Samsung Un55d8000 Review
Samsung’s 2011 D8000 LED LCD is their prime of the road series, offering the most features and highest performance of any of their 2011 LCD models. The 55-in., 240 Hz refresh rate style provides excellent screen brightness with outstanding energy efficiency. New for 2011 is an LED dimming circuit Samsung calls “micro dimming” for deep blacks, a QWERTY remote control, engineered-in Internet browser, updated graphic user interface and improved 2D and 3D performance claims.
Initial Impressions
Samsung created a variety of internal and external changes from last year’s UN55C8000. We have a tendency to liked a number of the new attributes: 3D performance, signal processing, and also the wide array of user picture controls. However, we spotted 2 performance problems: screen uniformity and poor vertical viewing angle, detailed below.
Styling
Cosmetically, Samsung cut the frame round the active picture area to an astonishing 0.ninety four-inches, giving this HDTV an nearly all-image look once powered-up. It is one amongst the best-trying TV styles of all time. The show sits on a four-legged, chrome-finished swivel stand (included). Samsung cleaned up the rear by making all connections built-in, sans part and composite AV inputs that, like last year, still require included dongles. With a panel depth of simply 1.two inches the 8000 is one among the slimmest sets obtainable.
Connectivity
All the UN55D8000’s inputs are located on the rear of the TV. They embody four HDMI inputs, one each part and composite input (as mention, these need the provided dongle), three USB ports, 1 D-sub fifteen PC input, F-type antenna input and an Ethernet jack (there is conjointly designed-in Wi-Fi).
Remote
The new-for-2011 remote control is an asymmetrical, wedge-shaped twin-sided affair. The A-facet has the quality TV controls with a numeric keyboard, and the usual source, menu, volume, channel +/-, tools, etc. buttons. There’s a backlight for this aspect. New for 2011 is an “E-manual” button for an electronic user manual.
Now, we have a tendency to have no problem with a designed-in electronic copy of the user manual. However, Samsung has foolishly followed Sony’s 2010 lead and determined not to incorporate a complete printed user manual. In its place is a terribly sparse 23-page pamphlet that covers heady topics like remote battery insertion and connections. In our opinion, the exclusion of a true manual is inexcusable for a $3600 (retail) TV. Internet connected HDTVs have several controls and we hate the idea of needing to search out an clarification of functions by getting into the E-manual, then exiting, attempting the function and then reentering the E-manual for additional data. Style of reminds us of shampoo directions (shampoo, rinse, repeat) and is not plan for the operation of a TV.
To their credit, Samsung customer service says they can send a sure. printed. full 325-page owner’s manual if you call 1-800-Samsung and create a request.
Back to the remote. Flipping it over over reveals a QWERTY keyboard. Most notably, it requires “pairing” to sync to the TV. Samsung’s supplied instruction pamphlet neglected to include the words, “the remote should be among eight inches of the TV to pair with the 8000,” a reality we learned solely after failing to induce the darn factor to work and creating a decision to Samsung’s client service (that happens to be located in the USA). The representative was terribly well trained and helpful.
Once we got the remote “paired” we tend to had a huge downside with the keyboard for entry into the Internet browser. Coming into hdguru.com would show up as hddguuruu.com requiring multiple backspaces and reentries. We tend to requested a replacement remote to determine if the double key entry is restricted to our sample and we tend to’ll update when we attempt another unit.
We have a tendency to have other complaints about the QWERTY aspect. There is no backlight and many of the function keys are thus little we tend to could not browse them without turning up the space lights. Overall we have a tendency to feel the remote wants to be larger for easier operation and requires larger keys. A nice concept but a poor execution.
Options
The list is sort of impressive. It includes Internet streaming (VUDU, Netflix and Blockbuster) and other applications using an open platform. This means new services and apps can be added via a software update. Other capabilities embrace 3D with new Bluetooth RF-sync glasses , Skype video (with optional camera), a wide array of custom picture controls, fine management of its 240Hz processing, and multiple choices for enabling sectional picture dimming.
There are four image modes, and varied further settings including de-judder, color temperature, grey scale (2 or ten purpose), gamma, color management, noise reduction and others.
