Customer Reviews

Samsung PN50C590 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV, Black

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

 

 

This is a review of the 2010 50" Samsung Plasma TV, PN50C590. I have owned this unit for a week. I am comparing this set to my 2009 46" Panasonic Plasma TV, U series.

This Samsung 50" is the top of the line for the Samsug 500 series.

Pros:
1) It has a swivel base which the Pansonic does not.

2) The appearance of the physical set is simple and attractive.

3) The TV picture is excellent as is the Panasonic.

4) PIP (picture-in picture), it's kind of a phony, you can only view the default TV in the sub picture while using other inputs.

5) 4 HDMI inputs, though only one works with DVI (see cons).

6) You can update the firmware yourself.

7) The channels change quickly, something that doesn't happen with the Panasonic.

8) The TV screen doesn't reflect ambient light sources very much. Reflection is a problem with plasmas such as my Panasonic but Samsung seems to have resolved this.

9) The electronic program guide is especially good. It shows both title and available program details. The Panasonic only shows the program title. The program guide data is incorporated in the broadcast and its up to the TV manufacturer as to what is displayed in this regard.

Cons:

1) Weak tuner. It's only just noticably weaker than my other TV tuners, not a major problem though I am disappointed that this expensive set should be like this.

2) Lack of accomodation for DVI sources. The problem here is that adapting DVI to HDMI means you have to have a separate audio input. Panasonic has an elegant solution of making it possible for you to mate any of the available audio inputs to any HDMI input. Samsung gangs only one audio input to only one of the HDMI inputs. I had to install separate speakers to accomodate one of my two DVR computers.

3) No close caption on mute. The Panasonic doesn't have it either. Would be nice to have.

4) 3:4 format doesn't work for HD 3:4 pictures. The problem here is that if you view many programs in the 3:4 format, the black spaces on each side of the picture can cause burn-in problems on the screen which is typical of plasmas. The fix is to have a light panel on each side of the picture when the TV set to 3:4. This TV will do this with older 3:4 broadcasts but not with HD 3:4 broadcasts, it will crush both the picture and black spaces (16:9 format) into a 3:4 space. Hopefully a firmware update will fix this. "Fit to screen" is usually an acceptable alternative to 3:4.

5) The light panels ( see 4 above) available for the 3:4 format are either blinding white or almost black. A middling gray panel would certainly be more acceptable for this format.

On the whole, this is an acceptable TV. I think you can get an excellent picture with any plasma TV. The devil is in the details.

To get an excellent picture on this (or any TV) you need to make custom adjustments. Factory default settings are never right nor are the display TV sets in stores done right. Spend a little time fooling with the adjustments and you will get big rewards in the "OMG what a great picture" department.

I was a little concerned to buy this TV after reading the reviews here. I bought mine locally here in Michigan from ABC Warehouse after it was recommeded by the manager I know there. This TV has a great picture and is easy to use and set up. I saw there was a firmware update for it to correct the 24p judder that you get with some Blu-ray movies. I downloaded it on a flash drive and plugged the flash drive into the TV. It recognized it and updated it with no problems. So, I am very happy with the TV and would highly recommend it.

With all the pros and cons of this and other HDTV's the only way our family could make a reasonable decision was to actually go to some of the big box electronics stores in our area, and see them in action. Not that 1080p and other technical specifications are meaningless. Just that, there are Plasma TV's. There are LCD TV's. There are LED TV's. And each manufacturer will be selling their particular technology as "the best".

Honestly I went into this decision favoring Sony brand. But after visiting three electronics stores one day, and then going in fresh the next day to be sure what I felt was still the case, we ended up buying this particular model Samsung TV. Price for quality. Excellent picture image and good sound. It was easy to set up, and best of all, it delivers an excellent picture image as we had seen in the store demo. Particularly nature scenes and underwater scenes that seem most realistic. While we were concerned about the supposed high pitched noise this TV makes, we did not hear it in the stores, and we do not hear it in the unit we ultimately purchased.

While there are probably better flat screen TV's around, we ultimately chose Plasma because of the rich colors rather than the LED and LCD types. And this screen size for this price level, just made it an unbeatable combination.

It has been a month now, and no regrets. No second thoughts. Just an excellent value that delivers superior performance.

