Customer Reviews

Samsung PN50B860 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Well, I did not buy this TV from Amazon but found an authorized online retailer that had a fantastic price with free shipping. Let me tell you, I researched televisions for about three months straight. I had been debating between the Samsung LN52B750 LCD, which had a razor sharp picture and at the time was priced right. Aesthetically, it was a beautiful television in just about every way. My biggest hang up was that certain movies and shows looked too realistic (distracting) and not movie like, especially when watching animated films or TV shows and even with the 240Mhz refresh rate for motion, the motion in fast scenes felt a bit off or distracting. The picture was/is extremely bright and the features hit the sweet spot.

I had also been comparing the LN52B750 with several different plasma televisions, mostly from Samsung, several Panasonic Plasmas that were/are highly rated from several review websites and the Pioneer Kuro Plasmas. So, I read all of the reviews I could find on about 10 televisions total that were highly rated or new to the market for 2009. My buddy has the 50" Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD which I might add, has a beautiful picture! It is almost unmatched. Then I went to BestBuy and directly compared several lower model number Samsung plasmas and LCDs and the Panasonic TC-P50G10 50" plasma. I honestly do not see what the big deal about the TC-P50G10 TV is. The picture is okay, it even looked okay playing a Blu-ray movie, but I was not impressed. The picture was a bit green, the casing of the TV was not the most eye pleasing design and that huge Panasonic logo on the front "chin" with a grey back ground was not appealing to me. I also compared several LG Plasmas and LCD TV's for 2009 and the new Toshiba Regzas (nice picture for the price I have to admit).

Ultimately, it came down to comparing the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD to the Samsung PN50B850 (which has one feature less than the PN50B860 Samsung, as no one had a PN50B860 on display that I could find) and was amazed at how awesome the picture detail, flesh tones, natural colors, fast motion, contrast, brightness and motion was on the two Plasma televisions. They are very comparable and I consider them dead on as competitors. I ended up choosing the Samsung PN50B860 having seen the PN50B850 in person at BestBuy. The PN50B860 has the Cinema Smooth feature which the PN50B850 does not. I got it for under $2k with free shipping online with the optional 802.11N wireless Samsung Linkstick (WIS09ABGN) for less than $60.

The picture on the Samsung PN50B860 is phenomenal. Not only is the picture on this TV one of the best I've seen after months of extreme research, I got the best price on it and it cost less than the Pioneer and the Samsung LN52B750!!! I've been watching Blu-ray movies on it via my Sony PS3 gaming console for the last few days through HDMI. Movies like Hellboy II and Casino Royale are stunning and unbelievable on this set!!! Motion resolution/rendering is phenomenal. I recommend it over the Pioneer Kuro because I think it is a bit superior in quality (build and picture), features, aesthetic and Energy Star rating. It's SUPER THIN! You would not be sorry for purchasing this set! It's simply stunning. The remote is surprisingly nice as well. I'm not a huge fan of Samsung's remote controls or TV interfaces (Sony and LG rule when it comes to remote control design an TV interfaces) but I'm happy with the one that came with the TV.

Audio is very acceptable in my book on this television. It's not super loud and robust but what television is, but for a small condo or apartment, it's perfect and very usable and enjoyable! The picture from the digital TV tuner for Over-The-Air broadcasts is pretty impressive as well.

Get it! You won't regret it! As for the other review regarding the buzzing...mine does not buzz at all. I'm guessing the person must be at a high altitude or may have received a bad set but this TV is pretty much flawless.

20091223 Update - Well, I have had this television for a while and I've had numerous friends asking for my opinion of televisions. They ask whether they should choose LCD, LED LCD or Plasma. I actually like all three technologies, but I have to admit I still prefer Plasma. This TV puts out a bit of heat I noticed but it is not that big of a deal. I still very much love this television and at it's current price is one of the BEST televisions on the market. Still have never heard a buzzing issue that others have talked about in this forum.

