Samsung Series 6 1080p Full HD LCD HDTV 40 inch LN40A650, 46 inch LN46A650 and 52 inch LN52A650 Review

Samsungs LCD HDTV Series 6 has three models, the 40 inch LN40A650, 46 inch LN46A650 and 52 inch LN52A650. All are full high definition, 1080p (1920(H) x 1080(V) pixels), with a built-in ATSC/Clear QAM digital tuner. The ultra clear panel used by Samsung enhances contrast which actually an exceptionally high 50,000:1 benefiting picture quality with more detail in very dark or bright scenes. The energy efficiency of these new models is also worth considering in a purchasing decision.

Samsung Series 6 1080p Full HD LCD HDTV

Samsung’s Series 6 LCD HDTVs (end with A650) have a distinctive red translucent tint to the glossy black frame which is most pronounced in the bezel. Samsung call it “Touch of Color”. The series 6 models need to be viewed in person to gain a reasonable appreciation of their color and styling. The red tint is a brave marketing feature but, the image quality alone should sell this HDTV as evidenced by its best seller status. For convenient viewing alignment adjustment the screen sits on a swivel pedestal stand.

Those intending to use a Series 6 for gaming will appreciate the market leading 4ms response time that has been achieved by Samsung. A fast response time significantly reduces the chances of motion blur. Viewing angle is also excellent at the 178 degrees provided by Samsung’s Super Patterned Vertical Alignment (SPVA) panel.

Video processing is handled by Samsung’s Digital Natural Image Engine (DNIe) and is augmented by both Auto Motion plus 120Hz to reduce motion blur as well as the subtle judder effect when playing video sourced from 24 frames per second film.

Wide Color Gamut

A wider color gamut means that a television is capable of producing a larger palette of colors resulting in more “true to life” color images. For LCD televisions, the color gamut available depends upon the backlight which they require as the liquid crystals filter light rather than generate light such as with a phosphor screen.The Samsung Series 6 uses the new Wide Color Gamut CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) for a larger gamut of colors and more natural images.

Other Samsung Series 6 LCD HDTV Notable Features

Each model has the V-Chip system which allows parents to block TV programs and movies rated as containing objectionable content.
Picture in Picture functionality is present but, only allows you to watch a TV channel in one window and video from a computer or DVD in the other.
Energy Star compliance delivering a 25% electricity use reduction. To gain an energy star for new models they will have to achieve a 30% reduction to meet the latest EPA specification for TVs (Nov 2007). Energy usage of your HDTV is worth considering as it typically consumes 10% of a household’s energy. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy promoting energy efficiency.
Samsung have implemented CEC (Consumer Electronics Control or HDMI-CEC) to make it possible to activate other AV equipment such as a DVD player or game console from the one remote control.
Sound leveler keeps audio volume consistent during channel changing.
Trilingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French.
Variable sleep timer to turn the TV off in varying time intervals.
Entertainment Mode allows customized picture settings, optimized for different content (e.g., sports, movies, gaming).

Connectivity

Bundling HDTVs with content seems to be becoming entrenched moving televisions to towards the role of an entertainment hub. Samsung have included an Ethernet port and their new InfoLink RSS service. InfoLink will provide customized RSS feeds of information like stock quotes, sport, weather and brief news articles. Unfortunately, the Ethernet port can’t be used for firmware updates. If you would prefer to use a wireless network there is a USB WiFi receiver available.

The range of connections available allow’s consumers to connect to a wide range of consumer AV equipment such as MP3 players, camcorders, and PCs and display, manage and play their content through the Series 6 LCD HDTV.

4 HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) 3 rear/1 side
Component video: 2 rear (Y, Pb, Pr)
S-Video input: 1 rear
A/V inputs: 1 side/1 rear
PC input: 1
Wiselink (USB 2.0)
RF antenna inputs: 2
Headphone jack

Operation

The remote uses a rotating, clickable wheel for menu navigation, as opposed to a grouping of four directional keys. The remote’s buttons are nice and big and have backlighting which, in a unique design, comes on automatically when the remote is picked up.

The on-screen menu is simple to use with easily legible text. If in doubt there is explanatory text displayed at the bottom of the menu.

Sound

The Samsung Series 6 comes with SRS Lab’s patented SRS TruSurround XT surround sound technology. TruSurround XT is a multi-channel virtualization technology which produces a surround sound effect using only two speakers. It will handle up to seven (6.1) audio channels.

TruSurround XT combines three patented sound processing techniques from SRS Labs:

Dialog Clarity: Improves intelligibility of dialog

TruSurround: TruSurround creates multichannel signals in a way that takes advantage of the human hearing system and create a surround sound field. It carries Dolby certification.

TruBass: TruBass enhances bass performance utilizing proprietary psychoacoustic techniques. Perception of fundamental low frequency tones is restored by dynamically augmenting harmonics.

For more information on the equipment supplied by SRS Labs can be found on their web site.

MTS Stereo

Each model comes with an MTS (Multi-channel Television Sound - sometimes called BTSC) decoder enabling it to accept and decode a broadcast stereo signal.

Warranty

Samsung’s LCD, high definition televisions are backed by with a 12 month warranty.

Other Samsung LCD HDTV Series

Samsung Series 7 LCD HDTV Additional Features

Internal flash memory (1GB) with pre-loaded interactive content such as cooking recipes, children’s entertainment, HD artwork and more
Integrated woofer for low frequency enhanced audio experience
DLNA Certified - Compatible for better interoperability with electronic devices from other manufacturers
Digital Contents Management (DCM)

Samsung Series 5 LCD HDTV Reduced/Modified Features

No Touch of Color design
lower 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
slower 5 ms response time
No Infolink (RSS feeds of customizable stock quotes, weather and brief news articles)
No Auto Motion Plus 120Hz
No Ultra clear panel for improved contrast and reduced reflection
No Wheel key remote control
One less (3) HDMI
Digital Media Adapter compatible for playback and navigation of Internet and PC multimedia