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[Lazydocker]

Hmmm.... Interesting!

I've been very impressed (as have several people who are heavily into AV stuff) with this model. It's a 40" LCD and, apart from the sound quality, it seems very good. Sound isn't an issue because I'll be using the amp.

OK. Next question... LCD, (LED not really an option withing my current price range) or Plasma?

[tunnie]

LED....

[Marks DTM Calib]

LCD edges it in practical scenarios.

Samsung are excellent units, but do use the recommended settings founf on line (e.g. avforums).

I am surprised that some on here think that digital trickery such as image enhancement and sharpness settings can do any good to any picture so turn them all off!

And seperat component might edge over HDMI....if you could find a true HD component source in the first place (and even then its VERY questionable).

And why bugger around ever feeding video through an amp?

[Marks DTM Calib]

I should add that HDMI is a digital signal and in theory (reality is different!) is little more than a decoded stream from the source.....its not been through any D-A conversion or any other 'degrading' step.

As such, it should offer the route to the screen with the minimum of distortion to the source.

If we consider component video then it will ahve been taken from the digital source, decoded, passed through a D-A, sent to the screen, passed through an A-D and processed ready for display.

Hence a much more 'involved' route.

Also consider adding in an amp.....it offers little more than a switch function which, if you have 3 HDMI inputs, can easily be done in the TV (and the signal will pass through this internal switch anyway) for the vast majority of applications.

[tunnie]

should be interesting when OLED are cheap in big sizes 

[Martin_1962]

Well last year we bought a 46" Sony and to be honest it is excellent.

For Kevin when the Murdoch box dies get a Humax Sat box

[Lazydocker]

So the general feeling is that this Samsung LCD unit is pretty good. I would run sound through the amp anyway so I'm not overly concerned about sound quality TBH. My current set up uses the amp for switching source, mainly because I have more input sources than scart sockets Sound would always come through the amp as it's far better quality than any TV can achieve.

I believe I can get a lead which will allow me to take a component feed from the Amp back to the TV (via HDMI input) for all the peripherals such as PS2, Wii, DVD player, and feed the Sky+ box into TV via HDMI, which just leaves me getting the sound feed to the Amp.

I'll ponder this for the rest of the day! I need to make a decision tomorrow morning as the offer ends on the 1st and tomorrow is the only chance I'll get to go in.

[Lazydocker]

Should add, I've researched the AVForum for ideas about this TV and the general answer is that it's good, apart from sound quality, and has been discontinued by some suppliers but not by Samsung. It's never going to be perfect for the price it is but is pretty impressive.

There are recommended settings for it online so that makes it easier to set up. Only real complaint on the AVForum was that the screen is a little too reflective sometimes.

[feeutfo]

LCD edges it in practical scenarios.

Samsung are excellent units, but do use the recommended settings founf on line (e.g. avforums).

I am surprised that some on here think that digital trickery such as image enhancement and sharpness settings can do any good to any picture so turn them all off!

And seperat component might edge over HDMI....if you could find a true HD component source in the first place (and even then its VERY questionable).

And why bugger around ever feeding video through an amp?

Only advantage with in hdmi amp i could see was it saved selecting your sound source to match the video.
 Idea being, 1 hdmi cable to tv, then plug all else into the hdmi amp and select your single source from there. Audio and video is then selected at once. Much like the old media box's on previous pioneer panels. Also means you only need one socket to cover all eventualitys on the tv, an hdmi socket.

The onkyo hdmi amp i tried, was flawed though as it claimed to upscale, but it did so to a level lower than the picture quality i already had, and its menu was displayed in 4by3, not wide screen. So half a step forward and 5 steps back imho.

Lcd v plasma? I've yet to see lcd beet plasma re picture quality on comparable panels. However lcd is a good bit cheaper to make, if inferior slightly in quality to plasma. No experience of LED, although i hear its so vibrant as to be unrealistic, only what i hear though.

[Martin_1962]

LED backlit LCDs - they use the same panels as CFL LCD TVs but different backlights

As to quality - try the top of range Sonys X range I think

[Marks DTM Calib]

LCD edges it in practical scenarios.

Samsung are excellent units, but do use the recommended settings founf on line (e.g. avforums).

I am surprised that some on here think that digital trickery such as image enhancement and sharpness settings can do any good to any picture so turn them all off!

And seperat component might edge over HDMI....if you could find a true HD component source in the first place (and even then its VERY questionable).

And why bugger around ever feeding video through an amp?

Only advantage with in hdmi amp i could see was it saved selecting your sound source to match the video.
 Idea being, 1 hdmi cable to tv, then plug all else into the hdmi amp and select your single source from there. Audio and video is then selected at once. Much like the old media box's on previous pioneer panels. Also means you only need one socket to cover all eventualitys on the tv, an hdmi socket.