One Cool thing...Get the 802.11n Wireless Adapter. I was on travel for a while, came home and turned the TV on and I received an update notification on the screen from Samsung. I went to Samsung's support website to look for the update and it had not been posted yet. I have to say, I really like this feature of updating firmware automatically over the internet ON my television. I've also downloaded a few Blockbuster video's on this TV over the Adapter and it's a pretty pleasant experience.

In the end...no regrets on buying this TV. It's beautiful, functional, thin and the picture is literally just phenomenal.

I'm extremely disappointed. After reading every review I could find on this TV (and others) I finally settled on the PN50B860 here. I was aware some people were experiencing a buzzing noise, but read many more reviews of people who loved their TVs with no such problem. The TV arrived literally 2 hours ago, plugged it in, turned it on with the delivery guys here and it looked great. The second they set foot out the door and it was quiet in the house I heard the "buzz". And it's annoying enough to the point where I can hear it while watching TV at normal audio levels. So I went to the Samsung website and looked at the FAQs (should have done this ahead of time - but probably wouldn't have affected my decision to buy) and found the following:

"The buzzing sound your plasma TV makes is normal. It's caused by the electrical charges that are used to create the images on the screen. The buzzing, however, should not be so loud that you can hear it when the volume on the TV is set at normal levels.

If your Plasma TV is buzzing loudly, follow these steps:

1. Set the volume of the TV to the setting you normally use.
2. Stand at least 15 feet away. If you do not hear the buzz, your Plasma TV is working normally. "

And this is the case with my TV. However, it's a 50-inch, and as such the optimal viewing distance is 6.25ft - 12.5ft. WTF? So according to Samsung you SHOULD hear a humming (buzz) while watching TV normally. I'm sitting 9ft back and directly in front of the TV (where my couch is located) and the Buzz is very distinct from the moment it turns on.

Anyway, Samsung has a technician coming out to the house to check it out. I hope it's actually defective, but my fear is that they tell me it's normal and I'll have to go through the return process to Amazon. As-is, I cannot keep this TV. Which is a shame because the picture is beautiful. Colors are sharp and crisp and the blacks are deep. Aesthetically the TV is gorgeous, nice lines, super thin, just a very attractive set - I couldn't be happier with the way it looks.

Samsung Customer Service was also very pleasant and agreed to send someone out right away, without giving me the run-around, so that's a huge plus.

Anyway, like many others have mentioned, beware of the buzzing with this TV. If you'll be off-center and 13-14+ feet away it may not affect you. But as even the Samsung website says, there is a buzzing loud enough to hear while watching TV normally.

********* UPDATE *************
Another issue surfaced where the TV would turn off by itself and back on randomly, so it offered more incentive for me to get the TV looked at. Samsung set up a technician to come to my house. The first one they set up called me and said they didn't service my area. I called Samsung and they apologized for the confusion and set me up with another shop. That shop called and said they could come out but had to order parts so they'd call me back when they came in to set up an appointment. Fast foward 2 weeks, no call. I call them back he says they haven't come in yet yadda yadda yadda... forget it.

So I called up Amazon and setup getting a new set shipped out and them picking up the old one. I just did a 1-for-1 swap, so I now have a NEW PN50B860. And..................... it buzzes just like the last one. I did a lot of research on the issue since I found the defect and the bottom line is some people here it, others don't. Samsung has yet to fully acknowledge the issue or own up to soooo many of their 2009 Plasmas having this issue where the 2008 versions did not. For me it's still annoying but I'm not sure if it's annoying enough to replace it again... I'm still sitting on this issue.

So again, for a lot of people depending on TV placement and your own personal hearing, you may or may not hear the buzz. I still hold that it's unacceptable for a $2200 retail TV to have this issue (or all of Samsung's 2009 plasmas for that matter). I still love the look of the TV in my living room and everyone comments on how amazing the picture looks. Not sure if that's quite enough to keep me from returning it though............

