I just thought I would point out that there will be a 56 series that you do not have listed. They are: HL-R4656W, HL-R5056W, HL-R5656W, and HL-R6156W. They appear to be lower end sets. They utilize the HD4 chip.

Robert

Samsung sucks!

>:(

I just thought I would point out that there will be a 56 series that you do not have listed. They are: HL-R4656W, HL-R5056W, HL-R5656W, and HL-R6156W. They appear to be lower end sets. They utilize the HD4 chip.

Robert

It is my understanding that the 56 series is going to be a budget version of 720p sets distributed through stores like Costco. But, I don't have any spec's or enough information to add them to POST #1. Have you found a manual or spec sheet?

Samsung sucks!

>:(


Please explain. :confused:

Please explain. :confused:
He's mad because he has to wait until Christmas morning to open his gift. ;)

Please explain. :confused:

Explain what? He made a perfectly logical, analytical post fully explaining the reasons for his opinions. It was a very informative post. What more could you want?

;)

:rolleyes:

Samsung sucks!

>:(

Yes. It is such descriptive and extremely informative posts such as this that
bring back to this forum over and over again. Thank you :-)

He's mad because he has to wait until Christmas morning to open his gift. ;)

Well ... the 88 series delivery slips would try anyone's patience. Hopefully, the wait will be worth it. I guess we will be trying to determine if the 88 is outperforming the 68 / 78 once they are all available for comparison.

UCSB - I posted this on the PB thread but anxious to get this clarified as I may have to cancel my Samsung if this post is for real.

I have a serious question for others and I'm not trying to create alarm but a new member posted he's returning his 5667 due to Video Game Lag issues and he posts that Samsung is aware and he tested the games also at BB and the Toshiba and the LCD's had no game lag but the Samsung did on the floor at BB and on his new one in his house.

Tell me please how could Sammy be in a partnership with Microsoft and have video game lag on Xbox? This alarms me since I actually do alot of gaming during the winter months and I won't tolerate that on a $5K TV. There are many others responding and affirming his post. Does anyone know if Samsung has resolved the gaming lag on the new 1080P's? This guy said Samsung Tech's even confirmed the issue. I need to know quick as I can't go through if this thing cannot handle gaming. This guy loves his PQ but cannot handle the gaming lag. I'm not trying to create alarm. UCSB do you have any info on this? Thanks :confused:

Will the bulb need replacement before the 8000 hours that the manual talks about?
If you average 4 hours of TV everyday, that is atleast 5 years that the bulb will last. I am just trying to figure out if a 5yr bulb replacement warranty is worth to go for.

All sucking aside ...

I assume you're quoting the 8000 hours of bulb life that Samsung lists when it's NOT in the brighter Display mode. They quote I think 4000 hours if you have it in Display mode.

I don't know the answer to your question, though. I've never had a set like this, so I'm not sure if bulb life is similar to vehicle mileage (it's not only how much you drive, but also how you drive that among other things determines fuel economy). I'm sure you could kill it pretty quickly by playing footsie with the power button all day, but is bulb life greatly affected by the duration of typical viewing sessions?

UCSB - I posted this on the PB thread but anxious to get this clarified as I may have to cancel my Samsung if this post is for real.

I have a serious question for others and I'm not trying to create alarm but a new member posted he's returning his 5667 due to Video Game Lag issues and he posts that Samsung is aware and he tested the games also at BB and the Toshiba and the LCD's had no game lag but the Samsung did on the floor at BB and on his new one in his house.

Tell me please how could Sammy be in a partnership with Microsoft and have video game lag on Xbox? This alarms me since I actually do alot of gaming during the winter months and I won't tolerate that on a $5K TV. There are many others responding and affirming his post. Does anyone know if Samsung has resolved the gaming lag on the new 1080P's? This guy said Samsung Tech's even confirmed the issue. I need to know quick as I can't go through if this thing cannot handle gaming. This guy loves his PQ but cannot handle the gaming lag. I'm not trying to create alarm. UCSB do you have any info on this? Thanks :confused:

I answered your question in the TVA thread, but for readers in this thread here it is again:

Gaming performance is definitely an item that will be analyzed carefully once the 1080p sets are available. I don't think we will have a final answer until a known hardcore gamer and knowledgable HT expert can evaluate the sets. Unfortunately, gaming performance has historically been one of the last areas that is tied down in the owners threads because of conflicting reports. Steve P. at HES stated that lag on games on the 1080p is not going to be an issue. BUT, game performance has been an issue to varying degrees on all 720p sets to date ... so I think we need to just be patient. If there is game lag then it opens the door to lip sync issues also.

I am trying to finalize my plans for my own Samsung 1080p set. If I can pull this together and be an early adopter, I will personally check this out for you. My son builds custom game consoles for a hobby and we have them all. He is a hardcore gamer and I will be able to get you a good answer.

If gaming is a show stopper for you, you should just work with TVA to arrange a delivery date that will be after we have had the opportunity to go down through the open issues (including gaming) in POST #1 of the Samsung thread.

Please explain. :confused:

I believe the informative individual was referring to Samsung vacuum cleaners. Off topic post.

Jon

Can't you just use the delay function on your receiver? The new game systems will be in DD5.1 so it would definitely route through a receiver. If there is any lag you should be able to delay the audio to compensate.

Can't you just use the delay function on your receiver? The new game systems will be in DD5.1 so it would definitely route through a receiver. If there is any lag you should be able to delay the audio to compensate.

If there is a lag, that won't work because the game system and controller will be out of sync with the audio / video.

I posted Samsung sucks, b/c of the delays to their 1080p sets, especially the 5688 1080p which I have pre-ordered through the TVA PB!

The delays & waiting is really starting to test my patience.

I guess you haven't bought many new electronic items when they are first released. Delays are nothing new.

I posted Samsung sucks, b/c of the delays to their 1080p sets, especially the 5688 1080p which I have pre-ordered through the TVA PB!

The delays & waiting is really starting to test my patience.

I think we are very close. Maybe they will ship your unit to you this week. :)

UCSB - I posted this on the PB thread but anxious to get this clarified as I may have to cancel my Samsung if this post is for real.

I have a serious question for others and I'm not trying to create alarm but a new member posted he's returning his 5667 due to Video Game Lag issues and he posts that Samsung is aware and he tested the games also at BB and the Toshiba and the LCD's had no game lag but the Samsung did on the floor at BB and on his new one in his house.

Tell me please how could Sammy be in a partnership with Microsoft and have video game lag on Xbox? This alarms me since I actually do alot of gaming during the winter months and I won't tolerate that on a $5K TV. There are many others responding and affirming his post. Does anyone know if Samsung has resolved the gaming lag on the new 1080P's? This guy said Samsung Tech's even confirmed the issue. I need to know quick as I can't go through if this thing cannot handle gaming. This guy loves his PQ but cannot handle the gaming lag. I'm not trying to create alarm. UCSB do you have any info on this? Thanks :confused:

One more aspect of gaming that we have not really discussed in detail is what generation of system will be the standard for an evaluation on the 1080p units. I could see a situation where the new PS3 and xBox/360 could work without any delay on the HDMI input.

I guess you haven't bought many new electronic items when they are first released. Delays are nothing new.

100% correct!

From DVD players, to Pre/Pros, to Subwoofers, to front projectors and anything in between, new items, especially ones with new technology (like the Samsung 1080p units) are inevitably delayed to varying degrees.

I also thought the new Samsungs had a delay fix, also true with a lot of recievers now.

Is there anywhere I need to go to introduce myself? Or can I do it here?... I've had my entry level HTIB system for 2 years. I've shopped the local specialty audio stores to hear the good stuff. I've also been following the DLP releases closely. I'm very interested in the new 1080p DLP chips from Samsung, and especially from Mitsubishi. I like gaming and this is a good topic to jump in on for me. I've been reading these forums for a long while. Thanks for all of the info I've gotten from "ya'll" and thanks for having me here.

I also thought the new Samsungs had a delay fix, also true with a lot of recievers now.

Well when I attended the HES2005 show here in NYC & had the chance to ask Steve P some questions, Gaming Lag was one of those questions & he said that with the new 1080p TV's, that was taken care of & wouldn't be an issue.

Delays suck! :mad:

If you are talking about the common audio delay, most current recievers have adjustments that should work. After all, you are playing the game in 5.1, right?

Is there anywhere I need to go to introduce myself? Or can I do it here?... I've had my entry level HTIB system for 2 years. I've shopped the local specialty audio stores to hear the good stuff. I've also been following the DLP releases closely. I'm very interested in the new 1080p DLP chips from Samsung, and especially from Mitsubishi. I like gaming and this is a good topic to jump in on for me. I've been reading these forums for a long while. Thanks for all of the info I've gotten from "ya'll" and thanks for having me here.

Welcome to the forum! In a sense, we're all still learning about the upcoming 1080p DLP/LCOS/LCD sets. As a gamer myself, I sincerely hope Steve was correct in his statement.

Thanks TetsujinWave,
I hope so too. A serious delay will definitely hurt the experience. Is there anyone from CA here who got to look at the Mitsus that hit the shelves?

Thanks TetsujinWave,
I hope so too. A serious delay will definitely hurt the experience. Is there anyone from CA here who got to look at the Mitsubishi that hit the shelves?

Well I'm here in CA but from what I hear from the three people I know who actually went to look after the ads for the Mitsubishi were mad because they didn't have any. :(


One thing I noticed when reading through the manual for the xx68 is that the PIP will only work with analog signals. This seems fairly short sighted since my cable company is trying to get everything digital. So in a year or two "one of the best features" as Samsung states on page 64 will not even work...

Well I hope we get word that these units are in the warehouse in Sac town. It is only a 10 hour drive, are they Stopping at each mission on the way up? Perhaps they are taking surface streets the whole way... :D

If you are talking about the common audio delay, most current recievers have adjustments that should work. After all, you are playing the game in 5.1, right?

Welcome ... we hope there won't be a video gaming delay on the new 1080p sets. We will just have to wait and run some test when they are available. On the other hand, if there is a delay in the video because it is being processed in the TV, then delaying the audio in your receiver will bring the the audio - video into sync, but the game system and controller will be out of sync with game play at that point and the game could be pretty much unplayable.

