248 of 249 people found the following review helpful:
Reset issue fixed with a simple firmware update
First of all, Amazon's white glove delivery service was great. I was a little hesitant about buying a TV of this size online but now that I've gone through the process I would do it again in a heart beat.
For those of you who have been following the news on the A650s, the reset issue has been fixed with the latest firmware. Chances are you will have to...
52 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
Just a warning
Just a little warning about their warranty policy. Samsung doesn't replace broken TVs even if they are brand new. I bought this TV and within 1 day there was vertical lines showing up. Within 1 week there were several different color lines. Samsung contacted a local TV repair to fix it and I was not impressed with the repair shop. They wanted to order a new LCD panel...
This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
First of all, Amazon's white glove delivery service was great. I was a little hesitant about buying a TV of this size online but now that I've gone through the process I would do it again in a heart beat.
For those of you who have been following the news on the A650s, the reset issue has been fixed with the latest firmware. Chances are you will have to upgrade the firmware yourself when the TV arrives but it is pretty simple procedure using a USB thumb drive and Samsung provides step by step instructions with photos if you need them.
I've had my TV for about four days now and I'm still completely blown away by clarity, detail and colors this set produces. The LN40A650 has three HDMI inputs on the back, and one HDMI input on left side which made my devices incredibly easy to hook up. I then watched Ratatouille followed by Apocalypto, both on Blu-ray - great movies to show off your new set.
The 40" is the only model in the 6 series that has a fan built into the screen. Some people may be put off because of this but the good news is that this fan is completely inaudible. This weekend we had 90 degree Santa Ana winds here in California and even with out any air conditioning, I still couldn't hear the fan.
When I first saw the Touch of Color online I was indifferent. I don't really care for the color red but now that I have the set, it's slowly growing on me. All of the stock Samsung photos show a vibrant red but with my 40A650 in the living room it has the perfect amount of color. It's not strong enough to steal my focus away while watching TV but at the same time it looks great when the TV is shut off. I believe the rest of the colors have been announced so if red isn't your thing then it's just a matter of time.
The glossy piano black of the A650s does cause reflections at times but I don't consider it to be a deal breaker. It's easier to notice the reflections during the day but I still experimented with light placement so that lamp reflections were not visible at night. Most of the time I only notice the reflections when I'm actively looking for them and it has never interfered with my viewing experience but it's something to consider.
While you're not going to get any realistic surround sound out of the built in speakers, they do come with a little power if needed. I'll be upgrading to a 5.1 system pretty soon and the built in speakers are more than enough to hold me over. If you're not planning on using anything but the built in speakers then the 7 series television might interest you with it's built in subwoofer.
[...]
Overall I'm extremely pleased with the LN40A650 and my purchase experience through Amazon
QUICK UPDATE: September 30th 2008. No problems to report. It has now been 5 1/2 months and I still love this TV.
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
There are four parts to this review, all useful if you plan on buying, or own this LCD, first part is simply Pros and Cons, the second is a full review, and the third part is to explain some complex features in this LCD, and what they should be set at. The last part is my LCDs settings for optimum picture when connected to the PS3.
*PART 1 PROS and CONS*
Pros: Amazing picture quality that matches its specs. Excellent Design (including the Red touch of color). A lot of picture options.
Cons: The quantity and complexity of picture options can be overwhelming. Remote wheel is useless.
*PART 2 FULL REVIEW*
I was a little worried about Amazon's shipping at first, but they managed to get this LCD to me in less than 5 days without damaging this fine piece of machinery. Now that I've had this LCD for a week, I thought I'd put in my few cents about all of its amazing, yet overwhelming features...
Aesthetically its slick glossy black exterior is well designed and sturdy. The Red Touch of Color is subtle when your actually watching the LCD, yet distinctive when the LCD off. The swivel stand isn't rickety or wobbly, it works perfectly. The exterior buttons aren't really buttons per say, they are smooth touch sensitive spots on the side panel. The plentiful amount of inputs are conveniently located. This model also includes a cable management strap on the back. Smart design overall.
You've read the impressive specs, the picture on this bad boy is just as impressive. Blacks are dark, whites are bright, and colors are ... well colorful!
Now I'd like to point out this LCD features a TON of options. This is both a blessing and a CURSE. Most features are inaccessible for one reason or another, making calibration a brain busting headache. Hours of my own tinkering has finally resulted in perfect color settings, without washing out the picture, losing precious pixels of color.
