Customer Reviews

Samsung LN52A750 52-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

5 star:		(350)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

[...]

Amazon tracking indicated it would take 2 weeks to arrive. CEVA tracking listed it at two days earlier. I received the call for delivery in less than a week - and this included the holiday period!

CEVA showed up with it yesterday. The heavy cardboard box had an 18" gash/tear in it and my heart sank. They removed the box and I noticed the screen was supported about 8" from the cardboard and there were no signs that whatever caused the gash had touched anything. We quickly plugged it into the wall and ran it thru some of the built-in menus. Relief - everything worked fine. With the 30-day return guarantee there was nothing more to worry about.

The previous day Amazon had delivered a new Onkyo receiver to replace my older Yamaha. I had already disconnected the Yamaha and wired all the components and speakers to this new receiver (to take advantage of its HDMI capabilities). It now only took a couple hours to make the final connections with the receiver, cable sysem, over-the-air antenna, HTPC and network.

Every single system worked perfectly, even though it sometimes took a few minutes to discover the correct input settings on each device to get everything communicating. The biggest surprise was the quality of the picture. After reading everything I could find on various forums I expected to have some tweaking to do before obtaining the best images. While critically inspecting the imagery for each type of input I could not see a need to adjust anything! Just for experimentation I did make a few selections of alternate settings, but always wound up returning to the original. I'll likely use an Avia program to verify adjustments later, but can't imagine any improvement.

The "halo effect" feature on the upper and lower bezel was obvious (albeit faint) to see, but it was not distracting. In fact, if there were a switch available to turn it on and off, I'd still leave it on - it's neat! The red bezel highlighting (the TOC) is so subtle that it is nearly invisible. If I didn't know it was there I'd likely not have even noticed it. Perhaps it would be more visible in a room with bright daylighting?

Another neat feature is the touch sensitive controls on the lower right bezel. They are invisible until you touch the area, causing them to temporarily sequentially illuminate. I haven't fully explored this feature yet.

Another nice feature was discovering that I could hook up the computer to HDMI connection #2 and play computer games without any special adjustments. There was no lag or any problem except that I'll need to upgrade the computer's video card in order to take the display all the way up to its full resolution. Nevertheless, the Samsung must have been upscaling the image since it was extremely sharp. (Same thing with the 480i DVDs we played on it - very sharp). When not in use we intend to leave the computer hooked up so the Samsung will continuously display it's screensaver which cross-fades family photos like a huge digital picture frame.

The Samsung has a TOSLINK out connection which I connected to the receiver. This vastly simplifies audio connections since all audio sent to the TV can be amplified from a single connection to the receiver. If you can connect everything via HDMI there will be significantly fewer wires and a much more simplified operation.

The only thing I would have preferred is if the base would swivel. I understand the 650 models swivel, can't imagine why Samsung wouldn't include that feature here.

We're very happy with this purchase.

EDIT- 6-18-08
After nearly 3 weeks of use we are even more impressed with this TV.

I have upgraded the video card on the attached computer so that it can now attain full 1080p resolution, only to find the text too small to be readable at a normal viewing distance of about 12 feet with my 60-yr-old eyes. Backing off the resolution makes the text large enough to read while retaining its razor-sharpness.

The attached computer is connected with a wireless hub to my home network, allowing it to stream pictures, music, or movies from any of the computers. The TV must be upconverting the movies to 1080p because they are displayed more clearly than when sent to a regular computer monitor.

The hub also provides a patch cable to the TVs' network port, which allows it to run all the InfoLink connection functions (weather, news, stocks) without the need to even configure that connection.

We added a PS3 a week ago to view blu-ray movies. What an incredible picture! Even though we are using inexpensive $3 HDMI cables, there was no flickering or other problem as reported on another Amazon review. My son tested out his new Metal Gear PS3 game and was impressed with the image and game play. We used the default settings and did not even switch to "game" mode.

We've now had time to run THX and TVBlink video calibration tests and were not surprised to find that all the default settings were already set to the optimum values for our personal tastes.

The set is now mounted on one of those entertainment center "stalks" which allows it to be easily rotated (for easier access to the rear connections). This mounting has taken care of the only complaint we had about this set - its' lack of a swivel base.

Edit - 7-16-08
After 6 weeks of use I must say that this has proven to be one awesome piece of electronics. I simply cannot believe how great this set has performed. The color and details have greatly exceeded my highest expectations. We have begun replaying our old DVD library because the upscaling capabilities built into this set appears to make them very comparable to the Blu-Ray movies we've viewed. It's like seeing a new movie!

It is quite a kick to be using the computer while watching the nightly news in HD via the PIP function.

A lot of people have calibrated their sets using the published settings on AVSforum.com. We tested all of those settings and found that they each resulted in a darker picture that has lost details in shadowy areas and the colors are dull, without the "pop" of the factory settings. Keep in mind that our entertainment area is in a dark, windowless room which should make viewing dimmer features easier. We tried compensating the calibration with various picture adjustments but were unable to attain comparable performance. After a week of trying to perceive any improvements we reverted our settings back to the original, tweaked, factory settings.

Several people have made similar observations, leading us to a conclusion that either there is a wide discrepancy between personal preferences and/or each of these sets have varying image displays. We have no doubt that many people do see improved performance after calibrating their sets - but before you spend a lot of money on professional calibration try the AVSforum settings first to verify if you see any improvement.


The only complaint we have is that we've now been spoiled by what this set can do. We picked up a new Samsung T260HD computer monitor (which also includes an HDTV tuner). This is a 26" monitor that has a similar TOC bezel to match the LN52A750. You can read our review here on Amazon - in a nutshell, we are disappointed with it's performance.

