I'm a huge Samsung fan, I admit that, and have a 2 year old Samsung DLP. I'm starting to look for a 65"-73" model and I'll pull the trigger by the holidays. (I'll wait to see the LaserVue, but suspect that is out of my price range.) From what I was reading online, I was sure I'd go with a LED-based model.

But after looking at both the Samsung LED DLP and Mits Diamond in the stores casually, the Mits seem far superior. Am I just hitting stores that are pushing Mits? Poor lighting? Are my eyes deceiving me?

I spent time walking up, back, left, right, up/down -- the mits was just clear and uniform (as best as can be expected for DLP). Sammy's LED-based DLPs seemed dull in comparison. I really _want_ to like the LED engine (quieter, cooler (both literally and figuratively), less power, less maintenance). But I've been seeing this same thing in many stores. In fact, in Tweeter, I saw it from afar and immediately thought it was plasma because of how bright the picture was.

On the bright side, one of the LED-based DLPs seemed really good but I realized it had to be viewed exactly straight on.

Anyway, thought I'd see what y'all think.

Interesting you write this. I, too, am in the market for one of these two TVs in the December time frame. And I am having similar reactions to these TVs in the stores. I thought, LED is a no-brainer. But after viewing them both side-by-side, I definitely thought the Mitsu had a better pic. I was quite surprised.

Sorry I can't add anything new to the discussion. But I do agree with your assessment.

Exactly -- I thought ... LED engine, exactly the right solution for lamps. Less moving parts, etc. Ultimately, though, the picture quality is taking a hit (at least, so it seems to me).

I think because the LED engine requires such a high gain screen, the viewing angles are limited even more. Unfortunately, I feel that may be the killer for me. While I don't need true 170 degree/plasma like viewing angles, I need as much vertical as I can get. The going default vertical angle is typically 30 degrees up/down -- I'd say the Mits is 45 up/down, and the LED-based Sammy's are actually less.

I'm curious to see how LaserVue affects things.

I am doing the same thing. I am pretty sure the Samsung uses the Darkchip3 and the Mits Darkchip4. I think that is one of the differences. I think I am going to wait until CES and see how Samsung does with an upgrade. The Laservue is out due to price.

setups from store to store can vary widely, once i had my 61a750 home and setup, it blew the mits i saw in a store away. but again, i'm very partial to samsung. always have been. i love my sammy.

I saw the Sammy 750 and the Mits 735(not diamond, but this years model) side by side in a BB here. There aren't any 835s on display anywhere near me unfortunately.

Looking at both sets in store side by side I thought that the Sammy had slightly better blacks than the 735, but the 735 had better colors to me. Of course, I'm sure both of these are just straight out of the box, but the Sammy had huge blue push...to the point where every TV in the store was showing clouds in the sky and the Sammy made it look like water was floating in the sky. Both looked pretty nice to me, but if/when I upgrade I want to go big and a FP is out of the question due to quite a bit of ambient light. To upgrade from my 60" 4:3 CRT RPTV I want to go 73" that way even if I decide to watch 4:3 content (99% won't, but hey, never know) it would stay the same on screen size as my 60".

My CRT has pretty nice blacks, but horrible black crush and definate blooming in dark scenes with just a few things that are bright. Of course I haven't gotten to test this on any of the DLPs, but hopefully they are better in this area than my Philips.

I'll probably wait and see if the LV is worth pursuing with amazing blacks/color and if it isn't all that and a bag of chips (lol!) I'll see what kind of prices there are around Christmas. If nothing amazing as far as price drops go I will probably wait for CES to see if any new DLPS in the 73" will be manufactured other than LV.

I've been going through the same thing for a couple months and finally decided on the Sammy (ordering this week). I only saw one Sammy LED that looked good in the store, and it looked better than the 735 and 835 right next to it. In fact, I've never seen a Mits I've been impressed with, but some swear by them. Read the reviews for the Sammy 67" and you'll see virtually everyone is happy with it.

But in the end, go with your gut. They both are great sets.

I've been going through the same thing for a couple months and finally decided on the Sammy (ordering this week). I only saw one Sammy LED that looked good in the store, and it looked better than the 735 and 835 right next to it. In fact, I've never seen a Mits I've been impressed with, but some swear by them. Read the reviews for the Sammy 67" and you'll see virtually everyone is happy with it.

But in the end, go with your gut. They both are great sets.

well said

I also went through the same process. I absolutely did NOT want a bulb based set. LED just seemed like a much better solution (and I still believe it is). But the fact remained that when compared side by side, there was no perceptual advantage to the LED sets. In fact, IN STORE, the Mits had a very slight advantage, I think due mostly to its more even image (lower gain screen). The other issue was I was comparing a 73" Mits to a 67" Sammy, and even though the image on the Mits was "enlarged" relative to the Sammy, it looked just as clean, if not more. And the more I shopped the more I was leaning towards the bigger size, and the bigger size for Samsung would have meant a bulb based set anyway. Once the advantages of the LEDs went away, the Mits then had the advantage of DC4, and $99 bulb replacements. I never did find a 72" Sammy in real to view, but I ended up finding such a good deal on the 73" Mits, I went with that. On the flip side: the Mits is known to be more difficult to calibrate to proper color. And once you disable the geometry correction (for the benefit of 1:1 pixel mapping), it's geometry isn't very good (though I've read similar things about the Sammy).

But in the end, I think they're both good sets. You can do well with either, so you can go with whichever you find the better deal on. Or whichever fits your space better.

Great feedback, thx everyone.

I do believe that are both great sets. While you have to take the in-store models with a grain of salt (lighting, source material, TV setup, etc.), after seeing many stores and many comparisons, just started seeing a pattern.

I'm close to deciding on the Mits, but I'll likely wait to see the LaserVues first hand -- can't afford the possible $7k price tag, but either it will blow me away and make me wait, or help drive the prices down a bit.

Can anyone else comment on the differences in vertical viewing angle? My built-in stand is about 3ft high so viewing angle is the biggest issue I'm having with both the Mits and Samsung. I was leaning to the LED but if the Mits has a better vertical viewing angle I'd go that way in a second.

I also have to add that at our local BB the colors and picture on the Mits does look quite a bit better. I don't read too much into that as there are just too many variables to say what would be better in my situation.

In my comparisons, the Mits seemed to have slightly better off-angle viewing. But honestly, I think a 3' stand is going to give you trouble with either set unless you sit way back. I'd recommend tilting the set down a bit.

In BB when I looked at the sets, the major complaint for both of them was a bad off angle viewing. The sets where already about 6 feet off of the ground so I could barely come eye level with the bottom of the set. I noticed a substantial decrease in brightness and PQ even a few degrees off center. With the TVs up so high I was able to tell that the bottom of the picture looked great and the top of the picture was darker...thats how crazy the off angle viewing looked to me.

I went with the Sammy. No way I want to deal with bulbs, spinning wheels, and rainbows. I do have to say that the Mits did jump out at me a bit more in store. It could be that they have better "blown-out" in store settings (more aggressive edge detailing, color tweaks, etc) that once you get home you turn off anyway. I agree with the consensus that you will probably be very happy with either set. If your gut leans one way, go that way, and you will undoubtedly be happy.

No way I want to deal with bulbs, spinning wheels, and rainbows.

LEDs do not prevent you from seeing rainbows. But the faster switching of current sets (bulb or otherwise) do reduce your chances of seeing them.

Those of you who went with the Sammy or the Mitsu: Any further input between these sets?

I am debating between these two sets for our new house's Game room

TIA.