virtually none.
You can tone down the brightnes if you want by watching in the TV's THX mode. This will give you a less bright display than the G25's "Standard" or "Vivid" mode and is probably about comparable with some of the lower end LCDs I looked at. Personally I like it as bright and vivid as you can get it, but...there are numerous controls and settings to get your picture just as you want it.
There is only one downside I have found so far. When a transmission is not in HD, the picture will tend to blur and pixelate on an HD set. And the bigger your screen the more pronounced the effect. I noticed a daramtic effect when watching non HD football (yawn - Ed) particularly on ITV (one of the U.K's mainstream free to air channels - Ed).
I was also also attracted to the Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25 because of the price, which was an important factor for me (sadly). The Panasonic came up a few hundred quid (that's English money - Ed) cheaper than comparable LCDs.
The bottom line was that the price versus performance equation was compelling with the Panasonic Viera TC-P50G25. Indeed a few LCD models that I looked at were close to double the price.
Finally, the Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25 has an excellent connectivity package with some very advanced features. Most of the features on the TV and the remote are pretty intuitive and the menu offers good explanations of each setting. The remote itself is thoughtfully and naturally laid out and generally easy to navigate. I like things that are easy to understand and use!
There are four HDMI ports, RCA and component connections as well as a coax input. There is also a PC port next to two USB ports. There is no S-Video though. This shouldn't be an issue unless your DVD player that bit older. But a quick cable upgrade is a simple, effective and cheapsolution.
There are other connectivity ports such as Ethernet cable or wireless adapter. However the TV only works with Panasonic's own wi-fi adapter and it's expensive, which is disappointing. A common wifi adapter would have been good as the TV didn't recognise any of the other adapters I tried. But if you do network you can plug directly into some great features such as Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Pandora, Flickr and Twitter plus lots more.
Overall, this television has astounding picture quality along with a realistic reproduction which I found to be better than any LCD I checked out in or around this price range. I did check out some LED models and they were oustanding.
However, LEDs are still very much on the expensive side, and the incremental performance is not worth the extra money (in my opinion) at this stage.
For the price, you cannot go wrong or find a better HD TV than the Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25.
For more information on the Panasonic Viera TCP50G25 and other great LCD TVs at great prices Click Here
I first met Brad at the CEDIA exhibition in London where he's worked as consultant salesman in the Audio Visual industry for many years. He's just got himself a new Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, so he knew I did these reviews, so he kindly sent me one of his new TV.
Here's what Brad had to say about his new Panasonic Viera 50 Inch Plasma, you'll have to excuse the English :>).
I 'm a huge football fan (that's soccer to us) and love my Sunday afternoon or Wednesday evening game on the T.V. I'm a big Chelsea fan, indeed I used to have a season ticket, but it's too expensive these days, so being such a sports fan as soon as I could afford it I decided to upgrade to HD.
To be fair, working in the audio visual industry gave me a great advantage when it came to do my research, so I hope what I found out can help you too. As I knew many resellers around the country I was able to access to pretty much any model I wanted. Indeed, I was quite shocked to find a plasma come out on top, especially when it was the the Panasonic Viera G25 that ticked all of my boxes. I had it in my mind that LCD was the way to go, but my advantageous research (and the complimentary viewings afforded me) pointed firmly to the Panasonic Viera TC-P50G25 Plasma.
What surprised me most was that a friend of mine had an early LG Plasma and he definitely has a screen burn problem, this really turned me off the idea of a plasma initially. In fact, most professional reviews will tell you this is an on-going problem on plasma sets. These so called "expert" reviews will also tell you vieiwng a Plasma in a bright room is another "problem". They are certianly issues I made sure I covered fully as I completed my research and viewings.
To be fair the Panasonic manual warns about screen burn and advises not to leave an image on the screen for long time or to watch 4:3 for extended timespans. However, Panasonic have added some neat features to help overcome this problem.
Firstly there is "orbiting pixel technology" which is extremely clever in that is moves the pixels about but ever so slightly. So slightly in fact that it is completely undetectable to the eye - amazing! especially as it doens'ty impact the quality of the picture. Secondly they have added a "scrolling bar" which can be run across the screen to help cleanse it. Added togethyer these two unique pieces of technology massively reduce the chances of screen burn - so far no issues!
So, what about the Panasonic Viera TC-P50G25 TV itself?
The swivel stand comes as standard as does the back lit remote (with batteries), I really like the back lit controller! There is also a detailed instruction manual and a quick start guide (which I used vry successfully to get me up and running).
To be honest, set up was a breeze. Panasonic have also made the box easy to open, that's got to be a first! There are some plastic clips integrated with the box that flip off allowing you to remove the entire lid with ease!
Getting the screen on to the swivel stand was easier than I thought as well. You need two people, but the set isn't heavy and it does slip on to the stand with ease. So far so good.
The room I've got Panasonic Viera TC-P50G25 Plasma set up in is big - vry big in fact. And...it's bright, very bright, even on our usual cloudy days here in the U.K!
To make absolutely sure on these "plasma issues", once I'd whittled my list down to three TV sets...I called in a few favours (favors - Ed). I chatted up some of the AV Buddies and got some home demos arranged. Of course I undterstand that most people can't do this, but...this was a big purchase for me and I needed to watch my Chelsea games with exactly the right colour (color - Ed) and brightness. My most important facets were to have a bright, clear, crisp picture with deep contrast. And I was worried about thyese issues so as I had the ability to make sure...that's what I did!
In all honesty I needn't have worried, but better safe than sorry - that old English reserve maybe?
The picture was amazing especially for watching my beloved Chelsea and other sport.
Football (sorry - Ed) is a colouful, (ah, I give up, excuse the English - Ed) spectacular sport. In fact it was
watching much of the colour and amazing action of the World Cup that finally decided me it was time to upgrade to HD having watched many of the games in HD. So, I was amazed at how bright and vibrant the picture was even when the sun came out! The action was crisp and crystal clear, almost like being there - I was sold.
And, with the new Panasonic anti-glare screen, the glasses natural reflective characteristics are down to virtually none.
You can tone down the brightnes if you want by watching in the TV's THX mode. This will give you a less bright display than the G25's "Standard" or "Vivid" mode and is probably about comparable with some of the lower end LCDs I looked at. Personally I like it as bright and vivid as you can get it, but...there are numerous controls and settings to get your picture just as you want it.
