Posted by Home Theater Audio Video On February - 10 - 2010ADD COMMENTS
Samsung’s flashy CES 2010 Blu-ray news may be the BD-C6900 3D Blu-ray player and ultraslim BD-C7500, but the company also rolled out two mainstream models, the BD-C5500 and BD-C6500. Like most of Samsung’s CES 2010 home theater announcements, details are scarce, but here’s what we know so far.
Key features of the Samsung BD-C5500:
Low power consumption (13 watts during playback; .1 watts in standby)
Wi-Fi ready (requires USB dongle, sold separately)
Supports Internet@TV/Samsung Apps, which will provide content from Netflix, Pandora, Vudu, Blockbuster, Picasa, and Twitter
Meets Energy Star 4.0 guidelines
No release date or pricing announced
Key step-up features of the Samsung BD-C6500:
15-second disc load; 15-second boot-up
Built-in Wi-Fi
Meets Energy Star 4.0 guidelines, but doesn’t have the same low power consumption as the BD-C5500
No release date or pricing announced
Editors’s note: This section has been updated with more information about Samsung Apps
Internet@TV and Samsung Apps are Samsung’s new proprietary content portals for home theater products. As of now, it’s not perfectly clear exactly how it will work; Samsung says that the first free apps will launch in the spring, with premium apps following in the summer. When we talked to a Samsung rep at the booth, he said that standards services like Netflix, Pandora and Vudu would all be free; he used Tetris as an example of something that would be a premium app. We get the feeling that a lot of the particulars still have to be worked out.
Overall, there’s not much info released about these players, although we’re happy to see that the step-up BD-C6500 has built-in Wi-Fi, a step-up over last year’s BD-P3600. We’ll update this post as we get more information from Samsung.
Source: cnet.com
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Posted by Home Theater Audio Video On February - 8 - 2010ADD COMMENTS
Samsung has announced a new line of Blu-ray HTIBs at CES 2010, adding features like DLNA-compatibility, Samsung Apps, and Wi-Fi. Here are the details.
Key features of the Samsung HT-C6500:
5.1 home theater system
Built-in Blu-ray player
Built-in Wi-Fi
1GB onboard storage
Supports Internet@TV/Samsung Apps, which will provide content from Netflix, Pandora, Vudu, Blockbuster, Picasa, and Twitter
Automatic speaker calibration
No release date or pricing announced
Key step-up features of the Samsung HT-C7530W:
Nature-inspired “Touch of Color” design
Wireless rear speakers
The HT-C7530W requires a USB dongle for Wi-Fi, unlike the other two models
No release date or pricing announced
Key step-up features of the Samsung HT-C6730W:
7.1 home theater system
1330 total watts
No release date or pricing announced
Internet@TV and Samsung Apps are Samsung’s new proprietary content portals for home theater products. As of now, it’s not perfectly clear exactly how it will work; Samsung says that the first free apps will launch in the spring, with premium apps following in the summer. When we talked to a Samsung rep at the booth, he said that standard services like Netflix, Pandora, and Vudu would all be free; he used Tetris as an example of something that would be a premium app. We get the feeling that a lot of the particulars still have to be worked out.
From first glance, the specs look to be mostly comparable to the recently announced Blu-ray HTIBs from LG. The main difference is that Samsung hasn’t detailed if these HTIBs will have any HDMI connectivity; all of the LG systems have at least one HDMI input for an additional device, like a cable box.
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Posted by Home Theater Audio Video On February - 7 - 2010ADD COMMENTS
The brushed-aluminum LED-lit C9000 is not just the handsomest slender TV at the show, it comes with the most innovative Wi-Fi remote control – one that looks suspiciously like an iPhone and feels suspiciously like a Samsung phone.
Why a Wi-Fi video remote? So you can watch a Blu-ray on your TV while checking out the game in your hand, of course. Maybe you’ve never had that problem, exactly, but this product seems like a step in a new direction, rather than just a “we did it because we could” kind of thing.
The remote connects over your Wi-Fi network to control the TV (also on the Wi-Fi network), much like iTunes Remote works on an iPhone. The screen is vibrant and high-contrast, though it is LCD, not OLED. As you tap buttons on the screen (which I believe is resistive, since Samsung wouldn’t confirm capacitive) you feel a little vibe, haptic feedback that is now common on phones from Samsung and LG. I wish the remote itself felt a little more sturdy; there was a hollowness to it that makes me worry about it sliding off the coffee table. Still, I was impressed by its simple setup and lithe manipulation. It’s like they finally found a good thing to do with all of those feature-phone interfaces nobody needs anymore.
What do you do with it? As you browse channels, it’s actually using the TV’s own tuner to render video, which it downgrades and sends to the remote in more-or-less realtime. If you like something, you just tap a control and its on the big screen. If you want to tap into a DLNA server on your network, you’ll see it and all its bounty. Samsung wouldn’t confirm what kind of files it would decode, but did say that they would support 1080p resolution on video files.
