Samsung LN55A950 55 1080p LCD HDTV with 120Hz refresh rate and LED backlighting

55" widescreen HDTV (54.6") -- 16:9 aspect ratio * Touch of Color high-gloss finish * built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) * built-in QAM cable TV tuner receives unscrambled programs without a set-top box (cable service required) * Ultra Clear LCD panel (1920 x 1080 pixels) *

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great New Generation LED Backlight LCD HDTV!

I've had this for a month now. I also bought the Samsung BD-P1500 with it. I love both units. I connected them to my Sony HT-CT100 soundbar and I am perfectly happy with the sound. Yes, I know the soundbar does not do HD sound,etc,.. but I don't care because the soundbar is quite slick with the TV. Plus, it does what I want it to do so no complaint.

As for the TV. The picture is so crisp and clear and the black level really black that it took a while to get used to watching it. I have a DirecTV HD DVR attached to it too via HDMI and it is an entirely different level of watching TV. The images look so "real" as my daughter said.

I know the TV can do a lot of other things if you attach it to the internet. But, I bought it really for just watching HD TV and movies. So, I was/am not that concern about its other functions.

Right now, DirecTV just upgraded my DVR to 1080p, so I can't wait to see any program or shows in 1080p. But the 1080i resolution is great as it is. So, no complaint in there either.

BTW, the upconversion from the BD-P1500 looks great too. Also, make sure you use HDMI 1.3b cables. I got mine here from BargainCell for < $10 each.

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Toshiba 26AV502U 26 Inch 720p LCD HDTV

Take advantage of 720p HD picture quality and an impressive feature set with the 26AV502U. This model is a great addition for any home theater, and can also be used as a computer monitor by using the PC Input. Built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning allows for tuning of standard cable channels as well as off-air digital broadcasts, in addition to digital cable-in-the-clear broadcasts. 4 Item Universal Remote Control Auto Aspect Control Sleep Timer Channel Browser Channel Labeling Input Labeling Rear A/V/S Inputs (Rear / Side), 2x ColorStream Component Video Inputs, 2x HDMI v 1.3 Digital Inputs (Rear / Side), PC Input (15-Pin D-Sub), Dolby Digital Audio Output, and Analog Audio Output (Fixed) Dimensions - Width 26.44 x Height 18.01 x Depth 3.70 (671x457x94mm) / 26.44 x 19.78 x 9.18 (671x502x233mm) with stand Weight - 20.28 pounds (9.2kg) / 21.82 pounds (9.9kg) with stand

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Not up to usual Toshiba standards
I bought a 37" Regza a few months ago and like it but this smaller Toshiba is way inferior...the vertical viewing angle is limited to about 10 degrees...which makes for very poor pic quality if the watcher isn't pretty much smack in front of the screen.

Not impressed.

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Pioneer KURO PDP 5020FD 50 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

Enter the next generation of Pioneer KURO, where a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Awake your senses and discover there is more to this television than meets the eye. Deeper black levels that pave the way to breathtaking detail, added dimension and more vibrant color are just the beginning. Optimum Mode automatically analyzes and adjusts audio and video settings according to specific room light conditions and type of light and color. Program content is also monitored and finely adjusted so movies, sports and news are all faithfully reproduced. Smooth Film mode eliminates motion jitter in 3:2 Pulldown (60Hz), providing natural even playback of film content. Detachable bottom speaker with fully integrated digital amplifier for pristine clarity and accuracy of sound 4 Independent HDMI 1.3 inputs with HDMI-CEC control and the ability to accept 1080p 24/60Hz signal Room Light Sensor for automatic picture adjustment Standard 3 - 2 (60Hz) and Advanced PureCinema with 3 - 3 Pulldown (72Hz) for accurate playback of film content Fully Integrated ATSC and NTSC Tuner with Clear QAM Supported Formats - Video - WMV9, MPEG1, MPEG2-PS, MPEG2-TS, MPEG4 (SP/ASP), and MPEG4 (H.264/AVC) Audio - WMA9, MP3, Linear PCM (WAV), HE-AAC, and MPEG-4 AAC Photos - JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and BMP 4 Independent HDMI 1.3 (1 side, 3 rear) with PC support, 2 with analog audio, 1 Component, 3x Composite, 1 S-Video Antenna, USB (Mass Storage Class), LAN (10/100 Base-T --Ethernet), and PC input Optical Digital Audio (Dolby Digital/PCM), Audio LR, Subwoofer, SR, and Headphone output Dimensions - Width 48-17/32 x Height 28-15/32 x Depth 3-21/32 / 48-17/32 x 31-5/8 x 3-21/32 with speaker Weight - 74 pounds 1 ounces / 86 pounds with speaker and stand