The sound is impressive for an internal sound system. Comparing it to even the cheapest of 5.1 setups though, make this LCD's tunes seem puny and weak.
The remote is sleek and well built, but takes some getting used to. The iPod inspired wheel should have never been implemented into this remotes design. Seeing as how you can navigate the menu much easier with button presses instead.
The Wise-Link feature works just as advertised. I connected my iPod with its standard USB connecting cable, it was immediately recognized, and started seamlessly playing back my music. The menu was slick, it loaded and displayed album artwork for each of my songs, but the menu can be laggy or slow at times. Still a cool feature none the less.
As listed this TV can connect to the internet for updated stock info, weather and other useful info. Samsung innovation at its best.
On a side note, you may have to update this LCD if you plan on using a BluRay player or PS3. The link to Samsung's firmware update can be found on Amazon's product info page, or do a Google search or something if your still puzzled.
Minor quarks aside, this is an excellent LCD, and Amazon's price makes this LCD drool worthy. Awesome specs with a picture that matches. Seriously, why haven't you bought this yet?! (My regards to those unable to buy this LCD if it's out of stock, my thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of visual need.)
*PART 3 COMPLEX SETTINGS*
-Input Names: When PC is selected as the source for HDMI2/DVI, some settings become greyed out. PC Input must be selected in HDMI2/DVI for optimal viewing of text, otherwise you'll get color spots in some text. All other settings give you more options.
-Preset Picture Modes: The only real difference between each mode is that Dynamic mode is the only mode that lets you enable DNIe, Movie mode is the only mode that lets you enable xvYCC, and Standard mode doesn't let you enable either or. Movie is my recommendation because xvYCC is an excellent feature, DNIe isn't all that it's cracked up to be. (An explanation of both can be found later)
-Backlight: This setting varies for me, I like looking at 5 when surfing the web, but 7 makes colors really pop during movies and games. Your Choice on this one.
-Black Adjust/Dynamic Contrast: Set both of these to OFF if you want a full color palate. Otherwise Black Adjust darkens really dark shades of color, while Dynamic Contrast whitens really light colors. Both lead to a loss in overall color. (Turning them both on HIGH is equivalent to enabling Dynamic mode.
-Color Space: To obtain a wider color range leading to richer colors, set this to NATIVE. The difference should be noticeable.
-Edge Enhancement: When displaying full 1080p content, this setting should be OFF. What this does is add tiny white lines around certain edges in the picture, which actually leads to a loss in overall color. (This setting is automatically turned on during Dynamic mode)
-XVYCC: The Holy Grail of color ranges, this should be set to ON. Movies that are filmed in xvYCC, then played through a device capable of outputting xvYCC (PS3), will lead to an increase in color bit rates, thus decreasing ugly "Color Bands" ruining films and games. (Make sure your PS3 BD/DVD output is set at "Y PB/CB Pr/Cr" to take advantage of this.)
-Color Tone: This setting while add blue or red to anything white. You want your picture to be Blueish? Reddish? or Normal? This option is pure preference.
-Size: Basically "Picture Size", choose "Just Scan" if your device outputs Full 1080p (PS3), PC mode chooses 16:9 for you. Play with this setting if your picture is being cropped.
-Digital NR(Noise Reduction): Setting this to ON, reduces fuzziness during dark scenes.
-DNIe: Samsung's "Digital Natural Image engine", is equivalent to setting Black Adjust and Dynamic Contrast to HIGH, which if you remember, I do not recommend.
-HDMI Black Level: Set this to Normal, when set to low, it darkens the overall image, canceling out some colors. When enabled some dark movies become impossible to see.(ie Batman Begins)
-Film Mode: This setting adjusts and enhances the video signal to ensure optimum picture quality.
-Blue Only Mode: This advanced color calibration tool is a setting used to calibrate hue and tint levels, similar to using blue tinted glasses with those optimizer DVDs.(THX Optimizer, Digital Video Essentials, etc)
-Auto Motion Plus 120HZ: This setting is pure preference. Because most DVD's and video are around 30fps, the upscaling process between the DVD player and this LCD, may make human movement seem rushed. In my opinion DVD movies on the PS3 look much better with 120hz OFF. BluRay movies on the other hand, look fantastic with the extra frames being processed. Games, especially racing ones, look better upscaled to 120hz. Play with this setting and figure out which you like best for each media type.