I've been agonizing over an HDTV purchase for months. My 32" 480p Samsung CRT just wasn't doing it for me anymore. It was time to delve into HD now that it has been around for awhile with major tech innovations (1080p, 120hz, and more). I feel as though it will be many years before a *significant* new HD technology comes along. Here is a list of what I've been agonizing over (and probably you too) and why I made the decision for the 750.

1. LNxxa750 vs LNxxa650

I spent some time drooling over the LN52a650 until I came across LN52a750. I searched and searched to see if there was a performance difference between the two sets. I finally found someone with some knowledge and indeed the 750's use a different (more powerful) internal processor than the a650's. For how incredibly small the price difference is between the 650 and 750 I'm surprised people still shop the 650. Not to mention the regal-looking bezel on the 750, the woofer for those without a home theater system, and some other minor goodies. Bottom line, if you're flip-flopping between the two - stop. Just buy 750.

2. What size? 52, 46, or even 40?

Of course I wanted the largest size I could get. HD is a whole new ball game, and even a 52" model is not as big as it sounds. In fact after having this for a couple weeks now I am beyond relieved I didn't buy a smaller size. (I typically sit about 7 feet from the screen.). Please take my word on this. You will never regret buying too big. Unless you're in a tiny dorm room, the 52" will not overpower you. If you buy a smaller size just be warned you will be longing for the 52 before too long.

3. Samsung or Sony 41 series?

I went to 3 different big box stores to compare side by side. The picture on the 750 just blows away anything else in these stores. It's amazing how two sets with similar specs can have such different displays. The gloss finish just has the colors and contrast jumping off the screen. Sony makes solid products in general, but so does Samsung. It took only a matter of seconds to realize that the Sony 41 series has a boring picture compared to the 750.

4. Plasma or LCD?

With the glossy screen and various black adjustments in the menu, you're getting the best of both worlds with the 750. It has contrast like that of a higher end plasma, but also performs beautifully in a well lit room. Plasmas are just plain dim and dull. With how bright and vivid the 750's screen is, I have not had any issues with reflections. If you look at the models offered by most companies, it's clear that plasma is dying just as DLP is.

5. The "halo effect"

Non-existant. I've watched HD cable, games, and blu-rays in a pitch black room and cannot see the supposed halo that some people are whining about. In fact, I'm almost disappointed because I wanted to see what the hubbub was all about. Apparently Samsung has eliminated this.

6. Amazon or a partner seller?

Local big box stores sell this unit for (including tax) anywhere from $500 - $800+ more. Insane. I knew I'd be ordering it from Amazon. But sometimes the partner sellers are cheaper...what to do. It just so happened that the day I ordered it Amazon had the lowest price. But had they not, I still would have paid the extra small price difference to get it from Amazon. I have no experience with the partner sellers but felt I'd have more recourse with Amazon if a problem occurred.

7. Gaming performance

I also bought a PS3 and Xbox 360 at the same time. Both are stunning, and nope, no input lag on either system using very inexpensive HDMI 1.3 cables. (However, I've read of people's feedback on the a650 where they have experienced lag. This is where the superior processor of the 750 comes in). I've played fast-paced shooters, racing, and adventure games with no lag issues. I may have had a minor lag issue with SOF on the 360 but that could just be the game. Games on the 52a750 will have you hypnotized, especially if it's your first foray into HD.

8. Sound

Could care less. I'm using a home theater system, but with the 750's woofer I'm sure the sound is good/great for a flat panel unit.

9. Light and glare from the glossy finish

Has not been an issue for me. At all.

10. Final thoughts

Comcast HD (via Motorola box), PS3 Blu-Ray, PS3 games, Xbox 360 games all look incredible. I sometimes watch content that I'd otherwise be bored with just because of the gorgeous picture. Plasma has nothing on the a750 and gaming is lag-free via HDMI. Buy this TV and your friends (especially those owning plasmas) will be envious if not outright jealous.

I was bouyed by what others have written in their reviews as well as my own experience as to what I saw in the stores when deciding what TV to buy.

So when I received this model TV I was anticpating an amazing experience with my first High Definition television. At first I was blown away by the picture. But then, when I started to watch a movie at night when the room was dark, I noticed that the clear beveled edge glass of the frame was reflecting light back at me and it was very distracting.

I found that if I shifted myself higher in my seat by as little as a few inches, the reflection at the top disappeared. But I still saw the reflection on the sides. But do I have to sit at a perfect angle and location in the room to fully enjoy a not so cheap TV?

I called Samsung technical support and the person I spoke to said that yes, they were aware of this problem but that it was not a large enough concern to them to change the design to correct.

They recommended that I consider exchanging the 750 for the 650 series whose only difference was a few features as the 650 does not have this design flaw.

So while the picture is fantastic, I can hardly rate this TV very highly when I have to put black tape around the glass frame to hide the reflections.

In 1986, I was fortunate to have Sony's first HDTV cameras, recorders and projection system in the studio where I worked. Yes, that was 22 years ago and the technology was analog. But it looked great and we projected it on a screen 6 or 7 feet tall. Still, I wondered, why would anyone buy this new technology for "just twice" as sharp a picture?

Jump to 2008. During the last 6 months, I watched as specialists installed my new all HD studio where I work now. This time, of course, it is digital. It's also Sony all the way and the recording media is Blu-ray, so I'm getting pretty familiar with the new generation of Sony HD, but was still watching the "old 525 line NTSC" stuff at home because I hadn't seen anything on display at any stores that was that magic combination of "high end; low price".

Then, a couple months ago, we bought a 50" Sony Bravia for our conference room at work and I hooked up a brand new Sony PS3 to it. The picture was beautiful and I decided to see if it was time to buy one for home use.