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Awesome PIcture
The Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD has the best picture I've seen. I was at Bestbuy and it came down to the PDP-5020 and the panasonic PZ800U. It also had a great picture and was $800 less. However the Pioneer picture was better and I did get to compare them side by side. So that's the one I went with. I replaced a Sony XBR3 46"LCD. There is no comparison! Both the Pioneer and the Panasonic plasma where way better. The next thing I was worried about was do I need a extended contract on my new TV. After reading some review's and checking Consumers Report I found that would be a big waste of money. As far as having Tech come in and adjust the colors well I think right now anyways that would be a waste of money with this TV. I think the Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD was well worth the price. My second choice would have been the Panasonic PZ800U that to is a awsome TV.

5 Stars I've started watching too much TV
The quality of this Pioneer plasma is so astounding that I find myself watching too much television - if for nothing else than to gaze at the glorious images produced by this HD plasma. Even though I work in the television industry and spend my days staring at a TV, I find myself watching even more at night.

The images are clean, the colors are true, and motion replicates that pleasant blur found in film. And it seems to smooth out that crunchy "video feel" one can find on many LED or lower end plasmas.

If you can stomach the price, it's well worth the money. Then beware of your free time ...

1 Star blinking blue light
watch out for blinking blue light. My set has a blinking blue even when tv is off.

5 Stars Super tv
This tv is great! I am so happy with it I don't even look at tv's when I am shopping any more. I already have "the top of the line". The picture is perfect. My son recommended this tv and I am so thankful that he "Knows his stuff". I would advise anyone to purchase it.

5 Stars Great choice for videophiles that aren't video-nuts!
I looked for around 6 months for a new HDTV to replace a Sony XBR1 40" I've had for several years. After spending way to much time reading CNETs reviews, I settled upon this TV.

The performance is excellent. It certainly has better image quality than my Sony LCD, both when watching movies (due to the excellent contrast), and when watching fast moving basketball, in which my sony LCD would occasionally have motion artifacts. I think much of the LCD motion artifact thing has gone away with high end LCDs these days.

If you are a video nut that wants to change every aspect of the settings, you need to get the elite model, which is basically the same TV, but with all the settings opened up. You only get basic settings with this model. However, it has a mode that I personally like called "Optimum", where the TVs sensors detect what type of picture is being displayed along with the ambient room conditions and adjust accordingly. So far I've left it on that and it has been great. I have also played with "Movie" mode, in which you get about 50% of the controls on the picture that a typical high end TV might have.

Aesthetically, this TV looks perfect. The plain back bezel that is very small for this size of TV is exactly what I was looking for. Some of the Sony's for the past 4 years and most of the LGs and Samsungs have just got too much going on. I want a perfect picture and a minimal "TV". In addition, this TV is very thin for a 50" plasma, it is only 3.7" thick. My 40" LCD was 5.5" and the new sony XBR8 LED backlit LCD is almost 6" I believe.

In a store I compared this TV to the Samsung A950 series (LED backlit LCD) and the Sony XBR6, both 46" models. The Pioneer was cheaper and just looked better hands down. I went back on 3 occasions to confirm this was the case.

Some people will discuss buzzing with this particular unit. From what I have found out, all plasmas buzz. On this unit, if you put your head behind the tv, you can hear some electronic buzz. If you put your head in front of the TV, you can not hear anything, even with the TV muted. If you move your head about 5' back from the TV and have the TV muted, a slight buzzing becomes audible. If you turn on any volume whatsoever, you can not detect the buzzing. Actually, the fans and hard disk in my DirecTV HR21 DVR are louder than the buzzing!

I have been using power save mode 2 (the highest power save mode), which makes it meet the energy star requirements of the future, and it has plenty of brightness! We'll see how this holds up as we move through the break in period.

