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Samsung LN52A650 52

Samsung LN52A650 52" LCD TV

Samsung - LN52A650Release Date: Apr 2008

Sit down to watch the big game or enjoy your favorite movies on this high-definition 52" flat-panel LCD TV. It supports the Infolink system through its Wiselink USB 2.0 port and can be used as a monitor for your computer through its PC input.

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Summary of User Reviews

Number of Reviews: 24
Positive Reviews: 92%
Negative Reviews: 8%
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Negative Review

Reviewed by: elaurence on 15-Apr-08

Strengths: Beautiful picture, lots of connections (3 HDMI on rear, 1 on side)

Weaknesses: Screen too shiny, doesn't output 5.1 audio, remote won't control my other devices

Summary: Overall I am satisfied with this purchase. The picture is beautiful and that's the main point.Some annoyances, however: unlike my prior 52" Sharp 52D92U (which has just been discontinued and hence why I tried the Samsung), the screen is very reflective, and so if the room is bright or if there is an unshaded window, you'll see annoying reflections on the screen. The Sharp has more of a matte finish and doesn't exhibit this problem. Will need to put opaque blinds in the windows, and use them if watching during the day. I thought one of the advantages of LCD over Plasma is that the front of the LCD screen is plastic instead of glass, making it less reflective. I guess that is true, but only if you use non-reflective plastic!The other annoyance is the way it handles audio out. I route several HDMI signals into the TV, and then wanted to connect the TV to my Denon amp via the digital audio out. Problem is that it will only output stereo audio not 5.1, so I'm forced to route audio directly to the amp. This is a major hassle, since now I have to change the source both at the TV and the amp (my Denon is a couple years old so doesn't handle HDMI). So now I'm going to finally spring for the Harmony One unified remote to try to address this issue. Would be nice if all of these new TVs could be much more "amp-friendly".

Positive Review

Reviewed by: dklim on 23-Apr-08

Strengths: Deep black, 120Hz refresh rate, Ultra clear Pannel for the deep color, 4 ms response time, astonishing 50,000:1 contrast ratio, full 1080P HDTV quality, Great 5.1 audio performance

Weaknesses: None

Summary: I would call this TV as "THE BEST TV" in the world to date because of its excellent quality. The picture quality of this TV is just mind blowing. I hooked up number of different components to this TV set via HDMI. For an example, XBOX 360 Elite (HDMI connection with 1080P setting) demonstrated what this TV can really do. The black was very deep unlike other major brand LCD TVs such as SONY, Panasonic or Sharp. I felt like I was watching the picture via a professional CRT monitor instead of a conventional LCD (via LCD, I tend to see grayish black). Thanks to its Ultra Clear Panel technology with outrageous 50,000:1 contrast ratio. The 120 Hz refresh rate and fast response time made this TV's picture even more amazing. Because the XBOX360 handled stereo for audio via HDMI connection, I utilized a separate optical fiber connection from XBOX360 directly to my amplifier to get 5.1/7.1 sounds. However, the 5.1 Dolby digital sounds from some of the HD broadcasts via optical output was fascinating (This TV handles 5.1 audio via its optical output beautifully!).When screen size gets bigger (over 50 inches), the picture quality tends to get worse due to the fact that moving pictures look fuzzy (This is especially true on any LCD TV with 60Hz refresh rate with slower response time). However, this TV never showed such problems at all. Its performance was purely jaw dropping. I was extremely pleased with its stellar performance! The stylish Touch of Color design made this TV looks like a work of art. So even when this TV is off, it looks beautiful in my living room!

Positive Review

Reviewed by: jonalind on 28-Apr-08

Strengths: 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratioBlazing 4ms response time4 HDMI 1.3 portsSide-mounted USB 2.0 port

Weaknesses: Since I'm not using the built in TV tuner I would like to disable the TV source completely. Have yet to find a way to do that.

Summary: Had this TV since very early March and can not find a flaw. Blurring and other artifacts are virtually non-existant. Film based DVD's and movies look like your watching real-life, viewing it through a window. The 650 has a picture with great depth and color from any angle, greatly adding to the immersion effect.This screen is slightly less reflective than Samsung's 71 series but can still be a problem for some. Other makers use a matte screen that helps the problem but introduces other negatives.Much talk has been about the TOC bezel. I think Samsung has hit on a nice added effect. It adds just a touch of red and sets this tv apart from all others. However, the picture already does that! Most of the time you don't even notice it.SUMMARY: This is best the LCD on the market.

