Customer Reviews

Samsung PN50C8000 50-Inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I love this TV. It has great black levels without losing details. Seriously the blacks get as dark as the bezel in a darkened room. Great color accuracy. Handles motion like a champ even converting 2D to 3D. Menus are very responsive and even the widgets are snappy. Samsung Apps/Netflix works great too. I am really having fun with the 2D to 3D conversion watching sports and playing video games. I watched Avatar the other night, and even though it wasn't released on 3D Blu ray, the built in converter made it look great. I was nervous about Burn In/ Image Retention, but so far watching 2.39:1 movies hasn't caused any issues that don't take care of themselves switching video sources. I need to say that there is a buzz sound, but its pretty quiet. Can't hear it at all with any audible tv volume. My only major beef with this set is the Audio Return Channel and Optical Out only send 2 channel (stereo) audio unless its source is broadcast. So, my PS3 and cable box will only play dolby directly through my receiver - which in my opinion makes ARC pointless. I hope they change that in an upcoming firmware patch. This TV replaced a UN55B8000 because I was unhappy with its blacks losing details,motion blur, flashlight effect, and sluggish menus and widgets. I experience none of these problems with this new set. I couldn't be happier.

I bought this exact model the PN50C8000. One might get the impression that it is silver. I'd call it a dark grey brushed metal look. Which is fine IMO.

One thing that is not often publicized for some reason is the fact that plasma's are not even close to as bright as newer LCD models. This worried me a little.
But when I got it; it took some tweaking but I was able to get exactly the color/brightness I wanted for normal viewing and 3d viewing. All 3d glasses are tinted so it's good to have a very bright setting for when you view 3d.

Electronics review websites always talk about how plasmas can do extreme blacks. I set it to where the blacks are on the darkest setting. Honestly I was surprised that the blacks are not all that dark (note this is my first plasma I'm not comparing it with other plasmas). The 8000 series LED LCD Samsungs seem about the same when it comes to blacks, of course I have not seen both inside my living room environment so I can't make a perfect comparison. I don't actually care; either tv would be dark enough for me. I just thought I'd point this fact out.

The primary reason I bought a plasma over a 8000 series LCD has nothing to do with price or darkness levels, it was for superior 3d viewing. 1.) Less eye strain. I have read on more than one electronics site and electronics magazines that the 600hz viewing of plasmas (and the way the image is drawn on the screen) has been proven to provide less eye strain for 3d viewing. 2.) Viewing angle is always better for plasma over LCD. (This is important for 3d because loss of lighting and clarity is a big deal when you are already limited by the glasses.) 3.) Clearly there is a issue with mixing LCD tech with 3d since if you tilt your head the image splits apart. (This DOES NOT happen with the plasma) and 4. All the reviews I've read say plasma's have tested better for 3d viewing.

My complaints are minimal but I think they justify giving 4 stars instead of 5. One is that the TV decides to turn off 3d mode on it's own if you for example exit a Playstation 3 game or change to another input. I understand their reason for doing this but I prefer to just have manual control of it on my own. Also I couldn't get the red and white audio out ports to work, even when I selected to switch to alternate sound output. I suspect it was just something I was doing wrong but it shouldn't be something that requires much effort. I gave up on that because I also had the choice of optical or using the headphones port for my audio so it wasn't a big deal. Another minor complaint I have is the stand is particularly heavy. Obviously it's good to have a sturdy stand but they could have made it strong and much lighter weight and I don't think it would have made for any greater risk of the TV tipping over or something..

On a side note; when manufactures say that you should sit closer for optimal 3d viewing than normal viewing they mean it. I'm glad I didn't get any smaller than 50 inches.
For optimal 3d immersion I found I like sitting just 5 feet from the screen. For normal viewing I sit at about 8-10 feet from the screen.

