Samsung TV Owners & Discussion Thread

[alistair85]

Top stuff, mybrains, thanks for the review and photos!

I was contemplating the 46" but I'm worried it may be too big for my place, as it's a fairly small area. Viewing distance is about 2m though, but the room itself is fairly small ... your 40" looks pretty damn big in that first photo, so it's hard to make a decision now :/

That mirrors my own opinions word for word. Keep me posted about your decision!

[JasonInMelbourne]

I'm getting my hands on Digital Video Essentials which I'll be using to calibrate my 40M81. Will post the settings when I'm done.

Has anyone else seen white clouds on fully black screens? When the backlight is above 2 or 3 they appear on my screen. Not overly noticable, but still.

Had the original Laser Disc version and thought it was time to upgrade to the HD DVD version. Should be here in 10 days so looking foward to giving a workout and holding all those colour swatches to my eyes again.

[NODDYPIPER]

As soon as I found out how to get into the Service Menu and turn that sucker function off, I did and haven't been happier. Once it was off I didn't have to adjust the Colour Settings nor the Colour Manager nor Brightness levels (although Energy Saving is set to Medium). But dialed the Sharpness down to 0 and Contrast is 100.

WMVHD and 1080p Quicktime trailers look so sweeeeeeeet.

Hi, how do you get into the service menu?

Also, do you know how to keep the movie + on off? whenever I switch channels or turn the unit off the movie + comes back on. Even though it says it is off you have to turn it on the off again.

Noddy

[Shonky*]

Hi, how do you get into the service menu?

Also, do you know how to keep the movie + on off? whenever I switch channels or turn the unit off the movie + comes back on. Even though it says it is off you have to turn it on the off again.

Noddy

I'd be willing to bet you can't. It would have to be a bug in the firmware I would say. Put a little pressure on Samsung and they'll probably release some new firmware. Sounds like it will probably annoy nearly every owner. They did do a firmware upgrade to add the Just Scan to one of the inputs on the previous model. Had to get a technician out to do the upgrade though.

Owners should try and find *all* the issues they can early so they get them all fixed in one hit.

[Existenz]

Yeah, JB Chermside. Got it for $4185

[Neon Kitten]

The HN salesman I spoke to showed me how easily the sony surrounds pop off, and you can just take it to someone to get professionally painted black for like $50... better than spending $400 or whatever it is... or you could wait for the new model which comes in black.

Or Sony could have just had some respect for their customers in the first place and not tried to steal $500+ from people who'd already forked out over 4 grand.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - they lost at least one X Series customer because of that silliness. Me.

[supacheap1]

Or Sony could have just had some respect for their customers in the first place and not tried to steal $500+ from people who'd already forked out over 4 grand.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - they lost at least one X Series customer because of that silliness. Me.

yeah it really is a big rort... it's not like the construction felt superstrong or anything... actually is quite flimsy piece of metal for $500...

On another note, people mentioned that the Samsung is a dust magnet and asked if there's any tricks to keep off the dust? Don't know if this trick works on TV's... I'm not exactly going to try it just yet... But a detailer's trick for cars to keep the dust off is to dust cornstarch onto the car and then buff it out lightly until you can't see it... I think it keeps the static away or the dust "slides" off rather than sticking... Dont know if it'd work for TV's... but it's a cheaper option than those anti-static sprays which may not always work... Not a fan of using those kinds of liquids like armorall... too greasy. i wouldnt even recommend using that on your car's dash. there are far superior products which are natural and nourish the dash but i digress. this is not a car detailing forum

[Guest kiffies]

Mini Review of 40 Inch LA40M81BDX

http://www.samsung.com/au/products/tv/lcdt...atures#contrast

I picked up this two days ago and some old timers will remember me being very active on this forum about 2 years ago but I gave up. Well things have changed now. 1080p LCD is now affordable (this was $3150 with free delivery in NSW). The PQ compared to plasma is a mixed bag. The HD is definitely better/sharper (no screen door) the extended colour range backlight says 105%PAL but the black crush is still present from the CR of the panel (1200:1static, 15,000:1 Dynamic). It draws a tiny 124Watts and thats half what a 42" plasma draws (no fans, no noise, bugger all heat).