I did a lot of research before I purchased a Samsung PN50B860. And I am totally pleased with the purchase! The picture is out of this world. I kept debating between the crisp picture of a quality LCD or the motion handling of a plasma. Because I like sports and action movies, I had pretty much decided on the PN50B550 when I saw the right price. But I went into the store and saw the PN50B860 right next to it, and could obviously see the difference. The picture was so crisp, but it had all the motion handling benefits of a plasma! Plus, it's the latest technology, so it's energy star rated (not the normal power consumption like older plasma's).

It is also DLNA certified and has a cool internet functionallity with Yahoo widgets. I really didn't buy it for the internet functionality--thought that was more of a gimmick. But it's actually pretty neat. I can bring up the weather (today, or extended) for several cities I program in, plus pull major news headlines for politics,business, sports, etc while still watching TV.

One slight drawback are the speakers. Not a deal killer for me, since any movies or sporting events I run through my stereo system. But at 1 1/2 inches thick, it's pretty impossible to put top notch sound in a TV. And the speakers work fine for regular TV. But to get the full movie experience, you'll want to hook to a home theater.

Go look at this set in a store with a quality feed, and you'll be amazed at the clarity, color and definition.

The good:

The new 2009 Samsung plasmas look incredible, have tons of features and options, handle 24p content properly and even have decent sounding speakers and the styling is top notch. However, they have one fatal flaw which brings us to...

The bad:

This TV buzzes constantly! It buzzes even when the volume is muted and connected to just the power outlet and nothing else. I own a PN50B860 and I can't even watch it anymore because the buzzing noises it emits are so annoying it makes watching the TV unbearable. The buzz changes pitch depending on the content being viewed and gets even louder during brighter scenes. Samsung really screwed up on this one as many people will be returning these TVs for something else. I'm looking at the Panasonic TC-P50V10 as a replacement. Check out the thread on avsforum about the buzz issue for more info.

[...]

Update:
This review is simply to clear up the "buzzing" some people are experiencing. After speaking directly to a samsung rep. (face to face) I know excatly what the buzzing issue is. You can ignore the second paragraph if you like. The rep. said that the buzz is normal but is also a simple fix. The issue is in the design of the heat ventilation. He said that the metal sheet that vents the heat upward tends to vibrate when the TV is in use and makes the buzzing sound. To fix this, simply call 1-800-samsung to have a technician sent to your home and install a rubber washer that will help keep the sheet from vibrating and end the buzzing, there should be no charge as this is considered a manufacturer's defect. It's a quick 5 minute fix in your home. No need to send the TV away for repair. As far as heat goes, consider this, if you place your hand at the bottom of the screen and move it upwards you will notice that the screen feels hotter at the top. Thit is normal; heat naturaly moves upward and TVs are designed to vent in the same dirrection. If you feel the top-back of most flat-panel TVs you'll find that this is the hottest part on the set because it's where the heat escapes, but I'm sure many already know that. Also, by adjusting the picture settings accordingly you can reduce the heat drasticaly. According to the representative, so far the buzzing has been reported in about 5% of the 850/860 models. Tip: I don't recommend you set any TV to Dynamic/Vivid Mode. These modes are mostly for retailers (that showcase TVs in bright rooms) and set TVs to the brightest settings that consumes the most amount of energy and can produce the most amount of heat.

Previous (Edited):
I do not own this TV but in my line of work I see the 850 version everyday. So I can at least attest to the picture quality, & it is amazing. Both the 850 & 860 have the exact same specs and features except for one thing. The 860 has the Cinema Smooth feature, which the 850 does not. At my work place I noticed that the 850 was heating up quite a bit and after discussing it with my coworkers, I realized it had to do with the thickness of the TV. I figure the thicknes along with the heat had something to do with the buzzing. We also looked at the 650 series, which is thicker but very similar to the 860 in specs, for comparison. I noticed that it did not heat up as much as the 850 when we ran the exact same blu-ray film on it. The 650s thicker frame allows it to vent heat much better than the thin frame of the 850. In any case where the circumstances may contradict what I've said, then I suggest contacting Samsung.