The big question many of you are probably asking is should I order from amazon and save almost $1000 over best buy or other big box store? My first HDTV I purchased from a locally owned specialty retailer. It gave me the confidence I needed since I knew little about HDTVs at that time. They offered a 15 day no questions asked return policy. For this Pioneer purchase, I went with amazon.com and saved $1000. Shipping was free. Amazon will contract this to CEVA, who will contract the delivery to your home by another local delivery agent. My TV arrived within 3 business days. It went from Ohio to Chicago in the first day I ordered it, and then was in Milwaukee to be delivered the next day and an appointment was set up. However, when the delivery guys showed up, I asked them to remove it from the packaging so I could plug it in and make sure it worked before I accepted delivery. The bezel was cracked and the screen damaged before we even got it out of the box. So I easily refused shipment and the delivery guys took it back. I contacted amazon and once you get beyond the india help desk and to a real agent who specializes in electronics returns I was all set. A new unit was sent 3 days later (with a total of about 1 week delay) for no charge. I think in the future I would order online from amazon.com again for the cost savings they provide. Although it was a hassle to be at home twice to have the TV delivered twice it was worth the savings for me. I believe you can also return to amazon within 30 days as well if you change your mind, but shipping cost is yours to pay.

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Vizio JV50P Plasma HDTV 50 720p 15000 1 16 9 1366 x 768 HDMI NTSC ATSC QAM Digital 5 1 Surround Sound

Vizio JV50P Plasma HDTV Introducing Vizio's All-In-One home theater solution, the Vizio JV50P Plasma HDTV. Vizio's JV50P sets a new benchmark for home entertainment, being the first TV manufacturer in the industry to offer a 50" High-Definition Plasma TV coupled with a true Dolby Digital™ 5.1 surround-sound system. The new Vizio JV50P Plasma HDTV offers true digital High Definition TV performance with integrated digital TV tuner, support for 1080i resolution, amazing 15,000:1 contrast ratio and an optical audio input to allow your Vizio JV50P Plasma HDTV to be your all-in-one home theater solution. The Vizio JV50P Plasma HDTV - Where Vision Meets Value.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great Picture,Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound Wireless !
I purchased this Tv after reading many reviews that gave it a average review rating of 4 1/2 stars . This is one of if not the first 50" Plasma TV to come with built in dolby 5.1 channel surround sound. The picture is amazing ,set up is a breeze. It has three speakers located at the lower bottom of the TV screen then two sattlelite and one subwofer,which are wireless ,you simply pair the wireless speakers with the

TV ,and then you can enjoy a theather right in your family room . Honestly I believe I was very lucky to chose this TV out of the many choices out there !

Nick

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Samsung FPT5884 58 Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

Enjoy the dazzling color array of 18-bit processing and a 15,000:1 Dynamic-contrast ratio reveals the deepest blacks and the whitest whites. Samsung's FPT5884 boasts a combination of Ultra FilterBright technology, Super Black Panel and Optimal Light Filter to bring you sharp contrast, unbelievable detail and pure clarity in any lighting condition. SRS TruSurround XT and a 10-Watt per Channel Amplifier deliver amazing sound through bottom speakers. Control all your CEC-compliant digital devices through the one FPT5884 remote. Ultra FilterBright technology features a pair of powerful internal filters that absorb external light and transmit internal light to increase the bright room contrast. Anti-Burn-in technology helps to prevent and remedy burn-in image retention issues. Auto Pixel Shift keeps the images on screen moving imperceptibly so they're less likely to damage the screen. Samsung features White Wash to help get rid of burn-in if one were to occur. TruSurround delivers a compelling, virtual surround sound experience through the two-speaker internal playback system. Powerful Anti-Burn-In Technology Energy Star Compliant, Power Save Feature Game Mode Silhouette Editor (False Contour Reduction) Natural True Color with 18 Bit Color Processing 15,000 - 1 Dynamic-Contrast Ratio 60,000-Hour Panel Life Span Cinema Progressive (Film Mode) Picture-in-Picture (PIP) DNIe (Digital Natural Image engine) Natural True Color V-Chip System (Parental Control) Trilingual On-Screen Displays (English, Spanish or French) Favorite Channel List Compatible with Samsung Auto-Wall Mount Dimensions - Height 33 x Width 57.7 x Depth 3.9 without stand Weight - 136.9 pounds

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great TV
I bought this TV last month and it is great! My recommendation is to

buy the Plasma and not the LCD.

