Customer Reviews

Samsung LN37A450 37-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this TV for my bedroom. It is my third Samsung, but my first LCD. The other two that I have are both plasmas, the HPT5064 and FPT5084. I think that this is a great TV if you only care about 720p (which is all you need in a bedroom.) If you are on a $1000 budget or this is a secondary TV, I can't think of why you need more than 720p right now. This will absolutely change in the future, of that I have no doubt.

The TV comes in a great package - very clean lines, not a huge bezel, the Samsung piano-black finish that you either love or hate (I love). This TV doesn't have the flat touch buttons of the 5084, but that is a much higher-end TV I guess. The LCD panel is not as matte as some that I have seen. It outputs a great picture out of the box, with minimal tweaking (though I am sure that you can teak it to your heart's content).

It is a relatively light TV at ~45 pounds, so can easily be carried upstairs by one person. Sound quality is surprisingly good for a flat panel, though that is a relative measurement. The speakers face down on the bottom of the TV. Picture quality is bright, excellent contrast ratio (almost as high as the plasmas). The TV doesn't have the glowing blue lights on the front that the other Samsung's I own have, guess that was just a fad. The design is definitely a cross between the somewhat clunky 5064 and the more elegant 5084.

Standard def output is as good as you can expect, but in 2008 you can really spend 80% of your time watching HD content unless you have a few offbeat or retro shows that you like. I have this TV hooked up to a DirecTV H20 DVR and it works like a charm. I output the native mode signal and the TV handles 720p or 1080i in very well. I don't have an Xbox or PS3 on this TV, but I can guess that they would look great based on the overall performance I have seen so far.

I have ordered a Peerless wall mount for the TV, apparently it is in the gray area between 32 and 40" TV's and it falls into the higher side of that range as far as what size mounting bracket you need. In other words, look in the manual of the TV and look at the detailed specs of the mounting bracket before you pull the trigger to make sure that they adhere to the same standard mounting bracket size.

This is a great TV at a great price and I highly recommend it for those in the market for great mid-size HDTV who don't feel a compelling urge to get 1080p. If I have problems I will update them here.

After doing some decent research I finally decided on this Samsung. This tv is a beauty. I'm very happy with it.

First I did some internet research. I knew I wanted at least a 37" and price was an issue. I found no professional reviews on this particular model so I relied mainly on customer feedback (CNET had a favorable review of the 32" version). All over the web comments on Samsung tvs in general are almost universally positive. I was happy about that because I've always been confident in the Samsung brand. They make quality products. So I went to the various retail stores and did a lot of staring at the various models. I went to quite a few different stores because I wanted to see the same models with different hookups and signals. To be honest, you really can't go wrong with most of the top brands. Give or take minor differences most of them look good. Sony, LG, Panasonic etc. But, it comes down to trusting your own eyes. There was something about the picture on the Samsung that kept drawing me to it. It looks the most NATURAL. Not gimmicky like some others.

This tv has a very nice looking on screen menu and it's easy to navigate. There are a good amount of options for picture adjustments, including advanced controls for color and white balance, good for perfectionists. I've spent some time on fine tuning but it looks great right out of the box in "standard mode". I ended up toning down the picture slightly because these tvs are set for retail display and it's initially a little too bright (I turned off "dynamic contrast" to be specific).

There are 3 HDMI inputs and I'm using 2 of them, one for an HD cable box and the other for a Playstation 3. Games on the PS3 look fantastic and I noticed no motion blur. I only watched one blu-ray so far and it looked very good. On a side note I love the PS3, it's a good value at 399 considering you get a blu-ray player, the free Playstation network where you can rent and buy movies, and a bunch of great games. I'm using the inexpensive HDMI cables they sell here at Amazon. One from DVI Gear and the other is Eforcity. Nice quality and they seem to work great. With shipping they're 5 dollars each, I can't imagine buying those overpriced cables.

HD channels on my cablebox look fantastic. Some channels and shows look better than others. Ballgames on the YES network look pristine. There is occasional, slight motion blur depending on what you're watching. I expected that with LCD, and it's slight enough where it doesn't bother me. I didn't really compare motion blur with other bands in this price range. The LN40A650, a 40" model two steps up from this, is 120mhz and has a 4ms response time. Supposedly these features reduce motion blur, but it didn't matter to me because that tv is way out of my price range. It's only 3 inches larger yet over 600 dollars more. If someone cares enough I advise trying to find these two models at a store and look carefully for motion blur differences.

Standard definition channels look as good as you can expect. As others have mentioned the sound is only decent. Not great. It can be adjusted to sound better, but I'm hooked up to an external system so it doesn't bother me. The remote is nice and the buttons are in the right place. It's not backlit.