There is only one downside I have found so far. When a transmission is not in HD, the picture will tend to blur and pixelate on an HD set. And the bigger your screen the more pronounced the effect. I noticed a daramtic effect when watching non HD football (yawn - Ed) particularly on ITV (one of the U.K's mainstream free to air channels - Ed).
I was also also attracted to the Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25 because of the price, which was an important factor for me (sadly). The Panasonic came up a few hundred quid (that's English money - Ed) cheaper than comparable LCDs.
The bottom line was that the price versus performance equation was compelling with the Panasonic Viera TC-P50G25. Indeed a few LCD models that I looked at were close to double the price.
Finally, the Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25 has an excellent connectivity package with some very advanced features. Most of the features on the TV and the remote are pretty intuitive and the menu offers good explanations of each setting. The remote itself is thoughtfully and naturally laid out and generally easy to navigate. I like things that are easy to understand and use!
There are four HDMI ports, RCA and component connections as well as a coax input. There is also a PC port next to two USB ports. There is no S-Video though. This shouldn't be an issue unless your DVD player that bit older. But a quick cable upgrade is a simple, effective and cheapsolution.
There are other connectivity ports such as Ethernet cable or wireless adapter. However the TV only works with Panasonic's own wi-fi adapter and it's expensive, which is disappointing. A common wifi adapter would have been good as the TV didn't recognise any of the other adapters I tried. But if you do network you can plug directly into some great features such as Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Pandora, Flickr and Twitter plus lots more.
Overall, this television has astounding picture quality along with a realistic reproduction which I found to be better than any LCD I checked out in or around this price range. I did check out some LED models and they were oustanding.
However, LEDs are still very much on the expensive side, and the incremental performance is not worth the extra money (in my opinion) at this stage.
For the price, you cannot go wrong or find a better HD TV than the Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G25.
For more information on the Panasonic Viera TCP50G25 and other great LCD TVs at great prices Click Here
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Toshiba Regza 55SV670U 55 Inch LCD TV
Toshiba have recently launched their new REGZA SV range of LCD and LED TVs, so I went for a viewing at my local store. They have got used to me turning up every couple of weeks now...and bribing them with Starbucks coffee to show me the latest sets early on a Monday morning! To be fair they quite enjoy it as well!
Anyway, back to the plot! The new SV range combines state of the art Full HD 1080p picture processing with stunning design making the Toshiba Regza 55ZV670U a real gem amongst HD TVs.
The REGZA SV Series is the first Toshiba series to feature LED Local Dimming backlight technology and it certainly results in deep, genuine blacks and rich bright highlights.
Utilising Toshiba's latest Active Vision M200HD technology the 240Hz picture processing produced by the Toshiba Regza 55SV670U offers one of the clearest, smoothest and most astonishing pictures they have produced to date.
I also really liked the Dolby Volume control which stops those annoying volume variances when the commercials come on or you switch sources or change channels. Very sharp of Toshiba (excuse the pun) to pick up on something that is very annoying but that everyone seems to have just put up with.
Another interesting innovation is "Resolution+" which Toshiba claim can optimise the picture dependent on the ambient conditions in a room therefore offering the best possible viewing no matter how conditions change. I'm not sure about this but I suppose conditions on the shop floor don't eally change. Nonetheless I find this one difficult to believe.
It's true that most thin HD TVs offer poor sound. I have to say I felt the Toshiba Regza 55SV670U 55 Inch LCD TV is probably slightly better than the Samsung range. But, it's an inherent problem with all HD TVs due to their thiness. Again I think most people prepared to pay this amount for their viewing they would almost certainly hook up a surround system and that obviously solves the problem.
For my money, the picture quality of the Regza series is as good as it gets in LCD TV at the current state of technology.
For a 55 inch screen the Toshiba Regza 55SV670U projects a stunning viewing experience, rich, deep colors and at 240 Hz all fast action remain crystal clear and completely void of any of the traditional motion blur. It's an amazing experience to watch full 1080P HD inputs for hi-octane action and sport. I loved it.
There are a couple of other features that are also worthy of mention. Firstly the Toshiba Regza 55SV670U has a special "game" mode which is superb for gaming. I don't game an awful lot but the quality of games does appear slightly enhanced and do seem a bit easier to follow the on screen action...easier on the eye maybe? I managed to sneak a preview of the Wii HD console that the lads had rigged up and it was very, very good (they played Metriod: Other M).Again, it's a dificult one to discern the difference, and it is really just a perception, but I think (perceive) gaming is better!
One thing I really do like is that the Toshiba Regza 55SV670U LCD TV allows you to switch HDMI channels immediately. Most HD TVs have an inherent delay in HMDI channel switching. This TV makes changing HMDI channels the same speed as a normal channel change which is very cool and another very welcome innovation from Toshiba.
I think I've banged on about the technology a bit too much here, but...the Toshiba Regza 55SV670U provides a superb viewing experience, especially when coupled with true 1080 HD input (HD Box / Blu Ray / XBox). An expensive "toy" and Toshiba do come up a little more expensive, but worth it in my humble opinion!
Friday, 27 August 2010
Samsung UN55C8000 55 Inch 3D LED TV
It's been really fun building up a circle of HD TV buddies! I know it all sounds a bit geeky, but HD TV people get really excited about things like new TVs and they love to share their epxeriences so if you keep in contact with these people, you tend to find out first had what's good and what's not, after all a personal referral is so powerful!
Perhaps some of the TV manufacturers should bear that in mind...anyway, I digress.
So, I loved it when I got a call of wild excitement from one of my HD TV Buddies, Bryn in Seattle. We met at a TV trade show in Seattle about two years ago and hit it off. Del, "I've gone 3D" he bounded! I knew he was thinking about it as I'd told him about my 3D demo in London a few months back.
"Yeah, I've got myself a Samsung UN55C8000 55 Inch 3D LED TV" he enthused, "It's amazing"!
I found out he'd had it a couple of weeks and that it had taken a little bit of work to configure so it was "totally right" for him, but now he'd got it working properly he was totally blown away.
So, after listening to him wax lyrical for 20 minutes he said...
"Anyway Man, I know you write reviews on HD TVs so I've written you a full report on it - thought you'd like that"!
What a star! So here, without any editing or amendment from me is Bryn's report on his new Samsung UN55C8000 55 Inch 3D LED TV...take it away Bryn.