Awaiting the 6168, I am looking to also upgrade my DVD player (and recvr also but thats for another forum). I note that the 950 doesnt appear to have a DCDi chip; and it appears that this is a big quality deal.
First - opinoions, is it; and the specs for the xx68 dont appear to have DCDi. So, should I only look for a dvd player that has DCDi?

To combo or not to combo?
Will be buying the HLR 4677w soon. Have many home-movie vcr tapes that I want to transfer to DVD. Most tapes are 15 - 20 years old (they still play ok on vcr). Is there a dvd/vcr combo unit that would also be a good coice for the 4677w? Or, should I forget the combo idea and just get a dvd recorder/player that is an even better choice for 4677w and copy my vcr tapes to dvd via cable? I also have an equal amount of old 8 mm tapes that I would have to copy to dvd via cables since my camcorder is my only player for those. Did I just answer my own question? Advice appreciated.

One thing I noticed when reading through the manual for the xx68 is that the PIP will only work with analog signals. This seems fairly short sighted since my cable company is trying to get everything digital. So in a year or two "one of the best features" as Samsung states on page 64 will not even work...


you're misinterpreting what you've read. What it means is, the right PIP window won't show anything through the HDMI or component inputs. That means, you can only view material through s-video or lower in the right window. In order to view channels from your cable signals you'd need to split the cable before the cable box, with one going to the rf in the cable box, the other to the rf in on the xx68, and use the internal tuner on the xx68 in that 2nd window

After about two months with my HL-R4677W I thought I’d pass along some observations that may be of use to some of you.

I purchased the unit from TV Authority. I was quite pleased with their handling of the order. However, since I had no problems with the TV I can’t comment on how well they handle problems!

Picture: The TV is awesome. With a good HD signal going to it I can’t imagine that I could notice any improvement with an even higher resolution. However, I suppose I have to take you other folks at your word until I see one for myself.

My Inputs: I decided to try an off-air antenna. We live about 30 miles from most of the Detroit transmitters. With a rooftop Radio Shack mid-grade antenna I get clean HD reception on all of these stations with no need for a rotor. I tried it in the attic with poor results. However, the rafters prevented properly aiming the antenna. We also have Dish satellite service and I added the HD package which required getting the HD receiver. The SD programming is noticeably less sharp than HD programming, but I find it generally acceptable. It looks a little fuzzy rather than pixely, but not bad for such a large SD picture. Some channels are much better than others. I suspect Dish applies more compression to some channels than others. DVDs of recent movies look almost as good as HD. DVDs of old TV shows look about like any other SD programming. I am using “component” cables for the DVD and the Dish input. You need to use component or DVI for the TV to get the higher definition information and display it accordingly. If you use composite or SVHS inputs then you are really watching an SD picture regardless of what it originated as.

TV Stand: We got a Sauder 8851-103 cabinet from Best Buy for about $250. I couldn’t find this model number anywhere but Best Buy. The stand is an ideal size and height for this TV and worth looking into if you are stuck on what to put it on. It looks pretty good for particle-board with imitation wood-grain finish. It is only available in cherry.

Available Programming: I was disappointed in the availability of HD programming. I guess I expected much more. Movies and sports programming seem to benefit the most from HD and the wider format. (We’re not into video games.) The only sport I have seen in HD so far is basketball, and that was great! I think that was in HD because it was prime time playoff stuff. Golf, even the Masters Tournament, has all been SD -- bummer. I’m hoping weekend football (college and pro) will be in HD, but I’m doubtful. Monday Night Football will probably be HD. There is an ESPN HD channel, but they can’t show everything. This should all change over the next two or three years. If you are on the fence about whether to buy now or wait, try to get good info on whether the things you watch are broadcast in HD.

Fan noise, rainbow effect, audio synch, etc: There is some fan noise, but rarely noticeable. I haven’t seen any rainbows. I have had no audio synch problems. My DVD player has a built in amp and I listen to external speakers. Even with that arrangement I have not noticed a synch problem. If I send sound to the TV too, I notice a tiny offset.

you're misinterpreting what you've read. What it means is, the right PIP window won't show anything through the HDMI or component inputs. That means, you can only view material through s-video or lower in the right window. In order to view channels from your cable signals you'd need to split the cable before the cable box, with one going to the rf in the cable box, the other to the rf in on the xx68, and use the internal tuner on the xx68 in that 2nd window

I think the real issue here is that the TV only has one ATSC tuner and one NTSC tuner. So if you are trying to display PIP from RF sources only one can be digital. On my Hitachi 60VX915 which I finally sent back (three defective sets was enough for me) I needed to go to the Antenna A input first then bring up the PIP from the SAT HDMI input. I couldn;t seem to get it to work the other way around. So I actually agree with the first post that it would be nice to have two ATSC tuners, but its most likely a cost issue at this point.

I posted Samsung sucks, b/c of the delays to their 1080p sets, especially the 5688 1080p which I have pre-ordered through the TVA PB!

The delays & waiting is really starting to test my patience.
Then you can start experiencing the OTHER delay ;)

Awaiting the 6168, I am looking to also upgrade my DVD player (and recvr also but thats for another forum). I note that the 950 doesnt appear to have a DCDi chip; and it appears that this is a big quality deal.
First - opinoions, is it; and the specs for the xx68 dont appear to have DCDi. So, should I only look for a dvd player that has DCDi?
I think the concesus for a real 1080 set is you don't need DCDi. The TV will do the deinterlacing as the best feed we hope will be a 1080i signal via HDMI. Thats what we hope to see in the first few tests.

I think the concesus for a real 1080 set is you don't need DCDi. The TV will do the deinterlacing as the best feed we hope will be a 1080i signal via HDMI. Thats what we hope to see in the first few tests.
True, hope springs eternal.... But as I read info such as in this Silicon Optix white paper on video processing (Click Here) (http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/down/silicon-optix-hqv-white-paper-6-05.pdf), I become less hopeful about built-in video processing and more pissed that the digital inputs are not 1080p. Alas, as noted, we'll see in the next couple of weeks whether my distress is for naught. (By the way, the Dragonfly is expected to be the first stand alone video processor employing this technology to reach the "consumer" market. It's MSRP is near $3500!)

Awaiting the 6168, I am looking to also upgrade my DVD player (and recvr also but thats for another forum). I note that the 950 doesnt appear to have a DCDi chip; and it appears that this is a big quality deal.
First - opinoions, is it; and the specs for the xx68 dont appear to have DCDi. So, should I only look for a dvd player that has DCDi?

I would say yes if you're getting one of these sets. I don't think you can beat the OPPO for bang for the buck. Plenty of nice features including DCDi, top-rated, and it does Divx, Avi, and Xvid files which is an increasingly demanded requirement for more and more people nowadays.

per the DCDi issue, I will look at the OPPO.
Thanks.

As an aside, if anyone is looking for an incredible cabinet; my wife bought the Ethan Allen 30-9845; Entertainment Console with plenty of interior space for gear. For those getting high end decorating pushback, this will even fit the 6768! It happens to be a beautiful piece of furniture, too.
Not a cheap unit, but then the 1080p's arent either and what is home harmony worth???

Samsung sucks every day more the delays last!

:mad:

Samsung sucks every day more the delays last!

Geez, if you are really that eager to spend your money just send it to me. I'll make sure it gets put to good use. I'll even send you a postcard.

Geez, if you are really that eager to spend your money just send it to me. I'll make sure it gets put to good use. I'll even send you a postcard.

LOL!

Mike & Samsung suck!

Anyone receive any news/word from TVA?

Anyone receive any news/word from TVA?

Yes-

Your unit has been delayed another 3 weeks.

:p

I checked with TVA about a half an hour ago and they informed me
they had not received the 1080p sets yet but were hoping
to this afternoon. They also hope to send the preorder list
an update by the end of the day...

Mike & Samsung suck!

Thank you for that. Really. Appreciate it. You rock.

Anyone receive any news/word from TVA?

I specifically asked them about your order and they said that your donkey that's carrying your tv got lost and may never be found. They also said that it seems like you enjoy complaining about it more than you would actually enjoy the tv so they decided that to add you to the preorder for the 2006 models which won't be out till 2008. Figured you would enjoy that wait just as much as this one.

As an aside, if anyone is looking for an incredible cabinet; my wife bought the Ethan Allen 30-9845; Entertainment Console with plenty of interior space for gear. For those getting high end decorating pushback, this will even fit the 6768! It happens to be a beautiful piece of furniture, too.
Not a cheap unit, but then the 1080p's arent either and what is home harmony worth???

What at Ethan Allen is cheap - What was more the TV or the cabinet?\

Never mind - TV is probably more expensive, but not by much - 36" tall seems to be rather high with all the talk about vertical screen angles.

I specifically asked them about your order and they said that your donkey that's carrying your tv got lost and may never be found. They also said that it seems like you enjoy complaining about it more than you would actually enjoy the tv so they decided that to add you to the preorder for the 2006 models which won't be out till 2008. Figured you would enjoy that wait just as much as this one.

ROTFLMAO, all CA members please start a statewide hunt for TMSKILZ's donkey. Make flyers, get the word out on the street...

Have YOU seen this donkey? There is a pack of wild donkey's living near my house I'll keep an eye out for one carrying a Samsung box.

TMSKILZ what size TV did you order?

Well I hope we get word that these units are in the warehouse in Sac town. It is only a 10 hour drive, are they Stopping at each mission on the way up? Perhaps they are taking surface streets the whole way... :D

Well find out where the warehouse is and I'll head on over to check it out! Then you will ALL know exactly when they arrive! ;) 10 hours??? You must drive VERY slow. The trick is to leave when traffic is not at it's heaviest. Heck I can make it to Torrance in 7 hours from Sacto...while hitting 405 traffic (ugh).

I hope these TV's show up soon, cuz I'm anticipating all ya'll doing some testing on these bad boys! Then I'll put the order in. At this price I don't see how you could lose. Of course I'm not a "gamer" or a HT guy...laptop is good enough for me!

ROTFLMAO, all CA members please start a statewide hunt for TMSKILZ's donkey. Make flyers, get the word out on the street...

Have YOU seen this donkey? There is a pack of wild donkey's living near my house I'll keep an eye out for one carrying a Samsung box.