I have been researching 3d plasmas for about 3 months. This has to be the best picture quality I have ever seen. I was debating between 3 3d plasmas. Panasonic v25, samsung pn50c7000 or 8000. Even the 7000 got an excellent rating on cnet. what kept it from getting a perfect rating is featured on the 8000. I consider myself a serious videophile and this one does not disapoint. The main diffrence between to 7000 and 8000 is fine tuing of color. and motion judder canceller. This tv has a 2,000,000 to 1 higher contrast ratio. For the price compared to the panasonic it is far better. More apps, and on par picture quality. I have this TV calibrated providing a incredible picture. these settings are below. Do not hesitate to buy this TV. Here is also a review that should help with choices. [...]
Color Space: Custom --Picture menu
Mode: Movie
Cell Light: 16
Contrast: 100
Brightness: 51
Sharpness: 0
Color: 47
Tint: G50/R50
Eco Solution submenu:
Energy Saving: Off
Eco Sensor: Off
No Signal Power Off: Off
Auto Adjustment and Screen submenus: [Grayed out]
Advanced settings submenu
Black tone: Off
Dynamic contrast: Off
Gamma: +1
Expert Patters: Off
RGB Only Mode: Off
Color space (custom)
Red: R-77, G-0, B-0
Green: R-0, G-24, B-0
Blue: R-0, G-0, B-52
Yellow: R-48, G-47, B-0
Cyan: R-0, G-27, B-50
Magenta: R-76, G-0, B-50
White Balance: [see below]
10p White Balance: On
Flesh tone: 0
Edge enhancement: Off
xvYCC: Off
White balance submenu
R-Offset: 24
G-Offset: 25
B-Offset: 24
R-Gain: 25
G-Gain: 25
B-Gain: 23
10p White Balance: On
Interval 1: Red 2, Green 0, Blue -2
Interval 2: Red 5, Green 6, Blue 8
Interval 3: Red 2, Green -1, Blue -2
Interval 4: Red -1, Green 1, Blue 2
Interval 5: Red 3, Green 1, Blue -1
Interval 6: Red 0, Green 0, Blue 1
Interval 7: Red -4, Green -4, Blue -5
Interval 8: Red -1, Green -4, Blue -3
Interval 9: Red -4, Green -4, Blue -5
Interval 10: Red 0, Green -6, Blue -4
Picture options submenu
Color tone: Warm2
Size: Screen Fit
Digital Noise Filter: Off
MPEG Noise Filter: Off
HDMI black level: Normal [grayed out]
Film Mode: Cinema Smooth (Use for 24p sources)
Motion Judder Canceller: Grayed out (When you select Cinema Smooth this option is grayed out)

We have had a Panasonic 46 inch TH-46PZ850U for the last two years and have enjoyed that set. Good black levels, decent ability to handle non HD sources, and very good color on 1080 sources. It was unfortunately stolen in a burglary 2 weeks ago so we found ourselves back on the market for a TV. We briefly looked at the LCD/LED sets essentially to confirm that motion is still an issue on many of them and that they still have that eye popping, yet somehow hyperreal image quality. We researched the Panasonic and the Samsung plasmas. Consumer Reports gives Samsung the edge (on the models they tested). Crutchfield stopped carrying Panasonic and raves about Samsung's quality improvements. CNET sees strengths and weaknesses in both, fretting about last years 2009 Panasonics' rapidly diminishing black levels and possible "motion issues" with the Samsungs.

With all that in mind, we visited the local retailers to see the 2010 models from each. Both manufacturers top of the line plasma sets are now 3D models. Not a big selling point for us, but we do want the best 2D image quality possible. The Panasonic models are the TCP50VT25 and the TCP50VT20. We evaluated these with a Planet Earth Blu Ray as well as the feeds in the stores. In Samsung, it came down to the Samsung PN50C8000 and the similar PN50C7000. The 8000 offers a different black level adjustment and motion dejudder adjustments.

We were impressed by the Panasonics. A definite improvement over our 2008 model. Better blacks and a very clean image.

But we decided on the Samsung PN508000C. The Black levels on this set are stunning! The anti-reflective screen is far superior to the Panasonic. It makes the blacks so "present" that the 2D images create incredible depth in the image. On the Panasonic's glossier glass screen, it still feels like you are looking through a window. On the Samsung, the window vanishes and the image pulls you in. We had some reflection issues with our previous Panasonic when viewing during the day. None with the Samsung. Off angle viewing, even far closer and wider than anyone would ever choose to sit are amazing on this set. I was a little concerned about possible motion problems (although we saw none in store viewing). There have been NONE.

We have Direct TV, a roof antenna for local HD channels and a Sony Blu Ray player. Since its been home, we have watched The Hurt Locker, Up in the Air and Mongol in Blu Ray. A standard def copy of Fantastic Mr. Fox upconverted by the Sony. We also watched an episode of HBO's the Pacific, US Open Series Tennis and several Baseball games all in HD. Finally we watched Direct TV's poor non HD feed of the national PBS station.