Having taken that big step to "go 3D" I was couldn't hide my excitement when my new Samsung UN55C8000 actually arrived.
Here it was...a new Samsung "C" range, what would it be like to watch? Well the sales material promised "full real life 3D", "get immersed in the action" and a jack pack that offered more connectivity than you could ever possibly need. This TV has it all, well that's what Samsung say anyway. As it gradually slid out of the box...a sharp intake of breath.
Oh Boy, it's beautiful with it's slate gray surround and the backest screen I've ever seen.
The family were completely awe struck by the sheer beauty. "Put it on Dad" cried an excited Jayne, "Yes, now, now, now" added Jordie. Come on then said a smiling Teri looking at the mass of wiring and components, "sort it out"!
"Errr, I'm gonna need some time" I protested. With the ample jack pack now in full view (4 HDMI, Anynet+, 2 x USB, PC Input, Ethernet, Optical Sound and Component Video) and a hefty set of manuals I knew it might take some time!
So, be warned if you're gonna get one of these beauties, be pepared for some initial pain. Make sure the family know it will take some time to configure, especially if you've not attempted a new TV, Blu-Ray and surround sound install before.
So, being the structured and organized sort I am, I sat down to read the manual, I'm glad I did.
With the amazing plethora of connectivity, including wireless connectivity to add to the surround and Blu-Ray, it was a big job. There are also a whole stack of "widgets" you can set up as well, such as Yahoo, YouTube and Flickr. I found the manual to be pretty good - but then I am technical, so I think that made it easier for me as I'm used to technical manuals!.
One of the things that attracted me to the Samsung UN55C8000 55 Inch 3D LED TV is that it has the built in
ability to make normal 2D images into 3D. Getting this to work was a little awkward though and took a bit of time.
Now I'm glad I went through the full configuration and took the trouble to get this right up front. Why? Well the converted 2D images are not the best. There was quite a bit of image blurring...I think the technical term is "crosstalk".
It was more than watchable but not brillaint, so our hopes weren't as high as they might have been for true native 3D. But, when we switched to a true 3D source...WOW! That's all - WOW!
Here again there is a configuration issue. As with all 240Hz HD TVs there is the "Spanish Soap Opera" look. What? That's what I thought. It's an effect that is supposed to make the viewed image look more like it does at the cinema. I know many people are big fans of this - not me. So, the Samsung UN55C8000 55 Inch 3D LED TV has to be configured again. I like a crisp picture, full clarity, so that had to be switched off, and I did need to dig into the menu system a bit to make that happen.
However...once I got the 3D picture working as I wanted, it was almsot beyond belief - it is fantastic!
The picture is robust and crystal clear, the 3D is amazing and the kids just loved it, they've hardly stopped watching Monsters v Aliens, and that bit with the paddle made us all jump. And the space scenes at the start are simply stunning. Star Trek is also amazing in 3D. There was still the odd bit of "crosstalk" even in native 3D, but I was hugely impressed that the 3D stays really true even if you sit quite a long way to the side of the screen.
On normal 2D TV the full 1080p and 240Hz make for simply stunning pictures. As I said earlier the screen is so incredibly black, but when it comes to life, I am still in awe of the pciture it produces. Brilliant, crystal, vibrant, sharp, bright, rich color, stunning contrast...add whatever superlatives you like it the best TV picture I have seen.
Overall in my opinion the Samsung C Series produces TV that's a new and higher level. Despite the odd bug here and there which Samsung say will be fixed (via a software upgrade) I am blissfully happy with my Samsung UN55C8000 55 Inch 3D LED TV.
So, for my money, I am cool with being into 3D TV early. It's true it wasn't cheap to upgrade everything (3D Blu-Ray and of course, remember you have to buy 3D glasses for the entire family).
But all in all, for around $3.5k we have home entertainment far and above run of the mill TV. I don't know how long the "WOW" factor will last? To be honest at the moment I don't really care...I'm having way too much fun because it all seems so very worthwhile right now!
Go 3D, I don't think you will regret it!
For more information on the Samsung UN55C8000 55 Inch 3D LED TV and Great Internet Prices - Click HERE
Friday, 20 August 2010
ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV
I have to admit to being quite amazed that the main HD TV producers such as Samsung, LG and Sony seem to avoid producing smaller sets. Why is this? Surely there is a market, I certainly wanted one...So, I was more than a little interested when I heard about the ViewSonic VT2430 24 inch LCD TV so I thought I'd have a look and maybe get one for the guest room.
The guest room has never had a TV and as my old LG Plasma now services the marital bedroom, or alternatively is where I am shown the door to watch sport...I thought we should look for a small set in the 22-24 inch range for the guestroom.
So, I went to the local store to have a look at the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD HD TV. And I have to report that I was very pleasantly surprised by this small but extremely well put together LCD TV. The first surprise was that it offers full 1080p HD. Major surprise on such a small screen. Consequently the picture is outstanding. You really should try and get a look at 1080p HD on a 24 inch screen because it's an outstanding picture. The picture is crystal clear and wonderfully crisp. The 1080p coupled with a contrast ratio on 8000:1 means the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV boasts a perfect picture even when the action is fast paced. I was a bit worried about this as the refresh is only 60 Hz, but with the smaller screen this didn't show any noticeable degradation on picture performance.
It's certainly true that screen blur has been a traditional problem for LCD TVs and I have highlighted this in many of my reviews. However, more recent LCD TVs have overcome this nagging problem by offering the higher contrast ratios. So, the 8000:1 ratio makes viewing sport or action movies an absolute delight on this little beauty. The ViewSonic VT2430 also offers a 5ms (millisecond) screen response rate which also goes a long way to defeating any screen blur when coupled with the other technologies. Certainly any doubts I had on buying a set with only a 60Hz refresh rate were totally overcome.
I was also hugely impressed by the natural but bright colors and the richness of the blacks. LCD has again traditionally been a bit "gray" in the black zone, but the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV maintains dark, deep blacks giving excellent contrast with the bright and vibrant colors.
The ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV also has an internal HDTV tuner. As it happens this is needed given that there is only one HMDI input (it does have S-Video input as well), but in truth the set could probably do with an extra HDMI. However, at the price, there are really not any complaints - more in a minute.
The ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV can also double up as an outstanding PC monitor and works superbly well with games as well although you will have to rely on that one HDMI port for all uses. Sadly this does mean a bit of messing around with cables. And...unfortunately the same applies if you want to hook up a Blu-Ray via the HMDI, but the picture is brilliant in return for your trouble. But...if I'm honest, I think it's a small small price to pay given the amazing performance you get.
And...talking of small prices. The ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD comes up at a remarkable $359. That in itself is just a great price for an HD TV, but I was gobsmacked when I found an online price of just $309!!
So...I got one! For the spare room.
It's great because if the children (well young adults) come to stay, they can go off and watch their favourite soap, soccer or play a game without badgering me for use of the main TV or our bedroom. Although they do still tend to lock themsleves in and disappear for the night, depsite the fact they're supposed to be visiting!
The bottom line is this, if you need a small TV for the kitchen, spare room, the office or perhaps the college dorm, then the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV is a brilliant buy and at an unbeatable price. I'm really pleased that companies ViewSonic and Vizio are making these great smaller HD sets and making them with real quality. There really is a niche that the Sonys and Samsungs have missed out on - delivering high quality small HD TV's at very affordable prices.
So, if you need a small, compact, yet beautiful LCD that proivdes excellent picture performance then you can not do any worse than get yourslef a ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV.
For more information on the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV and that GREAT Internet Price Offer - Click HERE
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV
I have to admit to being quite amazed that the main HD TV producers such as Samsung, LG and Sony seem to avoid producing smaller sets. Why is this? Surely there is a market, I certainly wanted one...So, I was more than a little interested when I heard about the ViewSonic VT2430 24 inch LCD TV so I thought I'd have a look and maybe get one for the guest room.
The guest room has never had a TV and as my old LG Plasma now services the marital bedroom, or alternatively is where I am shown the door to watch sport...I thought we should look for a small set in the 22-24 inch range for the guestroom. Why not?
So, I went to the local store to have a look at the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD HD TV. And I have to report that I was very pleasantly surprised by this small but extremely well put together LCD TV. The first surprise was that it offers full 1080p HD. Major surprise on such a small screen. Consequently the picture is outstanding. You really should try and get a look at 1080p HD on a 24 inch screen because it's an outstanding picture. The picture is crystal clear and wonderfully crisp. The 1080p coupled with a contrast ratio on 8000:1 means the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV boasts a perfect picture even when the action is fast paced. I was a bit worried about this as the refresh is only 60 Hz, but with the smaller screen this didn't show any noticeable degradation on picture performance.
It's certainly true that screen blur has been a traditional problem for LCD TVs and I have highlighted this in many of my reviews. However, more recent LCD TVs have overcome this nagging problem by offering the higher contrast ratios. So, the 8000:1 ratio makes viewing sport or action movies an absolute delight on this little beauty. The ViewSonic VT2430 also offers a 5ms (millisecond) screen response rate which also goes a long way to defeating any screen blur when coupled with the other technologies. Certainly any doubts I had on buying a set with only a 60Hz refresh rate were totally overcome.
I was also hugely impressed by the natural but bright colors and the richness of the blacks. LCD has again traditionally been a bit "gray" in the black zone, but the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV maintains dark, deep blacks giving excellent contrast with the bright and vibrant colors.
The ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV also has an internal HDTV tuner. As it happens this is needed given that there is only one HMDI input (it does have S-Video input as well), but in truth the set could probably do with an extra HDMI. However, at the price, there are really not any complaints - more on this in a minute.
The ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV can also double up as an outstanding PC monitor and works superbly well with games as well although you will have to rely on that one HDMI port for all uses. Sadly this does mean a bit of messing around with cables. And...unfortunately the same applies if you want to hook up a Blu-Ray via the HMDI, but the upside is a brilliant picture on DVD play for your trouble. But...if I'm honest, I think it's a small small price to pay given the amazing performance you get.
And...talking of small prices. The ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD comes up at a remarkable $359. That in itself is just a great price for an HD TV, but I was gobsmacked when I found an online price of just $309!!
So...I got one! For the spare room.
It's great because if the children (well young adults) come to stay, they can go off and watch their favourite soap, soccer or play a game without badgering me for use of the main TV or our bedroom. Although they do still tend to lock themsleves in and disappear for the night, depsite the fact they're supposed to be visiting and socialising!
The bottom line is this, if you need a small TV for the kitchen, spare room, the office or perhaps the college dorm, then the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV is a brilliant buy and at an unbeatable price. I'm really pleased that companies ViewSonic and Vizio are making these great smaller HD sets and making them with real quality. There really is a niche that the Sonys and Samsungs have missed out on - delivering high quality small HD TV's at very affordable prices.
So, if you need a small, compact, yet beautiful LCD that proivdes excellent picture performance then you can not do any worse than get yourslef a ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV.
For more information on the ViewSonic VT2430 24 Inch LCD TV and that GREAT Internet Price Offer - Click HERE
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Samsung UN55B8000 55-Inch 240 Hz LED HDTV
The Samsung UN55B8000 LED TV is something to behold. The Samsung 8000 range generally are the bets of the best, but the UN55B8000 really is a very special LED TV.
In short, the Samsung UN55B8000 LED TV gives you everything you could possibly want or need form a television.
Where do I start??
First of all the LED technology. Samsung employ some of the most advanced LED technology with the screen comprising a single flawless piece of super-fast liquid LED crystal. basically this means that the picture you see is true to life...it's like looking through an ultra clean pane of glass of the sunniest, rbightest day imaginable! This TV gives unparalled picture quality in my opinion (I have the 46 inch version).
And, the Samsung UN55B8000 LED TV is full 1080p high definition coupled with 240 Hz ultra fast screen refresh rate. What does this mean? Quite simply that the picture is the crispest, cleanest possible picture you can get on ANY TV! 240Hz is the fastest screen refresh available. And, whilist 120Hz offers almost no fast action blur, the 240Hz eliminates it to the human eye.
This means that your sport and action movie viewing is taken to the ultimate level. To best honest, even now, I am just gobsmacked by the sheer beauty of the picture!
There are a whole host of technologies that Samsung use to deliver this stunning, natural picture quality. They callk it names like "Ultra Clear Panel", "Auto Motion Plus 240Hz" and "Wide Color Enhancer Pro". However, all you need to know is that it's like watching real life.
The colors are stunning, bright, vibrant, apply any superlative! The whites pure and the blacks as dark as the deepest ocean floor. The contrast is crisp and the picture clarity outstanding.