Online reviews were very good for the Sony and I had already decided that an LCD would be better for home than a plasma after seeing how both held up at work. So, a little over a week ago, I checked everything they had at the local Best Buy. The salesman there agreed with me that the Sony was about as good as it gets. Then, surprising me, he said he'd buy the Samsung 7 series over the Sony. I asked him about price; $3,050 he quoted. The there would be a 9.25% sales tax, too.

I went home and read the specs on the Sony and the Samsung only to discover that the Series 7 seemed better than the Bravia. And a side-by-side in-store comparison made the Samsung look very impressive. I checked more online sources and found that the new Samsungs, like the Sonys, were highly regarded.

Research done, I checked Amazon's price. At $2,724, I would save almost $600, so I ordered one. I've spent the last 3 days installing it and all the associated audio stuff, PS3 and DVD burner in a custom cabinet. It looks great turned off, but when you turn it on and fire up the Blu-Ray ("Planet Earth-The Complete Series") which got here the same day, I was just blown away!

I have learned several things: the Hi Def stuff is great, but the SD stuff from Dish and local analog broadcasts isn't as satifying on the new Samsung as on the old CRT. You can sit a lot closer to a 52" screen than I thought - about 12' is our viewing distance. New TVs, and this one in particular, do a lot more than just display video - and do it well. Like a computer, this TV can crash. It's happened just once and it had to be "rebooted" by disconnecting the power.


Also, I am really pleased with how Amazon handled the whole purchase. Everything, including delivery went smoothly. But here's the most surprising thing: A couple days after ordering the unit, Amazon dropped the price (temporarily, it seems). So, I emailed customer service and requested that they credit my account with the difference. That was on a Sunday nite. The next morning I had two emails from them. The first said they would review the situation and the second said they had already credited my account with $190. Service doesn't get any better!!!

Update 6-21-08

We have subscribed to Comcast cable since my initial review. We also got the HD-DVR and the HD channels. Cable, to my surprise, renders SD pictures slightly better than the Dish, however, I am now connected through HDMI instead of Y/C. That means a digital input instead of an analog hookup. I am still disappointed with 4:3 analog stuff compared to our older CRTs. Even digital 4:3 (480i) content looks unacceptable. However, all true HD stuff (including 720i)is good to fabulous.

It is so good, in fact, that something you start to notice when watching HD content (especially network news) is just how all the different recording formats display on your new TV relative to one another. Footage shot in the field, for example, often looks really awful when on-screen with the studio cameras (as when the anchor is on one side of the picture - split screen - and a field reporter is on the other). Likewise, all older analog 4:3 stuff which has been upconverted for HD looks pretty grim, as do over-the-air broadcasts whether shot on film or tape originally.

On the other hand, this LCD makes a wonderful (huge) computer screen and I don't see how you could expect more for games and/or Blu-ray movies. You will probably be disappointed with upconverted DVDs, however, (played, in this case, on a PS3).

Most users will probably be confused with the unending list of menu items, and frankly, adjustments like "gamma" will simply confuse most people, especially when you have multiple levels of "dynamic" adjustments, "black", "contrast" and other controls which tend to be interactive and produce similar results. You can, quite literally, drive yourself nuts trying to get everything tweaked. On the other hand, if you're really picky (like, say, you color adjust photo prints for a living), you should be able to dial in nearly what you want on a good 1080 source.

The built in speakers just don't sound very good and are slightly "out-of-sync" with the analog (RCA) outs, so if you have both the TV and an external receiver turned up, you will hear a distinct delay echo. It's my understanding that this is better with the digital outs, but I do not yet have the gear to test it.

The most surprising thing I'm learning by using this latest LCD technology is just how uneven is this transition from analog to digital. It looks like it will be literally years before most of the legacy content is converted to HD digital (and how do you improve the quality of stuff shot on 16mm film in 1944, or TV series shot live in the studio in the sixties so that it will look great in HD?). Well, the answer is, of course; "You don't."

A few folks have commented on the very reflective screen surface and surround. I do, in fact, find the reflections(we have this TV in a room with windows on both walls perpendicular to the screen) slightly objectional when compared to the Sony with a more matte finish. Room lamps can, likewise, be problematic. We find the best solution (in the evening, at least) to be indirect lighting from a not-very-bright source that adds some illumination to the room but no direct reflections on the screen.

Is now the time to buy HD? Frankly, I was holding out for OLEDs, but this current level of technology is just mature enough and affordable enough to jump in now. Prices on LCDs are coming down fast and the next generation of technology won't be cheap for some time to come. If you have been waiting for the right time to ditch your CRT, now is a great time - especially with the switch to all digital transmission in Feb '09.

As a TV I cannot complain. The 1080p resolution is great. The 120hz update rate is amazing. Watching television, playing games, and watching movies is very enjoyable.

So all the fundamental reasons for me getting a new TV are met, however all the 'extra' features come up a little short. The DLNA feature currently useless for me. The Samsung server software can only host videos and pics that are on your local harddrive. I have all my stuff on an external harddrive. TVersity currently does not play well w/ the tv either. Hopefully Samsung or someone will release a better DLNA server app.

The RSS feeds to the television are nice, but are not configurable. So the only feed you can get is from usa today.

PIP is only possible with analog signals, meaning you cannot watch two HDMI inputs are the same time. (Who has a 52 inch 1080p tv and watches 2 analog inputs?)

The sound system is not great. Eventhough it comes with a (or extra) woofer, the sound is about the same as any other tv out there. I dont really notice a difference. I havent heard the sound from the 650 series, but I cant imagine that there is that much difference.

