Samsung UA40C5000

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quickymart

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Topic # 64574 18-Jul-2010 11:19

I've got a 21" CRT and I feel it's time for an upgrade, something a bit easier on the eyes.

I've waited through LCD, Plasma and now LED is the next big thing. I got my last TV in 2002, so this one will have to last me a while as well.

I was thinking of getting a Samsung UA40C5000:

http://www.samsung.com/nz/consumer/tv-audio-video/television/led-tv/UA40C5000QMXRD/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail

Anyone had any experience with one? I saw one in J&B Hifi, and the picture looked really nice compared to my current set. I've looked at plasma and LCD, but plasmas are a little bulky (altho not as much as my CRT!) LCD's look nice too, but the picture on this LED was incredible - plus they use less power than either LCD or plasma.

Comments?

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Reply # 353079 18-Jul-2010 19:49

A couple of questions...

1: What do you normally watch on TV?
Sport? Movies... the news / play games?

2: What was playing on the TV in the store? Was it Avatar or a Pixar film?

3: Is the room where the TV will live brightly lit (natural light shining on the screen etc)?

4: What do you want to plug into the TV? A DVD recorder? Sky? Gaming console?

Any other info you can provide will let the peeps here help guide you towards the right tellie for your needs :)

quickymart

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Reply # 353110 18-Jul-2010 21:33

Dunnersfella: A couple of questions...

1: What do you normally watch on TV?
Sport? Movies... the news / play games?

2: What was playing on the TV in the store? Was it Avatar or a Pixar film?

3: Is the room where the TV will live brightly lit (natural light shining on the screen etc)?

4: What do you want to plug into the TV? A DVD recorder? Sky? Gaming console?

Any other info you can provide will let the peeps here help guide you towards the right tellie for your needs :)

Thanks for your response - here's what I'll be doing:

(1) No sport, usually movies and the news, sometimes music videos.
(2) I think it was some sort of still image, but it was last year - I can't quite recall. I should take another look actually :)
(3) It's going to be in a corner about 2.5m from the sitting area. It *can* have sunlight on it - but I have drapes right next to it that I can shut easily.
(4) DVD/video combo, Sky, PS3. I'd like to be able to watch movies from my computer hard drive on it as well. And my wife would like to connect a home theatre system to it as well.

We don't watch a great deal of TV (we would probably do so if we had this) but when I do sit down to watch it, I'd like to be able to see the picture properly.

Thanks again for your help :)

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 353120 18-Jul-2010 22:16

Cool - the answers lead me to believe that the TV you've chosen will be just fine.
As you're not a sports junkie, you'll be fine without a 100Hz TV (the series 6 Samsung)... unless you watch a lot of action films / shows with a lot of slow panning shots.
Without bright lights shining on the screen, it opens your options to all types of tellies (LCD / LED / Plasma) - so your choice of an LED will be fine.

I'm not 100% about the types of formats the 5 series LED will play, but I'm picking it'll be 'most of them', but odds on, not AVI's. They do handle DivX though :)
Being full HD, it'll handle BluRays from the PS3, as well as the best quality games you can throw at it.

The only two things to check are...
Do you need an LED TV? And not an LCD? Are you looking to hang it on a wall? Or do you just like the slim / sexy look of an LED?
And finally - what home theatre system are you looking to connect the TV too? Will it be an existing setup? An 'in the box' solution or a component setup?

quickymart

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Reply # 353215 19-Jul-2010 08:21

I looked at lots of TVs, including LCD's, LEDs and plasmas. The LED used the least power, which was appealing (my power bill is already high enough). I liked the look of it too :) I'd be putting it on a nice new stand.

I think (this is my wife's part of the setup) we'd be attaching a Samsung home theatre system, something that's just plug and play, I guess?

If I can plug my computer into it and use it as a BIG monitor, bonus :)

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 353221 19-Jul-2010 08:44

Cool - with a new Samsung home theatre 'in a box' solution all you'll need is an HDMI cable to get the sound from the unit to the TV, and an optical lead to get the sound from Sky to the TV.
So that's all pretty simple.
And it has a VGA + multiple HDMI ports on the back, so you can easily connect your PC.

The only other TV to consider would be the Panasonic D series - but frankly, they're pretty pricey - even compared to the Series 6 Samsung. The Sony 600 range is also a contender, but the styling looks a little 'blah' to me... but that's a personal thing.

quickymart

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Reply # 353239 19-Jul-2010 09:23

Thank you so much Dunnersfella, I think I'll probably go with the Samsung then, just need to save up for it. I'm keeping my eyes open for a deal too :)

Bolly

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Reply # 355548 23-Jul-2010 20:12

Hummm, recomending a $1900 tv with no motion processor and thats only 50Hz?If your not putting on the wall (which is the only reason to buy LED) just get the series 6 LCD its 100Hz and has one of the best motion processors and its only $1688
Plus the led only has one composite and one component so you will have to choose if you want better quality sky or DVD/vcr combo, unless you have HDi in which you just use HDMI like your PS3.

If it was me go for the series 6 if you want the best LCD/LED technology

Or better yet.............

