The Plasma TV Blog

During halftime of Super Bowl XLI, this model will go to the kitchen and get you a beer. Ok, it won’t do that, but that may be just about the only thing this monster DLP wide screen doesn’t do. It has a 71 inch screen set in Samsung’s stylish picture frame cabinet. The DLP, or digital light processing, format is noted for its excellent picture clarity and limited distortion. It uses thousands of micro mirrors that direct light through a spinning color wheel to fire the pixels and create the image. Samsung soups this model up with a few bits of extra technology. They use Next Generation DLP chips from Texas Instruments and add their own exclusive Cinema Smooth light engine. There is also a Digital Natural image engine (DNle) and a contrast ratio of 10,00:1.

The color is enhanced by a 10 bit processing system and a five segment color wheel. The color wheel is larger than usual at 2.2″ diameter and spins at 14,400 rpms. There are even three individual color controls to adjust the three primary colors separately. Since it can handle up to 1080p progressive scan resolution, it is ideal for the most up to date HD formats. The sound is provided by two 10 watt SR5 TruSurround XT speakers. The input/out put array is complete and is headlined by two HDMI inputs that allow one cable hookup to most of the components of your Home Theater system

This is a big screen unit, and the DLP televisions are not quite as slim as an LCD or Plasma, but with a depth of only 20.4 inches, it is still fairly streamlined. The weight is only 129 pounds. Obviously, it will not fit into just any space for optimum viewing. Samsung markets the DLP stand as a separate accessory. The TR-71B would be the one properly sized for this model.

With all the resources available online available for home theater information I really miss reading good information on print so last night I subscribed to Home Theater Magazine. Ordering magazines online from a 3rd party still seems to be cheaper then ordering directly from the publisher. I paid $18 for a 1 year subscription to Home Theater Mag which isn’t bad, works out to $1.50 per issue, definitely worth it when you need something to read on the “thrown”.

For those of you who are fortunate enough to attend Super Bowl XLI in Miami this year you’ll be glad to know that the people in the exclusive Club Level at the Miami’s Dolphin Stadium can watch the game on one of the eight 103″ Panasonic 1080P plasma screens. While there is nothing better then watching it live in person, i wouldn’t see why anyone would want to watch it on a 103″ television when you are AT the game. With a price tag of $69,999.95 these babies don’t come cheap. To give you an idea of how big it is, it almost the equivalent to a queen size bed! It measures 89″ x 50″. I wonder how much shipping is on this bad boy?

It is a little hard to figure where this unit fits into Samsungs lineup. It has a slightly different cabinet style that it calls piano backed which seems to reduce the viewing angle from the standard 178 degrees to 170 degrees which is not a serious drop. It has a 3000:1 contrast ratio and the DNle technology that sharpens the black to white contrast in HD pictures.

The VESA compatibility and the weight just under 50 pounds allow wall mounting, and the slim 4.3 inch depth and swivel stand allow you to place this unit just about anywhere you want in your home.

(more…)

This is the 32 inch screen size entry in the 92 series of Samsung LCD HDTVs. The 92 series has much the same as the 96 series, and in this size is still a serious candidate for that den television. The Optimized Game mode feature is absent from the 32 inch units, but this is mainly because the 32 inch size is already optimized for gaming. A RGB input can hook directly to your PC and turn the unit into a large monitor. The 10 bit processor helps out in HD and with gaming. It produces over 12 billion colors, and they are brightened by the Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp, and sharpened by a 5,000:1 contrast ratio.

(more…)

This unit is the loaded 32 inch screen LCD. Although LCD units from Samsung have much larger screens, you get the feeling that the smaller screened units are capable of even clearer pictures and more lifelike detail. If you wanted to test this theory, this would be the place to start. The 96D series is packed with just about everything Samsung can throw in to increase quality of reception. Just about the only feature that is not here is the 1080p progressive scan resolution, but it offers the other standard HD resolutions. The contrast ratio is 6,000:1 enhancing the black and white contrast, and has a 10 bit processor that produces over 12 billion colors. The Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) and ultra fast switching technology helps with the picture quality also. The 8ms response time helps when the picture is a sporting event or other fact moving scene. All of this concentrated into the relatively small screen size leads to an earth shaking picture.

The size makes it very easy to find it a good place for it inside your home. It has a 178 degree viewing area, hidden surround sound speakers, and is VESA compliant for mounting on the wall. The S-video input on the side makes wall mounting practical in some cases. It weighs only 33 pounds and is only 3.5 inches in depth. It has a V-chip system installed which is not the case with most Samsung LCDs. It seems this smaller sized unit is ideal for the family room also, but beware of those TruSurround XT speakers hidden in the cabinet. They can recreate sound that matches picture, and that picture is very good indeed.

This model is another example of Samsung’s commitment to providing a wide variety of LCD HDTV units to match any budget. The contrast ratio is 3,000:1 which is about a half less than the higher scale 40 inch models by Samsung. There are a lot of features missing on the 41 series that come with the higher numbered series. The key decision making item should be your own budget. You will not be disappointed with the picture which is always the key issue on a television monitor. Samsung puts its own exclusive DNle technology into its smaller LCD units, and the 10 bit processor helps make the pictures clear and the colors realistic. All the LCD units have a 178 degree viewing angle, and it will certainly handle most HD signals including 480p/720p/1080i resolution.

(more…)

The 52 series LCD HDTVs are another offering from Samsung that illustrates the number of choices that you have when you are shopping for a new LCD. The styling is a bit different, and modern looking and the case is white rather than the normal black. It is extremely light weight and slim. The weight is only 50 pounds, and the depth is an incredible 3.4”. It is designed to meet VESA standards for wall mounting, but also includes a swivel stand.

(more…)

The nice thing about Samsung is variety. The LCD television line they offer has a lot of options, and it is easy to match one to your own needs. The S4092D is a good example of this flexibility. It is hard to think of a 40 inch screen television as a second unit, but actually this one makes a good TV for the den or bedroom, and yet certainly could be the main television in your living room. It handles 480p/720p progressive scan format and 1080i in intermittent scan. Although it does not handle 1080p, it does have Samsung’s DNle technology, and a 5,000:1 contrast ratio. You will not be disappointed by the picture.

(more…)

Many people seem to be drawn toward larger and larger screen size in the same way people used to be drawn to larger and larger automobiles. If you are willing to settle for a little smaller screen size, you get something very valuable in return. That is picture quality. The S4096D is an example of this. It combines Samsung’s Ultra Fast Switching Technique that produces a 8ms response time with 6,000:1 contrast ratio and over 2 million pixels to reproduce HD signals with a clarity that is almost beyond belief. There is a Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp as well as a 10 bit processor capable of 12.8 billion different colors.

(more…)