TMSKILZ what size TV did you order?

If I see a donkey parked outside a warehouse in Sac, am I safe to assume that is the warehouse the TV's are stocked at? :D

Mike & Samsung suck!

LOL. :D

TMSKILZ what size TV did you order?


the 5688, hurry up!

the 5688, hurry up!

Oh an 88? yeah you definitely aren't going to be seeing that anytime soon. The 88 series donkeys are on strike.

If I see a donkey parked outside a warehouse in Sac, am I safe to assume that is the warehouse the TV's are stocked at? :D


Don't want to worry you guys but my wife just came back from shopping at the grocery store and there's a picture of a missing donkey on the milk carton

Oh an 88? yeah you definitely aren't going to be seeing that anytime soon. The 88 series donkeys are on strike.

http://members.aol.com/nightdog35/images/smiley_rotflmao.gif

Will the bulb need replacement before the 8000 hours that the manual talks about?
If you average 4 hours of TV everyday, that is atleast 5 years that the bulb will last. I am just trying to figure out if a 5yr bulb replacement warranty is worth to go for.

I suspect 8000 hours is an average (or it might be an MTBF - don't ask). So you might get less or more hours. Think of it as a light bulb - do all light bulbs last exactly the same length of time?

John

[QUOTE=SAC-CA-HT]Well find out where the warehouse is and I'll head on over to check it out! Then you will ALL know exactly when they arrive! ;) 10 hours??? You must drive VERY slow. The trick is to leave when traffic is not at it's heaviest. Heck I can make it to Torrance in 7 hours from Sacto...while hitting 405 traffic (ugh).

Please check out the warehouse, do they have plenty of hay and water for the donkeys?

I agree with you 7 hours to Torrance, but clearly you haven't crossed the border from TJ Mexico- at least two hours, and about 2.5 hours to LA, plus 5 to Sac from there. Don't forget these Donkeys / Truckers need fuel and potty breaks too, and they can't go 75 like us. (Even in light traffic)

Perhaps Samsung has asked the drivers to synchronize their arrival at all the distributors’ warehouses. :D Then the east coast won't have to wait 5 days for them to show up in the stores etc. Bring on the Sammy! :cool:

I suspect 8000 hours is an average (or it might be an MTBF - don't ask). So you might get less or more hours. Think of it as a light bulb - do all light bulbs last exactly the same length of time?

John

Manufacturer's always quote Lamp Life optimistically, as they do all their other specs: Contrast Ratio,etc. Realistically, you can take about 20% to 25% off of what they claim for lamp life and you'll probably have a good average. In this case, i would expect 6,000+ hours to be normal. Naturally, some people will get a dud that will blow after a few hours, some will last 4,000 hours, some will last 10,000 hours or more. After all, we are talking light bulbs:)

Mike & Samsung may suck, but the Spurs & Cowboys don't suck!

what could possibly be Samsung's reason for the delays?

Manufacturer's always quote Lamp Life optimistically, as they do all their other specs: Contrast Ratio,etc. Realistically, you can take about 20% to 25% off of what they claim for lamp life and you'll probably have a good average. In this case, i would expect 6,000+ hours to be normal. Naturally, some people will get a dud that will blow after a few hours, some will last 4,000 hours, some will last 10,000 hours or more. After all, we are talking light bulbs:)



I hope TMSKILZ doesn't get one that blows out quick. Just imagine how angry he will be when he finds out the delivery date on the 5.91" screwdriver has been pushed back to late November.

I think the real issue here is that the TV only has one ATSC tuner and one NTSC tuner. So if you are trying to display PIP from RF sources only one can be digital. On my Hitachi 60VX915 which I finally sent back (three defective sets was enough for me) I needed to go to the Antenna A input first then bring up the PIP from the SAT HDMI input. I couldn;t seem to get it to work the other way around. So I actually agree with the first post that it would be nice to have two ATSC tuners, but its most likely a cost issue at this point.

I wish it had zero tuners in it and instead used that money toward other things in the set, like a 1080P HDMI input. I have no need for an ATSC tuner because I have no desire to watch HD in real time.

I hope TMSKILZ doesn't get one that blows out quick. Just imagine how angry he will be when he finds out the delivery date on the 5.91" screwdriver has been pushed back to late November.

Don't play around like that Scott!

What at Ethan Allen is cheap - What was more the TV or the cabinet?\

Never mind - TV is probably more expensive, but not by much - 36" tall seems to be rather high with all the talk about vertical screen angles.


Well, in the real world I have generally found that nothing is perfect... let me assure you my media room is going to rock (sometime in the near future... anyway)

What at Ethan Allen is cheap - What was more the TV or the cabinet?\

Never mind - TV is probably more expensive, but not by much - 36" tall seems to be rather high with all the talk about vertical screen angles.

If you're looking at Ethan Allen, check out something like this:

http://www.ethanallen.com/jsp/universalprod.jsp?itemID=249842&mainSelect=4&subSelect=1

Attractive, 23" high, and only $899.

If you're looking at Ethan Allen, check out something like this:

http://www.ethanallen.com/jsp/universalprod.jsp?itemID=249842&mainSelect=4&subSelect=1

Attractive, 23" high, and only $899.

And one could remove those tacky looking metal legs, put on some teflon slides underneath, and it would look better and also make it 3 to 4 in lower.

PS Just talked to Magnolia HiFi (San Ramon, CA), and they said that the Sammy 7178 is in their computer to appeaar Aug 10.

TVA has the Samsung TVs in stock and has begun processing
the pre-orders!

TVA has the Samsung TVs in stock and have begun processing
the pre-orders!


Are those corks I hear popping or is everyone just *very happy* to hear this news :D

Good news!

PS Just talked to Magnolia HiFi (San Ramon, CA), and they said that the Sammy 7178 is in their computer to appeaar Aug 10.

It may have been said before, but when Magnolia lists the 10th as the date, then that REALLY should be translated as "sometime in the month".

All at once say "Sammy 5688"

I just talked to TVA. They said the first batch had 30 TVs (not sure if it includes all or just 6168s). So, I will be in the next batch, which they expect to be middle of next week.

I am with TMSKILZ. Delay sucks!!

TVA has the Samsung TVs in stock and has begun processing
the pre-orders!

Tony how long ago did you speak with TVA regarding this news?
did they mention which Samsung 1080p models they have in stock & are processing orders for?

<<crossing fingas for 5688!

Anyone else can confirm what both Tony & Ekan have posted?

Well I am among the first 10-15 HL-R5668s... I will let you know when TVA calls me.

Tony how long ago did you speak with TVA regarding this news?
did they mention which Samsung 1080p models they have in stock & are processing orders for?

<<crossing fingas for 5688!

All of them EXCEPT the 5688.



(ok, somebody stop me!)




;)

Well TVA hasn't called or sent an Email so I assume the 88 series isn't amoung these batch that arrived @ their warehouses for shipping.

Samsung you suck! :mad:

I posted in the powerbuy thread a request that anyone who gets a call or officially confirms they are in this batch to post their model number and date they preordered so folks can get an idea of where they stand. I put a preorder in on 5/31 for a 6168.

I posted in the powerbuy thread a request that anyone who gets a call or officially confirms they are in this batch to post their model number and date they preordered so folks can get an idea of where they stand. I put a preorder in on 5/31 for a 6168.

I spoke to TVA they said due to roaches getting inside their system, your order was accidently deleted.

:D

I spoke to TVA they said due to roaches getting inside their system, your order was accidently deleted.

hahaha...man looks like we are both screwed. On the next episode of when animals attack!

"Lets see I have this list of preorders, if I followed the order people ordered in I would have to make, uh 25 phone calls, but if I follow the order people called in to preorder instead I am done... I'm going home" -- Evil TVA employee.

Lets hope there aren't Evil TVA employees :D

I posted in the powerbuy thread a request that anyone who gets a call or officially confirms they are in this batch to post their model number and date they preordered so folks can get an idea of where they stand. I put a preorder in on 5/31 for a 6168.

I suggest we keep this activity on the PB thread so as not to clutter this
one up with the same info...

All of them EXCEPT the 5688.



(ok, somebody stop me!)




;)
OK Nieghbor,at least my mule has positioning sat system

THis the email send by TV Authority Sales

Hello,


We are happy to announce that our initial shipment of HL-R5668W & HL-R6168W TV’s have arrived! Our customer service department or your assigned sales representative will be contacting you within the next 24 hours to confirm the pre-order.

The first shipment happens to also be the smallest; we have 30 HL-R6168W’s & 7 HL-R5668W’s to ship out to customers. Samsung has informed us that additional shipments are on the road and will be arriving over the next week.



Don’t worry if you aren’t home when we call, we’ll leave you a message and give you an opportunity to get back to us – you will not lose your place in line. When we confirm the order with you, please let us know about any special circumstances so we can do our best to accommodate you. Also, this is a good time to let us know if you’d like to add a warranty bundle, stand or any other products to your order. Our standard shipping is a threshold service which means the driver will unload the TV and bring just inside the front door. They will not un-box or install for you and they typically will not take up flights of stairs without special instructions from us and in most cases, there is an additional charge.



Once we confirm the pre-order with you, your order will be scheduled for processing and your card will be charged.

We do ask that you please refrain from calling our customer service department about your pre-order. There are a large number of orders that we need to process and you will be called if your order is ready to ship but we need your cooperation to help expedite this process.



Thanks again for your business and expect to hear from us soon!



TV Authority Sales

888-286-5353

http://www.tvauthority.com

.... sigh .... no 5078 yet ....

Actually, I have no room to complain ... you've all been waiting a hell of a lot longer than me! Congrats to those in the first group, whoever you are :D

.... sigh .... no 5078 yet ....

Actually, I have no room to complain ... you've all been waiting a hell of a lot longer than me! Congrats to those in the first group, whoever you are :D


::bigger sigh::

No mention of the 5688 either.

:mad:

Us 5688er's are a class alone lol

Us 5688er's are a class alone lol

Lighten up 5688'ers ... the fact that your TV's have been delayed, probably means that they have benefited from all the tuning and development of the 68 /78 's. It might be GOOD news. :)

i want one..lol

They probably putting the glass on the pedestal as we speak lol

This may be a dumb question but what benefit do I get with Screen Protection under the Warranty offered in the PB? I was reading it and noticed they excluded a lot of things such as negligence (read my 3 year old coloring on the new pretty screen).