5 Stars Money well spent
I did not buy the TV from (or through) Amazon.com. Instead I purchased it from another West Coast retailer, because back in February, 2008 it was cheaper.

In 5 months since I bought it the only problem I'd had was a single flickering pixel close to the middle of the screen, and it was visible only in 1080p "Just Scan" mode. After two visits from a Samsung technician, the central logic board was replaced, and that issue does not happen anymore. For settings, I am using slightly modified CNET recommendations. Picture quality is just perfect in HD mode and very good in SD. Even VGA input from my HTPC looks fine at 1920X1080 resolution. I wish the TV had 4 HDMI inputs like this year Samsung models, and that is the only complaint so far. Otherwise, I see no improvement in the picture quality comparing it with 2009 58" models. Pretty sure that the super-high contrast ratio all new plasma models claim is just that - claims

And, since nowadays the cost of this TV dropped to below $[...] (I paid way more) - I wish I waited a bit. On the other hand, I've thoroughly enjoyed this plasma for some time now. LCD TVs picture quality is not even close, especially for movie watching.

5 Stars 58" 1080p for less than $2,500
There is still a somewhat limited market for plasmas larger than 50"; basically you have Panasonic, Pioneer, LG, Samsung, then maybe a Vizio or a Hitachi, depending on model year.

I compared the 58" 1080p versions from Panasonic and Samsung against the 60" from LG and Pioneer. The color, contrast, moving images, and contouring on this Samsung was obviously better than the LG, about the same as the Panasonic, and maybe a little less color intensity than the Pioneer.

THE difference with Samsung comes down to price. A very comparable picture with the Panasonic for $300 - $500 less on Amazon or other sites, and over $1,500 less than the 60" 1080p Pioneer, which was still over $4,000 as of May 2008. If you can see $1,500 of difference from the Pioneer to the Samsung, then God Bless ya' and you should opt for the Pioneer. 98% of us can not see a $1,500 difference from the Pioneer, and that's what the Samsung came down to for me. I couldn't notice a single difference from the Panasonic picture side-by-side in Circuit City, and the Samsung was even $400 less than the Panny. Everything else between the two was basically even, so the $400 lower price on Amazon pushed me to the Samsung.

Features are pretty darn close on most of these models, so the option this Samsung had that 2 others did not was PIP. Not having PIP isn't a deal breaker for most people, but it's pretty darn nice to have since each side-by-side picture is the equivalent of over a 30" TV sitting there.

In conclusion, the SD and HD pictures on the Samsung were just too equal to the Panny and the Pioneer, and it costs much less with the same warranty. If you can find a better 58" plasma picture for less than the $2,500 I paid for the Samsung, the calendar will say 2009 or beyond by the time you find one.

5 Stars Great TV
This was sold by vans and came a day early. There was no damage and was in perfect condition. The TV itself is as good as I expected. The black-levels are the best I have seen (this is my 3rd flatpanel) and picture quality is fantastic. When watching hi def content, I do not see any artifacts. The speakers are on the side and face the rear of the TV, causing poor sound quality. They have a very weak sound, but I usually use my home theater speakers anyway. I hung this on the wall with a PeerLess mount myself. I also use it play my Xbox 360 and have not had any problems with burn-in. The picture quality is just stunning and at 58" it just sucks you in.

Overall, I am completely satisfied with the purchase and got it at a great price.

5 Stars It's Grrrreeeaaat
This is the first time I have purchased a big ticket item on the internet. I was a little nervous about it at first, but had to try. I found the tv I wanted on Amazon and went to my local Circuit City to check out the tv in person. The price on Amazon was $1500 cheaper than in the store and on Amazon I also saved on sales tax and had free delivery, so that is another couple hundred easy. 6ave did everything as promised and the delivery was within a 4 days.

The tv has an awesome picture. We are huge sports fans and this is the ultimate for sports watching and gaming. I was a little concerned about glare and almost went LCD because the opposite wall from my tv is all windows. No glare at all, the anti glare screen works great. I would and will recommend this tv, amazon and 6ave to everyone, I actually have a neighbor that has purchased the same setup.

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