Customer Reviews

Samsung HL-S5087W 50-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV

5 star:		(99)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Was all set to buy sony bravia 40" lcd at CC, but the new samsung 50" 1080p was right next to it. The picture was AMAZING. Color was sharp, I was able to see a great picture from most angles and the color was fantastic. Plus even up close you do not see the pixels as you would see in a plasma to lcd. The sales person was right when she said, if I am not looking to hang it than for the same money you should go wtih Samsung new generation of dlp. I was never a dlp fan before but this new generation is almost as good from a viewing angle and color intensity standpoint when compared to the crt it replaced.

Needless to say I canceled the order at CC when I realize Amazon was selling this for $500 less plus free shipping. Bought the tv, stand $180, monster 3500 $160 and the samsung 950 upconversion 1080p dvd player $150 and onyko recever $260.

Why it didn't get 4 stars?
The menu is slow, complicated and cumbersome. I would like to be able to switch between both hdmi ports (dvd player and directv). Its not as intutitive as the sony interface I am use to dealing with, the remotes were okay.

The speakers are weak not that thats a problem but it would be for anyone who has no plan to buy a home theater.

delivery was great, brought it to my seond floor, stripped down box, styrofoam and took it with them.

oh btw try figuring out how to turn the tv speaker off, I had to read the manual twice to do that. I have no doubt once I get everything set up the way I want it should be a piece of cake to navigate.


Its been 2 weeks, the picture is amazing even for non HD shows. For the non HD I would recommend setting it up so the picture is NOT stretched.

For those of you trying to size up your space. 50" tv, I am sitting about 7 to 8 feet away. No eye strain, no pixelation but I will say when the picture moves too fast I get motion sickness.

I agonized over this decision! LCD flat panel? Plasma? DLP? Rear projection LCD? And on and on and on!! Back and forth to the TV store and back again. Did my research on the net and back to the TV store. Then I placed an order on Amazon for $2249 with free shipping before the TV was in stock and waited patiently for 2 months. At the same time, the end of July, I priced this TV at Circuit City and it was priced at $2600!! And during that 2 months of course, I returned yet again to the TV store and did further comparisons. Well, my wait paid off. The TV dropped WAY down in price and Amazon, true to their word honored the lower price. With free shipping to boot. Hard to believe that the prices on this TV have fallen so dramatically in just 2 months!!

First of all, this is a beautiful TV. The high gloss cabinet first appealed to me and particularly to my kids but now I wish it were flat and no so reflective - a minor complaint. Secondly, the TV arrived in perfect shape from a shipper who used a local guy to do the final delivery. He was nice enough to help me into the house with this TV which only weighed, with packaging, 85 pounds or so. And don't forget - shipping was FREE!

Amazon's price is remarkable. The TV is still over $300 more at my local retailers. Only minor problem was I had to wait for the TV but Amazon made this clear at the outset. Now I understand they are in stock.

The picture is the best of all the TV's I compared it to. The brightest with the absolute best colors. Only one minor complaint: The viewing angles are not quite as good as the LCD flat panel. But the TV is about $1000 less than a comparable LCD flat panel and honestly I can live with this minor issue. My friends and my kids friends are absolutely amazed at the picture quality this TV produces. I use a terrestrial antenna which gives the best picture possible.

Now, for why I didn't choose the other contenders. The plasma suffers from burn in and fades over time so I ruled it out. The LCD was more expensive with no appreciably better picture, in fact I found the DLP image crisper, brighter and more colorful. This 1080p DLP just seemed to be the best value for the money with a breathtaking picture. That being said, when the LCD flat panel comes down in price I will definitely get one because I just love the form factor.

I's strongly recommend this TV and Amazon. You are not going to find it cheaper anywhere. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.

