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and personally I think this model beats the XBR8 and the New LGx. I spent 2 years holding back until i found a TV worth the money. If you like Plasma thats fine too, this is not an LCD vs Plasma review).-Jimmy Toshiba and Vizio are playing Catchup right now, but i doubt they will reach the pinnacle that Samsung has with this 55A950.Get this at the great price while you still can.(Do not buy if you want a "thin" or "slim bezel" TV, only get it if you want the best PICTURE and MOVIE quality on the SCREEN itself. and it is this TV.NOTHING compares to the picture quality of Local Dimming and Scanning LED BACKlit LCD displays. No Sidelit, or CCFL can match the quality.
In December of 2008 I decided the address the living room needs and again went back to study all the options. Even Samsung's new LED TV (actually still and LCD) does not get the rave reviews as the A950. I've wanted a High Def TV for several years and wanted to replace a CRT in the bedroom and living room. I had the choice boiled down to 3 sets, the Sony 40W4100, 40XBR4 and the Samsung LN40A650. This unit is coupled with a Samsung BD-P2550 Blue Ray player and is outright the best picture for the money on the market today. The set has incredible off angle viewing as well as a myriad of picture settings. In the end I just set it on Dynamic mode and let it do its thing.
(they will negotiate if you send them links to other etailers)I have to say this was absolutely the right choice. While the Sony has received great reviews I ultimately choose the LN55A950 and paid a little under 4K from crutchfield.
I have been very impreseed with the black levels (50K to 1 contrast) as well as the most important feature, non high def picture. The list price was shocking but not as shocking as Sony's XBR 8 Series.
I spent way to many hours reviewing TV's online and in stores but decided to take the plunge for the bedroom needs first. In the 3 month gap from obtaining the bedroom setup Samsung released the A950 series.
I highly reccomend you look at this TV is your in the market. Ultimately I pikced the samsung and have not regretted the choice.
I am a techno junkie and have tested almost every variant of picture adjustments they offer.
Be aware that some have referred to seeing reflections or a "halo" which occurs around the upper glossy frame of the set under certain lighting. One of the best HD-TV sets on the market (if not the best) with top of the line auto motion plus 120Hz and an amazing 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Full 1080p HD videos look better on this unit than on any other HD-TV. Finally any one looking to purchase a new HD-TV set should seriously consider this one as I have yet to see any model top the 950.
To take advantage of this feature I purchased the Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player. With it I can see the full potential of 1080p HD videos such as Blu-ray but without the hassle of discs or the need for a disc player. You can also attach your own USB hard drive to this TV via wiselink. While an interesting feature, this exercise is meant only as a preview of the potential uses of TV's in the future as all the included material is mostly forgettable.
One should note that the series 950 is very slim for a 55 inch LCD which is a plus for my particular media cabinet. Oddly the 950 also includes a built-in hard drive (1 GB in size) and comes pre loaded with games, recipes, work-out tips, and even gorgeous HD art. Its sleek design is impressive as is its astounding picture. While I have seen this myself I should note these instances are rare and will not distract you from the image on screen so for me this is a non issue.
Once the unit is powered on a simple musical tone is played and from there it takes only seconds (3-4) for the unit to display its first image. Out of the box the first thing you notice about this set is its stylish design, the "Touch of Color" red that accompanies the edges of its frame compliment its glossy black exterior. At its core the colors of the 950 are definitely more vivid than on those of previous models such as the Samsung series 540 or even the ever popular Samsung LN46A650.
Deep blacks and good dark detail can be seen with this TV with the right settings. This new 55 inch takes less power than my old 40 inch LCD panel due to the smart backlight which turns down (or off) LEDs in dark areas of the displayed image. Because you can not change the brightness/contrast or backlight with "E-Mode Game", I used HDMI2 input for the Xbox 360 and changed the label on HDMI2 to "PC". So, I just paid a premium to see it now.UPDATE: I found that the issue with some games was with the "LED Motion Plus Setting" Best to turn this off for most games. So if you will often need to watch off axis, you do lose some of the benefits of the LED backlight and maybe you should go for a plasma because all LCDs have this issue and most have it much worse than this TV.