The Samsung UN55B8000 provides the best picture quality and clarity I have seen on a LED TV. I thought that TV technology achieved a quantum leap with the first HD Plasmas and LCDs, but the Samsung LED TV UN55B8000 offers a similar leap in my opinion.
And, as the Samsung UN55B8000 is part of the Samsung 8000 series, it's top of the raneg in terms of functionality as well.
This set does everything!
Obviosuly there are the standard LED TV energy savings over Plasma and LCDs and the ultra slim design that makes the Samsung UN55B8000 LED TV a beautiful piece of furniture, but, there is also an amazing list of features and the most advanced "jack-pack".
Added to the 240 Hz refresh time there is a ultraquick 2 milisecond response time built in which ensures the total elimination of any chance of action blur.
Game mode is enhanced for more life like game play in terms fo enhanced picture and sound. This is the best game play picture I have seen anywhere.
And, sound is far better on the Samsung UN55B8000. There are two 10 watt speakers inclided and...a subwoofer for much more depth of sound that most LED TVs. There is also simulated surround sound, which actually works reasonably well. This is a major step forward for LED TVs.
There is a built in Flash library (2GB), advanced HDMI inputs (4) to allow stunning full 1080 HD picture input and the set is fully DNLA compatible (this means you can hook up virtually any mobile device). Oh, there are 2 USB ports and PC to PC as well.
The Samsung UN55B8000 even has parental controls built in! And, finally there is Media 2.0 to allow you to enjoy Internet TV in full HD.
The bottom line, this is just the best LED TV you can get if you can stand the budget. It has everything you could want coupled with stunning picture performance. I highly recommend the Samsung UN55B8000 LED TV if you are thinking of upgrading to LED...in my opinion, this set justifies the outlay...your family will love you for it!
For more information on the Samsung UN55B8000 55 Inch LED TV and great prices too - Click HERE
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Samsung UN46C7000 46 Inch 3D LED HD TV
I am going to be totally up front with you...I don't own a 3D TV, but with the release of the Samsung UN46C7000 3D LED TVI do feel qualified to comment as I own the sister non 3D version the UN46B8000.
So, regardless of the 3D element, this is a top notch LED TV. In fact it's exceptional and I absolutely LOVE my Samsung LED TV, it's probably the best consumer electronics buy I have ever made.
The picture is just so crisp and clean, it's like looking through a super clean pane of glass on the sunniest day ever! With the full 1080p HD and 240Hz refresh package the picture is just outsanding, I'm almost out of superlatives...yes I really do like my samsung LED TV. So, the Samsung UN46C7000 46 Inch 3D LED TV has the same exceptional crytsal clear, beautiful picture. The colors as just so bright and vibrant and the blacks truly black, not so much as a hint of gray. And the contrast is simply razor sharp.
To sum up the picture quality is amazing, like real life. If you rea dmy reviews you'll klnow I love my sport and action movies and both just "come to life" on the samsung UN46C7000 3D LED TV. LED is definitely the future.
But if LED is the future...what's in store for 3D?
I first saw 3D back in May on a visit to London. U.K satellite broadcaster Sky were showing of premier league soccer matches in 3D, but only in selected bars. Ummm, 3D TV being shown in a bar? The chance to see 3D TV in anger and have a few cold beers at the same time prooved far too good an opportunity to pass up!
I was also fortunate enough to be invited to the CEDIA exhibition while I was in London. This is trade sho9w where all the top in house entertainment, automation and AV people show off their latest wares. (It was a great trip this!) And, I managed to get myself a full 3D TV demo while I was there.
But before I talk about the experience, there are a few things you need to actually watch in 3D!
Most importantly you need a 3D source. You'll need a 3D channel (not much currently available) or a 3D DVD source and these are only available on Blu-Ray althougn there are some 3D games around.
However, there is really not much 3D source matrial about right now. One good source of 3D content is online where Internet@TV has a fair sized library you can access.
The main thing you'll need to exprience 3D is a special pair of 3D glasses. Now these things are not cheap! So, make sure you take into account the fact every member of the family will need a pair (and any guests you have), so take this cost into account if you are considering buying a 3D TV. Without these glasses a 3D picture is blurry and unwatchable.
Depending on the type you buy they will also need battries or charging. This is because the lenses oscillate to make the picture 3D to the eye. You can't see this oscillation with the naked eye while you have the glasses on, but it's there and it does give a much clearer 3D vision than those horrible card red and blue lensed things they give away in the newspaper or have in a bowl at the museum!
So what can you expect from 3D pictures on your Samsung UN46C7000 LED HD 3D TV?
Well, as with all LED TV technology, Samsung are definitely at the forefront. I have already said how much I rate Samsung and the UN4C7000 is no exception. It's a great piece of kit and has all the advantages I've talked about on other Samsung LED TV models.
According to Samsung the action "jumps off the screen" so you become "totally immersed in the action".
My view is that watching 3D is a unique if slightly unerving exprience, certainly initially. Watching the soccer when they annouced the teams the players profiles seemed to fly onto the screen from behind my head! Watching the game itself was again slightly weird. Maybe it's becaused we're used to seeing our sport in 2D, I'm not sure, but it had the feeling of a game rather than live TV. And I didn't think the pciture was as crisp as normal LED TV.
The demo I saw at CEDIA was a specific 3D demo, funnily enough on a samsung UN46C7000 LED HD 3D TV (which is why I picked this one to review). I particularly liked a scene with two canoeists white water canoeing down a canyon. The depth given to the canyon by 3D made for an exciting viewing experience for sure. And, when water splashed back at me and ran down the screen, well, it was a bit of a "wow" moment. They also had a steam train demo and the way the train smoke swirled around was also very good.
But, despite what they sales blurb says, (that the 3D glasses fit comfortably over normal glasses), they don't really and it was just ever so slightly uncomfortable after a while.
Not having a 3D TV myself and none of my HD TV Budies have yet to bite the bullet I did some Internet research on 3D TV. The general view that I found was that many people had some trouble getting their 3D TV sets to actually work in 3D! This sort of defeats the object somewhat!
But, once those teething problems had been overcome then 99.9% of the reviews I read were hugely positive. People who had embraced 3D absolutely loved it.
The Samsung UN46C7000 is certainly a pioneer in the LED 3D TV market and has also suffered some teething problems with many sets from the early runs requiring fixes and replacements. I understand these problems are now passed and that the latst batch of UN46C7000's are running smoothly and giving excellent 3D entertainment all over the States.