I would rather just go for a TH-P42U20 plasma @ $1477!
6 times the colour processing, up to 600Hz, better contrast, Maybe not quite as good as series 6 LCD motion processing but alot better than the LED.

Or better better yet.........

Get the TH-P42V20 Best tv on the market hands down! $2444 with free skype camera!
:)

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 355576 23-Jul-2010 22:22

I'd recommend the series 5, as the original posters choice of viewing doesn't seem to be overly motion intensive. If I'm watching a movie on an LCD or LED... odds on I'll have the motion flow on standard, not smooth. I'm not a fan of too much processing. And if the quality of the show (DVD's / VCR) is low, I'd have it off too.
If the PS3 is used for gaming (in game mode) a 100Hz TV will revert to 50Hz anyway. So I don't see it as a big issue.
As the LED looks better to the OP's eyes - it makes sense to me, with the exception of the reduced connectivity. But for that, I'd hope to move away from the VCR/DVD combo in next to no time if it were me.

Bolly

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Master Geek

Reply # 356145 25-Jul-2010 18:46

But why buy a series 5 LED over a cheaper series 6 LCD if your not after the slim look for putting on the wall? Why pay more for less performance? Unless your saying the series 5 out performs a series 6?

You can't tell me that you can't see a difference between the two sitting next to each other on a standard or HD signal in motion and depth performance.
The series 6 will leave it for dead.

Not sure what you mean by the TV reverting to 50Hz, you sure its not just the TV displaying the input signal as 1080p/50Hz when you use your PS3?

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 356147 25-Jul-2010 18:58

Most 100Hz TV's revert to 50Hz when you switch to game mode. This reduces lag, but at the same time you don't get frame creation as the processor can't deliver both.
Take you pick...
Artificial frames, or lag.

For me, I'd rather have 50Hz than lag in first person shooters.

The OP said that he liked the picture on the LED's more than the LCD's + Plasmas he's seen... and it'll be going on his wall. Hence, he'd be best with the TV that offers the picture he prefers + a TV that works for gaming...
Which in this case, is the Series 5 LED.
And for the record, I have a plasma... 46V20. So it's not bias, I just think it's the right advice.

Bolly

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Master Geek

Reply # 356163 25-Jul-2010 19:35

I think you may have recommended a TV for yourself Dunner's?

1.He said he liked what he saw on the particular LED which caught his eye. "I saw one in J&B Hifi, and the picture looked really nice compared to my current set"

2.I didn't read in his comments he was putting on wall? "I'd be putting it on a nice new stand."

3.And also didn't see him mention gaming? "No sport, usually movies and the news, sometimes music videos"

What I read was:"I got my last TV in 2002, so this one will have to last me a while as well." = He wants best bang for buck to last a while.

"my power bill is already high enough" = Looks like his/her main reasoning for LED apart from looks better that TV they already have, and unless your on solar power, power consumption shouldn't even come up when deciding on what TV to buy as the differnce in your back pocket is minimal.

So you have recommended the TV you would use for gaming, or something that may do the job for him? Maybe.

My opinion is still series 6 LCD (Cheaper better)or go for the 42" TV version of what Dunnersfella has for himself!

:)

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 356172 25-Jul-2010 20:11

You're right, it's going on a stand.
I've 'assumed' that there'll be gaming as the PS3 will be utilised, while it can be used for multiple other uses - in reality, it's a game console first, a BluRay player / media playback device second...

The Series 6 LCD is a nice TV, but so is the Series 5 LED.
I think 100Hz is valid for some users, but not many. Most of the issues people confuse with motion blur / juddering can be traced back to compression artifacts caused by low quality footage / compression. Heck, I'd suggest that a lot of people never turn motion flow to smooth first...

Oh and I'm guessing quickymart is a he, as his wife is looking to get a matching Samsung home theatre system.

quickymart

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Reply # 361081 1-Aug-2010 16:38

Hello again,

Yes, I am a he, hehe :) I went to J&B Hifi again today as well as Noel Leeming and saw this:

http://www.noelleeming.co.nz/tvs-dvds/televisions/led-televisions/40-49-led-tv/samsung-ua40c6200-40-...

The picture looked far smoother on that than it did on my original choice, so I'm thinking I might save a little more and get one of those. They were playing Alice in Wonderland and when the picture was moving, it looked a lot more fluid on the latter TV as opposed to the former.

And yes, it would be going on a stand - I'm not too keen on wall mounting a TV (and I can't anyway, I'm only renting).

Cheers for the comments, they were both interesting and informative :)

Bolly

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Master Geek

Reply # 362695 3-Aug-2010 22:58

LOL!!!!!!!

The UA40C6200 LED tv has the same processing as the LA40C650 LCD tv! Both series 6 tv's.

The big difference between them is LED is a thinner tv.

So all you need to weigh up is the extra $400-$600 difference in price for the 4-5cm difference in depth!

Bang for your buck?

(Although you could still say the LCD is better as the backlight is evenly lit were as the LED is edge lit so will have a brighter outer edge than the center ;) )

Cool Beans!

quickymart

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Reply # 364965 8-Aug-2010 13:02

LED uses less power and is possibly better for the environment, which is an important factor to me. Plus the thin factor of LED is cool. Thanks for your contribution anyway.

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