The only problem with the remote is it’s something that could be replaced by an iPhone app in about 12 seconds.
All of this, and I still haven’t gotten to the TV. Sure, slim TVs are kinda old hat by now, but I really like this one, because it has all of its interface engineering built into the base, not some ugly outboard set-top box. Want to wall mount it instead? The base pops off, and attaches to the back of the TV, making it slightly thicker, sure, but not by much, especially so close to a wall.
There’s no price on this baby yet, but since it’s clearly a vanity project – and it natively supports 3D, like most primo TVs at CES this year – you know they’re going to sell it to the celebs and high rollers first.
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Posted by Home Theater Audio Video On January - 22 - 2010ADD COMMENTS
In one of the coolest unveils at the show (CES 2010), Samsung has announced the 9000 series, which is only 0.3 inches thick.
Specs are fuzzy at the moment, but what we know and a bunch more images of this incredible TV after the jump.
What we do know is that the 9000 series will be LED edge lit, 3D capable, and have built in wireless.
If the thickness of the TV didn’t impress you, the remote sure will.
Not only is it a touchscreen, it’s actually another TV. So you can watch TV while you watch TV. Or watch a different channel on the remote. Or countless other possibilities with apps from Samsung’s new App store.
No real specs or a release date yet, but a Samsung representative I spoke to did assure me it’s a real product. Coolness.
Source: hemagazine.com
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Posted by Home Theater Audio Video On January - 16 - 2010ADD COMMENTS
The all new Samsung LE32B350 is a fantastic LCD television which offers superior clarity that will take your breath away. The diagonal screen size of this device is around 81 cm or 32 inches. The shiny black colour gives it a stylish and sophisticated look. The aspect ratio of this television is around 16:9 which is much better than various other similar size televisions available in the market. It is a product of the very famous Samsung Series 3 and is HDTV compatible as well. The digital tuners enhance the picture quality of a television that is why this television is fixed with DVB-T and Freeview digital tuners.
A rundown of the TV’s tech specs
The Samsung LE32B350 is fixed with various functions which include auto standby, auto channel search, auto volume control, EPG, eco mode, sleep timer and timer. You should always look out for the power consumption of a television while buying a television. The Samsung LE32B350 television consumes around 70 watt of energy while in use. At the standby mode it consumes around 0.3 watt which is quite low. The resolution of this fantastic television is around 1,366 X 768 Pixels. This Samsung television can be easily installed as it weighs around 8.9 kg without stand and 9.6 kg with the stand.
Not high-end, but good for ordinary television viewing
It is fitted with various connections ports some of which include HDMI, HDMI X 2 and Component Video Input (YUV). The Samsung LE32B350 is fitted with superior quality speakers which perfectly compliment the video provided by it. Whilst not connected to an app store, a 3D TV, or extra high-tech, like other Samsung TVs, this model is nonetheless a very affordable solution for anyone who only requires basic HDTV.
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Posted by Home Theater Audio Video On November - 26 - 2009ADD COMMENTS
The UN46B8000 uses LED side lighting, which means that the LEDs that create the light you see are on the sides of the TV and aim inwards. They shoot across a dimpled plastic surface that directs the light towards your eyeballs. Most laptops work on the same principle. While you concede a tiny bit in the width of the display (hardly noticeable), you gain a lot more in an almost total lack of depth. OLED, eat your heart out. (It is not, however, an “LED TV”)
Unlike other LED “backlit” displays, side lighting doesn’t let you have local dimming. You can dim the entire backlight, much like you could on older LCDs. On the flip side, you get much lower power consumption, as there are far fewer LEDs to light.
Though not Samsung’s first 240 Hz display, the UN46B8000 does represent, to me at least, a big step forward in flat-panel design. The 8000 combines stunning thin looks, lower power consumption and the latest, increased refresh technology that is sure to represent what we’ll see in many TVs in the coming years. So, sure it’s a sign of things to come, but how does it do now?
Samsung TVs have made a little chime when you turn them on. It always sounded cheap, belying the quality of the display. This finally has changed. The five-note chime now has a decent timbre and sounds quite elegant, matching the look and feel of the set.
The same thoughtfulness extends to the remote, which I will go on record as saying is the best remote to come with any consumer electronics product I can remember. For one thing, it’s RF (radio frequency), so you don’t have to aim it at the TV. You don’t even have to be in the same room. Its design complements the TV, and not only does it have a backlight, but a built-in light sensor that automatically turns on the backlight when you need it. If that weren’t enough, the 8000 comes with a second remote, a tiny egg that only does volume, channel and power. You know, for kids (and by “kids” I mean “adults”).
Like other Samsung TVs, the 8000 auto-senses when there is a device plugged into the TV, so the input menu gives you these first, making switching between sources easier. Once you see this in action, it makes you to wonder why every TV doesn’t have this feature.