So, my conclusion? Well, I am yet to be convinced by 3D, especially as there is not much source material. So, I intend to hold fire for now. But...if you want to embrace 3D TV the technology does now seem stable and the number of sources will start to grow quickly now. And if you want to make that "step up" to 3D, there is no better starting point than the Samsung UN46C7000 46 inch LED 3D TV. In fact, the prices are really very good right now, so maybe it's a good time to take that first step into the brave new world of 3D TV?
For more information on the Samsung UN46C7000 3D LED TV and great prices - Click HERE
Friday, 16 July 2010
Samsung UN46B8000 46 Inch LED HD TV
I think it's fair to say that LED TV is here to stay and it's pretty obvious to see why when you check out the
Samsung UN46B8000 LED HD TV. It is undoubtedly a leader in the field...and the LED TV that this HD TV geek owns! On that basis I do feel fully qualified to comment on it :>)
Stunningly thin and sleek, it's designed as a flawless single piece of perfect crystal. On the Samsung UN46B8000's perfect LED screen, minute details are captured in perfect vivid detail on each and every frame. And, picture edge-blur has been totally eradicated as every single pixel delivers amazing full, deep, rich color and stunningly deep, dark blacks.
The Samsung UN46B8000 46 Inch LED HD TV is without dooubt one of the cleanest, most elegant televisions I have seen, which is one of the reasons I got it for myself. Having said that, the same can be said entire Samsung LED TV Series 8 range.
I found the picture produced to totally true to life, it's like looking through a perfectly clean pane of glass! For
ultimate picture performance you need the 3 Cs: Contrast, Color and Clarity. The Samsung LED TV UN46B8000 has them all - in abundance.
The Samsung UN46B8000 LED HD TV - Amazing Picture Clarity and Quality!
The best I have seen (and I spent a lot of time looking)
The Samsung UN46B8000 LED TV uses Samsungs amazing Mega Contrast Ratio feature which brings out all the shades of grey. It also uses a Wide Color Enhancer Pro with LED gamut which makes sure that each and every pixel (yes pixel, not just "screen area") is bright and vibrant giving you a stunning overall picture quality. According to Samsung this enables the TV to display a wider range of natural colours and provide greater depth, especially in the dark range resulting in a truly brilliant contrast. I have to agree as it was the stunning picture that closed the deal for me.
This TV also utilises the 240Hz Motion Plus technology which totally removes edge-blur. This means your picture remains smooth and crisp - no matter who frantic the action gets. You haven't lived until you've watched tennis, soccer or an action movie on a Samsung 8 Series LED TV.
In a nutshell... the Samsung LED TV UN46B8000 is a stunning TV. Image quality is great in standard definition, but to get the absolute best from this TV plug in a 1080p HD input it just comes alive! watching action movies or sport in an unbelieveable exprience.
And...it's only 29 mm deep - incredible! It also looks just as good off as it does on so, it doubles up as a nice
looking piece of furniture too.
As if this TV wasn't good enough, it's also good for the environment as well. Why? Well, because it uses LED technology it uses much less energy than its predecessor LCD and Plasmas. So not only does it save you more money in running costs, it helps the enviornment. If I'm honest, this wasn't a major factor in my decision making, but it helped make the decision a little easier.
The Samsung UN46B8000 also benefits from a stunning connectivity package. being the an 8000 set, it is top of the Samsung range so it has 4 HDMI ports, USB, direct PC connectivity, mobile device connectivity, extra gaming ports, direct ethernet, in fact you can pretty much plug and play any device which offers superb flexibility.
The Samsung LED TV UN46B8000 - One Downside, Easily Cured!
One of the downsides of all LED TV's is the sound quality they produce. The same applies to the Samsung UN46B8000 LED TV it's not brilliant. However,if you are buying a TV like this, you will probably already have or be in the process of getting yourself the required surround sound system. I always have mine plugging in and switched on now and it really does deliver the ultimate viewing experience!
Plug in a true 1080P HD source and watch this amazing TV come to life. Either HD Box or Blu Ray really do maximise the stunning picture quality and I guarantee you'll never want to go back to ordinary LCD or Plasma TV - good as they are!
The Samsung UN46B8000 LED HD TV is definitely one of the best HD TVs on the market especially when you compare viewing performance versus price. I've had my set for about 3 months now and I am absolutely delighted with it at ALL levels.
I can highly recommend the Samsung UN46B8000.
For more information on the brilliant Samsung UN46B8000 46 Inch LED HD TV and Great Prices - Click HERE.
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Samsung UN65C6500 LED HD TV
It's funny isn't it...how geeks seem to find each other and stick together? Don't ask me how, but I seem to have developed a clique of HD TV geeks! I'd been chatting to Tom about his HD TV set up and we'd taken a passing look at a Samsung UN65C6500 LED HD TV a few weeks back. Admiring this total monster of a LED TV I obviously hadn't noticed the glint in Tom's eye! So...I was a little shocked when he called to invite me round for a viewing of his sparkling new Samsung UN65C6500 65 Inch LED TV.
To say I was excited was an understatement, so when friday night finally came around, I duly arrived at Tom's around 7pm.
The first thing I noticed was the sheer size of the thing. You'll need a big room to get the best from this TV. If you only have a small viewing room, this set will probably be too big for you. And, this set is NOT cheap, so, you really do need to be absolutely certain you'vge got a room that can cope with this beast.
This is a full LED TV. So it benefits from a crystal pixelated screen which offers full 1080p HD. This means it has the the most detailed picture it's possible to get with current technology. I was though slightly worried that the screen refresh was only 120 Hz. On such a large screen, I thought that might lead to some degree of motion blur. I must admit I would have thought in putting such great technology into the Samsung UN65C6500 LED TV, samsung would have gone the whole way and offered 240 Hz? Maybe that would have pushed the price too high, I don't know, but it did seem a bit of a false economy to me.
Having said that, the picture performance was absolutely amazing and despite trying hard to find motion blur, it just wans't there!
So, how does the huge scren compare? Well, I've got a 46 inch LED screen at home and it's just right for the viewing area I have. Tom has a large room specifically for viewing, and despite my home set being 240Hz, I really didn't notice any difference in picture quality once we got into watching a recording of last weeks Flash Forward from the HD box.