Let me start off my review by addressing the buzzing that is associated with this (and all 2009 "B" series) Samsung plasmas. Amazon currently (10/13/09) has this item under review, and is not shipping any new units because of multiple customer complaints. The notice claims that there may be a problem with their inventory, but I believe Amazon will discover the problem is not limited to their inventory. Samsung has a noticeable buzz that is well documented. Research this before purchasing. I ordered my first set, and received my replacement set, before Amazon put up this notice and stopped shipping this TV.

I ordered this TV in late September from Amazon, and had a significant buzz on that set. I exchanged it for another 50B860, and the buzz is still prominent. The buzz is exactly the same, though a bit quieter on the second set. I will probably keep the set, but am disappointed in Samsung's quality. The buzz sounds similar to a failing flouresent light, and is emitted from the back of the television. It usually isn't noticable over normal listening volume, and the tone varies slightly with the brightness of the picture. Wall mounting the set does make the buzz more noticable, which I would guess is from the echo produced from the wall.

The picture is great, and while researching TV's my eye was always drawn to the Samsung sets. There is just something about the picture that I really like, which is why I am keeping the TV. The Samsung plasmas really excel in bright scenes, and can produce plenty of light and vibrant colors. Typical HDTV shows look fantastic. The 50b860 can produce deep blacks, but does have a tendency to lose some black-level detail in darker scenes. The blacks tend to get crushed, but I've been missing these blacks on my previous DLP anyway. If you watch a lot of dramas or dark movies, I would suggest having a look at the Panasonics as they produce better black levels.

The Anti-Glare filter is excellent. I have 3 windows in my viewing area, and never notice any glare in the picture. It is the best of any plasma I have seen, and is less reflective then Samsung's 52B750 LCD (which I was also considering).

The speakers are lacking, but product plenty of volume for my environment. If replacing a half-way decent TV, the speakers will sound terrible for a couple of days. I've since become used to the weak sound, but will have a soundbar on my wishlist soon.

The 50b860 is feature rich, and has a lot of options that I will never use. I thought the TV was at the perfect price point for the picture and features, priced between Panasonic's G and V series. With the buzzing defect, I would feel better having bought this TV closer to the G series price point. I feel it is priced to high to be shipping with noticeable buzzing. The buzzing also has me concerned with long-term reliability.

Amazon's customer service was great during the return. They required a service ticket number from Samsung to ensure that Samsung is aware of their problems. After I obtained this, Amazon sent another TV out and the carrier picked up the defective set at the same time. The carrier was nice enough, but is definitely not as convenient as buying locally. They missed the first set's 4-hour delivery window by an hour (keeping me waiting for 5 hours). The second set arrived with 5 minutes to spare of the 4 hour delivery window, several gouges in the box, and was wheeled to my door in the rain (no covering put over the box). I was very surprised that the second set worked at all (and actually better than the 1st).

I like the TV, and am likely less bothered by the buzzing sound then those with picky ears. I rated this TV a 4, but could easily see others rating it a 2 or 1 based on the buzz. The buzzing problem from Samsung really is unacceptable, but everything else is outstanding. If Panasonic had a comparably priced set with a modern bezel and better Anti-Glare filter, I would be returning this set for one. Until then, I feel Samsung wins in all categories except product quality and black-levels.

I'm not going to go into full detail on what I think of this tv, I'll just say that what most people say about the set as far as picture quality and the nice sleek, thin look are completely accurate. Its a great tv, it just happens that I got one of the buzzing sets.

Someone posted and will try to tell you that the buzz is normal plasma buzz, and that is completely false. Do a search about the set, or samsung B series in general (avsforum is a great start) and you will see its not normal. I even went to local stores and listened to various plasma tvs, the majority did not buzz...they were silent. The one that did, was a samsung. My parents own a plasma, no buzz at all...and they leave their tv on all day and all night. The buzzing noise can be heard from a good distance(15+ feet), and it gets louder when brighter scenes are being displayed. It's very annoying, unless you like to watch your tv like you are in the theater every day, all day.

