Customer Reviews

Samsung LNS4092D 40-Inch LCD HDTV

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this HD LCD only after consulting various sites and A/V forums. I didn't compare displays in stores, or even look at any. I am very pleased with my choice.

The reason I chose the 4092 over the 4051 is because the 4092 has a newer generation processor, higher contrast ratios, and a more refined design in my opinion. And the cost difference was minor.

The reason I chose 1080i max, instead of 1080p max, is because 1080p technology is still new, and very few sources for true 1080p output exist. Perhaps this will change in the next year or two, but even then, professionals argue whether or not the human eye can even detect a difference between 720p/1080i and true 1080p. Not to mention, if you plan on using this as a computer monitor as well as a TV, any 12-point text would appear teensy-tiny on such a big 1080p display!

As for competing products, in my research, I found most A/V enthusiasts/tech-heads regard this display as being as good as or better than its main competitor (Sony's XBR line), price difference notwithstanding. I just went with those opinions, so I can't compare Sony v. Samsung personally. (Sony and Samsung produce most components of the screen together in a joint venture anyway, so you'd expect little difference). Also, I find the Samsung black case more elegant than Sony's silver.

In terms of order/delivery, Eagle shipping was top-notch, professional and prompt. I ordered on Nov 24th and was estimated to receive the item Dec. 13-21. It arrived at the local Eagle distribution center Dec. 5; they called me on the 7th and delivery was made on the 8th. The driver deboxed the TV and was required to stay to make sure the set turned on fine. It came already on the swivel stand - totally plug-and-play. No dead pixels, and the set operated fine then.

Prior to delivery, I went to the cable company local service center (highly recommended to do this) and got an HD "STB" (set top cable box), $5/mo charge for that (with DVR), along with a $5/mo add-on subscription to HD cable channels. (For Comcast and Cox customers, it's widely viewed that the 3416 Motorola DVR cable box/STB is better than the 6412 - I asked for the 3416 model specifically).

I also ordered the highly-rated Oppo 971 DVD player to make best use of the Samsung display's DVD-rendering. It's awesome, and plays DVD-Audio and DivX also.

I used the following connections:

* VIDEO: HDMI directly from cable STB to TV (for best viewing of HD channels)
* VIDEO: S-video directly from cable box to TV (for best viewing of "SD" Standard Definition channels)
* AUDIO: Optical digital cable for Dolby 5.1 Surround from cable HD STB to A/V receiver, bypassing the TV (because the TV will not output surround sound to your home theatre system, so it's best to use digital straight to the AV receiver and turn off the TV speakers, if you have that home theatre option)
* VIDEO: DVI->HDMI from DVD player to TV
* AUDIO: 5.1 Surround sound audio cables from DVD player to AV receiver
* VIDEO/AUDIO (optional): 5-cable Component Video (R/G/B + front channel L/R audio) cable from DVD player to A/V receiver, and video component in 3-cable R/G/B from receiver to TV (an alternative to digital connections in case your DVD player does not have HDMI/DVI out)
* VIDEO: Basic RCA video cable from VCR to TV
* AUDIO: Basic RCA audio cables from VCR to A/V receiver (for VCR sound to home theatre)

Also before delivery, I ordered and connected a power-filtering surge suppressor, the Belkin PF40, from Amazon. This does 2 important things:
1) isolates the power circuitry to reduce/eliminate interference between different AV components or other appliances, and
2) regulates delivery of power and protects against surges (small or large) which can shorten the life of the display.
Insurance, of sorts, as well as providing cleaner sound and picture. It seems to live up to those expectations, so I'm happy with that.

After plugging in the A/V connections to the back of the TV, I turned on the set. The colors were pushed, so I went into the TV settings and used the following ones for the "Custom" mode, which I am using for all inputs:

Energy Savings: High
Contrast: 82
Brightness: 90
Sharpness: 0
Color: 45
Tint: 50
Color Tone: Warm2
Digital NR: off (Samsung's "DNIe," I presume)
Film Mode: off
Game Mode: off (exaggerates colors bigtime)

As for the TV/cable picture quality, I am highly satisfied. I set the cable box to output a 720p signal. As expected, HD channels look the sharpest imaginable, and there is little-to-no lag with motion. The quality of your HD signals will vary based on your signal provider/source. My cable area ("head-end") was upgraded for improved HD frequencies last year. Some areas have not yet been (your cable company will be able to tell you), so your HD picture quality may vary, and it's not the fault of the set in that case. Also, some networks/stations produce better quality HD signals (NBC better than CBS, for instance). Also, when you go to the cable company local office to upgrade your STB from Standard cable to Hi-Def, make sure to tell them to turn on your "ADS" feature (that's what it is for Comcast anyway), which allows your HD cable box to automatically detect whether the channel signals are HD or SD. People at the 800 number generally don't know how to do that.

DVD picture quality is also amazing, near-HD, using the digital connection from my Oppo player. No significant difference between digital and component connections. I set the DVD player to output a 1080i signal.

