 OH MY GOD AMAZING TELEVISION |
| Review Date: April 26, 2008 |
| Reviewer: M. Moskowitz, Fort Lauderdale, FL |
This television is truly something to be admired. I'd say it's also a work of art.
I have a high definition cable box with an HDMI cable to the TV and the HD channels are superb. I mean, the picture is totally 100% crystal clear. I have windows behind me and somehow there is virtually no glare. Yes, the TV looks better when it is dark outside versus light outside but it's perfectly great when it is light outside.
I'm writing this review on my couch. My laptop is connected to the TV via a VGA cable with a wireless keyboard and mouse. Unfortunately my laptop does not have HDMI but I can see very well with the VGA cable. Needless to say, I am going to become much more lazy as a result of this TV.
The 40 inches is great for my viewing pleasure. I'm sure 46 is bigger but I am 100% content with 40 inches. It comes down to price. I did not want to pay more than $1,200 for a TV (that's $100 a month for 12 months using the Amazon Store Card). So this was a no-brainer for me.
If you are in the market for a TV, I highly suggest this one. It is truly a wonderful TV.
The "only" thing that isn't 100% perfect is the sound. The sound is good mind you, but it is not as perfect as the picture. But for the record, I have not played with the equalizer which people report helps the sound.
This is an amazing TV.
UPDATE 6/12/2008: This is still a remarkable television. I don't have any complaints about it at all. Even the sound is perfectly fine. However, you MUST either have a Blu Ray player or an Upconvert player with an HDMI cable to get the full benefit. Everything looks and sounds perfect on this TV.
UPDATE 7/13/2008: The TV is still perfect so just buy it already! I actually bought a 26" 3-series for my bedroom. I don't notice too much of a difference; I am happy with this "worse" TV as I am with my living room TV (this one). Samsung makes an excellent LCD television!
FINAL UPDATE 3/19/2009: Well I've had this TV about a year and I can honestly say it still is great. The sound is great, too. But... in retrospect, when it comes to TVs, bigger is better. A year ago this TV was $1,200 and I just paid it off this month. But if I could have gotten a 42" or a 46", then that would be better. Don't get me wrong, the 40" is great, but what's wrong with a few extra inches? Either way you can't go wrong with the LCD 5 Series from Samsung. |
Beautiful Picture - Great Service
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| Review Date: May 6, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Rob. B, VA |
One of my biggest purchases with Amazon and it went as smooth as possible. The picture on this TV is amazing. FiOS HD can be almost too much pretty on one screen with this TV, it's a bit overwhelming at first. Standard def channels are of course a less clear but better than expected. The only issue I have with this TV is the length of time to power on and off. You also have to point the remote just right sometimes or the function won't register. Small issue though, hardly worth docking points off this unit.
The menu is wonderful and gives complete control over settings. Each input saves your settings too! The AVS Forums have a great thread concerning settings for each input that should be checked out and tested. A little tweaking got the black levels and skin tone just right.
I haven't tested the VGA input, but my Macbook Pro connected with a DVI-HDMI cable is amazing! My FiOS is connected via HDMI and as I mentioned, quite beautiful. I also have a Wii hooked up via component. The Wii maxes out at 480p but really shines on this TV despite the 1080p native res. Don't be fooled though, the picture is a little fuzzy but through some tweaking you can get a great picture without springing for a separate upconverter.
Shipping was of course through Eagle/CEVA. Make sure to call and verify they've got your info. They didn't have my phone number on record at first so I corrected that. My delivery man was Rick. He was great! He called to setup the appointment, was on time, very delicate with the unit, and very personable. I couldn't be more pleased.
UPDATE: Just wanted to mention the finish of the screen. Originally, I was debating between this model and the older lnt4069fx due to the matte screen. I chose this model for several reasons. First, it was cheaper. Second, I decided 120Hz wasn't worth the extra 400 bucks. Third, the screen isn't glossy but it isn't matte it's more of an in-between, satin-like finish that works great in my TV watching room that has a glass front door to the outside and 2 windows. Glare isn't a problem at all for me even with lamps behind me. It really is great. The ultra gloss on the 600 and 700 models are way to much for my multipurpose room. Hope that helps anyone on the fence that cares about gloss vs. matte finishes. |
Samsung and Amazon.com Provided a Five Star Experience
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| Review Date: September 9, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Larry Epstein, Memphis,TN |
I used a variety of sources to determine which 40" LCD Television would best meet our needs and our budget. Prior to the research, I was focused on an adequately satisfying viewing experience in a very reliable television. A previous purchase had not satisfied both goals. I had bought a "no-name" product for which no local service was available. When it failed (two years), I packaged and shipped the product to a repair facility where it was repaired well and with a reasonably short turnaround. Still, I didn't want that grief again.