Action sequences were smooth and accurate and of course colors were sharp, bright and the contrast with deep blacks superb.
One of the big drawbacks with all LED TVs is that the sound generally isn't wonderful. We did play 5 minutes with just the TV sound and it was true to form. But, hooked up to Tom's home theater system offered a different experience all together.
I thought I might find going back to my own 46 inch a bit of a come down, but I do genuinely believe that the viewing room size to TV set size is a vital factor here. My room just couldn't cope with the Samsung UN65C6500 65 Inch LED HD TV.
I loved watching the Samsung UN65C6500 LED TV but Tom's entire set up is different, everything is totally tailored for his 65 inch wonder! My viewing area is more "public" so I think it's horses for courses.
Again as with all LED TVs the Samsung UN65C6500 has all the power saving facets of all LED TV's so...it's kind to your pocket and the environment.
The "jack-pack" on the Samsung UN65C6500 LED TV has every possible connectivity port you could posibly want. It offers outstanding game play, built in photo library, USB ports, the ability to host peripherals, media 2.0 a PC input and an ethernet input as well as 4 HMDI inputs. It's also DNLA compatible which means that you can plug and play most makes of computer and mobile device.
Finally the Samsung UN65C6500 LED TV is ultra slim and looks really rather good, but then so does my 46 incher!
If you have the viewing room size and a budget to match the Samsung UN65C6500 is a quality buy that will wow your friends and make the family want to spend far too much time in the viewing room. The only word of caution, Samsung are sure to upgrade and come out with a 240Hz version sooner or later. If I wantd a 65 incher I may be tempted to hold fire until the 240Hz vrsion is available. But, as with all technology...is there ever a right time to buy? Perhaps you should just go with your instincts and enjoy 65 Inches of pure LED TV beauty!
This is a big purchase and whilst the best prices are undoubtedbly online, if you are thinking of buying a Samsung UN65C6500 I recommend a viewing at your local store and them buy online (provided the price is right).
For more information on the Samsung UN65C6500 65 Inch LED HD TV and Great Prices...Click HERE
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Samsung LN40C630 LCD HD TV
As I am an HD TV "geek" I decided to do a bit of research into what TV is the most popular in the U.S. I am without doubt a big Samsung fan, particularly in their LED TV range, but I to admit to being surprised when I foun d out that the Samsung LN40C630 LCD HD TV is the bestselling HD TV set in America.
I really, honestly thought a Plasma or LED would claim that coveted position, but I was wrong (what do I know?) A mid range samsung LCD that was the bestseller.
So, entused with this stunning piece of information, and as I was in Vancouver at the time, I made tracks for the local Future Shop to find what all the fuss is about. Deciding to venture out early on a Monday morning when the sales staff have nothing to do and I figured they would be really attentive, especially if I bribed them with an early morning Starbucks. My cunning plan worked perfectly and Pete was the perfect salesman!
I knew the Samsung C Series LCD's had only just arrived on the market but was still surprised when Pete told me how much cheaper they are compared to pevious releases. I guess as consumer items become more common place, economies apply and the price starts to drop. That is simple economics so I reckon the manufacture of LCD TVs has found that point and as the price is now so attractive it's become an easy decision for people to buy.
So, I can certainly understand that, but I still think any HD TV needs to have that "wow" factor that makes buyer want to (want being the operative word) part with their hard earned greenies. This being even more relevant in the current economic downturn.
Right, back to the plot! Once I got chatting with Pete I did come clean that I wasn't looking to buy, but he seemed happy enough with that given the Grande Vanilla Latte he was now clutching. In fact Pete turned out to be a bit of a star! And so, we sat down to take a long hard look at the Samsung LN40C630 LCD TV.
The first thing we talked about was the old LCD "chestnut" of "high motion blur". I know this was a big problem on most early LCD sets and it was because of this, and my love of sport, that I went Plasma with my first HD set (although as it happens screenburn has now become a slight issue on that old first HD set - it was an LG).
Whilst the price ofthe nw 600 series has fallen appreciably, it is still a little more expensive than the 500 series, that is because Samsung have made the 630 series with a 120 Hz scren refresh rate. And with full 1080p HD capability, add at 1080p source and you get a motion blur fee crystal clear picture that took my by surprise (as I have been viewing a lot of LED TVs recently). Pete kindly put on a "morning after" replay of a Canucks game in full, glorious 1080p HD.
Ice Hockey is without doubt the fastest sport and the picture was outstanding. The action was clear and concise with the colors displayed bright and vibrant.
My new friend explained that the 120Hz refresh rate offers twice as many frames as the early LCD sets and that's how it has overcome that early adopter problem of screen blur.
I guess with sport being the number one TV pastime of many Americans the overcoming of that problem at that lower price means we have not only gone through the price objection barrier, but also that "technical" objection has now also been overcome which can only be why the Samsung LN40C630 is now proving so masively popular.
As I love all sports and this was a major issue for me. Maybe I had become biased against LCD Tv in general, but I have to admit that what I saw from the LN40C630 LCD TV really changed my view on LCDs.
Next we rigged up a Blu Ray DVD player to check out HD DVD performance. Again the Samsung LN40C630 put on a great show!
Stunningly, bright, solid colors with deep rich blacks gave amazing contrasts delivered a picture that made it look like I was looking through an fresh, clean pane of glass. Pete told me this was due to the new higher contrast ratio on new LCD models. He explained that the Samsung LN40C630 LCD TV has an 80,000:1 ratio. Early LCDs were only 10,000:1. Most HD TVs are around 70,000 - 100,000 ratio apparently, and this is what gives the latest sets such highly detailed and crystal clear pictures, no matter how frantic the action gets.
The bottom line is that you can get a better picture and performance with a LED, but new advances in LCD make that difference more marginal given the higher costs of a LED. But I think the reason the Samsung LN40C630 LCD TV is now so popular is that quite simply it offers an outstanding viewing exprience at a VERY reasonable price. It's also been made futue proof with Pete thinking it would be good for around 5-7 years.
The Samsung LN40C630 also comes with a solid enough jack pack (4 HDMI, 2 USB, PC Input), low energy consumption and Samsungs latest picture technology (wide color enhancer pro). This is designed to give better color luminance across the spectrum resulting in more brilliant colors. I might have borrowed that bit from the brochure!
