Samsung D6500 Series LED LCD 3D 1080P Full HD Smart TV Review

Samsung’s D6500 series is a premium featured 1090P LED LCD 3D enabled HDTV in Samsung’s 2011 range. The series has three models – the 55 inch UN55D6500, 46 inch UN46D6500 and the 40 inch UN40D6500. The D6500 models come with a built-in wifi adapter (Web connectivity), Samsung Apps, AllShare (DLNA device connectivity), ConnectShare (USB access) and Skype making the D6500 LED LCD HDTV a entertainment and communication hub. The series features Samsung’s new ONE Design with an ultra-thin bezel which delivers more screen area for the same outside dimension. A 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio supports excellent picture quality.

Samsung D6500 LED LCD 3D 1080P HDTV

Samsung Smart TV’s Smart Hub

The Samsung D6500 LED LCD HDTV has moved the bar a long way towards our predicted morphing of TVs into entertainment and information hubs. Key features which make up Samsung’s Smart Hub for the D6500 are:

Samsung Apps which can be sourced from the world’s first HDTV-based apps store. There are a number of categories of applications; including video, sports, information, games and lifestyle.

Search, for easy content searches on the TV and via Samsung Apps or other online services.

Your Video, which delivers recommendations based on a user’s viewing history.

Samsung’s new online app store has apps for access to a wide variety of digital content including Netflix or Blockbuster movies, Hulu Plus TV shows, YouTube videos, ESPN sports reports, Pandora music and social sites Facebook and Twitter. Information apps such as AccuWeather, USA Today and Google Maps are also available.

Samsung is steadily expanding the content options with recent additions including; HBO GO access to more than 1,400 titles of HBO programming, MTV Music Meter allowing fans to discover, consume, share and interact with new music, Time Warner Cable customer cable subscription accessi, integration of Adobe Flash Player 10.1 intto its Smart TV browser, Dreamworks Animation streaming 3D Video-On-Demand (VOD) service and the facility for DIRECTV subscribers to watch live broadcast and stored content from their DVR on Samsung smart TVs – without the need for additional set-top boxes.

3D in 1080p Full HD

Samsung uses active 3D technology which requires the viewer to wear active shutter glasses. Samsung have switched from infrared to Bluetooth wireless for synchronization between the 3D glasses and the HDTV likely because it is less susceptible to interference. The new Samsung 3D glasses are lighter and more comfortable to wear and will last 40 plus hours on a fresh set of batteries. Both standard battery and rechargeable headphone versions are available. Samsung now supplies two pair of 3D glasses with each HDTV and sells extra ones for a significant discount at around $50 each.

To improve the brightness of 3D playback Samsung have included their proprietary 3D peak algorithm which enhances peak brightness about 20 percent while lowering energy consumption by 15 percent. The technology makes darker scenes in 3D look suitably bright.

Samsung has also moved to counter the limited range of available 3D content by including a feature which upconverts 2D video to 3D. Do not expect similar video quality to native 3D.

Clear Motion Rate 600

Image clarity is doubly essential for 3D HDTVs as active 3D requires alternating left and right perspective frames for each single frame of normal 3D video. Hence the continued move to push already high refresh rates (measured in Hz) even higher to further reduce any image blurring to which LCD HDTVs are susceptible. Samsung have somewhat confused the matter by using a new term Clear Motion Rate (CMR) to lump together the effect of three factors which contribute to motion clarity: panel refresh rate, image processor speed and backlight technology. CMR is measured by determining the thinnest line a TV can display in a moving image. For comparison purposes, a thinner line means a higher CMR rating and a clearer picture.

The video processor performs the impressive feat of creating three extra frames of video for each of original source video frames. In creating the new frames, the video processor uses advanced algorithms, referred to as MEMC (Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation), to interpolate intermediate positions for objects in motion smoothing transitions between frames and reducing motion blur.

Other Notable Features of the Samsung D6500 LED LCD HDTV Series

AllShare for syncing DLNA-enabled digital devices (PC, camera and mobile devices) for categorising of digital music, movies, image and music files on your Samsung HDTV screen.
Skype for making video calls from in front of the HDTV – requires optional Skype camera kit.
Qwerty Remote with standard remote functionality and qwerty keyboard on opposing sides. A display adjacent the qwerty keyboard allows typing to be seen without looking at the TV.
ConnectShare Movie providing playback and viewing of videos, music or photos from a USB drive.
Samsung’s Ultra Clear Panel to virtually eliminate reflections and protect picture quality.
Wide Color Enhancer Plus for picture color including the entire RGB spectrum as the movie director intended.
Eco light sensor to allow calibration of the screen brightness to match the ambient light intensity in the room, optimizing the viewing experience and saving energy.
Anynet+ for single remote control of HDMI-connected, compatible devices like Blu-ray Disc players, AV receivers and home theater.
SRS TheaterSound virtual surround sound combined with twin 15 Watt built-in bottom speakers
Compatibility with new, stringent Energy Star 5.1 guidelines