Positive Review

Reviewed by: HarieB on 01-May-08

Strengths: The color and contrast will blow you away. The colors are vivid and rich that I had to turn it down from the factory settings. The AMP feature makes the images look 3D.

Weaknesses: The remote sucks. Very cheap look and feel. Only one RF antenna input.

Summary: The Good - Best LCD picture I have ever seen. There's no comparison to my previous plasma and to the previous Samsung LCD models that I've seen from friends and family that owns them. There are many different settings to tweak the image quality but will takes some time to learn. The AMP mode makes the images pop out at you, never seen so much depth from a TV before.The Bad - The remote has a wheel similar to the ipods, but much much cheaper. The wheel is very lose and can't seem to control it easily. Sometimes when I spin the wheel, it doesn't move the cursor until I spin it faster, then it'll move but will jump beyond the selection I wanted. Once I program the Harmony, this remote will go into the drawer with the rest. The manual can do a better job of explaining all the image settings. It just tells you how to turn a feature on/off, but don't explain what the feature does or how it affects the image. But there's always google.The red touch of color is subtle during the day and at night when the lights are dimmed. However, if the lights are fully turned on, the whole frame becomes cherry color. Can be good or bad, but really depends on personal taste.If you plan to connect your PC to this LCD, I advise that you don't label the HDMI2 input as PC. You'll lose a lot of the image settings. Instead, just don't label the input and let the TV think it's connected to a DVD or any external unit. Set you PC display to 1920x1080 @ 60hz. Then set the picture size on the LCD to "just scan". This way, you don't have any overscan issues and you can take advantage of all the image settings.

Negative Review

Reviewed by: mrosenberg2812 on 01-May-08

Strengths: Exterior casing is very attractive with maroon tinited frame

Weaknesses: Picture quality on lower channels is very grainy

Summary: I also own a 3 year old plasma and assumed this new 52" LCD would be far superior to my older plasma. I was very mistaken. Even with a high end DVD, the picture is maybe as good as my older plasma. Only in certain HD channels, mainly in exterior scenes, is the picture quality exceptional. Most of the time, I have been very dissappointed in the picture clarity.

Positive Review

Reviewed by: ec8r1 on 07-May-08

Strengths: Awesome in almost every single way, excellent picture, 120HZ, plenty of inputs

Weaknesses: Click wheel on remote is hard to get use to and lacks tactile feel.

Summary: This is by far the best tv i've owned. I thought my previous Sharp Aquos was good but this blows that out of the water. No issues like the Sharp with banding. 120hz really makes bluray movies stand out. I did have the issue some people have the the tv set restarting on its own but that was quickly fixed with a firmware update. The Touch of Color goes well with my black/red themed living room but may not work for all people. The price on this tv seems to be dropping right now, there's no reason for everyone not to get one!

Positive Review

Reviewed by: acchen on 09-May-08

Strengths: Clarity is superb, especially with Blu Ray discs hooked up via HDMI. The color tone is very natural and vivid.

Weaknesses: Screen and edges easily smudged and not easy to clean. But it's all just cosmetics, the real beauty is the picture.

Summary: This TV really is one of a kind. I've been researching LCDs for months and months and finally settled for this one. The picture and the touch of color look is unmatched. You might've heard people complain about the shutting off issue, but that issue has been fixed and has been a non-factor. Go check it out at your local electronics store, this thing is a thing of beauty.

Positive Review

Reviewed by: rfettig on 09-May-08

Strengths: exceptional quality of picture can input a 480p signal and get a nearly HD quality pci ...which is far better than any other tv on market ..(for now)

Weaknesses: has only 1 cable input..I have more than one coax satellite to connect..will have to figure anotehr way out..or get a swith box or ..another tv.heh..if i could only convice the significant other

Summary: well for now its the best television i think i saw during my searching, I searched extensively...stay away from vizio...they are cheap---for a reason. i got mine at a significant reduction in price...but..wish it had been cheaper...