firstly the items u are after! pictures:

http://www.rotarydesign.com/spin/sammy.html

Build quality is excellent. Samsung make a product well. Its was surprisingly light however. The screen seems to have a plastic coating over it (the shiny stuff!). The black case is very shiny but this has a big downside. Its a magnet for dust! If anybody has ideas for coating it to prevent this (say amorall or solargard etc) let me know. Sammy give 3 years wty standard.

This TV is jacked to a media centre (AMD x64, nvidia 7900GS-TV, Nvidia mx4400-Panel, Media Portal) using a HDMI to DVI cable from Jaycar electronics $40. The manual says to use port 2 for PC (DVI) connections. When I connected first, the PC sensed the monitor as "Samsung" and auto worked. No messing with powerstrip etc and was able to use "just scan" for exact 1920x1080. I also have the absolute latest nvidia reference drivers loaded (96.x from memory). However on reboot it 'forgot' the TV and I had to install powerstrip to get it back - Bah, bloody windows & PCs (trust me, buy a mac@!)

Anyways, the media portal is a dream and I was able to play all the 1080p samples on the web. Its funny you know - i can now see flaws in a lot of the 1080 samples because its so sharp. Shows that started as Film and were digitised show all the typical scratches and spots of film. brilliant! I cant convey how impressed I am at playing 1080p material. Its breathless. Bring on bloo ray & HDDVD!

Something most may not realise is that the TV setup is unique for each input (mostly). This means the HDMI settings are independent to regular DTV or Analog TV settings. While on DTV, I had to read the manual as the set on first start decided to auto setup for Analog. Annoying, but I found out u need to hit a button on the remote and re tune DTV instead. This worked flawlessly and i got perfect reception on all the HD channels (something my fusion plus card could never do (that brand DVB is crap IMOP)

Inputs/Outputs.

yep, the BDX has 3 THREE HDMIs. 2 on the back and one on the side (see piccys). Otherwise, you could say it has everything you need and then some.

Fast animation and 8ms. I cant see any bluring on this set. It was in the shop next to XBR2 (current sony 40" 1080) and the sony was showing blur on fast moving material. I believe its because this has the next gen screen in it (same as XBR3 out in states now). Im sure sony will catch up some time in OZ....

Blacks and 15000:1. - THis set can go black, REAL black. Match a pio plasma black. I cant fault it here. However it has trouble with shades of black (black crush). This is inherent with all lcds. Only the new sharp 46 and 52 were better in this regard but i didnt want such a big (or expensive) screen. Sharp 42 was a very average IMOP.

For review part 2

colour calibrating (firstly experimenting with TV defaults, then creating an ICC profile with a calibration tool)

PC games - FPS at 40" drool drool -

measuring lcd lag with pixelperan

checkin for pixels with dead pixel buddy (cant see any with the naked eye so far)

[Guest kiffies]

Sorry I replied the whole reveiw DOH.

Mybrains, how does the inbuilt tuner compare to your media center? I have the same setup and am wondering which to use?

[sidesh0w]

Sorry I replied the whole reveiw DOH.

Mybrains, how does the inbuilt tuner compare to your media center? I have the same setup and am wondering which to use?

Same but I am worried since my HTPC only pics up a few DTV channels and by the sounds of it the tuner in the TV might pick up all of them.

[Chairman7]

After viewing both the Plasma and the 46" LCD today, and thinking about things, I finally went ahead and got the 46" LCD. The plasma would have suited me just fine, but in the end, the paranoia of burn in, and the having to change channels and run the burn in program all the time, kinda put me off it.

Good for you. Funny thing is I went to JB this evening to look over the TV's and try and make a final decision. I am heading the opposite way. That big Samsung was, well, big - and I was really impressed with its production on a very poor TV signal.

