Samsung HL-S6186W 61-Inch DLP HDTV

by Samsung

Product Details

• Item Weight: 77.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 99 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B000F2P300
• Item model number: HLS6186WX/XAA
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,693 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description Get the sharpest and clearest images possible from HD and standard TV with with the 61-inch Samsung HL-S6186W DLP television. A contrast ratio of up to 2500:1 captures blacker blacks, crisper whites and images that burst into life. And the high-speed of the DLP chip, with millions of tiny mirrors that switch on and off over 15,000 times per second, delivers a precise, razor-sharp picture. It has a built-in analog/digital (NTSC/ATSC) tuner, offers both HDMI and component video connections, . It also measures just 17.6 inches deep (with a "hidden speaker" thin bezel), fitting where many other large-screen HDTVs won't.

Samsung's DNIe™ Samsung's DNIe™ (click for demo) technology offers digital perfection in naturally presented, crystal-clear images that uncover even the most minute detail.

Motion Optimizer: The visual data are automatically broken down into signal and noise and adjusted through a combined spatial/temporal process to eliminate noise and blurring without the slightest damage to the original signal. This guarantees the viewer a picture of astounding sharpness, whether the scene is still or moving.

Contrast Enhancer: DNIe has done away with the unwanted side-effects that conventional contrast enhancement can produce, such as noise boost-up and flicker by developing an algorithm that recognizes over 1 million criteria for applying contrast. Its detail contrast enhancement technology can automatically analyze up to 70,000 local images within a frame, treating the viewer to a picture rich in contrast even in the tiniest details.

Color optimizer: For each scene the color optimizer calculates the saturation of red, green, and blue in the input signal and adjusts it to the shades that the human eye accepts as natural. Even a conventional process like white tone enhancement produces more striking results when when used with DNIe. The end result is a palette of vivid hues and pure white tones to satisfy the most discerning viewers eye.

Detail enhancer: Many viewers complain of the unnatural effect that conventional uniform detail enhancement produces by relying on artificial amplification of the input signal. In contrast, DNIe automatically analyzes the portion to be amplified, detecting and re-processing any noise or defect to bring the viewer a startlingly sharp and lifelike image.

DLP (which stands for Digital Light Processing) uses an optical semiconductor to recreate source material with a fidelity analog systems can't match. While other technologies lose a certain amount of light in transit, the microscopic mirrors in a DLP projection system bring more light from lamp to screen. It also features better color uniformity over time--no burn-in, screen aging or color-shifting possible. It's the leading display technology for products like small portable conference room projectors and professional venue entertainment systems.

This Samsung DLP television employs a Texas Instruments DLP chip that is comprised of millions of microscopic mirrors. The DLP chip is faster than any HDTV technology, with the mirrors switching on and off 15,000 times a second to deliver a razor-sharp picture for fast moving images. It also offers Samsung's Cinema Smooth 720p light engine, which creates an image with no visible pixel structure and accurate shading and better low-light detail for the most film-like picture. You'll get up to a 2500:1 contrast ratio with outstanding colors and deep black levels.

The Samsung Digital Natural Image engine (DNIe) Video Enhancer refines all analog NTSC and wideband video inputs for an overall improvement in picture quality. DNIe improves contrast, white level, picture detail and incorporates digital noise reduction to improve lower quality video inputs. The 3-line digital comb filter constantly analyzes the three dimensions of picture height, picture width, and picture changes-over-time to dramatically reduce edge image artifacts while improving transition detail. Samsung's Cinema Smooth 3:2 pull-down film mode corrects for the artificial frames created when films are converted to DVDs. The result is a clearer image without the subtle motion artifacts caused by 24-to-30 frames per second video conversion.

Samsung's 2.6-inch color wheel spins at 14,400 rpm for smooth, fast motion video, and has five color segments for more accurate colors. It achieves film-like transitions without pixel breakup found in slower color wheel designs and slower switching LCD microdisplays. Air Bearing technology also makes it whisper quiet.

Samsung also worked closely with Microsoft to create a special Game Mode that optimizes image quality, sound and response time for more realistic video game play--with just a single touch of a button. The Game Mode enhances dark areas, sharpens the picture, speeds up the image processing response and enhances the sounds of your games.

Other features include:

• Picture format adjustment: Enjoy all your 4:3 aspect-ratio programming in smooth, wide-screen without black bars. Four pre-set aspect ratio modes--Normal, Wide, Zoom 1 and Zoom 2--stretch your image to fill the screen naturally.
• Color temperature adjustment: Selectable between Cool1, Cool2, Normal Warm1, and Warm2 with on-screen display.
• Auto volume leveler: Keeps audio volume consistent during channel changing to minimize static sound bursts.
• Discrete IR codes: This set is equipped with discrete IR codes for use with a macro/programmable remote.
• Closed caption: Displays dialog that can be read along with encoded broadcast TV programs and pre-recorded videos.
• V-Chip: Enables parental control for channel and program blocking of TV programs that incorporate the rating code signal.

High-quality virtual surround sound can be experienced with just the speakers built into the TV. SRS TruSurround XT technology delivers an amazing, simulated 3D effect with clear dialog and powerful bass. It produces 10 watts of power per channel (for 20 watts total). It offers the following connection options:

• Component (Y/Pb/Pr): 2 inputs
• HDMI: 2 inputs
• Composite (RCA audio/video): 3 inputs (1 side, 2 rear)
• S-Video: 2 inputs
• PC: 1 D-Sub-15 input
• PC audio: 1 input
• RF: 1 input
• Sound monitor output: 1
• USB: 1

Tech Talk
HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver) with your TV--all over a single cable. HDMI supports standard, enhanced or high definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. It supports all ATSC formats--standard (SDTV), enhanced (EDTV), and high (HDTV).