First, let me say that I am not in a place in life where I feel the need to justify a purchase and subsequent expenditure to the world at large via a review. If I felt I have made a mistake of sorts, I would warn other technical soujourners to heed my call and avoid the jagged rocks that ended my High-Def exploration. That being said, this Samsung will blow you away. I spent at least 5 months going between technologies..Plasma-vs.LCD-vs. LCD projection-vs.DLP. When I saw this set in the 60" at Best Buy I was impressed..but not over Plasma. But using a HD Tv for movies and Xbox primarily...I went with DLP for the 'no-fear' factor of burn-in issues, color and longevity. Looking at Plasma sets change pictures...I could see 'ghost' images left over from the second before..and LCD screen-door effects are noticable to me. I don't get it...I have always been hyper-alert to details and just KNEW I would be the type that would 'see' things that others can live with...but will drive me slowly insane over time..leaving me rocking and mumbling alone on the florr with my medications in years to come. Anyway...I liked the fact the the only thing that will decay on a DLP is the bulb...and once replaced, the set is a good as new year after year..as opposed to LCD and Plasma reality that things will dim over time...maybe a lot of time..but they will. Okay..High-def decisions made. Sweaty hands clutch the charge card and press in the numbers on line. Done. (PS..I compared prices between 30 storres across the USA. Amazon beat them all with no tax/no shipping. Many chains will SAY no shipping cost....but then just ask about getting a call to alert you your order is coming..and you have to upgrade your shipping...for another $200. Amazon offers TRUE no-cost shipping with white-glove service whichin means a courtesy call so you can meet the delivery at your home)
Set arrived and it was lighter in weightthan expected. Unpacked and the finish is incredible...the look is very clean. Read the manual...and understand the picture modes...movie-dynamic-std-custom. With the unit on..the bulb takes about 45 seconds to achieve full brightness. The picture was bright but harsh...the reason was it came on dynamic setting and with a test-DVD movie in..it seemed very high in contrast. I read and dicovered that there are several quick-chioces for room light..and that standard or movie would be best...switched and it was incredible. I also bought a Sony HDMI upconvert DVD player from Amazon...and a HDMI cable from another vendor on the internet. PS...listen to previous posts about cable costs. In the 'old' world of analog..Monster cables are great...and gold connectors, cable braiding, etc makes some difference in the qualnity of electrons getting from point a to point b. But this is digital. Digital o's and 1's either 'get' to their destination or they do not. If there is a connection...it is either 'on' or 'off'. So any cable will work...a $15 dollar HDMI cable will transfer digial info as well as a $125 cable. That is reality.
Okay, so now that I discovered the quick buttons for screen brightness and also picture size...I was on the move...learning more. The menu is VERY easy and fun to use. Xbox 360 is scary beautiful....movies are stunning and you cannot believe the color and crisp picture. IT is mesmerizing and hypnotic. I bouth a HD antenna ($38) at Best Buy becaue I am not ready to get a cable package yet. The search function scans and finds all local channels..thenyou can go back an erase all you don't want. PBS is brodcast in HD here and the picture even with a cheap antenna over the air is GORGEOUS! Fox sports also brodcasts in widescreen...720i and its beautiful. Amazing.
The USB port on the side finds a jump drive quickly on the 'wiselink' setting and you can show groups your pictures in a slide show faship or one-by-one...its so awesome. The PC connection works well and you now have a 50" PC monitor in HD.
I am so jazzed about this Samsung and the new DLP technology. I have friends over who say the color is so bright...so vivid..they were thinking Plasma, but will get this set now. Side-fade is not and issue..you can see the picture in even brighter room light from many angles. And Xbox 360 people...you will passout at the color. Once you go into your game console, set up the High Def setting on Xbox, and on the Samsung set the 'game mode' on. These settings will now be remembered when you turn the game on and select 'Game console' setting on the Samsung's input options. Game detail, color and clarity will take your breath away. Promise. And no burn in worry.....ever.
I simly have a 3-way system for sound right now. Twin satellite speaker cubes and a sub-woofer. The Samsungs speakers are 'ok'....but you will want great sound. I simply have a stereo setup for now until I eventually get a surround sound something. (sigh....more research)

This Samsung will be the best decision you could make in a technology catagory and you will not be dissapointed. You will need to read the guide (easy to follow) to understand screen brightness quick choice options and other features so you can maximize this amazing devices abilites....but thats only 30 minutes out of your life. Well worth it! This set will simply blow you away...ever if you are a detail-freak like me who has come to be less-than-impressed with most promises in life...this Samsung truely exceeds everything you thought possible.

December 6th up-date: TV is still working wonderfully. We noticed a number of folks commented about a slight fan hum. We thought we would clarify our comment as to not hearing the lamp fan what-so-ever. We have an inset area for the unit built into the wall (so the unit is flush w/ the wall). Perhaps this is the reason we don't hear any fan noise even with the volume very low (yes, the fan is working...). One other thing, we mentioned a free mp3 player & NFL gift certificate and I've checked and these are no longer available (though Samsung will probably offer something else soon). Good luck w/ your HDTV shopping. This one should be high on your consideration list.