I can only imagine what the 360 will look like on it.

Now I have to work out how I am going to afford it (as well as getting married in Las Vegas this year)

[CharlieB]

They did do a firmware upgrade to add the Just Scan to one of the inputs on the previous model. Had to get a technician out to do the upgrade though.

Hi, if it is the F71 series you're referring to, I believe the firmware to get JustScan was user-upgradeable. Refer here and then you can get the necessary cable from eBay. Alternatively, there's talk on UK's AVForums site that Samsung (Samsung UK, but would assume Samsung Australia, too) will send out a cable and CD of the firmware if you call and ask them for it.

Cheers,

CB

[SKG]

I just setup my 40" F7 with DVE:HD and WOW, the image has taken on a '3D' feel to it. I am SOOO over the moon on the picture quality.

Steve

[Heiser202]

Dont get married. There i solved ya problem

[mybrains]

Sorry I replied the whole reveiw DOH.

Mybrains, how does the inbuilt tuner compare to your media center? I have the same setup and am wondering which to use?

Well, I had a fusion plus card in the HTPC. Piece of doggy do. software always crashed, poor signal, couldn't ever get 7 etc. Wont be getting that brand again.....

Once I replace it I will be using the the media centre to just record HDTV. Might as well use the TVs inbuilt DTV to watch shows as its quality is great and signal strength is perfect.

I believe this is easily achieved by using the PIP function so I can see what the media centre is recording while im watching TV shows on the TVs inbuilt DTV !

[mybrains]

Top stuff, mybrains, thanks for the review and photos!

I was contemplating the 46" but I'm worried it may be too big for my place, as it's a fairly small area. Viewing distance is about 2m though, but the room itself is fairly small ... your 40" looks pretty damn big in that first photo, so it's hard to make a decision now :/

No problemo. Im happy to give back to the family that has given me so much info over the last few years.

Re size. Im in a two bedroom unit and this is way big. I couldn't have fitted a 46". I sit under 2 metres away. 40" seems massive!

Funny how much bigger they seem when you get them home

[Shonky*]

Hi, if it is the F71 series you're referring to, I believe the firmware to get JustScan was user-upgradeable. Refer here and then you can get the necessary cable from eBay. Alternatively, there's talk on UK's AVForums site that Samsung (Samsung UK, but would assume Samsung Australia, too) will send out a cable and CD of the firmware if you call and ask them for it.

Cheers,

CB

Yeah the F71 is what I was talking about. Don't remember reading about it ever being possible to upgrade yourself officially. i.e. someone got a hold of the CD and cable was easily obtainable and people started doing it themselves without the the blessing of Samsung (i.e. your first link). Some of that other link tend to suggest Samsung weren't really "into" providing the upgrade.

Hey I've got no problem doing it myself. Depends how fail safe the process is. They have no control over what the user is upgrading with. What happens if the power goes out while upgrading? Or a dodgy serial port on the customers PC/laptop. If something bad happens then it makes life difficult for them.

[Chairman7]

Dont get married. There i solved ya problem

Yeah I'll run that by my fiancee and she what she says shall I....

I am still trying to guage that scale of a 50 inch screen in my living room. It is so hard in the show rooms. You end up all skewed thinking that 42 inches is too small.

I had to walk over to the old CRT TVs and try an convince myself that they were the same size as the TV I had at home. There is some serious optical illuisions at work.

I have even mapped out the dimensions on my huge dining room table to get an idea of the scale of the panel. Its almost as big and the table fits six!

I don't think anybody can get home and think - nah it doesn't look as big now can they??

[Heiser202]

Here's some pics i took with Happy Feet on Blu Ray via HDMI run @ 1080i on PS3. I tried to capture the blacks hope they look ok.

[CharlieB]

Yeah the F71 is what I was talking about. Don't remember reading about it ever being possible to upgrade yourself officially. i.e. someone got a hold of the CD and cable was easily obtainable and people started doing it themselves without the the blessing of Samsung (i.e. your first link). Some of that other link tend to suggest Samsung weren't really "into" providing the upgrade.