Positive Review

Reviewed by: sydanyc on 13-May-08

Strengths: Glossy Screen. Deep Blacks. Bright Whites. No noticeable TBE. Perfect for fast gaming.

Weaknesses: Glossy Screen. Reflective. Red TOC may not match your setup.

Summary: The glossy screen is a matter of contention for some viewers. In a dark room, it works perfectly, but as soon as it gets bright be careful of reflections. It gets annoying seeing yourself in the tv during the daytime, but I guess this has been a sticking point with TV's for years now. The anti-reflective coating on this TV is better than those of prior years. I must also comment on how good this picture is, so much so I upgraded from the 46" to the 52" knowing that I'd be holding on to this puppy for a good time to come. Gaming is as good here, if not better, than on my plasma. Highly recommended.

Positive Review

Reviewed by: SantaClausSenior on 15-May-08

Strengths: Picture quality both HD and non HD. Built in speakers are great. TOC is beautiful.

Weaknesses: None

Summary: I got mine on May 5th. Delivery was excellent. Lots of features and easy to setup and start using right away. I had the cable company install an HD DVR and then also check the signal strength on the cable. Signal was low, so the cable guy put in an amplifier. Analog shows look very good. HD is amazing on this TV. If you register your warranty On line then Samsung gives you an extra 3 months of warranty. If you buy with VISA you might also get an extra free year of warranty from VISA. I think Mastercard does the same. I'm currently using video cables and the picture is perfect. The remote is made for the hand and easy to use.

Positive Review

Reviewed by: rdean1111 on 19-May-08

Strengths: Picture 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio 4ms response time 4 HDMI 1.3 ports Side-mounted USB 2.0 port infolink

Weaknesses: TV has none - Remote's wheel control

Summary: Had this TV for a little over a week and can not find a flaw. No blurring noted with the 4ms. DVD's and movies look like your watching real-life. The 650 has a picture with great depth and color from any angle. Much talk has been about the TOC bezel. I think Samsung has hit on a nice effect with the TOC. It adds just a touch of red and sets this tv apart from all others. Most of the time you don't even notice it. I think this is best the LCD on the market

Positive Review

Reviewed by: pllchiu on 22-May-08

Strengths: Great picture! 4 HDMI inputs!

Weaknesses: Remote wheel sucks!

Summary: Truely this Tv has great picture and it upscling of SD content is not bad at all! Lots of inputs and it is not too shiny screen. The only thing I don't like is the remote specifically the wheel since I frequently turn it by mistake. i think it is not a very good design. Otherwise the TV is really good!

Positive Review

Reviewed by: KRny on 24-May-08

Strengths: Picture quality and brightness; fast-action motion; plug-and-play set up; inputs; low weight

Weaknesses: Too many menu options; sound quality; slow menu navigation; remote control

Summary: First foray into big screen/HD. Not a videophile but picture is great, particularly brightness and contrast ratio. Motion, for example, sports, still pixelates but better than anything else on the market. 120 Hz improves motion (split screen demo mode is neat) but not sure worth extra money. Yes, screen is reflective material but picture brightness makes it irrelevant. Plug and play and convenient inputs makes it easy to set up, but the array of picture menu options is confusing. Who needs all that

Positive Review

Reviewed by: sipkristal on 03-Jun-08

Strengths: high contrast ratio; 120 hz; plenty of inputs!

Weaknesses: glossy screen

Summary: I've owned this TV for about a week now and absolutely love it! I've been contemplating for months if I should get this TV or the new Sony w4100 but I jumped the gun and purchased this set with no regrets. There are too many good things to say about this TV but my only con would be its glossy screen. Depending on the lighting of your room this may not be an issue but it was for me. Other than that, this TV is probably the best out there right now.

Positive Review

Reviewed by: Worf101 on 24-Jun-08

Strengths: Light, slim, extremely programable, well made and amazing picture quality

Weaknesses: Not cheap

Summary: I've owned this LCD for about 2 weeks now and I must say it's some amazing kit. I'm not "cheap" per se just frugal but I must admit that this is about the best purchase I've made in years. Wonderfully versatile with a great picture and with 4 "stretch" modes you're sure to find something that'll make your movie look great. But with confidence, Samsung is great gear.

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