So overall I am pleased with the purchase because all of my requirements were met, but all the 'bells and whistles' came up short. I probably would have been just as happy with 650 series, but amazon had such a great price (low price, free shipping, no tax) on this one I cant really complain. If you are looking to save a few bucks get the 650. I am crossing my fingers that there will be in the near future a firmware update which will resolve the DLNA and RSS feed issues. If this becomes the case I will REALLY be pleased with the TV.

The one thing I really prefer over the 650 is the touch of color on the 750 goes around the entire tv, whereas the 650 only has it on the top and bottom. This is purely aesthetic reason and it can only be seen in a well lit room.

On a side note, CEVA delivered the TV 6 days earlier than the expected arrival date. The TV was ordered on thursday and it was in my house by the next week friday (6 days). I live in california and the TV originated from the east coast.

As a person that has researched into buying a great HDTV for 3 ENTIRE YEARS, I would love to contribute a full and thorough review for this TV so EVERYBODY can see and fully understand this TV. I will talk about my methodology in purchasing this particular TV at the end.

I decided to pull the trigger and purchase the 52" size of the A750 model on 1/1/09(Thurs). The order goes through like any other Amazon order does. Amazon provides you with tracking information via their website, HOWEVER I would suggest using your specific carrier's website to get DETAILED tracking information. If you copy and paste your order/tracking number from the Amazon tracking page, and copy and paste it in your carrier's tracking service your order should come up and be MUCH more specific and updated. For example, my carrier was Pilot Freight and their website is www.pilotdelivers.com. My package left a warehouse in Hebron, KY and was set for delivery to my address in Columbus, OH. On 1/6/09, I received a call from Pilot Freight(the carrier) to set up a date and time for delivery. I was given 4-hr windows for delivery of 10-2, 11-3, and 12-4. I could have had the TV delivered on 1/7/09, but scheduled for Thursday(1/8/09) instead. I was told the time I opted for that I could only have 1 guy deliver, that I would have to help him, and that I could not receive "white glove service". I was told this ahead of time, and the white glove service was available if I opted for other times. I simply had no problem and really didn't need the "white glove service"(as I will describe later). The driver called me 30 minutes before he arrived at my house, and when he arrived, he took the TV box and lowered it off the back of a standard freight box truck, carted it to the my house, and he helped me carry it in from there. I signed the papers and that was that. Here is a picture of what your box will look like.

[...]
Now, I want everybody to understand what most white glove service is. You will have 2 men arrive and carry the TV to a location in the house that you want. They will then unbox the TV and place it on the stand, plug it in just to make sure it works, and then leave. The exceptions are deliveries in cold weather. They may opt to not turn the COLD TV on until it warms up to room temperature. Also, they do not stick around for you to "test out" the TV or hook cable vision up in most cases. That's not their job or service. All they do is plug in the TV and make sure it turns on. I don't want anybody to have any unweary expectations or feel unsatisfied by the service. Some delivery guys may be more gracious and allow you to do so, but they don't HAVE TO. All in all, my TV was delivered in tip top shape, delivery guy was nice, and everything went according to plan.

Being cold in Columbus, OH, I allowed the TV to warm up for about 45 minutes. There is some debate as to whether or not you NEED to, but I would rather be safe than sorry, plus basic chemical properties of Liquid Crystal would suggest it would want to solidify more with the cold, so I played it safe. After the TV warmed up, I unboxed the TV by tearing one of the attached sides and sliding it out the side of the box. This is not necessary though, especially if you want to save the box if you get a defected TV. On the bottom of the box in the middle is a black plastic insert that attaches to a box within the box. If you can separate the box from the interior box, the main box you see from the outside simply lifts up and over the TV leaving the TV in it's much smaller box that it sits in. From there, you have a TV already attached to it's stand wrapped in a soft white film wrap, and an accessory bag wrapped in a plastic bag. In the accessory bag, you have the remote, manual, warranty card, batteries, bottom cover, ferrite core clips, and a few other things. The bottom cover confused most, but it is meant for those of whom want to wall mount their TV. The plastic cover bottom piece is inserted in the portion where the TV stand would be taken out of. The ferrite core clips are intended to be clipped around your HDMI cables near the TV to prevent interference from the other nearby cables(This is shown in the first couple pages of the manual).

For those people that want an early look at the manual, they can check it out online to get an idea of what do when the TV arrives:
[...]

You insert your power cord, cable line, HDMI cables, and hit the power button on the remote. You will hear a melody telling you the TV is on, then the TV will run you through the initial setup. After that, you hit the "source" button the remote and choose what source you want the TV to display.

I hooked my 52A750 up and was truly impressed. I had a PS3 already and hooked it up to the TV via HDMI, and played Wall-E and Transformers on Blu-ray disk. The picture needed quite a bit of adjusting out of the box, but it was still gorgeous. Before explaining more, I will point out some differences between the A650 and A750:

-750 has an integrated woofer
-16-bit processor vs. 12-bit in 650 (10-bit panel in both)
-750 has DLNA features (can stream audio/video/etc. over a home network)
-750 can play video off of DLNA/USB flash drive. 650 limited to images/audio
-750 comes with 1GB internal flash memory pre-loaded with HD pictures, games, recipes, and a few other things
-750's controls on the bezel have a red backlight. 650's controls have no backlight

[...]