*PART 4 MY SETTINGS FOR PS3 INPUT*
As promised here are my picture settings, which will provide the richest colors without sacrificing any color.
-BLACK ADJUST: OFF
-DYNAMIC CONTRAST: OFF
-GAMMA: 0
-COLOR SPACE: NATIVE
-WHITE BALANCE: 25 ALL
-FLESH TONE: 0
-EDGE ENHANCEMENT: OFF
-XVYCC: ON
-COLOR TONE: NORMAL
-SIZE: JUST SCAN
-DIGITAL NR: HIGH
-DNIE: OFF
-HDMI BLACK LEVEL: NORMAL
-FILM MODE: OFF
-BLUE ONLY MODE: OFF
-AUTO MOTION PLUS 120HZ: OFF > HIGH
So there you have it! Great picture without compromising key colors. I'm disappointed in Samsung for adding some ridiculous picture options, but then again its all about preference, so mess around and set what YOU think looks best. Again this is an excellent LCD, why are you still reading this!? (Again my regards to those unable to buy this LCD if it's out of stock, my thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of visual need.)
-N
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
I did a lot of research before deciding on this Samsung. I wanted 1080p with Auto Motion Plus 120Hz, and I wanted at least a 40 inch screen. After spending about 30 or 40 hours comparing this model with comparable models, I bought this on Amazon and I have been absolutely thrilled! The picture was beautiful right out of the box, and the HD signals from my DirecTV satellite are transformed into the clearest, sharpest images I have ever seen on a television. We can't wait for the prices on Blu Ray players to drop so that we can start watching all our movies in high definition! The sound from the speakers is fine, but you will need external speakers and a receiver (or an HTIB) to get the best audio experience. For people who have lots of A/V sources, this tv has four HDMI inputs, so you aren't going to run out of inputs anytime soon. In fact, I only use one HDMI cable from my Yamaha RX-V663BL 665 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver.
The "Touch of Color" feature wasn't a factor in my purchase, but it looks terrific in our living room and matches our color scheme very nicely. I was a bit wary about buying a television online, but Amazon made the transaction super smooth - delivery was super fast and FREE. Overall, I felt this model offered terrific value and performance, and I have been completely satisfied. If you are viewing from a distance of 10 feet or more, get the 46 inch or larger.
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
After months of researching all the different LCDs out there, this TV beats the hands down. At first I had ordered the 4071 from Amazon, then 2 days later after it was too late to cancel I saw this TV which has twice the contrast ration and half the responce time for only $50 dollars more than what I paid for the 4071. The CEVA shipping was excellent, the TV arrived a week sooner than estimated.
Pros: Excellent unbelievable picture that you have to see to believe. I watched 300 and Troy on Blu-ray through my PS3 and it was amazing. It's like looking out your window and watching an epic battle. The 120hz really brings out the full potential of the movies. The 120hz also is great for gaming. While playing Oblivion it definitly adds smoothness to the environment and the movement of characters. The differemce it completely night and day. The Touch of Color is pretty cool it's very subtle where it gives a nice accent without being too over powering. I was almost worried I wouldn't be able to see it, whenever I would go to Circuit City or Best Buy I could never see it. I have the TV placed in my bedroom with a cielling light and a window across from the TV and have experienced no ploblems with glare.
Cons: It's a dust magnet I'v had it less than I week and it's already getting a thin layer of dust on it. The remote is ok, they could've done w/o the rotating directional control.
Conclusion: If you are looking for a high quality tv at a reasonalbe price look no further than this. Believe me I've looked. Don't kop out and sell yourself short and just get any TV. Save and invest the extra money into getting a top of the line TV without a top of the line price. I guarantee you once you've seen this picture you won't be sorry.
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
Just a little warning about their warranty policy. Samsung doesn't replace broken TVs even if they are brand new. I bought this TV and within 1 day there was vertical lines showing up. Within 1 week there were several different color lines. Samsung contacted a local TV repair to fix it and I was not impressed with the repair shop. They wanted to order a new LCD panel to replace it which would take 2 weeks just to come in. I was already out the TV 2 weeks. I said forget it and return it back to me so I can just return it back to amazon within the 30day return policy. I do not want a brand new TV that has been taken a part and possibly fixed correctly.
The TV is very nice, obviously I got a lemon. I will probably just buy the same model again. I do not like the 120hz option. It makes the scenes look awkward and not natural. So I just turned it off.