Nor did I wish to gamble again on the offerings of the local Sam's Club shelves that appeared to be "earlier versions" in every case. I was going to indulge myself in a current model of a name brand television.
Consumer Reports gave its highest 40" LCD rating to the Samsung LN40A550, and the purchasers' ratings at Amazon.com and other Internet vendors were entirely positive. My son-in-law's experience with high dollar electronics buys from Amazon.com was the clencher in my decision to spend a thousand plus dollars over the Net. I'm glad I did. My cost savings over any local source (Best Buy, Sears, etc.) exceeded $250. My total cost with an HDMI cable was around $1140.
Just as promised in all the reviews, the LN40A550 was quick and simple to set up. The picture is razor sharp, and the colors are true to life. There is little or no need to make color or contrast corrections from channel to channel. Some of the reviewers had bashed the A550's sound system. I find it to be okay, but, if sound quality had been a very high priority, I heard sweeter sounds from a comparable (and pricier) Sony unit.
I can't find enough superlatives to describe my satisfaction with Amazon.com on this purchase. I paid no shipping or handling costs, and the TV was delivered to my living room in three days after my on-line order. The delivery was made by a well-groomed, articulate employee of a respected shipping firm. That employee unboxed and unwrapped the TV and even offered to haul away the box and shipping materials. I should have availed myself of that offer because Samsung currently is offering one year of in-home service on this model.
My wife and I have satisfactorily dealt with Amazon.com many times on little items. We have never been disappointed with their service. We are extremely pleased with this recent major purchase. I vouch that anyone who buys the Samsung LN40A550 from Amazon.com can look forward to an experience that is "all good."
Larry Epstein - Memphis,TN |
Amazing LCD HDTV
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| Review Date: April 26, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Bao T. Mai, Anaheim, CA USA |
I am a value oriented buyer, so a 1080P Samsung 40" LCD HDTV for $1179 was a pretty good deal. Best Buy, Circuit City and Fry's price was about $1599 to $1699. There was no tax to pay and Amazon offered free white glove delivery. What could be better than that. It took about a week for the TV to arrive. The freight company called to set up a delivery appointment. They showed up, carried the box inside, installed the TV, did the basic set up (connect the HD antenna, the DVD player, scan the HD channels), asked me to inspect the TV and then I signed to accept the delivery. Can't get that kind of service with BB or CC.
Now to the HDTV. I use the default settings. HD channels are crystal clear, it's a pleasure to watch the news and the Lakers games. With a dynamic contrast ratio of 30000:1, the picture is bright. I connect my up converting DVD player, pop in the movie CARS and my son couldn't take his eyes of the screen. I am sure a blu-ray DVD player will give a perfect picture but at $400 I think it is still too expensive.
So far the Samsung LN40A550 is excellent. |
EXCEPTIONAL LCD. AMAZING CLARITY AND SUPERB DEFINITION
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| Review Date: May 24, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Sammy P. Panganiban, Chicagoland, Illinois |
After owning this HDTV for a month now, I'm a very happy customer. Amazon offers the best price and was able to get $58 in refunds for the 30-day policy. Shipping took 4 days and CEVA did great although since I can't wait, I'm the one who went to the local CEVA warehouse on a Sunday to pick it up.
Out of the box, picture is amazing and sharp. Tweaking it will give you more satisfaction. Joining avsforums is very helpful. Sound is not that great but I tweaked it as well to my liking. NO dead pixels, NO banding, NO flashlight effect, NO problems. After owning a 30" Samsung Dynaflat HDTV, I am more than happy to upgrade. Like I said, this TV offers a sharp picture and image detail is outstanding. Comcast HD looks spectacular especially SciFi HD, Food Network HD and MHD. I love this HDTV and I will be enjoying it for years to come. |
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