-750 has a square bezel compared to the 650's rounded bezel
-750 has a square stand compared to the 650's oval stand
-750 stand does not swivel (contrary to Samsung's literature)

I chose the A750 over the A650 for a couple reasons. The A750 had what was in my opinion, a more attractive bezel. There is more of a clear portion around the edge, then the red touch of color, then the black bezel itself. The A650 has more of a a beveled and rounded bezel with a chromillusion touch of color scheme. I also prefered the square bezel on the A750 more. The other reason I chose the A750 was the addition in 2 extra woofers(not subwoofer) speakers in the back up the set to provide extra mid range bass as I am using the TV without any other audio hookups. DLNA is useful for those of whom want to use it. Also, you can put movies on thumbdrives and insert the thumbdrive to the TV to watch movies from the thumbdrive, which is something the A650 can't do. For the small extra price at the time, it seemed perfectly normal for me to choose the A750 instead with all the little extra perks.

The picture quality of my set is great. The blacks are the best you can possibly get from a non-LED LCD set. The blacks are not as good as a Pioneer Kuro, but a Kuro also costs significantly more. Motion handling is great as well with the Auto-Motion Plus feature. There is some confusion that Auto-Motion Plus IS 120Hz for the TV. The TV is ALWAYS 120Hz regardless of what setting AMP is on. AMP simply creates a synthetic image between 2 actual frames of footage and plays the synthetic image in between frame 1 and 2 on the screen for a smoother image. One bigger plus of AMP is that it creates an even more 3 dimensional look to images. Wall-E on Blu-ray looks like an ACTUAL 3D box. The depth of the image is great. Some people may not like Auto-Motion Plus, as the 3D capability creates what many call a "soap opera effect". If you have seen a soap opera on TV and notice how it tries to portray scenes in real life, as opposed to your typical movie film, you will know what I am talking about. A great at home example, would be to look at an area, and then actually focus on one 3D object such as a chair and you can see how it focuses on 3D qualities of the chair while being more out of focus with the rest of the area. It's all where your focus is. While watching Transformers, Megan Fox appears to "pop out" of the screen around the surrounding area and Starscream does as well when he transforms out of the F22 to his robotic form in the city. Personally, I love the AMP. It presents a 3D image for what you are watching through the screen. There are some moments when you actually think something may pop out of the screen. Color accuracy of the set is top notch. Movie Mode with color setting on Warm 1 are pretty close to real life, however the TV provides quite an array of options for you to tweak. I do have some quarrels with the settings though as "Game mode" is fixed at backlight 7, which is incredibly bright at night time, plus some other settings are fixed at certain modes. However, I typically only use Movie and Dynamic Modes and they give me a good selection of tweaks to use. At night time, I usually never go past backlight 2 in my 12x12 room as it is incredibly bright from such a large screen. Shadow detail is one of the hardest things to obtain on this TV and most all other TVs. For one, however the video quality is recorded in the first place makes a big difference. However, I did tend to have flooded black scenes with little detail. I am actually still trying to get the "best" out of the TV, but by upping a few contrast settings and keeping the deep blacks, yet increasing the brightness of the detail, I have pretty good shadow detail now. I find it to be more of me being nit picky at this point as HDTV is spoiling me. Standard definition with a digital cable box is quite bad as you can imagine. This isn't so much the TV, but just how big TVs on standard definition look. I watch almost exclusively HD channels now, so SD channels are not a big deal for me. The SD content is tolerable, and at times with the TV upscaling the SD image can look quite good in 4:3 picture size. The content feature of the TV is kind of a needless nick-nack feature they threw in that includes recipes, fitness, games, and pictures pre-loaded on the TV. It is sometimes nice though to set it to some of the gallery clips when you just want the TV on and want images and music being played by the TV off to the side. The remote is a pretty basic remote. It has a rather annoying, yet useful scrolling wheel that you move with your finger to select options. Sometimes it is useful, but since the "Enter" button is right in the center of it, it can become cumbersome at times. Also, the remote does not have a PIP button which would be handy, although the TV does have PIP on it. I can pretty much guarantee game lag is around 20ms or so, however I have noticed none whatsoever, and am just going off broad tests by fellow reviewers. Bottom line, I notice no game lag when I play Dynasty Warriors 6 and GT5. The screen is a semi-gloss screen meaning it does have glare. I do not notice the glare even with 3 large bay windows just to the right of the TV in a 12x12 room. However, if you have windows right behind your TV, I suggest maybe considering the A630 with the semi-matte screen. I opted for the A750 because Sony's and the A630's semi-matte screens lack just a bit of pop that the semi-gloss screen on the A750 provides. The bezel around the screen is quite glarey, but gorgeous to look at. Many people don't like the touch of color with the TV. I also notice many misunderstand the touch of color on the A750. On the A650, the touch of color resembles chromillusion paint and shows touch of color where the light reflects off of it. This is not the case with the A750. The bezel itself is piano black, but at the edge is the red touch of color, then the clear part of the bezel. Here is a picture to indicate what I am talking about:
[...]

40 inch next to 52 inch:[...]

The touch of color is extremely subtle for those who do not like it(I love it). In a dark room, it is non-existent, and in a bright room, it is a nice subtle shade of red around the edge. For all intensive purposes, when you walk into my bright room and see the TV, you immediately think it's black until you see the small, subtle shade of red around it. For those people that think the touch of color is TOO subtle, you can always place a light behind the TV to illuminate the bezel more like this:

[...]

