Samsung LN46A550 Review:
The Samsung LN46A550 has full 1080p HD resolution and an astounding 30,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio for the sharpest, most realistic picture quality ever, all on a 46-inch screen. And if you want to watch sports events and action-packed movies like never before, a fast 5 ms response rate produces smooth-motion scenes. Samsung LN46A550 turns your high-definition dreams into a definite, crystal-clear reality.

The LN-46A550 from Samsung is a full featured 46″ 1080p LCD TV. This flat screen will bring HD content to life in full 1080p. 3 HDMI inputs are available. SRS TruSurround XT audio provides simulated 5.1 multichannel sound.

It’s hard to find fault with Samsung LN46A550. I found some of the images from our over-the-air tests lacking in detail, though my fellow judges felt otherwise. Also the user’s manual leaves something to be desired…but that’s about it. Image quality tests done to this set also produced excellent results. It was compared to other televisions of the same size and the Samsung LN46A550 gave exemplary results. The set’s audio quality is fine for talk shows and sitcoms, but it hardly qualifies as exceptional. To handle high-end sound reproduction, you’ll want a real surround-sound stereo unit. The Samsung LN46A550 is wonderfully easy to use. The icon-based on-screen menus are clear and easy to read, with an explanation at the bottom of the screen of what each item does. A separate tools button on the remote control acts the same way Windows’ right-click mouse button does, bringing up a handy selection of options appropriate for the current input. Another neat feature: When turning on a connected device, the TV automatically switches the input to that source.

The backlit remote control’s large, color-coded buttons make it look almost like a child’s toy, but they benefit users of all ages. Still, the remote isn’t perfect. It lacks a dedicated PiP button, so you have to access Picture-in-Picture through the menus. And the aspect ratio button is labeled ‘P.Size.’ Who’s going to guess what that means without resort to the documentation? And finally the remote isn’t programmable, which means that you can’t use it to control your DVD player or VCR unless the device uses Samsung’s proprietary Anynet technology, which is based on HDMI’s Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) channel.

The quick-setup guide is messy and hard to read, and could easily intimidate a novice. The thick bilingual manual (104 pages just for English), meanwhile, explains everything in detail but is wordy and difficult to follow.

The digital channels (or standard definition) are good, and definitely watchable. But the high definition channels blow you out of this world. They are so good, and look lifelike. I watched the Red Sox game the other day, and it was phenomenal. I also have an xbox360 hooked up, and it is amazing playing Call of Duty 4. Absolutely amazing picture.

One of the bad aspects of this television set is the sound. The speakers are cheap sounding. I fixed this by hooking it up to a Sony HT-CT100 Surround Sound system (I will be reviewing this shortly). Now everything sounds amazing with the simulated surround sound.

Pros: Has a 46-inch screen size. This is larger than the average TV on the market today, but is to be expected for a TV of this price. With built-in HDTV compatibility, Samsung LN46A550 can display images that are significantly sharper and more realistic than regular television, as long as the source is high definition. (It can easily render standard-resolution digital TV broadcasts and also depict the full resolution of widescreen DVD video.) The 3:2 pulldown feature of this set reduces artifacts that can occur when motion pictures are transferred to a digital format such as DVD.
Cons: Has only a rear connector location.

Samsung LN46A550 User Review:
I have had Samsung LN46A550 going on 4 weeks now with no problems. I did a lot of researching before I bought this tv. And I can tell you that I couldn’t be more happier with this tv. The picture is very sharp and crisp with very nice black levels. Colors are vibriant but very natual looking. Picture quality is superb on HD content , even on SD content it was impressive. Samsung LN46A550 does very well in a well lit room,the anti-glare screen makes a difference. This tv has a ( 5ms ) response time and I find it to be just as good as one with a 120hz automotion. Because of the high contrast ratio ( 30,000:1 ), sports and movies with fast action don’t slow the picture down. Samsung has done a great job with this model. Setup was easy to do with the easy to follow directions. The on screen menu is very user friendly. I would have to say the only drawback to Samsung LN46A550 is the sound, but you can improve the sound to be very adequate by making the adjustments that this tv provides. This tv also has lots of inputs and many, many great adjustments to fine tune to perfection. So if your looking for a Outstanding 46″ HDTV this is the one. You will also find the price range on this Samsung LN46A550 amazing as well. If you buy Samsung LN46A550 you will not regret it, its just simply outstanding. And another little help,if your looking to by HDMI cables I bought two from Cables to Go for $9.95 each ( ITEM 40315 ) and believe it or not they work just as good as the monster cables with a huge price difference.

By P. Gerry

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