About me: First HDTV, but I am an Electrical/Software Engineer so I have a high level of technical ability, with a low expectations. I have been micro analysing which TV to buy for far to long. I attended CES in 2009 and 2010, and have seen all of the new TV that are coming out (probably why I kept waiting so long). This is the perception from which this review was written.
I received this TV yesterday and watched it for most of the evening. Very good picture! I was considering the LG55lh40 but after viewing the Samsung LN55B650 side by side with the LG at Best Buy my wife and I realized there was little competition. We had the tech at best buy let us mess with the settings for around half an hour (starting with the auto-calibration from LG) but just couldn't get it to look right compared with the Samsung. I was rather upset, as I have read numerous great reviews about the LG and it was a considerably cheaper price. Logging into Amazon I noticed the LN55C650 was on sale for $1620 (even cheaper than last years B series) but had no reviews, so I was a little nervous to order it. Hindsight is 20/20 and I definitely made the right choice. The picture is very clear and has that crisp look that Samsung is famous for.
My surround sound system will not be delivered until today, so I was stuck using the built in speakers last night. I was very impressed with the sound this thing could pump out. I varied the sound between 25 and 50 (out of 100) and it was more than loud enough and filled the room nicely. This is by no means comparable to a nice sound system, but compared to any other TV I have heard, it is definitely up there in sound capabilities.
Looks wise, I think this is much better looking than last years B650. I didn't care for the red touch of color that surrounded the whole TV. This model only seems to have the red at the bottom center, and it adds a really nice accent without being overpowering like I felt last years were. This is just a personal opinion.
Cons:
The 120HZ feature, which was heavily complained about in the LN55B650 still has problems. The first thing I did when I got the TV was watch The Dark Knight BD (1080P) on my PS3 using a V1.3 Cat2 HDMI cable. I thought something was wrong with the TV as it was doing very strange things with background motion, but after turning the 120HZ feature off the picture cleaned up perfectly and I no longer notice any problems while watching it. I tried all of the different 120HZ modes, and they all had the same problem. That said, I turned it back on while watching HDTV (720p obviously) and it seems very clean with the 120HZ.
It is 2010 and they still can't put a wireless radio built into the television? I find this to be ridiculous that you have to purchase a separate module in order to get wireless. My router is very far away from my TV and it will be expensive to have network cables added.
I will update this if I notice any other issues. Samsung LN55C650 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV (Black)
I have had the TV now for a full weekend of March Madness, and I have generated a few thoughts so far.
First, the picture is phenomenal. It really stands up against almost anything out there at the moment. I chose the LCD tech over LED largely over price, I just couldn't justify the extra 1000 for what I felt was a marginal increases in performance. The options and interface are intuitive, and tweeking the picture and sound settings was easy. After I "tuned" the picture I watched some basketball and was very impressed by the 120hz engine and software. The picture is smooth, rich, and a delight to watch.
Second, the connectivity is a fun addition. I have an instant uplink to netflix, blockbuster on demand, amazon on demand, and Vudu. I gave Vudu a try last night with a free trail rental of "Zombieland". I have a 12mb/s broadband connection, and it was enough to enjoy full HD without any hiccups. Really a cool feature.
Third, I am less than impressed with the DNLA connectivity of Samsung. I have been struggling to set up a media server that is compatible with my new TV. I was looking forward to having a new way to show all of the internet content I have come to love, without the computer. However, I am just getting started with it, so I may be making a mistake. I guess the interface is a generation behind where it integrates without a problem. I thought about taking a star off for this, but I chose not to because the functionality of the TV as a TV is really what this review should be about.
Lastly, the delivery was prompt, easy, and professional. I was concerned with having a high dollar item shipped, but after this experience I don't think I'll have it any other way. The freight company (Pilot) called to schedule a drop off on a given day in a three hour window. I got a call one half hour before they would arrive to prepare. The delivery personnel were professional, respectful, thorough, and all together great. I preferred this over buying at a retail store because I had the opportunity to have Pilot unpack the TV, place it where I chose, turn it on and inspect it, then accept shipment. If there had been a problem I could have refused shipment and another TV would have come a few days later. If I had bought this SAME TV at a BIG RETAIL STORE for SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS more, I would have had to bring home a box and hope I didn't have to repack and take it back. All together a great experience.
Note: I had to unplug and replug my Comcast box to get a picture on the TV when I first connected. Not sure why but it has been working great since.
If something changes in the future I will update this review, but as it stands today, 5 Stars.
Update: This doesn't have to do with the TV -
I noticed some good products getting a low star rating as a result of uneducated people giving products they don't own bad reviews because "Amazon won't show the price". Get educated people, it is called Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP) and it is beyond the control of Amazon. A manufacturer (Samsung) can place restrictions on the retailer (Amazon) dictating that they cannot advertise a product below a certain price, but they legally cannot stop the retailer from selling below that MAP price. So if Amazon wants to pass along a fantastic price on an item that is below MAP, they legally cannot show the price until the buyer makes some action that is not driven by a low advertised price (aka put it in your cart). Lil learning goes a long way. - 1080p - 120hz - Best Picture - Lcd'
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