73 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
Samsung Delivers a Winner
Okay, here's my list of what's great about this TV:
1. The QAM Cable tuner took my standard cable connection and found about 30 new or so DTV (digital HD) channels to complement my analog cable channels. I can now get all my local channels in HD (720p or 1080i) through my cable connection. Additionally, some other analog channels have a sister DTV channel...
36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
Most Beautiful 10 minutes of my life
Picture was beautiful until the delivery guy drove out of my driveway when the screen turned green and the picture died. Had to unplug it to get it to turn off. The good news is that I chose Amazon as a retailer and since it was DOA on arrival they gave me my money back and had someone pickup the TV. in short I got a lemon. The product looks great for a good number of...
This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
Okay, here's my list of what's great about this TV:
1. The QAM Cable tuner took my standard cable connection and found about 30 new or so DTV (digital HD) channels to complement my analog cable channels. I can now get all my local channels in HD (720p or 1080i) through my cable connection. Additionally, some other analog channels have a sister DTV channel broadcasting in 480i.
2. I was able to connect my old rabbit air antenna to the TV and lo and behold, I received my local channels in HD. But with the QAM Cable Tuner, I don't really need my rabbit airs.
3. The HD Channels truly look spectacular on this TV.
4. I was surprised how good Standard Definition (analog) channels looked on this TV as well. Because this 56" baby is so big, I can make the SD channels 4:3 (instead of widescreen) and it still looks big. I measured the 4:3 screen and it comes out to about 46".
5. The remote control and menu layout of this TV is very intuitive. Easy to use! The remote has a separate button to change the screen size to 4:3, 16x9, Zoom1, Zoom2, Just Scan. There are other dedicated buttons as well for Picture Mode, Sound Mode, Freeze Picture, SRS Surround Sound, Game Mode, Sleep Mode, Info, Closed Caption, etc. There's also a button to switch easily between cable and an external antenna.
6. After you autoprogram your channels, you can setup a favorite channels list. The remote has a favorite channel button which will only scroll through your favorites.
7. I'm in the process of getting an upconverting 1080p DVD player, but my standard DVD player with S-Video/RCA jack connection looks pretty dang sharp on this TV. The cartoons (Cars, Happy Feet, etc) that my kids watch on DVD almost look HD like.
8. When changing channels, the TV will temporarily display the show's v-chip rating, the picture quality (480i, 720p, or 1080i), and native screen size (4:3, 16x9).
9. Another wonder is that I can set the picture size to 4:3 because most of my cable channels are still analog. However, when a DTV channel comes up, the TV will automatically expand those channels to 16x9 if the DTV channel is supposed to be in widescreen format.
10. Hopefully the LED light engine will last a long time. No more bulbs to replace.
11. Amazon's delivery service was good. I was able to schedule a 8am-11am Saturday delivery. I live on the 2nd floor of a flat and the delivery guys carried it up to my living room. They waited for me to test it out before I signed off as well.
Here's my list of dislikes:
1. When changing channels, there's about a second or two delay before the channel appears. My old CRT shows the next channel immediately. I don't know if all HDTVs do this. I didn't really test other HDTVs at the store by changing the channels.
2. I think all bigger screen TVs have this problem (whether it's Plasma, LCD, or DLP), but the TV isn't really that heavy. So if you live in earthquake country like I do, I can see this TV swaying and falling down on its screen size...OUCH! This flatscreen TV makers ought to attach a strap on the back of the TV that can hook on to the TV stand for more stability.
3. The SRS Surround Sound reads a lot better than it sounds. It's okay though.
4. I wish this TV had PIP...oh well, I didn't want to pay extra for the model that had it.
For the money and screen size, this Samsung is a steal IMO....especially if the LED light engine last as long as Samsung claims. As for the reviewer who wrote that his LED light engine cost him $1200, he must have bought a different Samsung LED model than this one since this model hasn't been around 11 months ago. Date of my review is 5/31/07. Also per my Warranty details, this model is covered for 1 year parts and labor as long as it's not used for commercial use. So the light engine should have been covered.
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This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
Picture was beautiful until the delivery guy drove out of my driveway when the screen turned green and the picture died. Had to unplug it to get it to turn off. The good news is that I chose Amazon as a retailer and since it was DOA on arrival they gave me my money back and had someone pickup the TV. in short I got a lemon. The product looks great for a good number of people. But if you get a lemon I suggest returning it through Amazon instead of dealing with the support hassles others have had.
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This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
I have been looking at upgrading by 27" CRT for a couple of years now and this TV is made me pull the trigger. Why?
1) No lamp - don't have to worry about cooling and lamp going out (the LEDs may go out after something like 8000 hours, compared to the 3000 for bulbs)
2) No color wheel - don't have the "rainbow effect" as other models do
3) 3 HDMI - enough for me HD receiver, PS3 and ?...
4) no loss of color/brightness (compared to other models like Sony's SXRDs)
5) low power consumption
6) good picture on SD channels (compared to other models like Sony/Panasonic/Toshiba)
7) This TV is BRIGHT (even at medium settings)
8) silent
9) good speakers (haven't cranked it up over 25 yet)
10) turns on in less than 5 seconds (Sony's took for...ever...)
LED is the way to go until OLED big-screen TVs can be produced (CNET has great info I used for my TV research). Don't waste your money on TVs using bulbs. They fade and they go out quickly.
I really believe this is the best you can get for your money. First time I buy Samsung... not the last. I was a Sony guy.
Shipping was great. No problems. Great communication. They came in within 4 days, unpacked, placed it in the entertainment center and took all the packing with them... within 10mn.
Thank you Amazon, thank you Eagle, thank you Samsung.
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This is a review of my total buying experience with this TV, not just a review of the TV.
This is the first major appliance I have ever ordered on-line from Amazon (or anybody else, for that matter), and I was pretty apprehensive.
I needed this TV to be delivered within a certain time window. I spoke to an Amazon representative on the phone, and she told me to order it on September 27. So I did.
I called Eagle, and they received the TV right on time and delivered it to me exactly when I needed it, two days later; they were very cooperative. This has been SO much more convenient than buying it locally and having to either pay extra or lug it home myself. Amazon and Eagle get an A+ for great service! I am no longer apprehensive about ordering a large TV on-line.
I paid $1800 for this TV, shipped and delivered to my home. When you consider that any local dealer charges sales tax, I saved nearly $400 over the best local price. Great price. I discovered that Amazon has dropped the price to $1700, so I asked them for a credit and received an e-mail (on a Sunday, no less) indicating that my credit card will be credited $104.
As delivered, the TV set appeared to be perfect, except for the often cited bowing problem: long, straight, horizonatal lines across the top one-third of the screen were bowed slightly in the shape of a frown. I called Samsung and they dispatched a local (Phoenix) field engineer. The field engineer fixed the problem by inserting a shim in the cabinet. Technically speaking, the out-of-the-box geometry was within the specification of 1/4" or less horizontal bow, but the technician improved it so that the bow is almost imperceptible. Had the technician not fixed the problem, the bowing would have been a distraction to my eye in certain scenes, even though it was within spec.
I have a 50" plasma, a 23" LCD, and a 37" LCD. The Samsung is my first projection TV. As noted above, the geometry of the Samsung is not perfect, not as good as my other TVs. Nevertheless, overall, I like the Samsung best. Even though the Samsung has a larger picture than the other TVs, the picture is actually sharper and better than the other TVs. It is pretty spectacular! I love this TV.
I would repeat this transaction, in a heartbeat. It has been a completely positive experience.
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This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
The Samsung LED DLP HD picture is outstanding. I have not seen a LCD or Plasma that compares. The Samsung easily switches between HD 1080i, 720p and 480p giving an outstanding picture in all supported modes. Standard DVD movies viewed using an Upscale DVD player are close to true HD quality. I highly recommend this LED DLP. However, the shipping company Amazon uses, Eagle Air Freight is the most incompetent shipper I have ever dealt with. The TV was delivered a week after it arrived in their Denver facility. The only reason it was ever delivered to my address was that I tracked it down and called them. They stated they were short of help and did not have time to contact me to setup a delivery date. After getting Amazon involved and their area manager I was able to get it delivered.
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This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
If you need a big screen TV for a living/family room, the only affordable option is a rear projection. This Samsung has a bright, richly colored picture that looks like a flat screen LCD. In fact, everyone who has seen it has assumed it was a Plasma or LCD. It has the best contrast ratio, response time, resolution and color saturation in its price range.
I had read that if you turn your head quickly while looking at a DLP, you would see a "rainbow" effect (like colors smearing). I looked hard for this effect and never saw it.
The TV is lightweight for a projection system, not too deep (so it can fit into shallow niches) and uses a lot less power than my old rear projection system.
It also looks cool with the thin black bevel frame and the blue-lit power button.
I have two minor complaints:
1. My only minor complaint is that it takes about 5 seconds for the TV to turn on. The picture requires no warm-up, but the TV has built-in software that apparently gets loaded when you start it.
2. The input jacks are all located on the side of the TV rather than the front or back. If you want to plug in a camcorder or laptop computer, you need to reach around the side of the TV. At least this gives you a clean look on the front of the TV, but it is a bit awkward.
I highly recommend this TV. For the money, you can't get a better picture. The LED lamp is supposed to last for years without replacement and use 75% less electricity than the same size TV with an incandescent lamp.
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This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
First HDTV, and I absolutely love it. I have a HTPC, and can really take advantage of the 1080p. Excellent colors, no "rainbow" effect, great viewing angle. Even SD feeds look good, surprisingly.
The interface on the menu is very intuitive, and therefore easy to use. The range of adjustable settings is unprecedented.
I can't rate the speakers, as I don't use them and have an actual receiver.
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This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
I am very happy with this TV. Looks much better at home than in stores. I use it with Dish HD receiver VIP622. I have no idea of the reliability of this item. Time will tell.
Sound is tolerable. The SRS, as usual, is yech. Samsung should have just put in simulated surround instead. I leave SRS off.
Picture adjustment ability is good. I can't get it as warm as I would like. It does have selections of cool1, cool2, normal, warm1, and warm2. But Warm does not show up with my selection of picture modes and special features...this is a disappointment. But you can still set it easily to your visual preference.
I am hoping the lack of color wheel and bulb will make this a long lasting TV. But I would get the extended warranty. The LED engine cost over $1200 to replace, compared to a few hundred for a bulb.
I have read reviews where people have problems. If the unit is not perfect out of the box, return it immediately. And like I said, get the extended warranty....always on a big ticket item, or any DLP tv.
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This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
Defer to others on the detailed merits of this product - it's a fantastic set made only better by the addition of the LED engine. This is my 2nd 56" Samsung DLP - my first was a HLN - and this is a marked improvement at half the price. I didn't have much problem with the rainbow effect on the HLN, but it is eliminated on the HLT, as is the infamous out-of-sync audio (I am a member of MPEG and work in audio post production for film, so that little sync problem drove me nuts!). I also love the fact that I can finally dump my DVI cables and switcher and utilize the 3 HDMI inputs on this set (the HLN had just one DVI input). Samsung has another winner! As an aside, speaking of HDMI, stay away from Monster and other expensive HDMI cables, particularly if your run is less than about 4 meters. You absolutely do NOT need expensive HDMI cables (or cables "rated" for 1.3). Anyone who claims they can see a difference is merely trying to justify their purchase. Those of us in the industry who actually use our eyes and our ears in place of test equipment and engineer jargon just laugh at the fraud Monster has put on the electronics-buying public. But I digress...
Why 4 stars? Because as others have said, Eagle (now called Ceva Logistics) is, to put mildly, not very good. (Before anyone decides to bash my review for stating a problem with the shipping, note that it is absolutely relevant as this is a review of the set as purchased through Amazon. I can write a glowing review of the set on its own at Epinions, and I probably will. But since Amazon provides this forum on the site, I am perfectly within my rights to rate the ENTIRE buying experience as it relates to this product. Furthermore, it doesn't say anywhere in Amazon's review guidelines that I can't mention this.) For the record, Amazon itself is the greatest retailer in the history of mankind!
Long story long, my experience with Eagle/Ceva echoes just about everyone else who had a bad experience with them. I tracked the progress of my set from the Reno warehouse to the Los Angeles-area warehouse - all good there. When I saw that it had arrived at the LA warehouse, I anticipated a phone call from Eagle arranging delivery. When no call came, I called Eagle myself and was told that I could have a delivery time for the following day between 1 and 5pm, which I accepted. Because I wanted to make sure I wouldn't be blowing a work day for naught, I called the morning of the scheduled delivery and confirmed that my set would be delivered later that day. I was told that the set was already on the truck, would absolutely be delivered that day and that I would be called 30 minutes prior to delivery.
You can guess the rest: 4:30pm came along, so call just to confirm that everything was still set. I expected to be told that they would be late, which would have been absolutely fine. Instead, I was told that I never had an appointment, the set never left the warehouse and that it would be at least a few days before I would get it. Not only that, I was told that they tried calling me to tell me that it wasn't going to be delivered, yet I was home all day, took no calls, and a scan of my Vonage call log shows no incoming calls. This also begs the obvious question: if I had no appointment, why would they try calling me to tell me there was a problem with my appointment? True to their final word, the set was delivered three days later, but they were three hours late for a promised 4-hour delivery window (promised delivery between 10 and 2, showed up at 5, no apology). Just once, I would appreciate it if one of these companies was true to its initial word or just told the truth when something went wrong!
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This review is from: Samsung HLT5687SAX 56-Inch Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)
I got this set about a month ago. At first, I thought it looked great, but quickly realized on scenes with high-contrast, I could see various bluish lights around the center of the screen. Unfortunately, this was especially noticeable when watching movies (like my BluRay Pirates of the Caribbean).
I called Samsung customer service, who put me in touch with a local repair shop (all under standard warranty). They came to take a look, then took my set away for a week. Turns out that there's a small metal ring that holds the light source - it's highly reflective metal and that's where the extra light came from. Samsung just released a fix - the service guys swap the metal ring for one made of black plastic. It fixed my problem and looks very nice.
So, I'm giving it four stars - I wish Samsung would have caught this *before* going to production. But hey, it looks good now and the Amazon price was great (and the service, both Samsung's and the local place, were terrific). Check your sets and if you see this problem, call Samsung ASAP. (If you'd like to check your set, try this: I could always see the problem when I switched to an input that it couldn't find, like a turned-off Playstation. The screen would be black, with an "input not found" message. That provided enough contrast to make those blue lights appear, at least for me.)
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