The onkyo hdmi amp i tried, was flawed though as it claimed to upscale, but it did so to a level lower than the picture quality i already had, and its menu was displayed in 4by3, not wide screen. So half a step forward and 5 steps back imho.

Lcd v plasma? I've yet to see lcd beet plasma re picture quality on comparable panels. However lcd is a good bit cheaper to make, if inferior slightly in quality to plasma. No experience of LED, although i hear its so vibrant as to be unrealistic, only what i hear though.

You will never get a real opinion until you mess with them in real life.....always ignore what you see in a shop!.

When I bought mine I spent over an hour trying settings on plasma and LCD panels and could get a better picture on an LCD every time.....it also REALLY pissed the shop staff off as I then went and bought it on line 

Indeed, when you FULLY understand the technology and how its driven and works you will soon appreciate how LCD can always win out over plasma.....you cant consider just the pixel technology alone. 

[Banjax]

LCD edges it in practical scenarios.

Samsung are excellent units, but do use the recommended settings founf on line (e.g. avforums).

I am surprised that some on here think that digital trickery such as image enhancement and sharpness settings can do any good to any picture so turn them all off!

And seperat component might edge over HDMI....if you could find a true HD component source in the first place (and even then its VERY questionable).

And why bugger around ever feeding video through an amp?

Only advantage with in hdmi amp i could see was it saved selecting your sound source to match the video.
 Idea being, 1 hdmi cable to tv, then plug all else into the hdmi amp and select your single source from there. Audio and video is then selected at once. Much like the old media box's on previous pioneer panels. Also means you only need one socket to cover all eventualitys on the tv, an hdmi socket.

The onkyo hdmi amp i tried, was flawed though as it claimed to upscale, but it did so to a level lower than the picture quality i already had, and its menu was displayed in 4by3, not wide screen. So half a step forward and 5 steps back imho.

Lcd v plasma? I've yet to see lcd beet plasma re picture quality on comparable panels. However lcd is a good bit cheaper to make, if inferior slightly in quality to plasma. No experience of LED, although i hear its so vibrant as to be unrealistic, only what i hear though.

You will never get a real opinion until you mess with them in real life.....always ignore what you see in a shop!.

When I bought mine I spent over an hour trying settings on plasma and LCD panels and could get a better picture on an LCD every time.....it also REALLY pissed the shop staff off as I then went and bought it on line 

Indeed, when you FULLY understand the technology and how its driven and works you will soon appreciate how LCD can always win out over plasma.....you cant consider just the pixel technology alone. 

personal preference but i prefer plasma as it looks more natural, warm and lush plus excellent contrasts and response for fast moving images - lcd to me looks a bit "thin" with less depth - but really depends on the TV you could look at a badly set up plasma vs a perfectly set up LCD and vice versa - i'm a bit fussy tho 

[Marks DTM Calib]

personal preference but i prefer plasma as it looks more natural, warm and lush plus excellent contrasts and response for fast moving images - lcd to me looks a bit "thin" with less depth - but really depends on the TV you could look at a badly set up plasma vs a perfectly set up LCD and vice versa - i'm a bit fussy tho 

The colour basis of LCD is actualy superior to that of plasma (Phosphors are less controlable from a colour perspective than LCD). In reality, there is nothing between them (GET THE SETTINGS CORRECT  )

The contrast and response arguement is again a theoretical thing, in theory and when displaying a static image, the contrast may be better (only realy true of very dark v very light images) but, as soon as they are used in the real world, it drops off to zero advantage due to the considerable half life of the phosphors (turn off a CRT or plasma in a very dark room and see how light they look and for how long).

So again, marketing bull shite!

Note, all I am trying to do here is give information on the reality of the technologies. Not the sales hype. I to had a 50inch Pioneer plasma

I personaly (backed by many years in electronic design) have a big concern with the plasma drive chips.....they get VERY hot (and I am ignoring the actual display here) which does not bode well with long life and consistent image capabilities over life.

[Lazydocker]

Well... Having taken on board the comments here and a couple more reviews I found today (and chatting t my Old Man who is up to date with AV stuff) I have decided it's not a good enough deal to justify the compromises I would be making so I'll be keeping my pennies in my pocket and waiting for the sales to have another look

Thanks for the advice and opinions though

[Dishevelled Den]

Well... Having taken on board the comments here and a couple more reviews I found today (and chatting t my Old Man who is up to date with AV stuff) I have decided it's not a good enough deal to justify the compromises I would be making so I'll be keeping my pennies in my pocket and waiting for the sales to have another look

Thanks for the advice and opinions though

Sensible decision LD - look out for the Sony V W or X models I've just purchased a KDL 40 V 5500 which is quite impressive.