This set combines the bright "pop" of an LED/LCD set with the inky blacks plasma's are rightly famous for. Motion in the sports programming have been silky smooth. Battle scenes in the Pacific and the Hurt Locker were very convincing. The gorgeous scenery of the Asian Steppes in Mongol had a presence and vividness that everyone watching commented on. The Fantastic Mr. Fox looked so good, that if you had told me it was a Blu Ray disc, I would not have questioned it. This set has a ton of picture adjustment options which have allowed me to tweak the settings to match the various sources we watch. Even the PBS feed of Charlie Rose, a notably dark and hard to make pleasing image has been an improvement.

Some posts talk about a buzzing noise on the Samsungs. We have ours hooked into a Monster Cable line conditioner and have heard none.

I really liked our previous Panasonic Plasma. This Samsung plasma is a far superior set in all areas. The image on it has that "wow factor" we all experienced when we first saw an HD set demonstrating in the store. Highly recommended.

I researched many different HDTV for several months before making my purchase. I switched from LED to Plasma due to many good reviews on the new generation of plasma and the lower price. The choice was down to Panasonic & Samsung and I selected Samsung for their super thin high-tech design look, although a bit worry on many reviews that say there was a buzzing sound. When my Samsung PN50C8000 arrived, I am so pleased with the quality and after several weeks of enjoyment, I can happily confirm there is absolutely no buzzing sound on mine. The speakers are fairly good but you will definitely want a home system for watching movies. My only regret is that I should have ordered the 58" plasma since the quality is so impressive and the picture is amazingly clear with life-like smooth pictures, much better than the LCD & LED that makes the picture look sharp & clear but flat. It looks so much like the picture you would expect in a movie theater!!! Even a boring talk show is now enjoyable to watch, I can see all those wrinkles on the talk show hosts. I also save a lot of money and got the free blu-ray player with the 3D start up package. I can not praise myself enough for buying this TV and everyone who have seen it agreed. Don't waste your money on LCD & LED and invest into a new 3D home system & a wireless lan adapter to enjoy this TV to its max, you need to get the newer 1.4v hdmi cables in order to enjoy the 3D feature. My nest TV will definitely be a Samsung Plasma again.Oh, and yes the 600Hz is better for 3D. When this TV set is off, it looks very elegant in the living room. I added LED light at the back of the TV stand and it is absolutely beautiful to look at during movie time at night with all the other lights off.

Update on January 2011: It has been over 6 months now since I purchased this TV and it is still perfect with no buzz!

The TV does what it is supposed to for the most part. I also bought the 3dTV from samsung to go along with it (6900)

For optimal calibration go to this site. I found it very helpful, and does the TV justice.

[...]
What I liked:
- Lots of inputs, HDMIs, opticals, PC inputs and the like
- Picture clarity and blacks are stunning, post calibration (football games in particular)
- Panel does not get too warm, a huge plus, after extended viewing
- Anynet function very good and detects things quickly
- Netflix, Pandora is seemless
- clean, non pixelated picture
- SRS sound terrific given the small space it occupies
- Watching "watchmen" the ultimate test in blacks holds up well.

What I did not like:
- lack of a QWERTY key board means it renders facebook and other applications useless
- lack of wireless on the TV, and need a $79 samsung specific dongle, or feed the LAN connection directly, or use the 3d blu ray player with wifi.
- does not send dolby digital signal out via the optical cable (disables it, sends 2 channel PCM)
- need Wireless -N signal for seemless service, G wont work seemlessly, Netflix will get stuck
- SD programming with bars on the side does not auto wide and fill the screen (something Philips did: my old TV did)
- there is slight buzz after extended viewing, but supposedly normal
- every input has to be programmed for seperately (TV, Blu Ray)...no auto feature to replicate
- Remote control included should be be universal, and is not.

Neither here nor there:
-3d viewing is OK, can give you a headache...Panasonic viewing was better
-2dto3d pretty impressive given the original was not shot that way, but again warning against extended viewing

For best HD viewing, give direct HDMI ins from Bluray, and Cable set top box. Sending signals through recievers, can pollute video signals (pixels) once in a while.

Still not sure whether to tack on a 4 year warranty or not.

Will update after 30 days or so.

This is a beautiful television. The actual set itself is thin, a really nice warm gray color, and has a super sharp looking metal base. Its picture is absolutely phenomenal. Everything I threw at it looked spectacular-games, movies, 3D, everything. It suffers from some slight IR of course, but nothing that was even remotely distressing, even after only breaking in for 90+ hours. All that said, it's on a truck on its way back to Amazon.