My bad - I posted link to header page by mistake. It was actually about page 126 that someone mentioned Samsung was beginning to officially send it out to people.

Hey I've got no problem doing it myself. Depends how fail safe the process is. They have no control over what the user is upgrading with. What happens if the power goes out while upgrading? Or a dodgy serial port on the customers PC/laptop. If something bad happens then it makes life difficult for them.

Agreed. Working in their favour, though, is that people who ask for cable/firmware to be sent to them will likely be comfortable carrying out this sort of work, and be aware of the risks and safeguards since they have a bit of technical nouse. In my experience, people who aren't comfortable but still want the upgrade will either 'phone a friend' or ask for a tech site-visit. My logic could be faulty, but there you go.

I must say that I'm impressed by Samsung for offering this - they seem to have made options available depending on how urgently people want the fix (DIY probably faster than getting a site visit). I call that good customer service. I'm still considering which brand to buy at present (M81 on shortlist), but this sort of service and functionality is definitely a tick in the Samsung column for me!

That was all in the UK, though - just out of curiosity, does anyone know if Samsung offered the DIY firmware upgrade option to Aus/NZ customers?

CB

[Heiser202]

Here's some pics i took of the 50" Samsung Q9, maybe someone would like to compare to the 1080p.

http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?s=&...st&p=661375

[BuDWiZe]

i am using a HTPC that has DVI so i am 1 of the people using DVI-HDMI cable.

my soun dhowever goes direct to my logitech 5500 speakers rather than the TV

Here's some pics i took of the 50" Samsung Q9, maybe someone would like to compare to the 1080p.

http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?s=&...st&p=661375

[majormick]

Here's some pics i took with Happy Feet on Blu Ray via HDMI run @ 1080i on PS3. I tried to capture the blacks hope they look ok.

Thanks, looks good!

[mybrains]

I'd be willing to bet you can't. It would have to be a bug in the firmware I would say. Put a little pressure on Samsung and they'll probably release some new firmware. Sounds like it will probably annoy nearly every owner. They did do a firmware upgrade to add the Just Scan to one of the inputs on the previous model. Had to get a technician out to do the upgrade though.

Owners should try and find *all* the issues they can early so they get them all fixed in one hit.

Im sure I read on the UK forums somewhere that this bug was already identified on the UK equiv model. Ill need to chase that up...

ahhh..

in UK its a M86 model

http://www.samsung.com/uk/products/televis...40m86bdxxeu.asp

and here are some UK owners threads to red thru

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread....p;highlight=m86

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread....p;highlight=m86

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread....p;highlight=m86

here is the review of our set in the UK and

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/Samsung-LE40M86BD/

go to page http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/Samsung-LE40M86B...ure-Quality.php where he says

[sidenote: "Movie Plus" was automatically engaged (as long as it's possible) every time I changed input source, or even change resolution/ aspect ratio over the same connection, despite it being labelled clearly as "Off" in the user menu. To disable it I had to turn it on first and then turn it off.

I have fired an email off to Samsung informing them about this issue, as it could potentially be fixed with a firmware update.]

[JasonInMelbourne]

Hi, how do you get into the service menu?

Also, do you know how to keep the movie + on off? whenever I switch channels or turn the unit off the movie + comes back on. Even though it says it is off you have to turn it on the off again.

Noddy

I got the info from this post #360 from this thread Samsung La40f71bx And La46f71bx

Just note that this is for the LA40F71BX. I don't know if this will work for the new LA40M81BD. If it does work and you attempt to change any settings and they screw up your set and can't change them back, this will void your warranty.

When the Sammy tech came out to apply the firmware patch to my set, he told me how he's heard stories of settings being changed irrevocably (I don't even know if this is possible) by guys who read forums like this and the circuit cards had to be changed. A very expensive and time consuming exercise since the models are so new.

Just be careful...