With LED backlight and a Blu Ray player, blacks are actual black instead of dark gray and the black bars on widescreen movies disappear from view. But if you have HD TV it should look great on this TV.Negatives: There is only one real negative to this TV but for me its a very, very minor one. This only works on HDMI2 and its briefly mentioned in the manual but it makes a much better low latency game mode than the "E-Mode Game" that Samsung provides.For Movies: Much better than any other LCD due to the great black levels. For TV: If its standard definition don't expect too be impressed.
I really like this because I can try to calibrate it myself without the worry of messing up the service menu settings.So, you pay a lot for this TV but I think its worth it for the picture quality and a chance to check out LED backlight technology before all the other LCDs get it, and they will. This tells the TV that you have a PC hooked up to HDMI2 and skips some of the color and image processing just like the "E-Mode Game" but you can now control brightness/contrast and backlight. The couch is directly on-axis and it looks great from any seat on the couch. I had one major issue with Rock Band when the animation behind the scrolling notes made the notes blur. This is my second Samsung TV and I am very happy with this purchase.
When viewed from an angle, you will loose the inky blacks even from just 30 degrees off axis. That would have been a nice touch but with a TV of this size, I probably would not move it much.For Geeks: This TV is great. I really like how each input saves its own settings so you don't have to adjust whenever you switch inputs.For gaming: Like other LCDs, in its default configuration there can be some trouble with some games with latency and image blur. Its not a big deal for me for two reasons. The number of different settings you have to play with are unbelievable.
Sure its a pricey TV but its also loaded with great features, tons of settings, and the latest LED backlight technology which provides black level that takes LCDs into Plasma territory without the power demands or heat of plasma. Overall I think its picture quality is up there with the high end Sony (LDC) and Pineer (plasma) displays. That is why it is often mentioned in reviews. Off axis, this TV still looks as good as any high end LCD I have seen. From the side chair (about 40 deg) it still looks great and you would probably not even notice you were losing some black level until you move to the couch. Then only other minor issue is that the stand does not swivel.
I think LED backlighting is a breakthrough for flat panels and will continue to improve over the next few years and become standard for LCD. You are provided with full grayscale setting (RGB Gain and Cut) and Color (RGB and YCM) from the standard settings. Still, its nice to have that PC mode as well to reduce latency.
You can even do both color balance and grayscale calibration with this TV without needed to go into the services menu. Samsung has really made a name for themselves in the last few years with there continually improving line of LCDs. I just think its noticed more because the on axis blacks are so good.
I think the scaler and standard def TV feed looks good for what it is and you can use the LOW setting of dynamic contrast and auto motion plus to make it palatable. You can use "E-Mode Game" to fix this but I found a better solution. And because its and LCD, bright seens have much more punch than even the best plasma displays.
I was a bit concerned about potential glare issues on this set but I have had absolutely no problem. I also have been quite pleased with the up-scaled quality of standard broadcast and typical DVD content. I am just a guy who ditched a 20-year-old Trinitron because it was, well, time. Actually, most LCDs have nice black levels to my non-videophile eye but the LN55A950 was in a category of its own and rivaled any plasma I saw in terms of inky blacks. I did recently purchase the Samsung LN55A950 and must say it has been a remarkable TV.I rarely write reviews on anything.
At home, I haven't done any calibration yet but out of the box it looks just great. wait.wait. Blu-ray content is spectacular. To me, this set has the contrast of a plasma and the "pop" of an LCD. Still, I was immediately struck by the inky blacks of the LN55A950 as compared to any of the other LCDs.
I don't love LCD or hate plasma. and then buy the best I can afford.I went with LCD over plasma because even though plasma image retention and burn-in issues are declared to "resolved", I frankly was not interested in pampering, break-in or TLC of any kind for a television. This is due largely to the LED backlighting instead of the cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) used in most large LCD displays. I have no desire to persuade anyone to buy this TV. I had a chance to see this set in a store environment prior to purchase (it was set in "dynamic" torch mode, of course). Also my room is quite bright with a lot of windows and I wanted to be able to crank this puppy up whenever I needed to.
When it comes to new purchases on anything I wait. I watch - and will continue to watch - a lot of non-16x9 content with black bars at the sides or top/bottom.
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