Samsung UN55D8000 Review

Cosmetically, Samsung trimmed the frame around the active picture area to an astonishing 0.94-inches, giving this Samsung UN55D8000 HDTV an almost all-image appearance once powered-up. It is one of the best-looking TV designs of all time. The display sits on a four-legged, chrome-finished swivel stand (included). Samsung cleaned up the rear by making all connections built-in, sans component and composite AV inputs which, like last year, still require included dongles. With a panel depth of just 1.2 inches the 8000 is one of the slimmest sets available. All the UN55D8000 inputs are located on the rear of the TV. They include four HDMI inputs, one each component and composite input (as mention, these require the supplied dongle), 3 USB ports, 1 D-sub 15 PC input, F-type antenna input and an Ethernet jack (there is also built-in Wi-Fi).

The new-for-2011 remote control is an asymmetrical, wedge-shaped dual-sided affair. The A-side has the standard TV controls with a numeric keyboard, and the usual source, menu, volume, channel +/-, tools, etc. buttons. There’s a backlight for this side. New for 2011 is an “E-manual” button for an electronic user manual. The UN55D8000 delivers Full HD 1080p resolution, for a superb level of detail and clarity in your picture. To connect your sources, four HDMI inputs are provided, for delivering a Full HD picture and audio over a single cable. Access all your Smart TV features or DLNA network content without the need for a wired connection or add-on device. The UN55D8000 has Wi-Fi connectivity right out of the box.

The UN55D8000 is certainly capable of producing some of the deepest black levels of any TV we’ve tested in the middle of its screen–which is, again, where we perform all of our measurements–but its poor screen uniformity causes the outer edges to be significantly brighter. Overall it still ranked among the darker displays to our eyes, for example in dim scenes like the push toward the televisions in Chapter 2, falling short of only the Sony and the Kuro and outdoing the others, including the local-dimming Vizio. Samsung includes 3D glasses because the UND8000 series is currently widely available bundled for free with a 3D starter kit, which includes 3D Blu-ray exclusives (“Shrek: The Complete Collection 3D” and a voucher for “Megamind”) as well as two pairs of Samsung’s new active 3D glasses,

The UN55D8000 has a lot going for it, Internet applications, thin bezels, excellent signal processing, accurate color, and good 3D performance. However we find the poor uniformity a deal breaker for readers seeking the highest quality HDTV. Taken as a whole we award the Samsung UN55D8000

Samsung UN55D8000 LED LCD HDTV Review is a post from: WiredWriter