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
Pros: Amazing picture quality. Great connectivity options and features.
Cons: Click wheel remote is inaccurate. CEVA shipping will cause you headaches if you live in the metropolitan New York area. Auto motion plus will cause stuttering on medium to high setting.
The Samsung 40a650 is the best LCD on the market right now. The picture quality is fantastic and the connectivity and features are plentiful. The touch of red outlining the frame is very subtle and does not distract from viewing whatsoever.
There are a few minor issues, but nothing to deter from a purchase. First, the click wheel remote is inaccurate and has slow response. The menu system however, is fairly easy to navigate and features large readable text.
The shipping from CEVA is horrible. Expect more than your fair share of headaches. They changed my delivery time without consulting me and then showed up when I was at work. I re-scheduled and they dropped my TV off at the curb and I had to bring it up my driveway myself. They then asked me to sign a form that said they were willing to set up the TV wherever I asked them too. I live in Long Island, NY so experiences will vary depending on your location. On a related note, Amazon can be difficult to deal with as well. They outsource a great deal of their customer service to India and there is definitely difficulty in communication. I needed to change my shipping address and they were uncooperative and offered little to no solution to the problem.
I am an avid gamer and the Xbox 360 looks amazing. Games look sharp and detailed. The brightness of the LCD screen really helps when playing darker games like Bioshock. The flowing water was smooth thanks to the auto motion plus (low) and the game mode created a very believable surround sound effect.
Lastly, the auto motion plus is improved, but not perfected. On low is provides a nice smoothing effect that lessens blur and judder. This is especially evident in camera pans and credits. It makes motion in games much smoother as well. The downside is that stuttering will occur on medium and especially on high. Be warned if the 120 Hz feature is a must have for you. I figured since this feature can be turned off, it's like having any other LCD, but with arguably the most stunning picture quality to date. It's nice to know that the feature is there when you need it.
Overall, this is a great HD television with forgivable imperfections. At the current price point, it's a steal. I recommend purchasing an extended warranty as Samsung has an unfortunate history with some of their LCD panels.
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
When I was shopping for a TV I was looking for exceptional quality, flexible connectivity, and I didn't want it to feel flimsy and cheap. The Samsung 650A model has not only exceeded my expectation but continues to surprise.
I will not get into the technical details because they are well documented elsewhere but I'll explain more practical points.
The TV looks amazing in the living room. I have deep red accents in my living room and this TV fits beautifully since the Red is not obnoxious at all and does not distract when the TV is on. This allows it look good on and off.
The buttons on the TV are touch sensitive which is very sleek. The quality on the surfaces of the TV is solid and durable as well glossy. The glossiness attracts dusts and hair but the TV comes with dust cloth to wipe those right off.
The TV menu is intuitive with large fonts, description on the bottom of each function, and you will notice that you will not get tired of trying out different settings because these menus are fun and inviting. What does not make this experience even better is the remote as it has a click wheel similar to an ipod. The reason is, the touch wheel on the remote moves very easily but on the TV moving through menus has a slight but smooth delay so the click wheel sensitivity will sometimes mess your navigation. The important thing is you wont be annoyed with the TV, but with the remote itself.
Another thing that will be slightly bothering is that some features are activated when certain settings are set. In other words if you want to see a movie in 1080P, you will need to set another setting to 'cinema'. This will then activate the 1080P option. This is all a matter of reading the manual, which brings me to my next point.
The manual is very easy to understand, clear pictures and instructions along with notes telling you how certain function affects other features. I NEVER read manuals, but this one was very easy to read despite it not being in color. It is also thick (due to languages).
Now this leaves me to the actual experience of the TV viewing. I know every body raves about their TV, "It's the best" - "greatest" and so on.
But I seriously recommend that you purchase the TV on the feature set alone since it comes with the latest technologies! But since you won't believe me, you need to see this TV in person, this TV will just blow you away. It is indeed an incredibly brilliant display and with the features it will just knock your socks off, the best TV I've seen.
Enjoy.
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
I struggled with TV options for almost 6 months - was ready to buy another set however when I went to purchase this model had just been launched and I was torn (it's a more expensive model, but was it a worthwhile investment?). A friend recommended I go to Best Buy and compare all the models I was considering - this one blew all the others away - including Sony! (though the Best Buy on 23rd in Manhattan did not have the Sony XBR model so I couldn't compare that). I still haven't used all the settings but the HD quality is incredible from the cable - haven't even tried blue ray yet but saw that in the store and it was pretty amazing as well.
