Samsung UN40D5500 40-Inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV

Clever Designs      Samsung revisits familiar ground on their fourth-generation Series 5 HDTV, with aesthetic features such as a rose-black bezel, transparent trimmings and glass pedestal stand. The UN40D5500 also retains attractive qualities such as a slim depth which makes this edge-lit display one of the prettiest showpieces in this contest. Similar to LG's LV5500, the series 5 similarly boasts of touch-sensitive controls at the bottom right edge of its bezel. However, they're not backlit, so fiddling with them in the dark isn't very convenient. Moving on, little has changed in terms of Samsung's execution with their A/V ports. The back panel still retains a row of side-facing slots, comprising of four HDMl. an optical outlet, and two USB ports. And as witnessed on earlier iterations, Samsung's secret in creating a lean figure on their LED offerings can be traced back to a breakout cable used for analog video inputs. With the Series 5, however, both composite aid component types wiII have to share a single breakout cable. Intelligent Features      We have to admit Samsung's Smart Hub is probably the most appealing and smartly executed web platform in this month's comparison. Basically, there are four segments to the Smart Hub a window depicting the current show you're watching, Samsung Apps store, and recommended applications. News content can be pulled from sites such as Yahoo, AP (Associated Press) or USA Today. Just below, the launch bar is where installed applications are found, including apps such as AllShare (Samsung's DLNA content sharing service) and a Schedule Manager to schedule TV recordings on a USB drive. However, patience is needed for the Smart Hub took more than three minutes to complete its initial software update.      The Series 5 does not flaunt as many picture presets as LG or Panasonic, but what's notab e is the plethora of advanced settings available. These enhancements irclude Flesh Tone, White Balance, Shadow Detail, Motion Lighting and LED Motion Plus. Supposedly, the latter was designed to optimise fast action scenes with rapid backlight scans. Interestingly, Samsung also has a Smart TV Remote App for Android devices to relieve users from the pain of tedious text-entry on the standard remote. Video formats such as WMV, MKV, MPEG4 and MOV files were sweetly playable on the Series 5. DisplayMate and HQV Benchmarks DisplayMate Color Ramp Test: Banding was almost non-existent on the Color Ramp test. However, Samsung's panel can be prone to subtle color shifts when viewed at wider angles. DisplayMate: Balancing black levels and picture details can be a tricky business with the Series 5, for darker nuances tend to go unnoticed. The Ultra Clear panel also displayed very consistent colors and gradients, though it is susceptible to minor color shifts and backlight bleeds at the corners. HQV: Samsung topped the HQV tests as proven by its capable noise filters and diagonal interpolation techniques. The Series 5 does not offer native cadence detection, but its Film Mode "Auto 1" feature managed to decode inherent 24p sources without breaking a sweat. Blu-ray Audtion Corpse Bride: Natively, images on the D5500 appeared washed-out with little depth to show. And this was especially evident on Tim Burton's dark and gothic flick. Thankfully, picture quality improved upon setting the Series 5's Black Tone to "Darkest" and its Dynamic Contrast to "Low". Vantage Point: Similar to our findings on Corpse Bride, the Series 5 is capable of sharp and definitive pictures but only with a little help from its visual enhancements. For example, Samsung's LED Motion Plus is almost mandatory to achieve deeper blacks and perspectives. It's also obvious Samsung has worked on their audio processing judging by its SRS TruSurround HD wider and richer sound field. REMOTES AT A GLANCE      It's a shame the classy Series 5 should be accompanied by a dowdy-looking stick. For what it's worth, Samsung's remote is a comprehensive wand with buttons for Smart Hub and Tools. The latter gives you quick access to the Sleep Timer and Sound Mode. Samsung D5500 Series 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV Models: UN40D5500 40-Inch Models: UN32D5500 32-Inch      FEATURES Full HD 1080p Resolution Clear Motion Rate 120 Touch of Colour™ Design Ultra-Slim Depth HyperReal™ Engine AllShare™ DLNA Certified™ Wide Color Enhancer Plus ConnectShare™ Movie Ultra-Low Power Consumption Game Mode Eco Sensor Energy Star SPECIAL OFFER

Source : hardware magazine.