Original review: We are thoroughly enjoying this TV. Finally up-graded from a Sony 27 inch standard TV and are really happy with our decision to go with this HDTV. We had waited and waited as we wanted to technology to overcome a number of issues before buying. These were as follows (for DLP): "rainbow" effect, image problems (artifacts) w/ fast moving scenes, inconsistent colors, poor black levels, and loud lamp fan. The 7th generation DPL's spin the color wheel so fast (14,400 rpm's) that "rainbow" effect issues are pretty well history. This, along with improved processors, has all but eliminated artifacts in fast moving scenery. The colors are great and extremely natural (helped by a new 5 segment color wheel). The 10,000 to 1 contract ratio produces outstanding black levels. Finally, we are not able to hear the lamp fan what-so-ever.

Also, we had wanted to wait for 1080p technology. Though it is not being utilized too much now, it will be in the future. Another great plus in waiting is HDMI technology is now becoming standard on HDTV's and it is an important feature to get the most out of an HDTV. LCD and Plasmas have had their list of issues too which have been largely overcome. One could make effective arguments for these technologies also. However, after a lot of research, we confidently felt that that this HDTV is the best value for the money. You WILL pay more to get a LCD or Plasma 1080p HDTV with this good of a picture.

Our decision had basically come down to two models, this one and Sony's 50 inch SXRD (another LCD technology). These two units deliver basically "perfect" pictures (if you search the web, you'll find that many other people boiled it down to these two units too). If both units were the same price, we probably would have gone with the Sony (though it is splitting hairs). However, the Sony would have been $350 more to get from a reliable on-line source and Samsung was also including a free $100 MP3 player and $100 NFL gift shop certificate (makes it a $550 difference).

While we don't like the idea of replacing the lamp every two years or so ($200 each time), we do like that a DLP will basically perform as new when changing the lamp (the material that makes up LCD's and Plasmas can degrade over time though not too much of an issue anymore). Projection LCD's (and SXRD's) have a lamp that will need replaced too. The good news is that technology is solving the lamp issue also by replacing the projection bulb with LED lights (LED also will totally eliminate rainbow possiblity). However, right now it is TOO expensive and we were tired of waiting to buy a HDTV (see Samsung's LED DLP).

Point is, a lot of people that bought an HDTV one to three years ago will be looking to buy another one soon when they see the recent considerable improvements. We are hoping that we'll feel good about what we see in front of us for the next 10 years (and think we will as the picture is outstanding). We believe our next HDTV will be a SED by Toshiba / Canon which is a technology just starting to be massed produced (far superior to DLP, LCD & Plasma - look it up on the web). By the time we up-grade from this unit, SED's will be cheap (or maybe some other technology just as good). Final comment - NO problem with shipping as we know this is a concern for a lot of people.

If you are looking for an excellent 1080p big screen but don't want to shell out close to 3 grand, then this is the TV for you. I did EXTENSIVE research before finally settling on this model. I compared it to the Sony SXRD's, the mitsubishi 1080p's, and many others. None could compete with the total package that Samsung offers.
The picture on this TV is amazing and if you are new to HD, then I guarantee it will blow you away. Right now I think that DLP's like this one get you by far the best picture for your money. LCD's and Plasma's can certainly compete, but only if you are willing to put up between 3 and 5 grand for your set. If you try to pick up an LCD or Plasma in this price range, you're probably going to see inaccurate colors, washed out blacks, and you'll never see full 1080p resolution.
Settling on this particular set wasn't really that difficult once I'd thoroughly examined the competition. The Sony SXRD's have an equally fantastic picture, and plenty of inputs and features, but they run you about 400 to 500 more for the same screen size. They even lack an important feature in that although they also display a native 1080p resolution, they can't accept a 1080p signal through HDMI, which means your Bluray/HDDVD/PS3 will have to send a 1080i signal to get upconverted (2005 SXRD's only, the 2k6 SXRD's have this feature but will cost you an additional 300-500 bucks).

The outward design of this model also shames the competition. It has by far the smallest cabinet of any 50" DLP that I've seen, taking up the absolute minimum in space. Although it isn't totally flat like an LCD or Plasma, you will be amazed at how slim this TV really is (barely a foot deep). My 1998 Sony VVega 27" CRT is at least twice this deep, not to mention about twice as heavy and almost as wide! This is because Samsung designed the set with hidden speakers underneath the screen and a glossy 3/4 inch framing on the outside and top edges. This is a cleverly designed and darn slick looking set, believe me.
The only reason to pass up on this TV is if you are absolutely set on having the completely flat cabinet that you can hang on the wall and whatnot. If this is the case then DLP technology is not for you, and I would recommend the Sony Bravia line(much more expensive). But if you are a real videophile like me and want the absolute best picture for your money, then stop searching, you have found your set.

As a sidenote, the service from Amazon was superb. They shipped it for free and had it delivered even sooner than I expected. The price was also about $0.00 cheaper than at Circuit City, so this was a no brainer purchase from Amazon.