There also are adjustments for gray scale, color points and gamma, though all need precise take a look at equipment to set properly. We suggest hiring a qualified ISF calibrator with top quality check gear (those cheapo do-it-yourself kits don’t cut it) or merely leave the gray scale controls at factory default within the Warm a pair of setting (they were very accurate with our review sample, measurements are listed below).
The motion estimation/motion compensation (ME/MC) circuits perform two functions, reducing motion blur and smoothing native 24Hz-based content. With 24 Hz-primarily based content found on Blu-ray discs and a range of scripted TV shows, you may engage the anti-judder circuit without activating the anti-blur circuit. The result can be sleek motion as the TV repeats the identical frame 10 times, eliminating uneven/jerky pans called “judder”. With the anti-blur circuit within the “off” position motion resolution drops to 330 lines (per image height). Engaging anti-blur will increase the motion resolution to 1080 lines PPH while at the same time inserting synthesized frames that offer a video a look often known as the “Soap Opera Result” or SOE. Several viewers realize SOE objectionable (though some folks am fond of it). It’s your choice, though personally we don’t like the SOE thus we have a tendency to kept the anti-blur control set to “off”.
There are a bunch of controls geared to producing deeper blacks by reducing the sunshine output of the LEDs, or in some cases shutting them off, and another management that simultaneously increase the white level. All these controls help the image achieve a higher contrast ratio, but it comes at the expense of burying black and lightweight details. They are labeled, Dynamic Contrast, Shadow Detail, Motion Lighting, Cinema Black, Black Tone, Smart LED and HDMI Black Level. We created our picture evaluations with set to the “off” position except HDMI Black level that we set to “Low” (update: the 8000 automatically sets this control with video sources such as a Blu-ray player, irrespective of what the menu reads, in step with Samsung TV labs, we have a tendency to corrected the the text to reflect the particular setting)
Operation
The “Movie” picture mode comes closest to the ideal settings for the UN55D8000, therefore we stuck with it throughout our testing except to measure most image brightness, where we have a tendency to used the Showroom mode labeled “Dynamic.”. The 8000 passes the Energy Star four.0 certification, that needs the “Normal” mode as the default “Home” setting. The entire Energy Star program is befuddling and in our opinion arbitrary, with upcoming parts soon to possess profound a profound impact on image quality and consumer selection as it pertains to TVs. We plan to cover the issues in a future article.
Back to our measurements, the 8000 read blazing 87.thirty four ft. lamberts in the “Vivid” mode and a bright 41.seventeen ft lamberts using our calibrated “Movie” mode settings. LED LCDs are the most energy economical TVs available and this Samsung was no exception, using simply 86 watts with the IEC check disc (again in the “Movie” setting). Be aware the UN55D8000 is one among the foremost expensive TVs available today, currently selling for $269nine.66 on Amazon, due in half to the value of the LED edge lighting. Therefore if you’re expecting a come on your investment as a result of it’s energy economical, you’ll be in for a protracted wait.
The long list of picture controls created tweaking the settings a time consuming affair.
Normal Defintion Tests
Like last year’s C series 8000 model, the UN55D8000’s signal processing does an glorious job upconverting normal definition 480i signals to 1080p, acing all the HQV SD tests together with detail, jaggies, waving flag jaggies, three:two pulldown detection and multi-rate film cadence. Solely the mixed video titles with required a switch over to Film Mode “Auto 2? position, while other film mode tests require “Auto 1? to pass. We notice this a minor bug and advocate sticking with Auto 1 for customary definition content.
There have been a few minor issues value noting. With 480i content you want to have the image expanded, setting apart concerning a pair of.fivepercent of the picture (with HD content you’ll interact the “Screen Fit” mode with 1:1 facet ratio).
The user menus for the Noise Reduction modes perpetually cowl about seventy fivep.c of the image, creating the determination of that setting to use very troublesome. We have a tendency to would really like to see Samsung provide these adjustments the little setting bar at the bottom as it does with the other adjustments.