By far the best price I found was on Amazon so I bought it here. Their free white-glove delivery with CEVA worked fine. It did take about 7 days for the tv to get delivered but others have reported quicker times. Just make sure your correct phone number is in your Amazon shipping info. You can see that on the checkout page right under your address. CEVA has to call you to set up a day and 4 hour window.

On a final note, I actually was going to buy a Vizio at first. The main reason was price. They're at least 100 dollars cheaper for a 37", and the picture looked nice. However, after comparing the Vizio with other brands, I noticed the picture is clearly not as good. In the end I'm glad I went with this Samsung. It was worth the extra money. I love it.

[UPDATE 8-13-08]:

Out of curiosity I checked out the LN40A650 at a store. And wow that picture is fantastic. I only looked at it for a few minutes but yes it didn't appear to have any motion blur, and actually I think it may have the best picture out of all the tvs I looked at regardless of price. It was just noticeably superior. However that was only from a few minutes of looking. It all comes down to what a person can afford and I didn't want to spend that much. I'm still very happy with my tv and have no regrets.

I've had this TV for less then 2 months and I'm already having issues. When you turn it on the picture will show up then a few seconds later will go away. I've tried new HDMI cables and when they are unplugged it says no signal so thats not the problem. Sometimes when you turn the power on it doesn't have a picture at all. Once you've unplugged the power or wiggled the cables the red light will show back up and you can turn the TV on and maybe get a picture. The problem is not constant but it is very annoying. I've already had to contact Samsung and I'm waiting on a repair person to show up.

What a joke. I was given a service center to work with and they refuse to do any work for Samsung because they have an issue with parts or getting paid.

I called Samsung again this time they gave me another service center. this service center only repairs TV's purchased from them.

I called again and was told they would call me in 2 to 3 days and try to find me a service center.

10/10/08 : Well I still have no TV. Samsung has never called back. I called them and was told to call back Monday morning and they would start working on a exchange for a new TV. When I called back and was put on hold for almost 30 minuts with Executive Customer Relations I was told an exchange is not an option. They have to fix the TV but they don't have a service center where I live that will work on it.

I will never in my life purchase anything Samsung again. I had heard such wonderful things about this company and they have failed me badly.

After shopping around at 5 local stores, comparing it to other similar TVs in person and reading some online reviews, I found that the Samsung LN37A450 has one of the best quality screens around. Better than Sony or ViewSonic.

Unpacking and setup was a breeze. I didn't even read the setup and users guide. It was a no brainer to unpack, plug-in and setup.

Overall setup/menu structure is implemented very well also. The buttons on the remote just "make sense" when navigating around the settings menu to adjust the various image and audio settings, etc.

I have it connected to my media center PC in the livingroom, and the computer signal quality via the VGA port was much better than I expected(although I will upgrade the PC to HDMI very soon).

Overall screen size appears very big--it's a 37", but it almost looks like a 40/42".

The outer casing is very sharp. It's a slick looking casing. I also liked that Samsung included a cleaning cloth with the TV.

Good purchase.

....happy with the set, good value, good picture with plenty of control. Sound is good not great, can be customized pretty well, best with externals of course....not a gamer, no blu-ray content, so 720p is fine. Refresh rate is good at 8 ft. viewing distance. Was delivered DHL, no problems, fast......excellent for the money. Wil probably upgrade in 3 to 5 years.....

I got this tv about a month ago. It's by far without a doubt the best tv I have ever had. It has the greatest picture and sound quality for the best price. The only thing that I didn't like about the tv is that it is a bit complicated to hook up a home theater system. The directions don't match what you have to do. It's like a puzzle that you have to figure out. But other than that the tv is awesome. All of the features and picture quality are well worth it. The picture quality is so much better than Sony, Phillips, & Vizo! It's so clear you won't believe your eyes! Just get it!

After researching extensively and looking at models in the stores, I decided to go with this Samsung and I am very happy. I don't have blu-ray so I didn't need 1080P. I personally use this TV with a Comcast Scientific Atlanta HD Box, using component video (didn't use HDMI), and the resolution set to up-convert to 1080i. The picture is flawless, and the TV itself looks sleek.

First off I must say that I already own 2 other Samsung TV's one is a 26" LCD and the other is a 42" Plasma televison which I both love and have no complaints about! The LN37A450 LCD is no different exept that it does have more features than being that it's a more updated model. I was torn at first between the Sony KDL-37L4000 Model and this one..but as my wife said when we saw it in the store ( The picture is much better ).

The "Blacks" on this LCD rival the Plasma 42" that I own, and the amount of features for picture control is superb.

Features

Native Resolution: The Samsung LN37A450 has a display resolution of 1366 x 768 and scales all inputs for display at 768p. The HDMI inputs will accept 1080i, 720p, and 480p signals, while the component video inputs will accept 1080i, 720p, 480p, and 480i signals.

