Samsung un55es8000 first impressions

[topspeed]

I compared the Sammy with the Sony HX850side by side, albeit in the cozy confines of Sears, and while I preferred the monolithic aesthetic of the Sony, the better edge definition of the Sammy won the day (they really need to offer a black bezel, the silver completely detracts from the zero edge). They were essentially the same price, so that wasn't a consideration.

I purchased the set online from powersellernyc.com and they delivered sooner than expected (10 days) and right into my house, new in box, and then plugged it in to verify it worked. Nice. The Salvador Dali inspired stand is quite flimsy when attached to the back of the set, so it's wise to take care when moving anything around as it will rock like AC/DC. Once plugged it, the menu guides you through the initial set-up and network pairing. The latter immediately brought up a 16 minute wait while it updated the software! Man, these things are more like computers every day. After calibrating the set according to a few sites online, I sat back and took it all in.

Blechh.

These settings may be what ISF or whoever decides is the correct picture, but to my eyes they were entirely too warm, too dark, and too yellowish. Out of the box, everything is set to kill, so you do need to downshift a few gears, but this was not what I was expecting. I switched from "movie" to "standard" ("dynamic" will give you a sunburn), tweaked the settings to dial it back a bit and derived a picture more to my liking. Apparently video is like audio, you like what you like and to hell with what other people think is "right." Dialed in, the picture is really quite stunning. There are no clouds in dark scenes, which will definitely show up as the blacks are as close to absolute that it would be hard to fathom anything deeper. The dramatic contrast really shines on quality HD and blu-ray content with very good color separation, no bleeding, and the aforementioned edge definition. I'm not a videophile, so suffice to say I'm really pleased with the picture.

This is a SmartTV, but apparently it needs a few remedial classes to pass the grade. I have a universal remote, so the touchpad/voice activated remote was never even unwrapped. The motion control simply does not work and was disabled. The voice control via the set top camera and mic allow you to access the apps and do basic controls, although I find it far easier to click my "off" button on my remote as opposed to saying "Hi TV, power off." Call me old fashioned, but most of this stuff reeks of gimmickry in my estimation.

I really didn't care about 3D, but since it was bundled with the set I gave it a whirl. 4 sets of active glasses are included and are actually quite light and far less bulky than the first gen that made you look like Drew Cary. I popped Killzone3 into the PS3 and my entire family let out a collective "Wow!" The depth of field is amazing and the 3D did nothing to mask the remarkable graphics and textures of the game. Switching over to one of DirecTV's 4 3D channels, we watched a documentary with underwater footage that darn near convinced your brain that you were looking through Nemo's command deck into the vast ocean. It was very cool...up to a point. Within 5-10 minutes I was acutely aware of the strain on my eyes and seriously doubt I could put up with it for more than an hour, tops.

So that's it. The picture quality is everything I'd hoped for, the 3D is a pleasant bonus, and I could care less about the "smart" features, which is good as they suck anyway. Game time for USC vs Syracuse is 12:30pm, Saturday, at my house. Bring beer. Who's coming?

[TheHills44060]

...Apparently video is like audio, you like what you like and to hell with what other people think is "right."

Couldn't agree with you more. When I got my first Plasma I spent quite a bit of time fleshing out all of the settings based on others' recommendations and mostly my own eyes. Well the damn a-board blew within the first couple months and with it all my settings.

The Panasonic repair dude stopped by replaced the board and dialed all of the settings in to his liking. He was very familiar with the set and blitzed thru it no problem.

Well, i just didn't like the way it looked. I showed him my settings and he didn't like those. I tried his settings for a few days but couldn't get over how cool they appeared to me. Just goes to show to each his own.

Oh yeah and what's with Samsung's affinity for creating weird looking pedestals? It's like they go out of their way to make them stand out more than the tv itself.

[topspeed]

Oh yeah and what's with Samsung's affinity for creating weird looking pedestals? It's like they go out of their way to make them stand out more than the tv itself.

So true. If you want to see a great stand, check out Sony Europe's stand for the HX850.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I guess my eyes are just used to the way a properly calibrated television looks. Personally I don't know anything different, as I always calibrate my sets and projectors before viewing them.

[topspeed]

You know, Sir T, there may have been a break-in period for the set as when I go back to the calibrated Movie setting now, it doesn't look nearly as bad as it did initially. I know rptv's need a few minutes to stabilize, but I didn't think LCD's did? My personal settings are 90% of the recommended calibrations, but with color set to "natural" instead of "warm 2" as recommended and a tad more back light. Keep in mind, the entire side and back walls are practically glass, so the environment likely has a major affect as well. Whatever, I'm happy with it.

Trojans are looking good so far, eh?

[BadAssJazz]

You know, Sir T, there may have been a break-in period for the set as when I go back to the calibrated Movie setting now, it doesn't look nearly as bad as it did initially. I know rptv's need a few minutes to stabilize, but I didn't think LCD's did? My personal settings are 90% of the recommended calibrations, but with color set to "natural" instead of "warm 2" as recommended and a tad more back light. Keep in mind, the entire side and back walls are practically glass, so the environment likely has a major affect as well. Whatever, I'm happy with it.

Sometimes I think what we call a "break in period" really has less to do with electronics and more to do with the fact that human beings adapt. Our ears, eyes, etc., eventually adjust and recalibrate to stimuli, so that we can receive information in a manner most subjectively optimal to our senses. That doesn't mean that we're necessarily satisfied with the information, but at least our brains can better process it without completely rejecting or shutting down.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Sometimes I think what we call a "break in period" really has less to do with electronics and more to do with the fact that human beings adapt. Our ears, eyes, etc., eventually adjust and recalibrate to stimuli, so that we can receive information in a manner most subjectively optimal to our senses. That doesn't mean that we're necessarily satisfied with the information, but at least our brains can better process it without completely rejecting or shutting down.

Actually there is a break in period with both LCD and Plasma panels. It is measurable, and if you know what to look for(black levels) it is visual as well.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

You know, Sir T, there may have been a break-in period for the set as when I go back to the calibrated Movie setting now, it doesn't look nearly as bad as it did initially. I know rptv's need a few minutes to stabilize, but I didn't think LCD's did? My personal settings are 90% of the recommended calibrations, but with color set to "natural" instead of "warm 2" as recommended and a tad more back light. Keep in mind, the entire side and back walls are practically glass, so the environment likely has a major affect as well. Whatever, I'm happy with it.

There is a break in period, but usually most folks don't notice it.

Trojans are looking good so far, eh?

Fair to say, I am a happy camper!