Contrary to many people's beliefs, the bezel DOES NOT light up like a lot of people mistakenly think. There is a "defect" on the A750 set called the "halo" in which light from the screen is refracted up towards the clear edge of the bezel and illuminates it right at the edge. Here are some pics of this "defect". If you look closely you can see the light around the edge of the bezel:
[...]
This is the most common "defect" and happens on most sets, including mine, but I don't really view it as a "defect". I find it asthetically pleasing personally, and it doesn't distract me in the least. Many people find it distracting, but if it's distracting you must not be watching what's on the TV. It's not a big deal in my opinion at least. Some sets have flashlighting or clouding which is typical for all LCD TVs. A bad set would have flashlighting and clouding in dark content from the sides(usually). My set has a little flashlighting in the top left and middle right edge, but it is not noticeable when anything is being displayed other than a pitch black picture(like an all black background picture). I do not notice it in any movie content, night scenes, etc. so it is somewhat of a null issue for me. Each technology has it's own little issues. LCDs have flashlighting and clouding, and blur(I notice barely any on the A750) while plasmas have ghosting, dithering, and potential burn-in(even though it's been practically nullified).

The TV does occasionally pop and jump around when you change the HDMI source from the cable box to my PS3, but I'm used to it and it's a minor annoyance. The audio on the TV is great from what I've heard. The bass tends to defeat the standard sound(like theatres), however the sound quality is great from what I've heard. Incredibly loud too as 50% of the max sound while watching Transformers was shaking my windows. There is a Hz equalizer in the settings menu to custom change the audio sound, and SRS Tru-Surround sound is an option to turn on as well. The speakers fire downwards and out the back of the TV, so I suppose the sound is a little distorted and sounds distant compared to face firing speakers, but for a stand alone TV, I think it sounds great, and with the TV parallel to a wall in an octagon shaped room, the acoustics work for me nicely. All in all, I'm thrilled with the purchase. Everything has worked out and the TV is absolutely gorgeous whether it is playing content on screen or sitting in the room turned off. Unless you have the budget for a Pioneer Kuro, A950, or XBR8 of the same size, I would highly recommend the A750 if you think it suits your needs.

---I researched HDTVs for 3 years before deciding on a 52A750. I visited 12 different Best Buy, Circuit Citys, and HHGreggs multiple times each before making my decision to buy through Amazon. When looking at an HDTV in store, don't just look for one that grabs your eye as the "best picture". Remember most all of the TV manufacturers set the TV as bright and unrealistically colorful as possibly to draw your eye to it in the store. Play with the TVs and setting and THEN start judging. After doing so, do it at multiple locations, as some sets may be worn down, defective, or just have a bad HD feed into them. Play with the TVs and try to get a picture that you are happy with. The AVS guys at www.avsforum.com provide GREAT information on these HDTVs including personal reviews, comparisons, calibration settings, and whatever else you can think of on HDTVs. Amazon has been great to deal with and the purchase was seamless, and I'm enjoying my 52" A750 in my living room right now.

I could not wait for delivery company to bring to me. They said a couple of days and I said I can't wait. So I went to freight depot and picked up. Brought home 4 days ago, so still fine tuning all available options. You have never seen anything so beautiful to look at and the picture clairity is 2nd to none. This is my 2nd HD, the first a Vizio 37 inch. I know that they are not close in resolution but the brightness, shiny black finish, glass like screen, touch of red around outer edge, ethernet hookup to computer, DLNA, and all the other connections and options place this tv at the very top for me. My wife and I spent days and weeks searching for the perfect tv. We think that the Samsungs out did everything, maybe not a lot, but on brightness and resolution it really stood out. Then when you throw in price factor it is a no brainer to purchase this tv.
Absolutely thrilled to death.

Dan
Germantown,Ohio

TV Grade: A-

Pros:
- HD Picture Quality: As I say below, this is my first LCD TV, but I've seen many in my years and the PQ is excellent, especially considering the price. The blacks look great, the colors pop, and once I played with the picture settings, it looked even better
- SD Picture Quality: For a 52" LCD the standard definition picture is very good. While obviously not as good a CRT or a non-HD-LCD, it still is excellent.
- No issues (at least on mine) with clouding, mura, banding, pillaring, etc
- Viewing angle is excellent
- Look of the bezel
- Glossy screen isn't as reflective as my old CRT
- Lots of picture adjustments
- General connectivity (DNLA, Wiselink, Infolink, etc)

Cons:

- Only one HDMI input that does anything by switching it to PC
- Remote and more importantly the remote UI is poorly conceived. Example: No button for changing AMP settings, and getting to PIP is convoluted.
- A lot of the picture adjustments are limited to certain input types and/or modes
- Bezel is very easy to scratch
- DNLA limits on codecs allowed
- No wireless DNLA
- Auto energy-saving setting needs a little work

Potential benefits/concerns, but not necessarily a pro or a con, IMO:

- Lag

It's been discussed a lot in this thread. It will bother some, others won't notice it, and depending on the settings, lag can be extremely minimized. At the end it's up to the owner.

- Halo

Basically in a dark room a little light emits from the edges of the bezel creating a 'halo' over the TV. Some like it, some really dislike it, some don't even notice it. Decide for yourself. It is rare that I watch anything in pitch black, but when I have it hasn't bothered me. There is a solution for those that do have an issue with it but like the TV otherwise.

- Touch of Color (TOC)

The red bezel. I like it, my wife likes it and to both us we don't notice it that much. Again to each their own. The biggest thing with the bezel is how easily it's surface can get scratched, even with a soft microfiber cloth.

- Short Summary

I really enjoy the TV and everything it offers. The picture quality positive easily outweighs any (and all) of the negatives the TV has, by itself.

Slightly longer review

Preface:

This is my first LCD screen. I've waited 2 years to buy one, mainly because I never saw a TV I liked. . . . Saw a review on the 650 and knew the 750 was out. Went to the local store and saw the 750 and really liked it. I waited a few weeks, maybe a month, and finally took the plunge of buying a TV via Amazon.

Ordering and delivery:

Simple.

The order was delayed a few days from the original estimated ship date of the 22nd of May - the day I ordered it - to the 27th, because of some random reason.