High Contrast Ratio/Brightness: The TV has a dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and a 450 nit brightness rating, providing a stunningly realistic picture.

Digital Natural Image Engine (DNIe): Samsung's exclusive Digital Natural Image engine dramatically improves the picture by enhancing the contrast, detail, and white balance, and reducing noise. The DNIe includes five image processors and a six-time density enhancer to ensure the best picture from any source with true colors and high contrast.

Pixel Response: The TV features a fast 6ms pixel response time, which virtually eliminates picture blurring, and gives you smoother images during fast action scenes.

Picture Control: You can make the following adjustment for an optimum picture:

* Automatic Picture Settings: choose one of three automatic picture settings:
o Standard: for the optimum display in a normal environment
o Dynamic: for high-definition in a bright room
o Movie: for viewing movies in a dark room
* Manual Picture Settings:
o Backlight: adjusts the brightness of the LCD backlight
o Contrast: adjusts the contrast level of the picture
o Brightness: adjusts the brightness level of the picture
o Sharpness: adjusts the edge definition of the picture
o Color: adjusts the color saturation of the picture
o Tint (G/R): adjusts the color tint of the picture
* Detailed Picture Settings:
o Black Adjust: screen depth is adjusted using Black Level, settings include Off, Low, Medium, High
o Dynamic Contrast: adjust contrast to optimize the picture (Off, Low, Medium, High)
o Gamma: adjust the middle brightness of the picture
o Color Space: select the color space for the most natural color (Auto, Native, Custom)
o White Balance: adjust the color temperature for more natural colors (Red, Green, Blue)
o Flesh Tone: Emphases the pink "flesh tone" in the picture
o Edge Enhancement: edge enhancement emphasizes the boundaries of an object, it can be turned off if you prefer
o Color Tone: adjust the overall color tone using one of five presets: Cool 1, Cool 2, Normal, Warm 1, Warm 2
o Digital Noise Reduction: for weak TV signals, adjust Digital NR to reduce static and ghosting (Off, Low, Medium, High, Auto)
o HDMI Black Level: the black level can be set to Normal or Low when using an HDMI (RGB) input

Entertainment Modes: You can set the TV for the optimal display and sound for different types of programs: Sports, Game, or Cinema.

Picture Sizes: You can choose one of the following picture sizes:

* 16:9: sets the picture to 16:9 wide mode
* Zoom 1: vertically enlarges the size of the picture and allows you to move the enlarged picture using the arrows on the remote
* Zoom 2: vertically enlarges the size of the picture more than Zoom 1 and allows you to move the enlarged picture using the arrows on the remote
* Wide Fit: proportionally enlarges the picture to fit the entire screen without changing the aspect ratio
* 4:3: sets the picture to 4:3 normal mode with pillars on the left and right of the screen
* Just Scan: see the full image with no resizing when an HDMI input (720/1080i), Component (1080i), or DTV (1080i) signal is used

Input Source Names: You can assign a preprogrammed name to each of the inputs. When input naming is completed, you will no longer have to remember which component is connected to each input when selecting a source to watch. Source names include VCR, DVD, Cable STB, Satellite STB, PVR STB, AV Receiver, Game, Camcorder, PC, TV, IPTV, Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, and Digital Media Adapter.

Channel Labels: Each analog channel programmed into memory can be labeled with a name up to 5 characters. Digital channels names are already assigned and cannot be edited.

Favorite Channel: You can create a list of your favorite channels and recall the list using the FAV.CH button on the remote.

PC-Capable: This unit has a 15-pin D-Sub (RGB) input that allows you to use it as a high-resolution computer monitor. The HDMI 2 input can also be used with a computer. The TV can be set to automatically adjust to the video signals received, or you can use the setup menu to adjust the screen quality and position. No cables are supplied for connecting the TV to a PC.

Digital Signal Strength Meter: The digital signal strength meter can be used to help you find the antenna position that delivers the highest HDTV digital signal strength.

Analog Channel Fine Tuning: The fine tuning feature allows you to manually adjust analog channels for optimal reception. A separate fine tuning setting may be put into the TV's memory for each analog channel.

Auto Volume: Auto volume automatically adjusts the volume of the desired channel, lowering the sound output when the modulation signal is high or raising the sound output when the modulation signal is low. This reduces the difference in volume when changing channels.

