Samsung LA32N71B/LE32N71B

[Arwin]

Hi Guys,

We bought this TV yesterday to take advantage of the special deals valid until the end of this month. We paid about 1100 in the shop. It was completely sold out everywhere, so it seems everyone is getting this TV. Originally I wanted the older model Samsung, but after all the rebates and special offers the difference was 100 euros for this model. Assuming that the newer model isn't actually worse than the old one (although I liked the looks of the old one slightly better), then the extra HDMI port, USB connection and card readers should probably be worth it.

Since we'll actually have the TV on Friday, I'll post more detailed impressions then. I originally wanted to wait with buying a TV until after the PS3 is launched in Europe, but now that we moved to our new home the old CRT 82cm/32" TV has become a big presence (being over 60cm deep) in our new living room.

I figure that if I want another TV for the PS3 later on, I'll just wait until you can buy a 1080p TV for under 1000 euro.

Anyone else have this TV?

A.

 

[Arwin]

Ok, I got the TV yesterday afternoon, and now I've tested a whole lot of features with it. Of course I started with regular TV signal, which wasn't as bad as I expected. Then I went on and tested some pictures over the integrated card reader, which just looked ... stunning! Then we watched some DVDs, which looked great (even without progressive scan enabled), though we also did discover right there and then what movie mode was designed for. (looks much better for motion) PS2 games also look great, although I can't make them work in progressive yet, because I think the TV only accepts that through component, and they are hard to find for the PS2.

Then that same night when I went out to find some cables, I asked around for the HD digital receiver, and they had just one left. I had checked it out on the web already, and decided to go for it, with the unexpected bonus of being able to fully test it that same night. I got an HDMI cable for it (comes with component), and hooked it up. 'Regular' digital TV already looks fantastic with this receiver, which already upscales by itself (to 576p, 720p or 1080i). Because the TV upscales quite well also it is hard to distinguish which one is best, but it looks like 720p.

The receiver also comes with 5 HD channels, though and wow that sometimes just looks incredible. There's this stock phrase that people use about the TV becoming a 'window into the world', well, this one really fools you sometimes!

Finally, today I extensively tested the TV by connecting it through VGA to my laptop. That works fantastic as well. First the laptop switched itself back to 1024x768, which already looked very good. But then when I discovered that, I set the laptop to 1360x768 and it was just wow. Not a deformation in sight, and everything just looks incredible. I had hoped to be able to use this screen for my laptop sometimes, but I expected to have to set Opera to a zoom level as a result. But that is not necessary. At about 2 meters distance, I can read everything just great without tiring (the only thing tiring is the contrast level, which I've already set down to 'standard', which seems pretty good for computer stuff). I watched a DVD using VLC, which looks great, and I ran the GT:HD Yamauchi drift replay, which makes me really, really want to get a PS3 right at this moment to be able to play that on this TV.

So in short, no overscan issues of any kind and everything seems to work just dandy. Great colors, contrast, and clarity. The TV doesn't need to get warm or anything like that, it is just perfect from start to finish.

All in all I can recommend this TV heartily. It is not yet a 1080p TV, but for a 32" it is clear to me that 1366x768 is going to do just fine for a long time to come. However, after having looked at a lot of TVs and HD content, I'm now quite convinced that for any size over 32", 1080p is definitely a visible improvement - certainly in gaming and other computer stuff.

Also, now that I have this TV, I can much better tell in retrospect that many 360 games I've seen in the shop so far (or anything else) have been being upscaled.

I'm very happy. We actually didn't expect the picture to be so much better compared to our 5 year old CRT TV (100hz, same size, digital scan), but the difference is incredible.

Nice one Samsung!

Here are some screenshots, with links to higher detail versions. The pictures were taken with the now already rather old Sony P71, but they seem to be decent enough to give you the general idea.

http://www.niwra.nl/tmp/discoveryHD1.JPG

http://www.niwra.nl/tmp/discoveryHD2.JPG

http://www.niwra.nl/tmp/digitalNLD2.JPG

 

[pascal]

Congratulations Arwin

Very good pics

 

[Mintmaster]

I went TV shopping over the holidays and finally saw some of the high-end Sharp AQUOS and Sony Bravia displays in low light showrooms. Unfortunately they don't look so hot in terms of blacks to me.

But I suppose since you only went for 32", you're not really going for the home-theatre setup, and dimly lit viewing will be minimal, right? We went for the 60" SXRD in the end. The Samsung DLPs are nice, but in Canada they cost the same as the Sony for 1080p versions, and a couple of us see the rainbow effect. Unfortunately I only head back home twice a year.

 

[Arwin]

But I suppose since you only went for 32", you're not really going for the home-theatre setup, and dimly lit viewing will be minimal, right? We went for the 60" SXRD in the end. The Samsung DLPs are nice, but in Canada they cost the same as the Sony for 1080p versions, and a couple of us see the rainbow effect. Unfortunately I only head back home twice a year.

Nah, we just have a narrow living room - we sit about 2.5 meters from the TV, so 32" is really more than enough. And I must say, the blacks aren't bad. No, they don't beat my old CRT, but they come well close enough and the overall picture quality blows the 5 year old 82cm CRT TV completely away, and the dynamic contrast overall works great (if there's a lot of darkness in a movie then sometimes you start noticing it though, together with slight red-shifts).

My girlfriend sometimes even feels the dynamic contrast is just too bright in which case we just switch it over to movie mode (also good for when you experience the other problems mentioned above). In general though the picture quality and ease of use is just awesome. Remember, we paid about 1100 euro (TVs for me have to be 1000 euro or less, in order to make the most of the price curve, if you know what I mean - I'd rather spend 1000 euro this year for a good 768p TV, and then another 1000 euro next year for a 1080p TV, then 2000 euro now for a 1080p TV and 500 euro for a 768p TV next year for in the bedroom ). In the U.S. it probably goes for under 1000$.

Overall we were expecting to have to make sacrifices in order to be able to get a flat screen on the wall, but the picture on this TV just blows the 5 year old Philips right out of the water. I had gran turismo's opening screen side by side, and the difference was just shocking. Together with the HD tv compatible digital decoder it really makes my girlfriend feel she's entered into the home of the future, which is quite fun to see. I'll post some pictures later on today as well, showing that one of my cats appreciates high def too.

 

[hey69]

congrats, nice TV! i'm sure motorstorm would look f*in great on it

 

[pocketmoon66]

I picked up a sammy last week and spent the weekend building a table to stick it on, along with my new nano-itx HTPC

Great TV, especially with 1:1 pixel mapping...

 

[Arwin]

congrats, nice TV! i'm sure motorstorm would look f*in great on it

We'll find out soon enough, I hope.

@pocket: looks nice. I was looking to get that one originally (that's the R series, right?), but I wound up getting the slightly newer model in the end.

 

[hey69]

er ligt hier een doosje voor jouw tv, sinds deze middag

 

[Novoros]

I like it too

Hi there, I got the same one in Dubai about a week ago.
Finally decided to go for a flat screen, and I think I picked the right model for the money.
Today I tested what I could and it seems just great, especially the PC mode, super quality, I really did not expect it.
One thing is bothering me though, when I look at photos on my SD card they are stretched to the width on the screen and I can't find the way to change the settings, the "P.size" button doesn't work in the "wiselink" mode. Are there any other ways to shrink the photo?