I am trying to decide on which Warranty to get, A) 4 year parts and Labor only or B) one of the bundles, 2 yr screen or 5 yr screen, since the lamp doesn't sound like such a big deal to replace I'm left to evaluate the value of the screen warranty. But if they exclude cracks etc due to customer neglect, earthquake etc. I'm wondering what is left? What about smudges like what happened on prior models? Any ideas or examples of where the screen coverage would help would be appreciated.

::bigger sigh::

No mention of the 5688 either.

:mad:

TMSKILZ, I think I'm in position #5 in the Powerbuy and you're in position #6. I don't mind switching places with you if you want to go ahead of me. It really doesn't matter to me (all that much) if you get your 5688 ten minutes before I do......unless of course my mule ends up being faster than your mule--in which case I'm gonna suck too......oh, the pain of it all....

This may be a dumb question but what benefit do I get with Screen Protection under the Warranty offered in the PB? I was reading it and noticed they excluded a lot of things such as negligence (read my 3 year old coloring on the new pretty screen).

I am trying to decide on which Warranty to get, A) 4 year parts and Labor only or B) one of the bundles, 2 yr screen or 5 yr screen, since the lamp doesn't sound like such a big deal to replace I'm left to evaluate the value of the screen warranty. But if they exclude cracks etc due to customer neglect, earthquake etc. I'm wondering what is left? What about smudges like what happened on prior models? Any ideas or examples of where the screen coverage would help would be appreciated.

I took a closer look at the terms listed on the back of the Screen Protection PDF, and it states the following (my emphasis):

"This Plan will furnish labor and replacement parts from Day One necessary to replace your covered screen free of charge should it become cracked or broken for reasons other than mechanical or electrical defects, failures, or willful customer abuse."

There's a big difference between negligence and willful customer abuse. In talking with my TVA rep about the benefits of the plan, I mentioned that I have two cats and that it's possible that one of them could scratch the screen up if I didn't feed them their dinner on time or something. He affirmed that such damage would be covered, and the example he gave was something along the lines of kids playing softball in the house.

So in my case, with two very rambunctious (read: NOT declawed and frequently airborne) young cats tromping around the house, the screen protection plan is worth it to me.

Hope that helps. :)

This may be a dumb question but what benefit do I get with Screen Protection under the Warranty offered in the PB? I was reading it and noticed they excluded a lot of things such as negligence (read my 3 year old coloring on the new pretty screen).

I am trying to decide on which Warranty to get, A) 4 year parts and Labor only or B) one of the bundles, 2 yr screen or 5 yr screen, since the lamp doesn't sound like such a big deal to replace I'm left to evaluate the value of the screen warranty. But if they exclude cracks etc due to customer neglect, earthquake etc. I'm wondering what is left? What about smudges like what happened on prior models? Any ideas or examples of where the screen coverage would help would be appreciated.

I think you bring up a number of very interesting points. I'm in for the bundle already, but did find "willful customer abuse" as a primary exclusion for the screen protection warranty. That seems a bit vague, and up to interpretation, but I guess that could include your 3-year old's new color markers, depending on the mood of whoever is taking the service call. The lamp bundle portion seems to have a lot more exclusions, (like, if it explodes or exceeds the normal lifespan of the bulb) that, like yourself, make me question the value of these warranties. I think I'll make a call to Warrantech and ask for some specific examples before making a final decision.

Gazelle, what are your thoughts on extended warranties? If anyone can talk me out of it, you probably can....

Forget MTV, I want my 5688!

UCSB, I hope you are right, but I highly doubt it, I'm thinking all 3 models have gone into manufacturing @ basically the same time @ Samsung's cheap labor plants in Mexico & around the world.

Unless the 88 series will accept true 1080p on all HDMI & DVI & VGA in/outputs, it's not worth the delay, but what choice do we have heh?

We're basically @ the mercy of Samsung!

Unless the 88 series will accept true 1080p on all HDMI & DVI & VGA in/outputs, it's not worth the delay, but what choice do we have heh?
If you want a TV on a stick there is no other game in town. :)

I think the delay is probably due to the limited production runs that Samsung has always done with the pedestal models. I wouldn't expect any extra features as a result of the delay.

I have been watching this thread off & on for some time and have found it quite infromative at times for which I thank all you informative posters and quite silly at times for which I don't thank you. Never have been moved to add anything but I feel obliged to report the following.

Got a call today from the Colma Magnolia having previously given them my number to be informed as to the arrival of a 6168. Well no 61" anything but they do have a 5078 on the floor and in stock. So I went down there & sure enough there it was. In the immediate vicinity were a 5067 & a 6167 and 2 Sony XBR's, around 60" and a 40 something. Didn't actually look at the Sony tags just guessing at sizes. Th 5078 blew everything away. It was extermely sharp & detailed - almost 3D. contrast was incerdible and that was after the salesman had turned it way down from out of the box. He turned it back up and I think I can believe the 10,000:1 ratio. Colors very realistic, skin tones excellent, shadow detail excellent. The 720p Samsungs were totaly unimpressive in comparison and this held true at all distances including 1' from the screen to way back 20' or so. He also said that he had to turn down the brightness considerable but even at maximum it was very bright but not washed out as you might expect. I think that there is no issue with detail vis a vis the wobbulated chip as in the 63 series which I found totally dull looking. Also, as would be expected no screen door effect, no sense of individual pixels even standing very close. So this seems to be the best of both worlds combining the detail and the seemless picture. No rainbow to my eyes. I asked the salesman (who was actually quite knowledgeabel) if he ever saw the rainbow effect & he said never - & this is standing in a room with 15 or so DLPs in it. He opined that you might see it if you look for it & why not just not look for it. I agree.

On a personal note I think the 78 series is definietly much classier looking than the floating screen. I would be inclined to wait for it but the 350 premium TVA price kills that deal.

I have been watching this thread off & on for some time and have found it quite infromative at times for which I thank all you informative posters and quite silly at times for which I don't thank you. Never have been moved to add anything but I feel obliged to report the following.

Got a call today from the Colma Magnolia having previously given them my number to be informed as to the arrival of a 6168. Well no 61" anything but they do have a 5078 on the floor and in stock. So I went down there & sure enough there it was. In the immediate vicinity were a 5067 & a 6167 and 2 Sony XBR's, around 60" and a 40 something. Didn't actually look at the Sony tags just guessing at sizes. Th 5078 blew everything away. It was extermely sharp & detailed - almost 3D. contrast was incerdible and that was after the salesman had turned it way down from out of the box. He turned it back up and I think I can believe the 10,000:1 ratio. Colors very realistic, skin tones excellent, shadow detail excellent. The 720p Samsungs were totaly unimpressive in comparison and this held true at all distances including 1' from the screen to way back 20' or so. He also said that he had to turn down the brightness considerable but even at maximum it was very bright but not washed out as you might expect. I think that there is no issue with detail vis a vis the wobbulated chip as in the 63 series which I found totally dull looking. Also, as would be expected no screen door effect, no sense of individual pixels even standing very close. So this seems to be the best of both worlds combining the detail and the seemless picture. No rainbow to my eyes. I asked the salesman (who was actually quite knowledgeabel) if he ever saw the rainbow effect & he said never - & this is standing in a room with 15 or so DLPs in it. He opined that you might see it if you look for it & why not just not look for it. I agree.

On a personal note I think the 78 series is definietly much classier looking than the floating screen. I would be inclined to wait for it but the 350 premium TVA price kills that deal.

Thanks tunasf! Yes! Now I really can't wait until my 6168 gets here!!!

On a personal note I think the 78 series is definietly much classier looking than the floating screen. I would be inclined to wait for it but the 350 premium TVA price kills that deal.

I thought the 5078 was the floating screen. Am I wrong?

I thought the 5078 was the floating screen. Am I wrong?

No, there is no 50in. 1080p floating screen from Samsung...

I thought the 5078 was the floating screen. Am I wrong?

Sorry, just answered my own question by looking at page 1 of this post. It was hard to tell from the pictures but when zooming in it is clear that the 78 series is not the floating screen, but the 68 series is.

Anyone seen my 5688? She's missing! :(

I have been watching this thread off & on for some time and have found it quite infromative at times for which I thank all you informative posters and quite silly at times for which I don't thank you. Never have been moved to add anything but I feel obliged to report the following.

Got a call today from the Colma Magnolia having previously given them my number to be informed as to the arrival of a 6168. Well no 61" anything but they do have a 5078 on the floor and in stock. So I went down there & sure enough there it was. In the immediate vicinity were a 5067 & a 6167 and 2 Sony XBR's, around 60" and a 40 something. Didn't actually look at the Sony tags just guessing at sizes. Th 5078 blew everything away. It was extermely sharp & detailed - almost 3D. contrast was incerdible and that was after the salesman had turned it way down from out of the box. He turned it back up and I think I can believe the 10,000:1 ratio. Colors very realistic, skin tones excellent, shadow detail excellent. The 720p Samsungs were totaly unimpressive in comparison and this held true at all distances including 1' from the screen to way back 20' or so. He also said that he had to turn down the brightness considerable but even at maximum it was very bright but not washed out as you might expect. I think that there is no issue with detail vis a vis the wobbulated chip as in the 63 series which I found totally dull looking. Also, as would be expected no screen door effect, no sense of individual pixels even standing very close. So this seems to be the best of both worlds combining the detail and the seemless picture. No rainbow to my eyes. I asked the salesman (who was actually quite knowledgeabel) if he ever saw the rainbow effect & he said never - & this is standing in a room with 15 or so DLPs in it. He opined that you might see it if you look for it & why not just not look for it. I agree.

On a personal note I think the 78 series is definietly much classier looking than the floating screen. I would be inclined to wait for it but the 350 premium TVA price kills that deal.

WOW!!!! Your first post and our first report on a production 1080p! Welcome. Nice job. I guess I am going to call my Magnolia in the morning.

I think the delay is probably due to the limited production runs that Samsung has always done with the pedestal models. I wouldn't expect any extra features as a result of the delay.