Automatic Sound Settings: You can choose from the following sound settings:

* Standard: resets the standard factory settings
* Music: for watching music videos and concerts
* Movie: for watching movies
* Speech: for watching a show that is mostly dialog
* Custom: adjust the 5-band EQ; 100 Hz, 300 Hz, 1 kHz, 3 kHz, and 10 kHz

SRS TruSurround XT: TruSurround is a patented SRS technology for playing 5.1 multi-channel content using only two speakers, it delivers a virtual surround sound experience through two speakers (internal or external), it is fully compatible with all multi-channel formats

Sleep Timer: The sleep timer switches the television off after a specified amount of time. The sleep timer can be set to 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, or 180 minutes.

On/Off Timer: The three On/Off timers allow you to program the television to turn itself on and off by selecting a specific on time and a specific off time. You also choose the On Timer's channel and Volume. The on and off timers work independently of one another.

On/Off Melody: A unique melody plays when the TV is turned on and off. The melody volume is adjustable, or you can turn this feature off if you prefer.

Anynet+: Anynet+ is an AV network system that enables you to control other components with your Samsung TV's remote. The Anynet+ system can be used only with Samsung AV devices that support the Anynet+ feature and are connected with HDMI 1.3 cables. The Anynet+ feature must be turned on in the menu to function. Anynet+ can support up to 12 AV devices in total.
Mounting Options

Detachable Stand: The LN37A450 comes with a table-top stand for easy placement on top of a counter or table. On the stand, the TV can swivel 20° left or right.

Wall Mounting: You can remove the stand and mount this display on the wall using an optional wall-mount bracket. The TV has four threaded screw holes spaced to accommodate many universal wall mount brackets. The hole spacing is 200mm x 200mm and requires four M6 (6mm) machine screws

Kensington Lock: When mounting the monitor in a public place, you can secure it with an optional anti-theft device called a Kensington Lock. This TV has a slot on the rear panel to accommodate a Kensington Lock device.
Remote Control

Remote Control: The supplied remote is pre-programmed to operate this unit, plus it has controls for other Samsung units (DVD, Blu-Ray players, etc.) connected via HDMI using the Anynet+ protocol.
Inputs and Outputs Notes

Side Panel Inputs: The LN37A450 features a set of jacks on the left side panel for easy connection:

* HDMI In 3
* A/V in 2 (S-video, composite video, RCA stereo audio)
* Headphone out (3.5mm), the TV's internal speakers are muted when you plug in headphones

HDMI: There are three HDMI terminals, two on the rear panel and one on the side. HDMI 2 can be used for a DVI-equipped component. It has a separate analog audio connection and a DVI-to-HDMI adapter will be needed. HDMI 1 can also be used to connect a computer. The HDMI jacks accept 1080i, 720p, and 480p signals.

PC: This input consists of a stereo mini-jack and an analog RGB (D-Sub 15-pin) jack.

Component Video Inputs: The 2 sets of component video inputs will accept 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i signals. One of the component video inputs can accept a composite video signal by plugging the yellow composite video plug into the green RCA jack.

Digital Audio: The optical digital output on the rear panel will output Dolby Digital (when available) or 2 channel PCM.

Ex-Link: This jack connects to an optional powered Samsung wall mount bracket that will allow you to adjust the TV viewing angle using the television's remote control.


This is an awesome HDTV..highly recommended!

I looked around alot and finally settled on the this model. The reviews were positive, and the set looked good in my local store. The price was right -- the 37" is not too much more than a 32", and considerably less than the 40". It has a 40" "feel" to it, even if it is a bit smaller.

The picture is perfect and the delivery service was right on time. Delivery through Amazon was much easier than trying to get it home in my little car, and didn't cost me anything. Even with delivery, the price was lower than at the local big box store. The only drawback is waiting a week to receive it.

I received this LN37A450 as a replacement to the previous model, which would have been a horrible review in itself! I have only had the LN37A450 for three months.

I have encountered a lot of problems with the "mura effect" also called "clouding" It has made it difficult to watch movies with a dark background because of the "mura effect" in the corners. I also see the "clouding" when changing channels. Recently I started hearing a buzzing sound when the channels were changed (the Samsung tech who came by this weekend, said that some people have been experiencing that). The tech replaced the screen/control panel to no avail! Now the voices often come across as buzzing/vibrating sounds. Not good when you are trying to watch the NFL Playoffs!

This LCD has been a lemon for me, along with my previous version of this LCD. Between the two LCD's I have had 5 visits by Samsung for various problems!

I have requested that Samsung refund my money.... I am waiting for that call from the highest department (I should be getting that call by tomorrow). If I do not get the refund, I will "try" to talk with the Office of the President of Samsung.... For the money I spent on the LCD it would be worth a try!

****Update****

The call back has still not happened.... 1/21-I was told the e-mail to a case manager was sent marked as a priority. 2/12- I was told it was in the que of a case manager and another e-mail was sent. 2/19-I was told to send a copy of my receipt to Samsung. So I am still waiting.......