Why? It BUZZES. This is not some normal electronic hum. This is a distressingly annoying, high-pitched directional sound that's almost like enhanced tinnitus. With my surround going full-bore, there's no issue. During daytime watching, it's VERY hard to pick up. But at night, when the little lady goes to bed and I have to quiet things down a bit, anytime there is even a momentary lull in conversation or the soundtrack isn't thumping and bumping around me, it's there. Once you've heard this noise, it cannot be UNheard. It reverberates in your skull. I tried and tried to accustom my ear to the sound and block it out, because EVERYTHING else about this set is excellent, but I couldn't in good conscience force myself to discount this serious a flaw on an item I had just spent this much money on.

It's a shame, but I can't recommend this to anyone. Unless you live near the airport or alone.

This is my first Plasma TV. I have 4 other LCD TVs. The reasons why I wanted to try out this Plasma TV was because of the price, high refresh rate, and 3D quality. The Plasma has any LED/LCD TV beat in all these catagories. And this TV is awesome...but get ready for a distinct buzzing noise that cannot be fixed. Your only option is to just turn the volume UP.

I had two different Samsung technicians come to my house and tell me the exact same thing "I'm sorry sir, but this is just what these plasma TVs do". They would not replace anything! They sat back in my chair that's about 10 feet away from my TV, we put the volume level on my normal listening level, and they both agreed that they can hear the buzzing noise. The buzzing noise can be heard very distinctly when you sit directly in front of the TV and are looking directly at the TV. When you sit to the side, the noise gets a little quieter. So this is obviously extremely annoying. And now Amazon will only offer me 80% of the current value if I return it. So now I'm trying to figure out if it's worth returning this and losing money...and then buying a more expensive LED TV in order to get rid of this horrible buzzing noise. I read other people's reviews about this buzzing noise, but they make it sound like this noise was really low and hard to hear. Maybe mine is louder than everybody elses, but it's very frustrating because a brand new 2010 HDTV should not make a buzzing noise...especially the top of the line Samsung. And now I'm hearing that Plasmas won't be manufactured anymore (this is what the Samsung told me). I wish I would've known this before I bought a Plasma. But now I know why Plasmas are so much cheaper than LEDs...even though they have a superior picture (2D and 3D).

This is my very first Amazon review. I feel that strongly about this purchase that I wanted to share my experience.

Some background. This is an upgrade from a Sony 34" CRT HDTV. I had that set for 6 years and it had a terrific picture. I've always maintained that a good hi-def tube set still looks better than any current Flat-Panel display. I still feel that way, but it was time to upgrade to a bigger (50+), more modern set. My living room (NYC apartment) is 10 feet wide, so the viewing distance is about 9 to 9.5 feet (taking into account the couch and the fact that I'm not wall mounting the set).

I had already excluded LCD due to price (at 50" and above), screen refresh rate, viewing angle, and a more "film-like" quality that I believe plasmas tend to have. I was fixated on Panasonic, as they are known for their plasma sets with excellent black levels, and I have several friends and family members who own a Panasonic plasma. I've always been impressed by the picture quality and a minimal "digital" look to their images.

My first purchase was a 58" plasma, the Panasonic TC-P58S2, and I got a great deal on it (1099 + tax). After setting it up, the first problem I noticed (and the ultimate reason for returning it) was that at a viewing distance of 9 feet, it was too easy to see grain and picture noise in the display, particularly with HD cable signals. Blu-ray movies looked fantastic at any distance, but overall, I felt this set was too large. Amazon guidelines indicate that 9 feet is acceptable for a 58" set, but I feel that if you are going to get a set this large at this distance, it really needs to be top of the line (and the TC-P58S2 is a highly rated set) or you are going to notice noise in the picture. From a distance of 12 feet or more, that noise blurs away perfectly (as it should) and you see a excellent picture.

I returned the set and decided that if I was going to go smaller to 50", I should get a set that is rated at the top of its class. I am happy to report that the PN50C8000 is simply the best television I've ever seen at this size. I really can't undersell the quality of the picture on this set. Everything I watch looks fantastic. HD Cable broadcasts look terrific with no discernible grain. Blu-Rays looks stunning. 3D Blu-Rays look as good as I've seen on any 3D digitally-projected theater screen. The best way I can describe the picture quality is that it's truly film-like in appearance. The colors look fantastic and properly calibrated right out of the box (mostly using "Movie" mode for all viewing). The level of detail I can see on blu-ray movies still stuns me; It's almost unreal how sharp it is. This is what buying a set of this calibur is all about.