I agree the features are tied down and in POST #1. But, I have wondered just how the 5688 would come together. If you will remember, it probably started life as a xHD3 unit targeted for the first of the year. It has now morphed into (hopefully) a technological sibling of the 68 / 78 series. I am curious about how it will perform in comparision to the 68 / 78.

I agree the features are tied down and in POST #1. But, I have wondered just how the 5688 would come together. If you will remember, it probably started life as a xHD3 unit targeted for the first of the year. It has now morphed into (hopefully) a technological sibling of the 68 / 78 series. I am curious about how it will perform in comparision to the 68 / 78.

UCSB why do you wonder about the 88 series performance compared to the other 1080p models? Aren't the inside parts all the same in all 3 models, the difference only being the outter comestics?

UCSB why do you wonder about the 88 series performance compared to the other 1080p models? Aren't the inside parts all the same in all 3 models, the difference only being the outter comestics?

I believe that is the case for the 68 and 78 series. This is unknown at
this point for the 88 series...

I believe that is the case for the 68 and 78 series. This is unknown at
this point for the 88 series...

But here is the spec sheet for the 88 series I took @ the HES2005!
http://www.solisearch.net/ims/pic.php?u=11589Vy9Zu&i=65863

TMSKILZ, I'M SO SO SO SORRY I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS YOUR TV. I was sitting here at work the other day and saw a donkey in the parking lot below with a Big TV on it's back wandering around so I quickly when down stairs and put it in my Truck. Fortunatley I kept the donkey too since I thought it might be usefull for yard work. You'll be happy to know that as soon as I read that it was your TV I packed it up last night and put it back on the donkey and sent him on his way. He was very tired and hungry and has now rested up so I'm sure he'll fine you as soon as he can. Although now that I think about it since he was wandering around the Boston area and your in California I probably should have given it a map or something. Well don't worry I"m sure he'll make it. Oh by the way your TV looks great. And my daughters really sorry about the playdough.

TMSKILZ, I'M SO SO SO SORRY I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS YOUR TV. I was sitting here at work the other day and saw a donkey in the parking lot below with a Big TV on it's back wandering around so I quickly when down stairs and put it in my Truck. Fortunatley I kept the donkey too since I thought it might be usefull for yard work. You'll be happy to know that as soon as I read that it was your TV I packed it up last night and put it back on the donkey and sent him on his way. He was very tired and hungry and has now rested up so I'm sure he'll fine you as soon as he can. Although now that I think about it since he was wandering around the Boston area and your in California I probably should have given it a map or something. Well don't worry I"m sure he'll make it. Oh by the way your TV looks great. And my daughters really sorry about the playdough.


I'm in NyC you Redsux fan!

UCSB why do you wonder about the 88 series performance compared to the other 1080p models? Aren't the inside parts all the same in all 3 models, the difference only being the outter comestics?

The HLR5688W's predecessor, the HLP5685W, was the best performing DLP in 2004 because of it's vertical light engine design. I believe that the 5688 still incorporates the vertical light engine layout. I think this could be a design difference with the 68 / 78 series. If so, the 5688's light engine may have the potential to outperform the 68 / 78 series. But, on the other hand, it was in development prior to the 68 / 78 series and it is not clear how many aspect of the 88 series were brought 100% in line with the 68 / 78. Don't worry, I think virtually all of the 68 / 78 design benefits were brought into the 88 series. That is why I commented earlier not to get to upset about the delay, that it may be working in your favor. As a Samsung enthusiast, I'm just interested in if the vertical light engine will outperform the tabletops again in 2005. Small points, I'm sure your TV will be awesome.

On a personal note I think the 78 series is definietly much classier looking than the floating screen. I would be inclined to wait for it but the 350 premium TVA price kills that deal.

Let me also add my thanks for an excellent and useful report.

I have one question: the black border on the xx78 series was initially reported (and appears in the photos from the Jan CES show on pg 1 of this thread) to be a shiny black lacquer; but in some later pictures it looked as though it might have been replaced by the dull black border like that on the xx68 'floating screen' sets (and the current hlp's). Do you remember which it was with the set you just recently saw?

UCSB why do you wonder about the 88 series performance compared to the other 1080p models? Aren't the inside parts all the same in all 3 models, the difference only being the outter comestics?
The light engine has to have a different mirror/lense arrangement because of the physical differences in the case. That "might" make a difference.

As a Samsung enthusiast, I'm just interested in if the vertical light engine will outperform the tabletops again in 2005. Small points, I'm sure your TV will be awesome.
I've always assumed that the "85" series sets looked better than other Samsung models because it was the only one to combine a seven element color wheel with the HD2+ chip. I don't understand how the "vertical" construction of the light engine would be an advantage.

Let me also add my thanks for an excellent and useful report.

I have one question: the black border on the xx78 series was initially reported (and appears in the photos from the Jan CES show on pg 1 of this thread) to be a shiny black lacquer; but in some later pictures it looked as though it might have been replaced by the dull black border like that on the xx68 'floating screen' sets (and the current hlp's). Do you remember which it was with the set you just recently saw?
It was fairly dark in Magnolia's big tv room and & I did not pay attention to the sheen of the border but I can say that if it was a high gloss it did not bother me or detract from the picture at all & I had always assumed a shiny black border would be distracting.

1080p Thin Bezel Models?

Have we heard if Samsung is planning any thin bezel models in the 1080p versions or is the 77 series our last best shot at a Samsung thin bezel?

1080p Thin Bezel Models?

Have we heard if Samsung is planning any thin bezel models in the 1080p versions or is the 77 series our last best shot at a Samsung thin bezel?

No thin bezel 1080p this year, last is 77 series.

1080p Thin Bezel Models?

Have we heard if Samsung is planning any thin bezel models in the 1080p versions or is the 77 series our last best shot at a Samsung thin bezel?

For 2005, there will not be any thin bezel (74/77 series cabinet bezel) 1080p's.

Hi guys,

Just moved to a new house here in Tampa. While I wait to see what I do with the room I was going to dedicate to the Qualia, I decided to buy something for the family room that already has a space made for a TV. I measured it at 54.5 so the Sammy 5688 should fit nicely in there.

I know this is the Sammy thread, but do you know if Toshiba, Hitachi, and JVC have new 1080p comparable sets already out or coming real soon?

I'm now beginning my reasearch so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

...

I think that there is no issue with detail vis a vis the wobbulated chip as in the 63 series which I found totally dull looking. Also, as would be expected no screen door effect, no sense of individual pixels even standing very close. So this seems to be the best of both worlds combining the detail and the seemless picture. No rainbow to my eyes. I asked the salesman (who was actually quite knowledgeabel) if he ever saw the rainbow effect & he said never - & this is standing in a room with 15 or so DLPs in it. He opined that you might see it if you look for it & why not just not look for it. I agree.

...
I have been crussading to get pseudo-1080p in front projection for over a year now with no known luck.

We have been doing simulations and calculations in the FP forum for a while. In case anyone missed it, all it takes is a little bit of sharpening with a simplistic digital filter to overcome the softness inherant in the xHD3/4

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5591488&&#post5591488

Glad reality is matching the calculations we have been doing.

-Mr. Wigggles

Forgive me if this is a dulplicate post, but has anyone run one of the new HLR-XX68W series TVs with a game system (i.e. Xbox) to see if there is any video delay issues?

I've been following the Sammys for awhile, and s-l-o-w-l-y convincing my wife that we need to replace our 35" direct-view with one of these bad boys. But the video delay issue that plagued the HLN series stopped me cold, as I am an avid gamer as well as movie fanatic.

I think you bring up a number of very interesting points. I'm in for the bundle already, but did find "willful customer abuse" as a primary exclusion for the screen protection warranty. That seems a bit vague, and up to interpretation, but I guess that could include your 3-year old's new color markers, depending on the mood of whoever is taking the service call. The lamp bundle portion seems to have a lot more exclusions, (like, if it explodes or exceeds the normal lifespan of the bulb) that, like yourself, make me question the value of these warranties. I think I'll make a call to Warrantech and ask for some specific examples before making a final decision.

Gazelle, what are your thoughts on extended warranties? If anyone can talk me out of it, you probably can....


I just talked to warrantech customer service. They said that the screen protection DOES NOT cover the repair caused by a kid throwing something on the TV, etc. It will only protect if the screen develops cracks during normal usage! I was planning on taking that coverage just because I have a 3 year old in the house! After confirming this, I don't think it is worth it.

I just talked to warrantech customer service. They said that the screen protection DOES NOT cover the repair caused by a kid throwing something on the TV, etc. It will only protect if the screen develops cracks during normal usage! I was planning on taking that coverage just because I have a 3 year old in the house! After confirming this, I don't think it is worth it.

Thanks for checking, ekans. That's a bummer ... I may just step back and take only the extended warranty, then.

Anyone have any ideas how a tv could just spontaneously develop a crack during normal usage? :eek:

Forgive me if this is a dulplicate post, but has anyone run one of the new HLR-XX68W series TVs with a game system (i.e. Xbox) to see if there is any video delay issues?

I've been following the Sammys for awhile, and s-l-o-w-l-y convincing my wife that we need to replace our 35" direct-view with one of these bad boys. But the video delay issue that plagued the HLN series stopped me cold, as I am an avid gamer as well as movie fanatic.

No. To the best of my knowledge no one here has gotten a 68 series TV yet. Next week sometime someone should be able to give you their impressions of the delay.

Re. Extended Warranties

IMHO, I think these are largely a waste of money, particularly when dealing with a company like Samsung. In my experience, if sophisticated electronic equipment is going to fail in a manner that would be covered under a warranty/extended warranty, it will do so within the manufacturer's warranty.

I personally would not blow the savings I enjoyed from the TVA powerbuy on an extended warranty.

Guys speaking of warranties, what is the warranty coverage of these 1080p sets from samsung?

2 yrs?

Guys speaking of warranties, what is the warranty coverage of these 1080p sets from samsung?

2 yrs?

one year but I believe Samsung still extends by three months if
you register the set with them...

Purchasing extended warranties are never worth the money (Studies have been done which prove this). These are essentially insurance policies issued by insurance companies who make their money by taking in more in premiums than they pay out in claims. If you always decline the extended warranty you will come out ahead in the long run. You may end up paying for a repair that is more than the premium would have been on a particular item. But in the long run you will be ahead. It takes dicipline, it takes fortitude, it takes consistency. Just say no. Keep your money out of the insurance companies pockets! Take your wife out to dinner & a show instead. The end result will likely be more rewarding.