A tech is coming out to look at it, but I know from researching the issue that s/he will not be able fix it and so I will look to get it exchanged and hope for a non buzzer or attempt to get a refund through either amazon or samsung directly. If I can get a non-buzzing set, I will adjust my review a star up.

It really is a shame that this issue happens as often as it seems to occur, because this really is a beautiful set with a great picture.

I looked for over a year for a flat screen television and kept up on all posts and reviews. I ended up with the PN50B860 after looking at Panasonic Plasmas and Samsung Plasmas, LCD's and the new LED's. I finally choose this one for its thinness and picture quality, as I needed good off angle viewing. The LCD wasn't quite there with off angle and the new LED's were awful.

Amazon delivered three days early, and although I did not have the VIP service, the guys delivering were kind enough to open the box to check for damage, as my wife was the only one home.

I mounted it to the wall with the "Premier Mounts WTFM3765 0.37-Inch Depth Bracket" which was super easy. Found two studs, and two lag bolts and 4 set screws later I had this baby up and it projects out less than 1 3/4" from the wall.

I followed the posts about buzzing and heat and here's what I have to offer. While there is a very slight mid to high pitch buzz, I can only hear it when I have my ear less than a foot away from the TV. I also had a similar buzz on my old tube TV, so it's a moot point. For people following this problem, I am at sea level.

There is some heat coming from this unit, but not enough to warrant not buying it.

Love the unit. Had to sell the wife on the 50" as we moved up from a 36", but she was hooked in an hour after watching it.

I received this TV last week and have a buzzing sound issue like other reviewers are experiencing. It's coming from the screen itself not the speakers. I removed all inputs (HDMI, ethernet, etc.) still has buzzing sound. Updated the firmware, still no luck. Looks like quite a few owners are experiencing this. Look in [...] for other buzzing reports. I'm getting a replacement from Amazon next week. If it still has the buzzing issue, I will exchange it again for a Samsung LCD instead. Looking at the LN52B630.

I like this TV, the picture looks great, deep blacks, accurate colors, ultra thin. I'm crossing my fingers that the replacement doesn't have the buzzing issue.

10/07/09 update: I received my replacement 3-4 weeks ago and the screen was cracked. So Amazon.com had to send me another replacement (3rd TV now). Well this PN50B860 still has the buzzing sound. The buzzing is not as loud, but it's still there. When I watch TV from around 8 feet away, I don't here the buzzing. So I might be able to live with it.

First of all a little background on my past HDTVs as of recent.

Panasonic 50" 850u series - All around good tv.
Sony 50" XBR6 - Great picture from HD sources, poor from standard sources. Returned in two weeks.
Pioneer Kuro 5020 50" - Excellent picture from HD sources, great from standard definition as well. DEAD SILENT, Excellent sound. Decided to sell after 8 months to "upgrade" to a Samsung LED. I REGRET getting rid of this Pioneer.
Samsung 7000 series 46" LED - Excellent picture from HD, and good from standard. Viewing angles are poor, sound is poor, HT speakers are a must. Which brings me to go back to a plasma, to get that great contrast ratio & excellent viewing angles.

Samsung 50" 860 series - "sigh" First of all this has an excellent picture quality from HD sources & great from standard. The blacks are not as good as the Kuro I had, but they were good to satisfy your standard users. Never tested the audio, but if it's the same as the LED series, then I would say it's not acceptable. The styling is great, as slim as the LED lcds.

Now the cons, as already mentioned, there is a slight HIGH pitched buzz, as some have already described it as a "florescent light". This is very aggravating since I have this TV in a small dedicated HT room 14x14x8 during low volume it is noticeable. Although, I didn't really think this was a deal breaker for me, the HEAT this thing puts out was. I've owned several plasmas, so I was aware that plasma do run warm, but this Samsung puts out some serious heat. Therefore the SLIGHT high pitch buzz & the hot operating temps caused me to contact Amazon for a return.

If Samsung designs better cooling and eliminates the buzz, this TV will be a home run.