TV shipped on the 4th. Amazon's system had the TV reaching the local CEVA warehouse on the 5th, but Amazon's system was incorrect. I used CEVA's system and they were right on with their estimate.

CEVA came to the house, unboxed the TV, placed it on my stand, let me hook up my computer via a DVI>HDMI cable to see if I had any dead pixels and/or glaring issues. None. They left. Very courteous.

Aesthetics:

One of the reasons I bought the 750 over the 650 is because the bezel. I like the squared off bezel of this better then the rounded one of the 650. It wasn't a big difference, but the price difference of the two models when I got the 750 was negligible.

The downside of the TOC is how easily the bezel can get scratched. The TV has been in my possession for about 3 weeks and it already has 2 scratches on it from just getting wiped down. The bezel seems to collect dust rather quickly, while the screen does not.

Before I bought the TV I had heard how most LCDs have a reflective screen to bring out add more pop, but the reflectiveness was a distraction. I already was coming from a CRT which was pretty reflective, which I didn't like at all. To my surprise the LN52A750 is less reflective then my CRT and doesn't distract from my viewing, even during the day.

The 'halo' is only visible when it is dark and at 10 feet from the TV, my eyes don't see it when I'm watching TV. Some might not like it, but I don't think it is an issue. Go to a store and check it out yourself to see if you like it or not.

The Nuts and Bolts:

- Picture Quality

Wow! In one word.

The picture quality is pretty great. Out of the box the TV's settings were pretty good, but once I played with the settings, it was even better.

I don't have a bluray or hi-def DVD player, just an older progressive scan player (not even one of those upconverting ones). But DVDs on that player look great. One day I'll get a bluray player and I'll be even happier.

Comcast HD looks wonderful, with basketball games really showing what the TV does. No TBE (triple ball effect) at all.

The standard def, is very good too. Not CRT quality, but better then what I've seen out of most, if not all LCDs.

The TV has a lot of picture options that one can play with. There are certain limitations, as Samsung has limited what can be changed on certain inputs/modes, but hopefully that will be corrected in future FW updates. But the abundance of settings options should allow the TV to be set to appease anyone's eyes.

- On-screen menu and remote UI

The remote is lacking in a lot of ways. Not in the design itself, but the lack of being able to 1-touch things like Auto Motion Plus, Picture-in-Picture, brightness, etc without going into the menus, sometimes delving much deeper into a menu than would make sense.

The menus themselves are fine and easily navigable, but it just takes too many steps to get to certain pieces that should be easier to switch quickly.

Also there is a lack of being able to program certain buttons on the remote (namely the colored buttons) based on what the user needs. In this day and age you would figure having at least a few programmable buttons would be commonplace.

- Connects

The four HDMI's are nice. What isn't nice that they all seem to act a tad differently from one another. For example labeling HDMI4 (the one on the side) as a PC does nothing and it seems to act a bit slower to begin with. But HDMI2, when labeled PC, completely eliminates process, hence lag (at least in my tests).

The TV handles the switching fine, but the lack of being able to do the same thing to any of the HDMI's is a mistake.

This might have more to do with the Movie Mafia - MPAA - but not allowing 5.1 out via optical seems wrong and a tad limiting.

- Sound

To tell you truth, except for my first turn on and off of the TV, I haven't listened to the internal speakers as everything is going through my receiver, so I can't say much about it.

- As a computer monitor, streaming, etc

I haven't tried DNLA yet, as I need to get a wireless bridge, but I have hooked up my laptop to the TV numerous times.

Initially I had hooked it up to HDMI4 and the results were okay. I had trouble playing certain files through that port (namely quicktime ones). But I moved the input to HDMI2 labeled it PC and everything played on the TV just fine. I even removed the PC label and everything played just fine and I had no sound lag either.

If being used just as a monitor, text is clear and legible even from 10 feet away. From up close the text is smooth too.

- Uniformity

First thing I did was test for dead pixels and any obvious defects when CEVA dropped the TV off. Nothing seemed to stand out.

I then tried a lot of different files, movies, etc and nothing wrong stood out again.

And then I ran TVBlink.com's DVD and only one minor thing stood out, but I think it was source related more then anything else. On the Color Antialiasing test, the circles are to be smooth. Two of my circles (purple and blue) had rolling hills, not steps. It changed when I used my computer's DVD instead of the standalone one.

Nothing else really stood out.

No pillaring, no clouding/mura, no flashlights, etc. I'm sure there are some irregularities some might notice, but my wife, a few friends, and I haven't seen anything so that is good enough.

- Gaming/Lag

I only have the Wii. And I've noticed no discernible lag when playing games on it in any mode (Game mode, Standard mode, etc) all played the same for me.

I had run tests out of curiosity's sake more then for any other reasons. Yes, there is lag on this TV, but it is highly dependent on your settings and what you can live with and can't live with.

There was 0ms lag when I labeled HDMI2 to PC (8 tests - 8 @ 0ms). Game mode gave me a lag of 20ms to 30ms (9 tests - 3 @ 20ms, 6 @ 30ms). Extremely acceptable numbers for an LCD TV of this magnitude and standard mode's lag with AMP at low was generally clocked between 50ms and 70ms (8 tests 4 @ 50ms, 2 @ 60ms, 2 @ 70ms). A little higher.

The outcomes are based solely on my tests, on my TV, using my equipment. Others might have varying results.

- Audio/Lag

I have not encountered audio lag. As mentioned I have only used the TV speakers once or twice. Sound was in sync then. The rest of the time all sound is run through my receiver and the sync is perfect then too.

I do have my standard cable input into the TV with RCA audio out to the receiver and there is no audio lag there either.