Cable picture quality looks near-HD when using S-video cable to view Standard Def "SD" cable TV channels. SD channels are not (I believe) broadcast in 16:9 widescreen, so the Samsung TV has a "Zoom1" mode (Zoom modes work fine in my set) which enlarges the SD picture to use the full widescreen of the set. The tradeoff is that some of the top and bottom of the broadscast is cut off. You may wish to use the 4:3 standard-screen mode to view SD channels - there will be black sidebars on either side of the screen then.

Even the non-digital VCR images look the same as on high-quality tube set. No complaints there, for sure.

The TV has a sleep timer, useful if you fall asleep while watching DVDs, so that the TV's not on all night and the display life isn't shortened by that.

If you are a remote junkie, you might like to order the highly rated Harmony remote control, as you will not be thrilled with Samsung's. (But if you are a remote junkie, you probably already have the Harmony anyway.) For myself, Samsung's is alright now, but I have a learning remote for my Pioneer A/V receiver, which I may program to control the Samsung TV as well.

If you are considering upgrading your AV receiver along with getting an HD LCD TV, I would recommend getting an HD-enabled receiver, such as Onkyo's TX-SR604 or 674 ($350-$550). This will reduce the number of cables needed, and the sound quality and value of this Onkyo family is regarded to be excellent as well. You may as well order Onkyo surround sound speakers, if you need those, too. Terrific sound and value (although the Onkyo 604 and 674 receivers do not come with any "HT packages" at this time, so you would get them separately).

If you can stomach the price difference (I couldn't, but some may) and expect to view the TV from more than 9 or 10 feet away, spending the extra bucks for the Samsung LN-S4692D 46" model would be advisable. I am 10' away from the TV and the screen is barely big enough for the amount of money I spent.

All in all, extremely satisfied with Amazon, shipping, price, and Samsung LN-S4092D display!

Perhaps I just got caught up with the HDTV craze this Christmas, or perhaps I'm well-prepared for the coming HDTV revolution. Either way, think before buying any HDTV. I got this set - a few days later than the estimated delivery date, no big deal - and it is a gorgeous set. Features are easy to use, relatively light weight, handsome styling. And if you use it to watch, say, even a non-HD DVD (using HDMI), the picture is stunning.

I'm guessing the picture is also stunning if you have an HD signal, but that I can't tell you for sure. I'm a DirecTV subscriber in a rural area where no local stations send HDTV over the air. So I get no free HD signal, and the non-HD channels look fuzzy on an HDTV. Sort of like someone covered the screen in a glaze. Not horrible, but not as good as on an old-fashioned CRT television. So right now I have DVD playback that is far superior to what I had before, but about 60 channels of television which are inferior to what I had before.

I called DirecTV to see about getting an HD receiver, which was my plan anyway. I learned that, 1) HD receivers with DVR (recording) are in such short supply that I had to enter my name on a waiting list, 2) the HD plan only gave me about 5 HD stations (Discovery, ESPN, ESPN2, and a couple of others I didn't care about), 3) the HD plan required that I change receivers (of course), pay $10 more a month, and mysteriously pay $99 to lease the new receiver which was replacing another receiver I'd already "leased" at the same rate just a few months ago, 4) if my area had HD local channels - which it doesn't - I'd have to get my dish replaced to get them in HD.

So, had I gone the route I planned, I'd have given up 60 good looking channels and digital video recording to get 55 bad looking channels and 5 great (only 3 that I cared for), and lose video recording, and pay $99 upfront and $10 a month to boot, and if ever local goes HD, to get my dish replaced.

Bottom line is that HDTV has not yet matured to the point that it's a great idea for everyone. Urban users with free HD in the air will benefit most from an HDTV. Satelite users like myself will have to wait for a future, hopefully soon, in which there are more than three or for HD channels available, and in which HD receivers with DVR capability are not so rare. Right now all we get is superior DVD playback, and a ton of fuzzy non-HD stations - on a very pretty screen.

I've had this TV about 3 weeks and am really impressed. I'm having one issue with it, however. Watching a DVD - no problem, great sound and picture. Watching cable TV, though, I get a hum in the audio and a red and green horizontal line running from bottom to top in the picture. Sometimes, this is worse than at other times. After having the cable co. come out and talking to a Samsung rep, it seems that it is a grounding issue. I live in an old house that doesn't have grounded plugs. So, I will have to live with that until I can have my house rewired! Not the TV's fault, but something to consider if you live in an older house. The black cabinet is really beautiful and the on/off button at the bottom of the cabinet glows a neon blue when the set if off. So, it's cool looking off as well as on. Love the swivel cabinet, and the connections are easy to access. Football games are so great in HD and I can't wait until hockey season starts!