The only downside I found with this set is the sound which is only powered by 2 x 10 watt speakers. And whislt the sales blurb says "offers multi channel sound", well not really in my opinion. However, I think anyone going for this set will have a surround sound system in mind anyay so it's not really an issue as far as I can see.You might as well go for the full package.
Overall this is an excellent HD TV set. If you haven't yet upgraded, this is the middle ground, safe option for your first move into HD. Solid technology offering outstanding picture quality, for any sort of viewing, at an attractive price.
Having seen a demo (thanks Pete) I now understand how the Samsung LN40C630 has become Americas most popular HD TV!
For more info on the Samsung LN40C630 LCD HD TV and great prices too - Click HERE
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TV
The Sony Bravia EX700 52-Inch LED TV allows you to enjoy Full 1080p High Definition. With incredible contrast and smooth high motion picture performance the Sony BRAVIA EX700-Series LED HDTV is an outstanding LED TV.
The Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch Led TV - Great Picture - Great ValueSony Bravia EX700 Series 52-Inch LED HDTV, Black
It offers full internet connectivity so you can have a huge variety of movies, TV shows, videos and music using apps from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker and more all at your fingertips.
So, I was delighted when a friend made a purchase and invited me round for a viewing session! John got his Sony Bravia EX700 52-Inch LED TV about 2 weeks ago and the first thing that hit me was the stunningly beautiful picture. The colors are rich and bright and the blacks display incredible depth and of course LED HD makes everything so crisp and clean.
John has set his Sony Bravia EX700 up in his Family Room and he has excellent facilities to back up his LED TV and to make the absolute best of it! His Set-up includes Pioneer Elite SC-25 receiver, LG Blu-Ray, Boston Accoustics center and surround speakers.
This is a great set up and watching Avatar on this set up was an amazing experience. The action sequences were clear and crisp and the colors vibrant, it was outstanding.
John was even kind enough to give me an overview of what he thought were the pros and cons of his new Sony Bravia LED HD TV.
First up he is totally delighted with the picture quality and clarity. He's traded up to the Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TVfrom a Samsung 46 Inch LCD. His view was that the picture is better buy only marginally. For my money, I thought the difference was more "marked" with the Bravia stacking up particularly well.
The colors just seem "warmer" to me and the picture is a little crisper despite the bigger 52 Inch screen. Images from the Blu-Ray are truly stunning, Avatar is a great molvie anyway, and the Blu-Ray full 1080 HD just added to the experienceand I think that is partly down to the performance of the Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TV.
Connectivity is excellent, Sony even include a wireless dongle! However, John has hardwired to his LAN so I can't comment on the wireless capabilities. However, he said that getting the network hooked up was easy and streaming from his PC via the netowrk was effortless with no hiccups. HD video streaming is pretty good, we had a quick loo, although obviously not as good as a true 1080p HD source.
The Sony Bravia EX700 is a great looking piece of kit. The screen is surrounded by a beautiful high gloss black surround. I've no doubt it will be hard to keep clean but the design is great!
And of course, in common with all LED TVs the Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TV has the now traditional low energy consumption.
On the downside, the base of the set is not the best, but John has it mounted on his own media center so no issue, I guess I may have been swayed by his comments and the fact that it looked a bit strange detached?
Probably more importantly, the channel change was a bit slow, which is disappointing as it's something I know Samsung have cured!. The worst delay seemed to be when changing between two channels with different resolutions say 720 versus 1080.
And finally the SD picture is not that wonderful. However, to be honest, I am nitpicking.
Overall the Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TV is a great bit of kit providing a superb viewing experience, highly recommended and I know John is absolutely delighted...and he's not easily pleased when it comes to his HD TV!
The Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch Led TV - Great Picture - Great ValueSony Bravia EX700 Series 52-Inch LED HDTV, Black
It offers full internet connectivity so you can have a huge variety of movies, TV shows, videos and music using apps from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker and more all at your fingertips.
So, I was delighted when a friend made a purchase and invited me round for a viewing session! John got his Sony Bravia EX700 52-Inch LED TV about 2 weeks ago and the first thing that hit me was the stunningly beautiful picture. The colors are rich and bright and the blacks display incredible depth and of course LED HD makes everything so crisp and clean.
John has set his Sony Bravia EX700 up in his Family Room and he has excellent facilities to back up his LED TV and to make the absolute best of it! His Set-up includes Pioneer Elite SC-25 receiver, LG Blu-Ray, Boston Accoustics center and surround speakers.
This is a great set up and watching Avatar on this set up was an amazing experience. The action sequences were clear and crisp and the colors vibrant, it was outstanding.
John was even kind enough to give me an overview of what he thought were the pros and cons of his new Sony Bravia LED HD TV.
First up he is totally delighted with the picture quality and clarity. He's traded up to the Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TVfrom a Samsung 46 Inch LCD. His view was that the picture is better buy only marginally. For my money, I thought the difference was more "marked" with the Bravia stacking up particularly well.
The colors just seem "warmer" to me and the picture is a little crisper despite the bigger 52 Inch screen. Images from the Blu-Ray are truly stunning, Avatar is a great molvie anyway, and the Blu-Ray full 1080 HD just added to the experienceand I think that is partly down to the performance of the Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TV.
Connectivity is excellent, Sony even include a wireless dongle! However, John has hardwired to his LAN so I can't comment on the wireless capabilities. However, he said that getting the network hooked up was easy and streaming from his PC via the netowrk was effortless with no hiccups. HD video streaming is pretty good, we had a quick loo, although obviously not as good as a true 1080p HD source.
The Sony Bravia EX700 is a great looking piece of kit. The screen is surrounded by a beautiful high gloss black surround. I've no doubt it will be hard to keep clean but the design is great!
And of course, in common with all LED TVs the Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TV has the now traditional low energy consumption.
On the downside, the base of the set is not the best, but John has it mounted on his own media center so no issue, I guess I may have been swayed by his comments and the fact that it looked a bit strange detached?
Probably more importantly, the channel change was a bit slow, which is disappointing as it's something I know Samsung have cured!. The worst delay seemed to be when changing between two channels with different resolutions say 720 versus 1080.
And finally the SD picture is not that wonderful. However, to be honest, I am nitpicking.
Overall the Sony Bravia EX700 52 Inch LED TV is a great bit of kit providing a superb viewing experience, highly recommended and I know John is absolutely delighted...and he's not easily pleased when it comes to his HD TV!
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