A quick note about the intangibles. The aesthetic of the set is far superior to any Panasonic. It's very thin (1.4") and it looks beautiful. The bezel is classy, stylish, and properly subtle as to not draw your eye's attention while watching the screen. The swivel base is definitely appreciated as well. I haven't used any calibration tools yet, but I'm glad this set has a plethora of tweaking options. I've turned off ALL the image processing features, which from everything I've read online, make the picture worse. Make sure to turn off the "dejudder" option in particular. I'm amazed Samsung keeps this on as a default out of the box. The 3D upscaling isn't really worth using, but true 3D blu-rays are a joy to watch.

I'm sure some of you are concerned about buzz. All plasmas buzz, but I'm happy to report that the amount of buzz on this set is no more than I've heard with any other, and it's virtually inaudible at 9 feet away with normal sound levels. I was definitely worried about a buzz issue, as it's the kind of thing that would bother me if I could hear it even a little bit. In this case, the buzz is low enough that I never even think about it.

The other possible concern is image retention. There is some image retention you will see after leaving a paused image on the screen for more then 15 minutes, but it quickly goes away after a few minutes of watching a moving picture.

I am thrilled with this purchase. It's a beautiful set in all ways with a truly stunning, film-quality, super crisp picture. I have not had a single moment of regret about buying this model.

That's about it. Feel free to ask a question in the comments section.

I was in the market for an LED-LCD TV last month and instead ended up buying this TV after being amazed by its picture quality at a local store. Later on I also checked Amazon reviews and found out that this TV is one of the two top favorite choices among people looking for Plasma TVs. Most other reviews are very helpful already so I just briefly talk about what I was concerned about before buying and what I think now:

I was extremely concerned about image burn-in before I bought the TV -- hence planning to buy an LED TV originally. I followed every step I found out there on the Internet to make sure the first few hundred hours would go smoothly until the TV phosphors "settle". Needless to say, I ended up pausing my DVR on a screen with the intention of resuming it shortly, and then I forgot to do so! I was very upset with myself to see that I caused the TV to retain the image when I finally resumed after 1 hour. However, even at that early stage, it only took about half an hour to an hour of watching TV to wipe the retained shadows. Now after watching TV for more than a month, even in the worst cases of image retention, the "scroll" screen provided with this TV will wipe everything in a matter of 10-15 minutes. "Image burn-in" nevertheless may still occur but since I'm careful not to watch the same channel with a banner on the bottom or dark sides every day for a week or so, I'm not worried about that anymore. I'm finally starting to enjoy my TV rather than constantly being scared of the flaws.

Some other notable things: Apps are good but there are so many options nowadays for Netflix and YouTube (like XBOX 360 console or most BD players) that I rarely use the TV's apps. Any App that requires user input is a pain because of the phone-like on-screen keyboard (2= ABC, 3= DEF, ...). The ability to download and update the TV's firmware over the Internet is superb and played a major part in my decision to buy this TV. Sound is decent, but I ran everything through my AV Receiver anyhow. Yes there is a humming sound and yes the TV gets warm but these are not deal breakers for me at all. 3D is the best out there (not the technology but the 600Hz refresh rate, which makes it much smoother and more tolerable than 240Hz LED TVs) but I didn't buy this TV because of its 3D capabilities, rather for the picture quality.

The only thing I'm not quite sure if I like with this TV is that all the TV series that I love now look like Soap Operas! The picture is so clear and sharp -- and it may have something to do with the refresh rate as well -- that my favorite drama series don't feel the same way they used to; actors seem to "jump out of the screen" into the living room. This is true even with all edge and sharpness enhancements off.

Bottom line: After a month of using this TV, I would buy this TV again and I would definitely recommend it to my friends.

June 2011 Update
---------------
I have had the pleasure of using this TV for 8 months now. I followed the settings mentioned in a link under the first comment to this review and the picture quality is better than ever. Image retention is not a problem at all: I watch hours of old SD sitcoms from Netflix online, pause for half and hour or so, and then just use the scrolling feature and after about 5 minutes the screen looks clean and without dark spots. I have also watched 3D on Panasonic P50VT25 which is a pretty decent 3D TV but personally I prefer the colors on my Samsung better especially after calibration. After 8 months, given the choice I would buy this TV again.