Have now had this set for well over a year. Still glad we bought it. Takes up far less of the room than did our old rear projection DLP (also a 50") and we put a nice new piece of furniture under it. While we had originally intended to buy an LCD (or maybe even 3D) TV, this Plasma set just wowed us with beautifully saturated colors when compared to about 20 other sets (most were LCD) all playing the same material (and while it draws a bit more power, it's not a hog). I've adjusted the advanced color settings the way some people suggested on various forums. It could use one additional set of composite inputs for older game devices, etc, but we're slowly headed down the path to HDMI. Generally use external speakers for 7.1 surround, but the internal speakers are fine for non-critical listening. Recently added the Roku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player, just plugged it into the set, power, and internet and now we can watch streaming Amazon Instant Videos provided with our subscription to Amazon Prime as well as all sorts of other channels (mostly free).

I've had the TV for a year now and the screen has not lost any brightness and the sound quality has remained the same. I was hesitant to put the TV in a bright sunlit room, but contrary to the general knock on plasma TVs in bright rooms, I have not found the issue of reflections off the screen to be an issue. The few times a reflection might be visible, the swivel base allows you to tilt the tv until the reflection is no longer in play. great, great product.

This television will play almost anything from a thumb drive I throw at it. It has it's own built in media center for playing video and music via USB and network. However it lacks .SSA and .ASS subtitle support which are the major two that fansub groups use. So I can either convert all subtitles to .SRT or not watch them on my Television. Samsung should add support for these two subtitle formats and this television would be a 5 out of 5 for me.

Sam-sung seems to doge the problem by saying that it's in specks when I sent it to the repair shop. Save your money and buy something else with it or another brand.

LIST OF FEATURES
=> Excellent Digital Interface & Networking - With a built-in HD digital tuner, non-subscription HD broadcasts can be viewed without a cable box / STB (Set-Top-Box) satellite receiver.
=> Media Play - Allows you to play music files, pictures, and movies saved on a USB device.
=> AllShare - Connects your TV and compatible Samsung mobile phones/devices through a network. On your TV, you can view call arrivals, SMS messages and schedules set on your mobile phones. In addition, you can play media content including videos, photos and music saved on your mobile phones or the other devices (such as your PC) by controlling them on the TV via the network. Additionally, you can use your TV for browsing web pages in your mobile phones.
=> Anynet+ - Enables you to control all connected Samsun devices that support Anynet+ with your Samsung TV's remote. The Anynet+ system can be used only with Samsung devices that have the Anynet+ feature. To be sure your Samsung device has this feature, check if there is an Anynet+ logo on it.
=> Self Diagnosis - You can check to make sure picture and sound operate normally.

ACCESSORIES
=> Remote Control
=> Owner's Instructions
=> Warranty Card / Safety Guide / Quick Setup Guide
=> Cleaning Cloth
=> Power Cord
=> Blanking Bracket
=> TV-Holder & Screw
=> Cable Tie
=> Ferrite Core* for Power Code & AV Cable (3EA)
=> Stand
*Ferrite Core - Used to shield the cables from interference. When connecting a cable, open the ferrite core and clip it around the Power Cord / AV cable near the plug.

INPUT CABLES (SOLD SEPARATELY)
=> HDMI
=> HDMI-DVI
=> Component
=> Composite (AV)
=> Coaxial (RF)
=> VGA

CONNECTING TO AV DEVICES
=> Using an HDMI or HDMI/DVI cable - HD connection (up to 1080p): Available devices: DVD, Blu-ray player, HD cable box, HD STB satellite receiver
=> Using a Component (up to 1080p) or Audio/Visual (480i only) cable - Available devices: Digital Audio System, Amplifier, Home Theater
=> Using an Optical Cable (Digital) or Audio (Analog) Cable Connection - Available devices: Digital Audio System, Amplifier, DVD Home Theater
=> Using an EX-Link Cable Connection: Available devices - External devices that support EX-Link

CONNECT TO A PC USING AN HDMI/DVI CABLE OR D-SUB CABLE
=> Display Modes (D-Sub and HDMI/DVI Input) - Optimal resolution is 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz.

CONNECTION SOURCE LIST
=> TV
=> PC
=> AV1
=> AV2
=> Component1
=> Component2
=> HDMI1/DVI
=> HDMI2
=> HDMI3
=> HDMI4
=> USB

NETWORK CONNECTION: You can set up your TV so that it can access the Internet through your local are network (LAN) using a wired to wireless connection.
=> Connecting to a Wired Network - You can attach your TV to your LAN using CAT 5 cable.
=> Connecting to a Wireless Network - To connect your TV to your network wirelessly, you need a wireless router or modem and a Samsung Wireless LAN Adapter (WIS09ABGN), which you connect to your TV's back or side panel USB jack. Samsung's Wireless LAN adapter is sold separately.

ADVANCED FEATURES: Connecting a USB Device
=> Connecting to your PC through a network - You can play pictures, music and videos saved on your PC on your TV through a network connection in the Media Play (USB) mode.