SRS TruSurround XT audio adds three new audio enhancement technologies to produce an amazingly immersive sound experience.

• Dialog Clarity brings movie dialog into ÒfocusÓ during the playback of any surround-encoded material to make speech much clearer and crisper.
• TruBass creates incredible deep rich bass allowing a person to perceive significantly deeper, richer low bass tones that are far beyond the physical low frequency capabilities of the speaker itself.
• The SRS WOW feature widens the soundstage by processing standard two-channel stereo material as well as multi-channel encoded material for a dramatic improvement in the playback of any stereo audio over a two-speaker system.

Component video (also called Y/Pb/Pr) features a three-jack video input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. You will need a separate RCA left/right audio cable for sound.

What's in the Box
DLP TV, remote control (with batteries), power cord, printed operating instructions.

Warranty
It's backed by a 1-year warrant on parts (including lamp) and laboe, with in-home service backed by Samsung toll-free support.

Product Description

Samsung HL-S6186W 61" DLP HDTV

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great quality television, May 15, 2006

By 

Palmetto (South Carolina USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Samsung HL-S6186W 61-Inch DLP HDTV (Electronics)

I don't have a lot of high definition (HD) content available to me, but this TV does great with standard definition TV and DVDs. The black levels are darker on this generation than previous year Samsungs. I personally don't like the look of Plasma TVs, and LCDs are still a little expensive for the largest models, so right now, DLP is the best type of TV technology for larger sizes at a reasonable price.

Be sure you use the best possible connection from your video sources to this TV for the best possible picture. Hopefully you have at least S-Video (out) on your satellite or cable box and component (out) on your DVD player. Get some good cables (gold connectors), but you don't need the very high cost premium cables.

I also looked at the 50" and 56" versions of this TV, but this size is the best for my room based on viewing distance. IMO, you should choose the size of your TV based on the viewing distance. A rough formula is to divide your viewing distance (in inches) by 2 and also divide your viewing distance by 3. Your TV diagonal size should fall between those sizes. In my case, our viewing distance is at about 12 feet (144 inches) => 144/2 = 72 inches, and 144/3 = 48 inches. Then pick a TV with a diagonal between those numbers.

The lower end of the range will be more like your standard TV viewing and the upper end will be more like a movie theater, "immersive" experience. Choose what's best for you.

EDIT
Update as of October 2006: We still love this TV. There are other reviews here that indicate bulb problems. If your bulb does go out, it is a user repairable item, no need for a tech to look at it. Just order from samsung's replacement part site. Bulbs should last for about 5,000 hours. That's the only downside to this TV, the bulb replacement cost.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am now a vegetable..., August 6, 2006

By 

S. Elvin (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Samsung HL-S6186W 61-Inch DLP HDTV (Electronics)

This TV is a great value! I have it hooked up to a Media Center PC and have had a permanent smile ever since. I found that this television was brighter and clearer than any other DLP TV. I am not sure if it is typical, but I ordered this TV through Amazon and the delivery crew brought it into my house and hooked it up to make sure it worked. I would recommend this TV to anybody.

Also, the only problem I had hooking it up to a PC was that it MUST use a VGA cable (HDMI-DVI does not work on this TV from a PC.)

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love It So Far, October 3, 2006

By 

Jeff (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Samsung HL-S6186W 61-Inch DLP HDTV (Electronics)

I got this TV two days ago, delivered and set up by Eagle Freight. Very happy with the order/delivery experience. Although I would suggest you take the initiative and call Eagle freight as soon as your tv makes it to its destination. Mine arrived last Friday, but wasn't "scheduled" to be delivered until the next friday. I called them, explained that the TV had arrived and if I could schedule delivery sooner, which they happily complied with. Two guys arrived right on time and brought the TV in, let me fiddle with it all I wanted before I signed the form (I was worried because the box had been severely damaged, and the internal styrofoam was munched, here's to hoping that nothing later will develop, but the TV was apparently unharmed) (aside: WHY does samsung use such cheap packing techniques for these TVs they know will be individually sent to customers via freight??)

So they unpack it and take the box and trash away, and there I sit with my new toy. I fire up ESPN HD and am a little disappointed with the picture quality, but reserve final judgment until I work out the kinks. Right off the batt, I realize I had the picture zoomed from my cable box, and was outputting 1080i instead of 720p. Once I fixed that things were instantly better. Then I adjusted the factory picture settind and got the picture looking great. Monday night football looked absolutely supurb! I had originally ordered the 6187 (1080p model) but it was backordered, so I cancelled and went with the 6186, for six-fifty less! I figured that because my main facination with HDTV is for sports, and that ESPN and other broadcast in 720p (I think NBC is 1080i), that this is the best sports can look, as I can't see the networks ponying up to switch all of their new expensive equipment to sitch to 1080p anytime soon.

So what do standard definition broadcasts look like? Well.... its garbage in, garbage out here folks. Some look "OK," others look terrible. And then there are some that look absolutely wonderful (like HBO, for example). Yes I wish some of the standard def stuff looked a little better, but it doesn't really bother me that much, as the shows I watch are mostly prime timw network stuff that's in HD or sports...

So all in all I'm happy with the TV, but very nervous that no problems develop, because Amazon won't be there to help at all, and I've heard nothing but horror stories from people dealing with Samsung customer service. But I guess that is what you get for a much better price.

Oh and by the way, don't get ripped off when buying HDMI cables, you don't need the $100 monster cable. Check the AVS Forums and the like, it just isn't necessary. There are sites that have great quality cable for MUCH cheaper (m o n o p r i c e . c o m) is one of them, that's where I got mine, and it works great.