Samsung LN52A650 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend 52" widescreen HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio) * Touch of Color high-gloss "rose black" finish * built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) * built-in QAM cable TV tuner receives unscrambled programs without a set-top box (cable service required) * Ultra Clear LCD panel (1920 x 1080 pixels) * Product details and pricing info |
|---|
452 Customer Reviews Posted
- Gorgeous display, but gamers need to be aware of input lag
- Echoing many of the reviews here, this TV is absolutely gorgeous for watching TV and movies, and if that's all I did I would give it a five-star review.
That said, I want to mention something that can be important to gamers - something I wish was pointed out to me before I made my purchase. This TV has fairly major "input lag", the delay between the time it receives a video signal and when it displays that signal on the screen. In standard video modes, there is a bit less than 1/10th of a second delay, which may not seem like much but is enough to make console gaming extremely frustrating for some people, especially for games that require "lightning reflexes" (rhythm games, first person shooters). While some games (Rock Band, Guitar Hero, etc.) can be calibrated to compensate for this lag, many cannot be.
The "Game Mode" on the TV is designed to help reduce this lag, and it does reduce it significantly. But this mode comes at a huge cost... the picture quality cannot be adjusted *at all* while in Game Mode, and it defaults to extreme levels of brightness, contrast, and sharpness, making the picture look, in my opinion, absolutely awful. I could not stand gaming with these picture settings as everything appeared pixelated and oversaturated.
A Google search for "a650" and "input lag" will bring up additional information about this problem, but I haven't seen it discussed often enough in these comments, and as a gamer, I wish it had been. I'll be returning this TV likely in favor of a Sony, since by all accounts they have the least input lag of the major LCD brands. The Samsung likely has a better picture, but as a gamer, I need a TV that can handle gaming as well as movies and TV viewing.
I hope this helps some fellow gamers not to fall into a similar "trap". For non-gamers, this TV is about as good as it gets and is an amazing value. - 2008-09-16, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Great 52" LCD TV
- I've had my Samsung 650 for a little over a month now. I couldn't be happier. I did the research. I read the reviews. I did the in-store comparisons. AND, I was still skeptical ordering this TV. BUT, once I got it setup and running. I say it again I couldn't be happier. The TV is literally a work of art. The picture is absolutely beautiful! The HD programming has the appearance of 3D. The SD programming is fine but honestly I never watch SD anymore. The remote is a little strange or awkward but I rarely use it except for turning the 120hz on and off. The 120hz feature is great for sports. College football has never looked so good! The sound is good especially with the surround sound setting turned on. I am sure if you hooked it up to a home theater system it would add to the experience but to me its not bad at all without one. The touch of color is barely noticeable unless you are looking for it. The TOC is a nice subtle touch I think...But back to the picture...The colors and images are amazing. I did do some calibrating based on reading some expert AVS forums. Everyone who comes over to my house is blown away by this TV! I am definitely blown away but its great when your friends and family come over and they are geeked out about your TV. I have never had that experience before...The delivery was painless. It came within a week of ordering and they opened the box and set it up for me. I bought an Oppo 1080p up-converting dvd player and my old dvd's look great! Can't wait till I can afford blu-ray...I will probably never leave my couch then. Anyhow, I used these reviews on Amazon to make my decision on this TV so I figured I needed to return the favor. Enjoy!
- 2008-09-16, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- very impressive
- I have always been a fan of Sony, but this Samsung LCD TV is just amazing.
Very good contrast and HD quality. Highly recommend this model. - 2008-09-15, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- It's tack sharp, but you'll need to learn some stuff
- OK, I've had my LN52A650 for a week now. Amazon delivery was great. The guys brought it in and we turned on the TV and watched a couple of channels, just to make sure everything was OK. This is a wise thing to do, as they can take it right back if something isn't right. My screen seemed fine.
Previously, I had a 50" Samsung DLP, so I was used to HD pic quality, but the new LN52A650 is noticeably sharper than my old DLP (which crapped out after only 4 years). I watched Russel Crowe in "Gladiator" using a Samsung 1080P7 (non-HD) DVD player and I swore it was in HD. It was incredibly sharp and clear. I have watched football games in HD and I could detect no motion blur at all, the games looked awesome. Some programming in SD is not so hot, but it's livable.
The LN52A650 setup is somewhat complex, so you'll need to educate yourself on calibrating and such. There are a number of sites that offer calibrations from others to get you started. I recommend joining a forum or two, something like "AVS Forum" where you can ask questions about calibrating. If you want the best picture this thing can offer, then you will definitely need to do some adjusting (calibrating).
The remote is OK. I love the fact that the backlight is motion-sensing. As soon as you pick up the remote, the backlight comes on. The remote has a funky scroll wheel, which is overly-sensitive and it will mess you up in the beginning, but once you get used to it, the remote works fine.
The LN52A650 screen is highly reflective. If your viewing area has strong lighting, then you may need to add some blinds or curtains. The TOC (touch of color) is barely noticeable and I like the deep red. But it mainly looks black.
Overall, a fabulous TV, with a tack-sharp pic that won't disappoint. - 2008-09-15, 3 of 3 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Best Purchase
- This is the purchase anyone could make. I have nothing bad to say about the T.V. But what a perfect picture.
- 2008-09-12, 2 of 4 people found this review helpful, Rated:
