Samsung UN65C8000 65 Inch 3D LED TV

Samsung UN65C8000 50 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....

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