I recently purchased this TV from Amazon even though it wasn't in stock. A few weeks later, it shipped. The TV has a great picture, better than I expected. The sound quality is also a huge improvement from my previous TV. One nice thing about this one versus the other brands is that there are no speakers on the site. It allows you to get more screen in the same space that would normally have to include a place for side speakers.

The Amazon delivery people were great, coming into the house, setting the TV on the stand, and moving my old TV for me. Most other companies only have doorstep delivery.

I bought an HDMI cable to connect this to the satellite receiver. The TV worked right when I turned it on. Very little programming or set up required.

The Samsung 5087 has it's problems but it is definately
a five star TV. The picture is just incredible and shows
how far DLP has come. The viewing angle is much improved
even from the 5086 I used to look longingly at.

Major Pros:
1. Beautiful picture that holds it own with plasma/lcd
for me comparing in the stores. Excellent brightness,
sharp, no banding, deep blacks. I only watch 1080i OTA
and upconverted DVD ( Samsung DVD-HD960 ) but I'm very
pleased. Looking forward to the end of the BluRay/HD
battle for 1080p. My neighbors are floored.
2. I've not seen rainbows in a month of viewing. Note,
I have seen these on projecter units so I have been
looking for this effect.
3. Good viewing angle even at 45 degrees.
4. HD Off The Air tuner the best of 4 units I've used
built in. I'm big on broadcast HD as I hate paying for
cable. Very sensitive - more channels
5. I am very price sensitive and Amazon had a price in
the $1750 range. That let me add the standard DVD player
that upconverts my current dvds ( mixed bag - some discs
better then others but does improve sharpness for sure. )
to 1080p for $1905 total!
6. Picture/music player from files on usb key connected
storage.
7. Many inputs - Connect 2 hdmi,vga,2 component, two rf
in, many video/svga.
8. Replacable bulb seems like the best maintenance
option in HDTV.

Minor Cons:
1. Something when I start the DVD-HD960 and 5087 can
lock up over HDMI about one in ten times. Turning both
off and on clears. Once both are up I haven't seen any
dropped connection problems.
2. The remote could be more responsive - seems like button
presses can be missed if they are short. The remote
grouping might be improved.
3. Not cablecard capable - not a problem for me but if
you are looking for hdtv from cable you need this - look
at the 5088/5688 etc.
4. Warmup of bulb - about 10 seconds - not a problem
for me.
5. Not as slim as plasma but was acceptable to my
wife especially at the price.
6. Took Amazon awhile to get these units in stock -
looks in stock now.

Very happy - I throughly recommend.

Added note - reading the reviews I think a valid point is made that you need to make sure the shipped set is ok. My experience was the free shipper was willing to unbox, help me set on stand - It's quite light, and power up and connect. So I felt quite good about the set before the shipper was out the door - of course I had my antenna, dvd , and stand ready to go... Make sure you do this 'due diligence' and you can beat the heck out price of most electronics stores with confidence. Needing to do this simple process doesn't shake the five star rating in the least.

I did extensive research on HDTV for a couple months, and eventually ended up with a list of 10 TV's ranging 42-50" (all DLP or LCD) in my price range. I researched those TV's online and went to look at them in local stores. Most stores show their expensive sets playing a native 1080p Blue Ray movie via HDMI, and their less expensive on a split signal HD or SD channel. It can fool people into thinking the less expensive TVs don't look as good!

This TV exceeded the others with good reviews and bang for the buck. It almost seemed unreal. A 50" Samsung 1080p DLP HDTV for $1500? Get out of here! That is too good to be true. Or is it? I took the plunge and ordered it on Amazon through J & R Music and Computer world for $1500. I couldn't get free shipping so I ended up paying $1700 total shipped. I looked back later and found I could have gotten free shipping with a free Amazon prime trial membership, but I was too late. Oh well...I still saved $400 over buying it from a local store, so I'm happy.

The TV arrived exactly 7 days after I placed the order. The delivery guys carried it into my house and took it out of the box. They let me inspect for damages, but would not let me plug it in or turn it on. I did that right after they left, and it was fine. I had no HD content except my Xbox 360. I popped in Gears of War at 1080i (TV de-interlaces the signal to 1080p automatically) and turned on "Game Mode". I feel the Game Mode should be under the Picture/Display section in the menu instead of "Settings" since it is a display feature...but it's not a big deal. It wasn't hard to find. Gears of War brought a tear to my eye. I couldn't believe it. I actually laughed while playing thinking "Is this really happening? My TV can do this?" It was unreal how good the game looked. I downloaded some HD content through Xbox Live to see how HD movies will look. I watched some 720P trailers and they looked great. I was very happy.