- Halo

Well it's there, but not a concern on my part. I barely notice it, and when I do it's because I am looking for it.

- Power on input delay

This actually hadn't been in my mind until someone else brought it to my attention. If you are switching inputs from the TV Off status, it takes a little bit - actually 13000ms from the time the TV turns on and the input is switched to the appropriate one. Not sure why, but it can be a mild annoyance.

Final Thoughts

I really love the TV. I haven't hesitated to recommend this TV to anyone I know and one person did buy it and they are extremely happy with their purchase.

The styling of the 52A750 is nothing short of stunning!! The larger black glass bezel(as compared with the 650) on all four sides of the set with the TOC Red along with the wrap-up, thin clear strip gives the set a stately appearance that oozes quality. And, by the way but even more importantly, the picture quality in terms of color and sharpness as well as the gorgeous rich blacks is terrific. This set easily rivals the much more expensive LED backlit 81 Series and also compares favorably with my treasured Sony Qualia 007 46" LCD with the pioneering LED RGB backlighting which is also beautifully styled. Would not trade either set!

I had wanted to buy a wall mounted 52" LCD TV for a couple of years now but I could not get past the screen blur (pixelating) caused by fast moving scenes. Finally 120hz came along and virtually elimated the screen blur. With 120hz in the mix I decided to take the plunge and purchase a TV. I went to BB and CC to look at their line-ups and I went to the Tv with the best picture: Both places led me to Samsung LN52 models.

More research led me to the LN52A750 model. The poorest reviews given to it were based on the screen reflection on the inner bezel (inside lip of the TVs outer frame). This has been dubbed by reviewers as "the Halo Effect". I went back to both CC and BB and looked closely for this effect. I did notice it. It was very obviuos. However, I don't watch TV from the edge of the screen to the middle so it did not concern me that much. It however is there and could be annoying to some. It is very noticable in a dark room while watching bright scenes. Check it out at a store to see if it is tolerable for you or you will be disappointed if you buy this set. Note: I took my wife along and she noticed this effect on all the LCD TVs to some extent regardless of brand.

I searched on-line and decided to buy from Amazon because of its low price, free shipping, and very bonus NO TAX transaction. I saved over $500+ by buying from amazon. I was worried about making a major purchase like this on-line. However, with many positive reviews from amazon customers about deliveries and consumer reports high rating of amazon as a retailer of major appliances, I felt pretty good about it.

I ordered the Tv June 30th and was delivered July 6th to my living room. The two guys delivering it had me sign and they busted out the door...So much for white glove deliver service! I opened it. no problems, no big deal. The outer bezel is very scratchable and I wanted to take my time mounting it anyways. It wasn't very heavy but awkward to lift carefully. Set-up was easy. I just plugged in all the cords and it was ready to go. Now that I have had this TV for over a month now I have noticed a few things (good and bad) that I really wasn't clear on before I bought this TV.

First the bad:

The entire outer frame is very reflective. Daytime viewing with alot of light indirect or direct can be annoying. The screen is also very reflective however direct light seems to annoy me most. I only notice the indirect light when a dark scene is depicted.

The audio is only output to 5.1 if the TV program is 5.1. I am not that technical but the jist is that if you input by HDMI ex.playstation3 then the sound sent out to your receiver from the TV is only 2 channel. To get 5.1 you need to run a seperate cord from your PS3 or other component directly to your receiver. This seemed a design flaw but it is apparently digital rights mgmt junk.

The outer 1/8 inch of the entire frame is clear. Sometimes while watching a bright scene at night light hits the edge and it illuminates or reflects. This may be the "the halo effect" some are talking about instead of the inner screen reflections. It looks cool but it can be distracting at times.

The remote stinks. It is not a learning remote; so it only controls the TV and other select Samsung components I don't have. The wheel on it is so touchy it is useless. Also the remote has to be pointed exaggeratingly directly at the TV to work properly. My harmony remote, from the same distance, doesn't have this problem. I expected a much better remote with this TV

The TV is wireless ready meaning another optional $$$ purchase is needed to make it work.

The bonus content on the internal memory is read-only. You can not add to or delete it. Similar content can be downloaded from samsung.com to a thumb drive and displayed on the TV but it again can not be added to the memory of the TV. Basically what is on the TV will be on there forever???

Finally the codecs supported by the TVs software is limited. I have my computer hooked up to the TV via a DVI to HDMI cable and the supplied server software installed. Only 1/4th of my videos are playable on the TV. Either I have to convert my files or skip playing them.

Now the Good:

The picture clarity and quality are truley amazing compared to other TVs. I mean why would you look outside continually through a blurry dirty window if you didn't have to. This Tv seems the clean window , the rest the blurry ones. This is mostly why I had to buy a Samsung. Don't beleive me: Go to a store and pick out the clearest pictured TV and I bet it is a Samsung.

The 120hz makes for no noticable motion blur. It has 3 settings, I have yet to mess with them because I see no blur when watching baseball or football etc etc.

You can hook up to your router by wire to get news quotes, weather, and stock quotes from USA Today. It is cool and probably can and will be expanded upon with later firmware updates.

Finally the greatest asset of this TV for me is that it can be used as a 52 inch computer monitor. It is an awesome sight with my cordless keyboard and mouse, surfing the internet, reading email, writing this review (ha ha)! It was something I really didn't even think of before I bought this TV.

In short summary, IF YOU HAVE READ THIS FAR OR ARE STILL AWAKE...This TV ROCKS!!! The picture is awesomely clear, the price from Amazon without tax is the cheapest around, the reviews are mostly high, and it makes one helk of a computer monitor. Thanks!!!