Guys speaking of warranties, what is the warranty coverage of these 1080p sets from samsung?

2 yrs?


Yes, if you buy it on a Gold or plat. version of a mastercard or visa. They double a 1yr or less warranty. So with a Samsung it will be doubled to two years.

Just as tunasf stated extended warranties are a ripoff.

I guess I am going to call my Magnolia in the morning.Please post your findings. I'm curious about the 6168. This is the same Magnolia where the store manager said nothing would be in before the end of the month. Thanks.

I just talked to warrantech customer service. They said that the screen protection DOES NOT cover the repair caused by a kid throwing something on the TV, etc. It will only protect if the screen develops cracks during normal usage! I was planning on taking that coverage just because I have a 3 year old in the house! After confirming this, I don't think it is worth it.

Thank you for the update. Also, listed below are the exclusions for the lamp warranty. I'm trying to figure out what is included in the warranty after looking at everything that isn't covered.....

Exclusions from Coverage

This Plan does not cover any loss or damage resulting from: pre-existing conditions; manufacturing defects; improper installation of the covered LCD, LCoS, D-ILA or DLP lamp; failure to reset timer after bulb replacement; dimming; exploding lamps; usage beyond lifespan of lamp; installation of incorrect lamp; unauthorized repairs or modifications; improper use of electrical/power supply; loss of power; power surge or overload; any result of a malfunction or damage of an operating part from failure to provide manufacturer's recommended maintenance, such as cleaning filters;

intentional or accidental damage by third parties; losses on any component(s) never covered by a manufacturer’s warranty; reception and transmission problems resulting from external causes.

Other exclusions include but are not limited t labor, trip or shipping charge portions of the repair for the covered LCD,LCoS,D-ILA or DLP lamp; any repair covered by a manufacturer’s warranty; neglect, misuse, abuse of any component including adjustments, manipulation or modifications; disposal cost of any component; damage caused by any repair personnel or any owner, employee or third party; components and products used for commercial purposes; products provided for public use or rental.

Some free gift that lamp warranty is eh? I'll be taking the overpriced Monster power strip thanks :D

Thank you for the update. Also, listed below are the exclusions for the lamp warranty. I'm trying to figure out what is included in the warranty after looking at everything that isn't covered.....

Exclusions from Coverage

This Plan does not cover any loss or damage resulting from: pre-existing conditions; manufacturing defects; improper installation of the covered LCD, LCoS, D-ILA or DLP lamp; failure to reset timer after bulb replacement; dimming; exploding lamps; usage beyond lifespan of lamp; installation of incorrect lamp; unauthorized repairs or modifications; improper use of electrical/power supply; loss of power; power surge or overload; any result of a malfunction or damage of an operating part from failure to provide manufacturer's recommended maintenance, such as cleaning filters;

intentional or accidental damage by third parties; losses on any component(s) never covered by a manufacturer’s warranty; reception and transmission problems resulting from external causes.

Other exclusions include but are not limited t labor, trip or shipping charge portions of the repair for the covered LCD,LCoS,D-ILA or DLP lamp; any repair covered by a manufacturer’s warranty; neglect, misuse, abuse of any component including adjustments, manipulation or modifications; disposal cost of any component; damage caused by any repair personnel or any owner, employee or third party; components and products used for commercial purposes; products provided for public use or rental.
I believe that language refers to consequential damages caused to the TV's other non-bulb parts by the listed events, and is not a list of what events leading to an actual bulb failure are covered. For example if the bulb blows out and burns up some wires inside the TV then the warranty only covers replacing the bulb not the damages to the other parts of the TV which occured due to the bulb blowing. Basically the insurer is saying we will replace the bulb if it blows for some reason, but we won't replace the TV if somehow the bulb messes up the TV's other non-bulb parts.

Yes, if you buy it on a Gold or plat. version of a mastercard or visa. They double a 1yr or less warranty. So with a Samsung it will be doubled to two years.

Just as tunasf stated extended warranties are a ripoff.

I have heard of that before but don' know how to go about getting that warranty extension through the cred cards.

I own a Visa Plat, & I plan to use it to purchase my 5688 Samsung, but how would I go about getting my warranty doubled through the Visa Plat? is it done automactically by using the card or do I need to call up Visa?

So you guys advice against getting the extended warranty plans offered on TVA huh? But what happens if m TV encounters problems after the OEM warranty runs out, wouldn't I be paying more without an extended warranty plan to get the TV fixed?

So you guys advice against getting the extended warranty plans offered on TVA huh? But what happens if m TV encounters problems after the OEM warranty runs out, wouldn't I be paying more without an extended warranty plan to get the TV fixed?

I personally never purchase extended warranties for a couple of reasons:

1) The Warranty company is obviously in business to make a profit and to
do so they must charge a premium such that it will cover all expected
repairs plus substantial profits to keep the CEO and Executives plush ( or
flush ) with cash.

2) I want the freedom to hire who I want to repair my TV. If the warranty
service contracted with only a few repair places then I might be forced to
have the bozo they send to my door mess with my TV.

Purchasing extended warranties are never worth the money (Studies have been done which prove this). These are essentially insurance policies issued by insurance companies who make their money by taking in more in premiums than they pay out in claims. If you always decline the extended warranty you will come out ahead in the long run. You may end up paying for a repair that is more than the premium would have been on a particular item. But in the long run you will be ahead. It takes dicipline, it takes fortitude, it takes consistency. Just say no. Keep your money out of the insurance companies pockets! Take your wife out to dinner & a show instead. The end result will likely be more rewarding.

Although I agree with you generally, I don't agree with this as it relates to a DLP TV. Due to the new technology, most people (inlcuding many independent consumer affairs groups) believe the warranty is well worth the cost. And, if I want to look at myself as an example, I own a 5674W and it had to be serviced three times in the first year and ultimately is being replaced. Fortunately my problems occurred in the first year or else, without a warranty, I would SOL.

Although I agree with you generally, I don't agree with this as it relates to a DLP TV. Due to the new technology, most people (inlcuding many independent consumer affairs groups) believe the warranty is well worth the cost. And, if I want to look at myself as an example, I own a 5674W and it had to be serviced three times in the first year and ultimately is being replaced. Fortunately my problems occurred in the first year or else, without a warranty, I would SOL.


Statistically, the majority of problems will occur, if they are going to occur,
in the first year. Of course, if you keep a TV for 10 years this will probably
not hold true..

I have always bought the extended warranty for large purchases like my Samaung DLP.
For me in came in very useful. These are the things that went wrong and a approx idea of what I would have paid out of pocket:

Bulb (failed just after 1 year) $200
Color Wheel (failed after 2 years) $150
Light engine (failed after 2 years and 2 months) $800
_____________________________________________

$1150

After the light engine failed the store agreed to let me upgrade to a brand new set - for free !

I recommend that all get extended warranties for larger products and especially new technologies. I know that it paid off for me in a big way.

Jeff

Glad to see these things are finally starting to trickle out.

Still, I think I'll wait until a model with 1080p digital in is available. I don't cherish the thought of D->A->D conversion via the analog VGA port of my soon-to-arrive NV 7800GTX.

Heck, I'd be psyched to get a 1080p RPTV with no ATSC tuner at all.. Frankly who _isn't_ gonna be running one of these without a dish or HD cable box anyway?

On a personal note I think the 78 series is definietly much classier looking than the floating screen. I would be inclined to wait for it but the 350 premium TVA price kills that deal.

It's funny, I like the floating screen much more than the 78 series design. I presently have a 5674w and while the speaker grill is a bit different than the 78 series, it's still all black and IMO it makes the screen look disproportional and causes a viewer's eyes to drift toward the grill. In fact, on many occassions I have had people over my house who, after a while watching the set, make some comment on how the speaker grill stands out. With the floating screen design, the bottom grill is broken up which allows the viewer to focus more on the screen portion of the TV. In fairness, all of this may be more exacerbated though because of my individual set up. My TV is built into to the wall and all that is visible is the screen. As a result, I'm looking for more of a "plasma" look and I think the floating screen accomplishes this much better. In the end, it's of course just personal choice.

Go for the extended warranty!
I wouldn't take a change with a new technology like DLP.
It makes me nervous that there are moving parts in this TV, ie color wheel and mirrors on the DMD chip. :eek:
It has been my experience that moving parts always break down with any technology.

I just talked to warrantech customer service. They said that the screen protection DOES NOT cover the repair caused by a kid throwing something on the TV, etc. It will only protect if the screen develops cracks during normal usage! I was planning on taking that coverage just because I have a 3 year old in the house! After confirming this, I don't think it is worth it.
The warranty or the child? :) :) :)

The warranty or the child? :) :) :)

Warranty. Sometimes I wonder the same about the child :)

Heck, I'd be psyched to get a 1080p RPTV with no ATSC tuner at all.. Frankly who _isn't_ gonna be running one of these without a dish or HD cable box anyway?
Me :D

No DVR, Sat, Cable. Mostly DVD's, at bit OTA Sacto and SF channels and some PS2.

I know my demographics don't fit the average. ;)

See, this is confusing, some say ExWarranties are worth it & others say it isn't.

I'll take the safe road & go with an ExWarranty. How do I go about getting that double warranty by using my Credit Card that Ppowr mentioned? Do I have to call Visa up & register the Tv with them, or does it automatically kick in once I use the Visa CC to purchase the TV?

See, this is confusing, some say ExWarranties are worth it & others say it isn't.

I'll take the safe road & go with an ExWarranty. How do I go about getting that double warranty by using my Credit Card that Ppowr mentioned? Do I have to call Visa up & register the Tv with them, or does it automatically kick in once I use the Visa CC to purchase the TV?
Don't know about VISA but I called AMEX and they said just hold onto the receipt and CC statement. Nothing else to do unless you need to file a claim.

See, this is confusing, some say ExWarranties are worth it & others say it isn't.

I'll take the safe road & go with an ExWarranty. How do I go about getting that double warranty by using my Credit Card that Ppowr mentioned? Do I have to call Visa up & register the Tv with them, or does it automatically kick in once I use the Visa CC to purchase the TV?