I had my DirecTV satellite upgraded and got HD channels a week after receiving the TV. I can't even begin to tell you how good Discovery HD looks on this TV. It's breathtaking. It looks like everything is really in my living room. The other HD channels like ESPN, HBO, etc look really good too. You can easily tell some of the HD channels play native 720P or 1080i, while others crop and up-convert. The cropped/up-converted stuff still looks really good.

Pros / things I like
The menus are easy to navigate
It up-converts every native signal to 1080p (does a great job with most stuff)
It has 0 lag with video games in Game Mode - it's not even bad in regular mode
The fan is quiet
The whites are bright, the blacks are dark
HD video looks very sharp, comparable to the expensive TV sets
480i/p DVDs look very good, and it up-converts them VERY well
The virtual surround sound is good
The black glossy case looks great, and doesn't have a glare problem in my living room
Extensive ways of adjusting the picture look and individual colors
Very lightweight (if you have to move it for whatever reason)
Many inputs for various things
Cute little beeping song when you turn it on or off
No rainbowing
CHEAP PRICE!!

Cons / things I dislike
I have one complaint. I cannot get SD Satellite broadcasts to look good on this set. Like I said DVD's look great though (so all 480i/p doesn't look horrible). I've tried everything from making adjustments to the TV picture, cable box settings, trying composite, component, S-Video, HDMI, etc. to no avail. I've researched the problem online and found it's a common problem people have with DLP sets. Others who watch my TV think its SD broadcasting looks fine, but I have a good eye and I say it doesn't. My Mom has a 55" Mitsubishi CRT RPTV and her SD broadcasting looks much better, while my HD looks much better ;) It's no big deal. In 2007 more Satellites are being launched to provide more HD channels (no set date yet). DirecTV says they will have 130 HD channels. I didn't buy this TV for SD...I bought it for HD and it does its job very well.

In conclusion...if you are in the market for a 50" HDTV that works great for HD gaming, DVDs, HD video content, and you want to spend $1500 on it, this is your set! Buy it right now!

I have now had my Samsung TV for 2 weeks. I recommend going to a retail store and comparing the models that you are interested in. For the price and quality the Samsung was my top choice. If not for the price the new Sony bravia LCD is the best picture quality that I saw. I ordered it through Amazon (not one of the vendors). There was no tax and no shipping fee (I selected the faster choice of shipping and still no shipping fee). The TV was in perfect condition when it arrived. The delivery guys took it out of the box and let me take a look at it for external damage. They informed me that if it did not turn on or if something else was wrong internally that I would have to contact Amazon. I bought 2 HDMI (Cables to go) cables from Amazon and they work great. I have Dish Network and spoke to technical support and asked about expensive cables; $150 Monster vs. $15 Cables to go and he informed me that they get a lot of calls about picture quality and one of the first things they ask the customer is if they have Monster HDMI cables. The tech informed me that the more expensive cables pick up and magnify the noise that is in the signal. He said that the other cables have a clear picture and do not pick up this noise. So for the picture has been great. My neighbor has Monster cables for his 1080p 57 inch and I can't see that his is any better. There is plenty of information online about this topic and most of it points to Monster cables being money down the drain. I also picked up the sony dvd hd up converter player and am very satisfied with it. I went ahead an got a line conditioner (about 115 bucks from Amazon). My researched showed that these are good investments for just about any electronics equipment. I did not get any kind of warranty except the manufactures warranty, but supposedly they are not worth it from what my research showed.

I had been looking at the Sony 50" SXRD since it came out with the plans to eventually purchase it. However, once I saw the Samsung I changed my mind. If you can, I recommend looking at them side by side. I found Circuit City to carry both TV's. The quality of the picture was nearly the same with an HD signal, but when you play a DVD or watch non-HD TV the DNIE feature really makes a difference. I also found the Samsung to be able to achieve brightness higher then the Sony.
The audio is ok. I have read other reviews that state it is bad. It's not great, but it is fine and you can adjust it custom with the 5 band equalizer in the menu. However I recommend you hook the optical out to your stereo and enjoy the true HD in Dolby Digital.
The only con is the preset for the picture. It took me nearly 2 weeks to adjust the color, contrast, and brightness. But it is well worth it now. I actually discovered the picture to be to bright! Being able to reduce each of the six colors individually is also a plus.

As for Amazon the price of course was great. When I purchased it delivery was estimated from 10 to 20 days out. However, I received the TV exactly a week after ordering it.