Gripes: the glossy finish will show how much dust gathers in a very short period of time...if you're a neat freak you will find yourself wiping it off constantly. But it looks great otherwise.
Touch of Red: I was actually turned off by this but was pleasantly surprised at its subtlety in my living room.
Overall I'm very pleased with my purchase (...)
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
I've wanted to wait a few weeks to review(Don't want to jinx anything!)
Basically, want to focus on 2 things, the TV itself, and the delivery.
First, the TV:
It's great, simple as that. The picture is everything an HDTV should deliver. I am hooked up via Directv HD receiver and a regular DVD player for now. I actually bought a Samsung 1400 at the same time, but it's hooked up to my Runco 60" plasma in the family room. The picture is fantastic and I have no doubt that with Blu Ray, it'll knock my socks off.
Although I think the majority of reviews have been very good, there seem to be a few complaints scattered about. I think with virtually any TV, there probably is the occasional one that might be a bad one, but so far, it's great, none of the issues with firmware, blurring, etc. If you want technical- there are plenty of sights for that.
What I would highly recommend, is checking it out at somewhere like Bestbuy. The set that was my other choice was the Sony XBR. Pictures were very close, I'd be happy with either. The decider was $500+ less for the Samsung. One other thing- the Sony is much heavier. In my younger days, I kind of assumed that heavier=better. Whether it's true or not, I definitey appreciate the greater ease manipulating the TV now being lighter
Now, the DELIVERY:
There are a few rather worrisome stories in the reviews, but mine was nothing less than fantastic! First, It was scheduled for "estimated" delivery June 9th. There was no rush for me so even a little late would have been fine. Well, I got a call May 30th to see if they could deliver it later that day. As much as I'd have liked to have had it, I couldn't be home, so I asked to reschedule. The man was very nice, said no problem and set it up for the following Tuesday, between 1 and 4. I called that day to dispatch and they confirm.
The delivery man was on time, unloaded the TV and brought it in. I helped get it out of the box which was a piece of cake(remember the relative lack of weight). He then helped me move my old TV, about a 150# Sony tube set and then set the new TV up. I connected the HDMI cable in about 20 seconds. Turned it on and I was good to go. He waited to make sure it was working, did the paperwork and that was it! He asked if I wanted him to take out the box, but I figured I'd keep it for a while, just to be sure.
By the way, the stand is already connected in the box. I was planning on hanging it on the wall eventually, but it frankly looks fine the way it is with the stand.
The remote is a little different then I'm used to, but the backlight function is kind of cool
Anyway, I'm now a couple weeks in and still happy. I could have spent more at Bestbuy, etc. but the delivery would not have been any better, except they'd have charged. Look, I'm sure, like me, a lot of people are a little anxious about buying something like this online. Don't be. Wait for what you like, wait for a good deal, free shipping, etc. and don't let the occasional story make you go out and spend more money.
I'm waiting for the newer Blu rays to come out to get a new one to pair with it.
Hope this soothes some worry people might have; I don't write a lot of reviews, but this one needed to be done
Happy TV!
PS---if you're as happy with your delivery as I was, please TIP the guy!
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This review is from: Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color (Electronics)
Pros: Perfect picture, 120 HZ is great. affordable
Cons: Body can be scratched with little effort, recent price drop by amazon looks suspicious.
After looking at a number of TVs for 3 months, i succeeded in narrowing down to a couple of models from Sony and Samsung. I compared this model with Sony XBR5 side by side, it was easy to see the difference in quality between the two. A650 showed black, blacker and white whiter, and the contrast was amazing. At $1800, (vs 2300 from fry's at that time) it seemed a great bargain to buy this tv from amazon.
The delivery was awesome, i got the TV 5 days in advance and in perfect condition. I would never again hesitate to buy such a priced item from amazon.
My old 720P Samsung went into the bedroom. I watched a few movies on my new TV both in standard and high definition and the difference from my old TV was remarkable. The 120Hz enabled smoother motion and i was amazed by the fast moving images. I did not have any problems with glare reflecting from the TV and i personally think that contrast is much better than a matte.
The only downside to it is that it can easily be scratched. I tried to clean a side with Bounty napkin, and it left a scratch on it. Luckily i was able to stop early.
(...)
All in All, if you are looking for the best picture on a 40 inch screen, this would be the perfect choice for movies, sports and video games.
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