I believe that you do have to call your credit card co. and send them a copy of the receipt for the item. Call their 800 # to check it out.

I have heard of that before but don' know how to go about getting that warranty extension through the cred cards.

I own a Visa Plat, & I plan to use it to purchase my 5688 Samsung, but how would I go about getting my warranty doubled through the Visa Plat? is it done automactically by using the card or do I need to call up Visa?



If your Visa Platinum card does have the warrantee extension feature, there is nothing to do, just buy the set using the card. Check your benefits, terms and conditions of the card to make sure. Most Platinum cards do have the warrantee extension.

Purchasing extended warranties are never worth the money (Studies have been done which prove this). These are essentially insurance policies issued by insurance companies who make their money by taking in more in premiums than they pay out in claims. If you always decline the extended warranty you will come out ahead in the long run. You may end up paying for a repair that is more than the premium would have been on a particular item. But in the long run you will be ahead. It takes dicipline, it takes fortitude, it takes consistency. Just say no. Keep your money out of the insurance companies pockets! Take your wife out to dinner & a show instead. The end result will likely be more rewarding.


I agree. I have a friend that worked in retail, and he told me many years ago to NEVER go with the extended warranty, and that the store makes a huge profit on them.

I was in the local Home Depot the other day, and right at the front of the store was a notice to employees that if they sold a certain $$ of extended warranties, they would get 4 hours off with pay....It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how profitable they are.

I think that the Palo Alto (CA) Magnolia HiFi may have a 5078 on display. You should confirm before going down there. This is in addition to the Colma (CA) store. San Ramon doesn't and won't.

Thanks guys, I called up Visa & received the info I needed. They offer double the OEM warranty ( 1 more yr) I can either call & register with them or not do anything, as it is an automatic benefit that comes with my Visa Plat features, as long as I keep my receipts I am good.

So I think I will hold off on the ExWarranty plans offered by TVA, since I will have 2 yrs ( 1yr from Samsung & another 1yr from VISA) of warranty coverage.

Really appreciate your help.

I also verified my VISA card eligability and would like to ask the community whether anyone has any experience using this extended warranty service (particularly through VISA). I called my issuer (BofA) and they passed me on to a VISA 800 number in order to verify.

Heck, I'd be psyched to get a 1080p RPTV with no ATSC tuner at all.. Frankly who _isn't_ gonna be running one of these without a dish or HD cable box anyway?

I'll be using a Scientific Atlanta 8300 HD DVR from the cable company but the 8300 box *doesn't* have an off the air tuner.

I think that the Palo Alto (CA) Magnolia HiFi may have a 5078 on display. You should confirm before going down there. This is in addition to the Colma (CA) store. San Ramon doesn't and won't.

Yup. Just called and confirmed that the Palo Alto store has the HLR 5078 for display. The HLR xx68 series is expected to be on display at the end of the month (July). The Santa Clara store doesn't have them and they can't tell me when they are going to get 'em.

Not sure about the Magnolia inside BestBuy at Almaden San Jose and other BestBuys.

Looks like I will be driving to Palo Alto pretty soon! :)

I stopped by a Magnolia store inside a Best Buy during my lunch hour
and it turns out that they will be carrying the 68 series and not
the 78 series ( I guess the stand-alone Magnolia stores will have
the 78 ).

They had none in stock and expect some in later this month...

Yup. Just called and confirmed that the Palo Alto store has the HLR 5078 for display. The HLR xx68 series is expected to be on display at the end of the month (July). The Santa Clara store doesn't have them and they can't tell me when they are going to get 'em.

Not sure about the Magnolia inside BestBuy at Almaden San Jose and other BestBuys.

Looks like I will be driving to Palo Alto pretty soon! :)

Please make note of whether the black border is the shiny 'black lacquer' job or the dull black like the xxs68's. And have fun!

My installer advised against extended warrenties stating that it's usually the bulb that goes and that they're not covered by the TV's warranty anyways.....hrm....

- D

Please make note of whether the black border is the shiny 'black lacquer' job or the dull black like the xxs68's. And have fun!

It had *better* be the shiny black lacquer since that is what my wife wants me paying $270 extra for! (I would have been in on this first round of 5668s too! I thought the 78s were supposed to arrive first?!)

Is it possible that Samsung or any for that matter will create a 1080P DLP smaller than 50", and is it feasible with pixels, size, distance, etc..

Is it possible that Samsung or any for that matter will create a 1080P DLP smaller than 50", and is it feasible with pixels, size, distance, etc..

It is technically feasable but not sure if it will happen.

In my opinion, even though your eye may not resolve the additional
detail from a distance of say 10 feet the black level and contrast ratio
improvements will make it a much better set...

I just called the Magnolia Hi Fi store here in Silverdale WA and they are not expecting their Samsungs until Aug. 10. They had store training on them yesterday and today had training on the Panasonics with a 1080p chip. :confused:

quote:
It is technically feasable but not sure if it will happen.

In my opinion, even though your eye may not resolve the additional
detail from a distance of say 10 feet the black level and contrast ratio
improvements will make it a much better set...





Only if they had produced a 46" - I have furniture constraints - set is for bedroom.

Seems to me that if Samsung would have made a 5068 then they would be able to let a lot of them through outlets like BB and CC. But instead Samsung have made it difficult by having a 5078 but not a 5068.


Good point - I wonder what they were thinking?

My installer advised against extended warrenties stating that it's usually the bulb that goes and that they're not covered by the TV's warranty anyways.....hrm....

- D

They're not? So if the Samsung 1yr warranty doesn't cover the bulbs what are we to do then?

Purchasing extended warranties are never worth the money (Studies have been done which prove this). These are essentially insurance policies issued by insurance companies who make their money by taking in more in premiums than they pay out in claims. If you always decline the extended warranty you will come out ahead in the long run. You may end up paying for a repair that is more than the premium would have been on a particular item. But in the long run you will be ahead. It takes dicipline, it takes fortitude, it takes consistency. Just say no. Keep your money out of the insurance companies pockets! Take your wife out to dinner & a show instead. The end result will likely be more rewarding.

Extended warranties are "never worth the money"?

You have already seen another post showing how it WAS worth the money....and MORE.

Of course it is like an insurance policy. Of course they are trying to make money by betting that nothing will go wrong with your TV.

It is no different than buying any other type of insurance (auto, home, health etc): you are wagering whether or not something will go wrong. You have to look at the potential cost of the insurance vs. the amount of damage that could be caused if you don't have it.

In sum, you are purchasing peace of mind.

Whether or not it is worth it is a personal decision that should be made by gathering as much info as possible. I personally seldom buy warranties on electronics (I DID buy one for my JVC D-Theater deck and of course it has operated perfectly) because I agree with others that if something is going to go wrong, it will usually happen within the manufacturers warranty.

Of course this doesn't always hold true either. My Bravo D1 DVD player stopped working 3 weeks after being out of warranty! :mad:

They're not? So if the Samsung 1yr warranty doesn't cover the bulbs what are we to do then?

Well, you have to be careful, some extended warranties will cover a certain number of normal bulb replacements (I doubt more than one though :) ) and in fact, some standard manufacturer's warranties will cover the first bulb replacement (e.g., I know that Sony's warranty on the Qualia 006 covers the first bulb). So, you have to ask and sometimes even ask to see the text of the actual warranty for yourself since even the salespeople get very confused about what is/isn't covered (not to take a cheap shot at them, but most err on the side of being over-inclusive re what the warranty covers ;) ).

...

Of course this doesn't always hold true either. My Bravo D1 DVD player stopped working 3 weeks after being out of warranty! :mad:

You had me at Bravo D1 ... :D

I would buy an instore (BB / CC) warranty, particularly if it included the bulb. I believe the service on these warranties is substantiably better than other warranties since they want to keep you as a long term customer. As it is I am planning on sticking witht the VISA exteneded warranty and crossing my fingers... :)

You had me at Bravo D1 ... :D

LOL!

Warranties like gambling. You are betting something is going to go wrong and the insurance co.'s betting nothing is going to wrong

I used to work retail selling computers and other electronics; we also sold TV's and Stereos. I was once in a training put on by the warranty company. I asked them how much the store got of the warranty we sold and they said the 50%.(Since our in store warranties were more expensive that that offered here my guess is that TVA isn’t getting that kind of profit.) As a salesperson I got about 13% of the price of the warranty as commission! Further 4% of my total sales had to be warranties. We used to call it cheese. As in I sold a full system, with cheese. I didn't think I would ever buy one; my only question is the DLP chip with hundreds of thousands of mirrors moving and the Color wheel spinning at 10,500 RPM.

So now to me it has come down to $289 for years 3,4,5 that wouldn't be covered by Manufacture or Visa. (years 1 and 2) By that time you might even be able to replace the TV for $1000. It doesn't sound as good. Do the donkeys eat cheese?

Is it possible that Samsung or any for that matter will create a 1080P DLP smaller than 50", and is it feasible with pixels, size, distance, etc..

The problem I have with the 1080p and small sets has to do with the relatively coarse nature of most RP screens including the ones Samsung uses. At close distances the "sparklies" of the screen will become apparent. This is less of an issue with the larger sets because the user is far away, but to my knowledge the same material cut to a smaller size is used in the smaller sets.

Sparklies are one of those things us FP guys are sensitive to. Once you see them you can't stand them, which is funny because my eyesight isn't really Lasik quality.

-Mr. Wigggles

My eyesight is LASIK quality and I could see 20/15 with my glasses, now 20/15 is blurry. I could see many more imperfections when I wore glasses than I can now. Which is good in some ways but bad in others.

is anybody here from the EAST coast?

They're not? So if the Samsung 1yr warranty doesn't cover the bulbs what are we to do then?
The Samsung warranty covers the bulb. Some extended warranties do too. Magnolia and CC are two examples.

The problem I have with the 1080p and small sets has to do with the relatively coarse nature of most RP screens including the ones Samsung uses. At close distances the "sparklies" of the screen will become apparent. This is less of an issue with the larger sets because the user is far away, but to my knowledge the same material cut to a smaller size is used in the smaller sets.

Sparklies are one of those things us FP guys are sensitive to. Once you see them you can't stand them, which is funny because my eyesight isn't really Lasik quality.