Setup menus are typical Samsung, as in there are a lot of them, and they’re thorough and easy to navigate. There are plenty of options for the tweaky to tweak (read: me). If you press the Info button on the remote, it tells you the input and resolution of the incoming source and a little power meter that tells you how efficient the TV is with your current settings. Brilliant. I love the little things.
Feel free to dial back the backlight. At full bore, the 8000 puts out a toasty 90 foot-lamberts. At a backlight setting of 0, it’s a perfectly watchable 18 ft-L. Regardless of backlight setting, the contrast ratio was very punchy—among the best I’ve seen in a non-local dimming LCD. Black level, at the lowest backlight setting, was an excellent 0.002; though, if you wait a moment, it goes completely dark as the LEDs shut off. This makes the full-on/full-off contrast ratio measurement rather meaningless, as the 0 ft-L the TV is capable of putting out is never really achieved with actual video material.
Part of the issue is the Dynamic Contrast feature, which monitors the incoming video signal and decreases the backlight to match. When there’s a dark image on screen, the backlight drops, making the scene seem darker. I’m not a huge fan of this technology, but it helps a little. Occasionally you can see it working and pulsing; while it seems like you can turn it off in the menu, it’s always working a little bit. At its “off” setting, it’s not intrusive.
Color accuracy, as is typical with Samsung LCDs, was very good. Each color was a touch oversaturated, but not enough that most people would notice.
The real do-dad worth spending some time playing with is the Auto Motion Plus 240Hz. This is where you can adjust the amount of motion interpolation being done by the set to get the 24 or 60 frames-per-second video to display on this 240 Hz TV. This can range from Off, which has the TV repeat frames (including a 10:10 pulldown with 24p sources), to Smooth, which creates frames very different from those in the source.
There’s also a clever Custom option that lets you dial in the amount of Blur Reduction (always a good thing), though the additional nine steps didn’t seem to do much more than step one and the amount of Judder Reduction (personally not a fan, your mileage may vary).
I left the AMP240Hz in the Off setting, though there should be enough settings for you to find a compromise you like between motion blur and overly smooth motion interpolation. If you like the added smoothness of significant motion interpolation, the AMP240Hz set to Smooth is exactly as the name implies.
On the processing side, the UN46B8000 picks up the 3:2 sequence with 480i and 1080i sources with both HDMI and component. It also does an excellent job minimizing jagged edges on diagonal lines with DVD material, and pulling a lot of detail from SD sources. All in all, it does an excellent job on the processing side of things.
Source: hemagazine.com
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Posted by Home Theater Audio Video On November - 19 - 2009ADD COMMENTS
Samsung Electronics has successfully developed the world’s thinnest LCD panels to be used in LCD TVs with light emitting-diode (LED) backlights.
The world’s biggest LCD panel maker employed its own super-shrink technology, a combination of 3.9-millimeter thick glass and “needle slim” technology to achieve the largest viewing area within the smallest outline dimensions.
“These super-shrink LCD panels meet the specifications for slimmer LED TVs where display frame size is critical,” a Samsung spokesman Kim Choon-gon said.
For the product, the South Korean flat-screen maker has newly developed core components and realigned the backlight unit structure, Kim said.
“Samsung is still gauging the right timing for the mass production of the panels. But it is highly unlikely it will be this year,” according to the spokesman.
The announcement came as “slim” has emerged as the top buzzword for Samsung Electronics’ TV business this year due to its aggressive “LED TV” campaigns.
The company’s LCD business department has begun mass-producing the industry’s first ultra-slim panels suited for large size TVs.
Its edge-lit LED backlighting offers lighter weight and thinner designs, which are preferable for wall mounting over bulkier direct-lit LED LCDs.
While a direct-lit LED backlight will project light forward across the full expanse of the display from the front, edge-lit LEDs emit light from a row of LEDs on the top and bottom of every panel, using less power.
According to Samsung executives, the edge-lit technology gathers the light toward the center of the display and bends it, reflecting it forward through a light-guide plate that precisely focuses the light for outstanding picture quality.
“Regardless of the panel size, Samsung is still maintaining a full high-definition viewing quality and 5,000:1 contrast ratio,” Kim said.
Samsung, which is capturing most of the global LED TV market, is planning to sell over 10 million LED TVs in 2010, inspired by the rising demand for slimmer and high-end TVs. Most of the LED TVs that Samsung is set to sell are edge-lit based.
Along with slimmer LCD panels for television sets, Samsung has also been applying the similar slimmer technology to manufacture high-end monitors and portable notebooks.
Its 24-inch LCD panel for a monitor is highlighted 3.5 millimeters thick, while the 12.1-inch LCD panel for a notebook is 1.64-millimeters thick, officials said.
Source : akihabaranews.com
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Samsung’s flashy CES 2010 Blu-ray news may be the BD-C6900 3D Blu-ray player and ultraslim BD-C7500, but the company also rolled out two mainstream models, the BD-C5500 and BD-C6500. Like most of Samsung’s CES 2010 home theater announcements, details are scarce, but here’s what we know so far.