Ordered on 11/25/2006, using free super saver shipping. I was given an estimated delivery date between 12/12 and 12/18.
I got unbelievably lucky and the set was delivered early, on 12/1/2006!
After hooking it up to HD DirecTV and watching a few HD channels, I am just floored at how gorgeous the picture is.
I was a bit worried about ordering such a large and expensive item from Amazon, but my experience was fabulous. I saved at least $500 off the local bb and cc.
Eagle shipping was also absolutely fantastic. I was able to schedule a delivery without any hassles and they came when they said they would come. The delivery guy helped me move my old heavy CRT set into the bedroom and was going to wait for me to hook up my new set, but I told him it would be OK.
I will be using Amazon again to order my HD-DVD player and my X-box 360.
In regards to the TV itself, even on standard def channels and my old cheapo region free DVD player, the picture just blows me and my wife away.
This has to be one of the best Christmas items I have received since I was a little kid.

Since this is my first wide screen LCD TV, I have no basis for comparison, but have been delighted by the clarity of the picture and the ease of setup and use. I haven't even subscribed to HD channels, but can't imagine the picture getting much sharper. My DVD player is hooked up with the HDMI input, which also provides a very sharp picture and excellent audio. What else is a TV supposed to do?

I purchased this set from a local store. If you're like me, most of your TV watching will still be from standard TV, not high def. Of course, a standard TV picture doesn't use the entire widescreen of this set; the left and right edges aren't used unless you "zoom" the image. The Samsung provides 3 different zoom modes. The one that worked best for me, especially for "letterboxed" SD signals, is the one Samsung calls "ZOOM1".

Unfortunately the ZOOM1 mode on the Samsung LCD TVs is badly broken. Every few minutes a disruptive line will appear about 1/4th of the way up from the bottom of the picture. The line will wander around, making the picture look ugly, for 45 seconds or so, then will disappear - for 5 or 10 minutes, when it comes back.

This happened with two different DVD players plus a TiVo, connected by HDMI cables, Component cables, and S-Video cables.

Samsung tech support said to return the set, so I did and got another from the store. The replacement had the same problem. I returned the set and purchased a Sony instead.

I have since posted a description of the problem online, and had folks with 3 or 4 different Samsung LCD HDTVs tell me that their sets had the same problem.

SO - I'd be quite careful before purchasing a Samsung LCD HDTV if you plan to spend any time watching letterboxed Standard Def TV.

This TV, pared with a HD Tivo and Upconverting DVD player (both connected through this unit's dual HDMI connections)provides stunning pictures. The picture quality is amazing. Set-up was easy. No complaints.

My husband and I shopped for a year for an LCD HDTV flat panel. We went to the showrooms, and constantly compared prices to features. I checked Consumer Reports and started looking at the Samsung 4092 instead of the comparable Sony Bravia. I'm technically challenged, but could understand that the Samsung had a higher "contrast ratio", etc. We finally decided in November that prices had dropped sufficiently that we could splurge and get the 40 inch Samsung. We were somewhat apprehensive about ordering an expensive electronic item on the internet, having read some reviews where people had trouble returning a defective product. However, the amount of savings was just too significant to pass up---with the reasonable price and the absence of taxes and shipping. There were better bargains on the same tv on the internet, but I was not sure of the company and many reviews of other companies cited high pressure tactics with poor cutomer service. We have dealt with Amazon before and have always been satisfied. With this purchase, we are still loyal Amazon customers. The only problem we experienced was slow shipping with Eagle which Amazon corrected to our satisfaction. The clarity of the picture on the Samsung is unbelievable, and the sound is excellent. We are astounded even with the beauty of the football games in HD format, and I for one am not even a sports fan! We sit in awe over the nature and travel channels which are broadcast in HD.
Because of the sound and picture quality, we are becoming spoiled, not wanting to watch the regular tv in the other part of the house that this tv replaced. Also, the Samsung's styling is beautiful, the polished black facade works well with our decor without standing out like a sore thumb. We are more than satisfied with our choice and with Amazon.

I've had this for a little more than a month now, and I love it!! I seriously have no complaints. It's hooked up to my hdmi hd-cable box, xbox 360 via the vga port, and it also works great as a second monitor for my pc (for watching divx movies and playing games). The colors are beautiful and the contrast is excellent. TV looks good, and HD media (like the hd-dvds and hbo-hd) are fantastic. I seriously considered a smaller 37 or 32" (as its in a smallish room), but couldn't be happier with this 40".

If you've got oodles of money to burn maybe go for a 46" or something with 1080p, but for the price this thing is unbeatable IMHO...

I received the TV sooner than the standard time and the shippers stayed until the TV was up and running. During the web order (and later I followed up with a call), I received no pressure to buy anything eles, thank God. So, I have to give the Amazon ordering and delivery process 5 stars, a pleasant surprize.

This Samsung TV (LNS4092D)was reviewed and recommended by Consumer Reports in the Dec. 2006 issue. DVDs are picture perfect, but you might want to upgrade your cable to get more HD broadcasting. Reviews and my experience indicate it is the best TV for the money at this size. So 5 stars here too.