High Defintion Tests
Checking the HQV Blu-ray check disc, the UN55D8000 passed all the tests (noise reduction, deinterlacing, jaggies and film resolution loss) though we tend to once more had to maneuver the control to the Film Mode Auto two to eliminate some noise in the last check. We never saw noise in any observations of real content, returning the management to position “1? for all our content viewing evaluations.
Color was shut to the Rec. 709 standard (noted in parenthesis) measuring:
Red x0.647 y0.33three (x0.64, y0.thirty three)
Green x0.296 y0.602 (x0.thirty, y0.60)
Blue x0.151 y0.054 (x0.15, y0.06)
Black level depends on setting of the dynamic black circuits. Activated they can shut off the LED edge lighting providing a completely black image. If set to the “off” position the minimum black level measured 0.015 ft. lamberts, not terrible but not nearly as deep as we have a tendency to’ve measured with plasma technology like the recently tested Panasonic TC-P50ST30, that came in at 0.008 ft. lamberts and sells for less than half the price. The 55-in. version of the ST30 continues to be regarding $1,000 less.
Gray scale within the Warm2 mode was thus shut to ideal we tend to doubt if anyone would see a visual profit to a full grey scale calibration (assuming other samples are as correct). The 8000 measured 6521K at twenty IRE (x0.312, y0.330) and 6521K at eighty IRE (x0.312, y0.330)
Prior to our review, reports appeared on the Internet indicating the element video input would not accept signals on top of 480i. We tend to tested component video inputs with our Sencore 403 signal generator and Panasonic BDT-350 Blu-ray player and located the grievance erroneous. The 8000 accepts 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p/sixty signals via element video cable, although we have a tendency to suggest connections via HDMI for the best signal quality (analog cables exhibit the loss of high frequencies seen as fine detail as cable length increases). HDMI cables do not.
3D
Samsung created 3D performance enhancements over its 2010 LCD models. The result’s an enormous reduction, but not  complete elimination of, crosstalk (seen as ghost pictures). We have a tendency to observed crosstalk solely on our toughest 3D tests that embody the church exterior near the start of Monsters vs. Aliens and African Safari on DirecTV N3D. The TV and glasses now use radio signals to sync up. This allowed the active shutter glasses to work continuously regardless if we have a tendency to faced the TV. We tend to sampled the new customary (regular battery) and deluxe (rechargeable) 3D Samsung glasses and located both lighter and way additional snug than last year’s models. We tend to never observed any image flickering throughout our tests.
Overall Performance
With bright, well-lit scenes found in most scripted TV series, the UN55D8000 made outstanding high definition pictures with vivid colours, high contrast and (with the Auto Motion Plus ME/MC 240 Hz circuit engaged) no visible motion blur. However there were 2 issues we encountered that knocks down our overall rating of this show. They’re vertical dispersion and screen uniformity.
There is a very noticeable drop of in image distinction, seen as a drop in brightness and rise in black level, whenever we stood up from our nine-foot viewing distance. This can be a priority for anyone desirous to mount these TV at anything different than eye level.
The opposite problem is the dearth of screen uniformity, which was quite disturbing in dark scenes. Above are samples of this using frames from Minority Report and therefore the splash screen of our 2010 Panasonic BDT-350 Blu-ray player. Another example, Chapter eight at 26:23 in I Am Legend with Can Smith walking around within the abandoned building. The dearth of uniformity reveals itself in three ways that: 5 dark vertical strips (see Panasonic splash screen above), a lightening of the proper and left edges (slightly more outstanding on the left) and every now and then some faint horizontal brighter stripes we tend to believe are the sunshine wave guides.
When testing this issue with our signal generator employing a full raster pattern, the unevenness can be seen with signal up to 75 IRE (out of a hundred maximum), though they’re most noticeable below 50 IRE. Critical viewers might find this issue to be a major annoyance with select movie content, while folks that are not as picky might not care.
Final Thoughts
The Samsung UN55D8000 has a heap going for it, Internet applications, skinny bezels, excellent signal processing, accurate color, and smart 3D performance. However we tend to find the poor uniformity a deal breaker for readers seeking the highest quality HDTV. Taken as a full we award the Samsung UN55D8000 ??? (3 out of five) rating.