-Mr. WiggglesLove reading your post in the FP threads...Excellent reads! :)

I just visited the HLR5078 at Magnolia's Palo Alto store. It was connected to their external antenna. The only HDTV available was coming from a local independent station -- channel 4.

I know the most important information is the bezel. It's shinny and black.

The source from channel 4 is 1080i and they were running an old football game. I have seen this same material so often that I know it is defective from the source. I'm not sure how anyone will be able to do real review without better source material.

The set was place on the other side of the room from the other microchip displays so it wasn't possible to do any side be side comparisons.

I would be surprised if many people will want to replace a 50" 720p DLP with a 50" 1080p set. After the prices settle down a bit, I would pick 1080p over 720p if the price difference isn't to great.

When I decided to keep the HLP5063 over the HLP5674 there was an $800 difference and my wife to consider. :o

I wouldn't spend extra for the "78" case but I wouldn't kick it out of our living room either.

Les: Your 'down to earth' evaluation, as usual--love it!

is anybody here from the EAST coast?
Yes sir! Ex-Californian now living in Raleigh, NC :D

Where you located?

Thankyou millerwill.

Maybe I'm just tired. ;)

If I was "shopping" I probably would get them to hook up a higher end Denon DVD player to HDMI, and look at my sample clips for a few hours. :rolleyes:

Thankyou millerwill.

Maybe I'm just tired. ;)

If I was "shopping" I probably would get them to hook up a higher end Denon DVD player to HDMI, and look at my sample clips for a few hours. :rolleyes:

Well, I'm afraid that I'm not as disciplined as you: I'm going to swap my hlp6163 for one of the new 1080p's, either the Sammy 7178 (so thanks for letting me know that it does in fact have the 'shiny' border--I can live with it) or the Mits 73727. I've loved my 6163, so am partial to Samsung at this point, but I do need to check out the Mits. Even though it had some problems, the Mits 720p dlp's do have a killer PQ. Also, since I plan for this set to last me a while, the extra 2" of the Mits is attractive; I really do like the 'big screen' thing, and my wife is very understanding (I keep telling her that this folly is a lot cheaper than sports cars--and she enjoys it too). So it looks like I will be waiting until Sept before making the final decision. A bonus is that I will hear all the reports from the new owners of the Sammy 1080p's that people will soon be receiving.

I really do like the 'big screen' thing, and my wife is very understanding (I keep telling her that this folly is a lot cheaper than sports cars--and she enjoys it too).
I can't go any bigger than 56" unless I can talk my wife into selling our house and moving to Kansas with Dorothy.

Running for President is even more expensive.

Yes, if you buy it on a Gold or plat. version of a mastercard or visa. They double a 1yr or less warranty. So with a Samsung it will be doubled to two years.

Just as tunasf stated extended warranties are a ripoff.


Does anyone know of the cost of the bulbs for the 5668 sets? The warranty that I got from Magnolia covers the cost of the bulbs. I read a few posts back that someone said a good average bulb life is somewhere around 6000 hours. That means one would have to watch television for 250 days straight (24 hours/day) before the bulb would blow. Should I get a refund on the warranty? I did purchase the TV with my Bank Of America platinum Visa debit/credit card. I will have to call them tomorrow to see if my warranty is automatically doubled. If that is the case, I am definitely getting a refund from Magnolia for the warranty.

3 things I can't wait any longer for to finally be released....

1) Samsung 5688 1080p!
2) Spurs 2005 Championship DVD!
3) XBOX360 console!

3 things I can't wait any longer for to finally be released....

1) Samsung 5688 1080p!
2) Spurs 2005 Championship DVD!
3) XBOX360 console!

Good news! Samsung just posted the 5688 on their website.....that means the wait is just about over. However, they seem to be a little confused as to whether it's a 720p or a 1080p. At first blush, it looks like it's both. Maybe the website guy got kicked in the head by a donkey.....

is anybody here from the EAST coast?


I am from the Mid-Atlantic region of the East Coast.

I am in the Boston area and haven't seen any yet.

I believe the 5078 also has two HDMI inputs, the 5067 only has one.

Hey guys, i've been reading this forum for a while since i'm trying to decide on which TV i'm going to buy. Great info on here! Just incase it hasn't been posted, most of the 1080p TVs are now listed on samsungs website.

*edit* corrected. sorry miller

Just incase it hasn't been posted, all of the 1080p TVs are now listed on samsungs website.

I didn't see the 7178 there. ?

Yes sir! Ex-Californian now living in Raleigh, NC :D

Where you located?





Ex-Californian myself.... sorta.... But i now live in VA

As expected, Magnolia in Palo Alto has the HLR5078 priced at MSRP. If I was buying from TVA right now, at the powerbuy price, I would have to go with the HLR5668 for $50 more. :)

is anybody here from the EAST coast?

NyC is in the Hizzzou fo Shizzzou!

Good news! Samsung just posted the 5688 on their website.....that means the wait is just about over. However, they seem to be a little confused as to whether it's a 720p or a 1080p. At first blush, it looks like it's both. Maybe the website guy got kicked in the head by a donkey.....

Maybe that's the reason for the delay, our 5688 is a Hybrid 720p/1080p! :p

I'm going to checkout the Samsung site, I can't wait meng! :D

Manu Ginobili dunking on Amare & the SUNS in HD! Yea baby!

I need at least a 15 footer. 20 would be even better. Anybody have any ideas? All I see are 6 and 10 footers.

is anybody here from the EAST coast?

NC born and bred, and I bleed Tar Heel Blue. ;)

Right now I'm trying to decide if I'm going to CEDIA or not. I probably will go for a day or two.

NC born and bred, and I bleed Tar Heel Blue. ;)

Right now I'm trying to decide if I'm going to CEDIA or not. I probably will go for a day or two.My daughter goes to the U of I and during the playoffs we could not for the life of us figure out what Tar Heel meant...I called the school and received 5 different answers...what is a tar heel? Do you know? Thanks

Ok so I went around town today. Magnolia, BB, CC, Fry's, here in the LA valley. I didnt go to Ken Cranes on Ventura though. Didnt see any 1080p sets.. Was hoping to at least see a display model.

Anyways from Magnolia, the guy said, Aug- Sept. the guy at BB said, "1080 what?", and CC no one was even around to ask, but didn't see anything remotely close to 1080p hah.

Anyways. I saw on the Mitsi thread, two 1080p's at Ken Cranes! but has anyone actually BOUGHT one yet? meaning, maybe they got some early display models but if you say yea i want to buy right now do they just laugh at you? hahaha....

I just talked to warrantech customer service. They said that the screen protection DOES NOT cover the repair caused by a kid throwing something on the TV, etc. It will only protect if the screen develops cracks during normal usage! I was planning on taking that coverage just because I have a 3 year old in the house! After confirming this, I don't think it is worth it.

Ok, I know we've beaten warranties into the ground already. So I thought I'd beat them even further. For anyone who was even considering the RepairMaster Screen Protection coverage, you're going to love this one.

Read what ekans was told above by Warrantech yesterday, then this:

Because I was sick of earning my paycheck for today, I decided to call the RepairMaster Administrator phone number (listed on the back page of the Screen Protection PDF, in the last paragraph: 1-800-342-5349). I spoke to a nice gentleman by the name of Roland, who confirmed with his manager that the Screen Protection service plan DOES INDEED COVER DAMAGE TO THE SCREEN from things like your kids painting on it, or in my case, your cats using it as a rock climbing wall. In fact, he said that's the only thing it covers ... meaning that a failure of the screen (such as a manufacturing defect) would be covered by their extended warranty or the manufacturer's warranty.

How's that for a conflicting report? :confused: :o :D

Regarding the RepairMaster Lamp Protection service plan, I was told:

> the plan covers two (2) lamps per year (not 2 over life of the plan, 2 per year -- i double-checked this with him)

> there are no special conditions, other than the consequential damage exclusions someone mentioned yesterday -- you're covered if the bulb goes at 50 hours or 8000 hours

> when you call for service, they diagnose over the phone (by checking for the indicators of a dead bulb as described in the typical tv manual)

> if their thorough phone diagnostics determine that the lamp is indeed dead ;), the new lamp is shipped to you

Not sure if that helps anyone, but thought I'd pass it along. Ekans, what number did you call? Just curious.

Take care!

Ok, I know we've beaten warranties into the ground already. So I thought I'd beat them even further. For anyone who was even considering the RepairMaster Screen Protection coverage, you're going to love this one.

Read what ekans was told above by Warrantech yesterday, then this:

Because I was sick of earning my paycheck for today, I decided to call the RepairMaster Administrator phone number (listed on the back page of the Screen Protection PDF, in the last paragraph: 1-800-342-5349). I spoke to a nice gentleman by the name of Roland, who confirmed with his manager that the Screen Protection service plan DOES INDEED COVER DAMAGE TO THE SCREEN from things like your kids painting on it, or in my case, your cats using it as a rock climbing wall. In fact, he said that's the only thing it covers ... meaning that a failure of the screen (such as a manufacturing defect) would be covered by their extended warranty or the manufacturer's warranty.

How's that for a conflicting report? :confused: :o :D

Regarding the RepairMaster Lamp Protection service plan, I was told:

> the plan covers two (2) lamps per year (not 2 over life of the plan, 2 per year -- i double-checked this with him)

> there are no special conditions, other than the consequential damage exclusions someone mentioned yesterday -- you're covered if the bulb goes at 50 hours or 8000 hours

> when you call for service, they diagnose over the phone (by checking for the indicators of a dead bulb as described in the typical tv manual)

> if their thorough phone diagnostics determine that the lamp is indeed dead ;), the new lamp is shipped to you

Not sure if that helps anyone, but thought I'd pass it along. Ekans, what number did you call? Just curious.

Take care!


Okay, it gets more interesting! I had called their customer service number (1-800-782-8661) on that day. Now, I called the plan administrator number (1-800-342-5349) after seeing calbert's message. I got the same message that calbert got! :) . The lady confirmed that the screen protection warranty covers the repair caused by negligence like kids painting, cats etc.
BUT, SHE SAID THAT YOU NEED TO GET THIS COVERAGE ALONG WITH THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND MUST BE ON THE SAME RECEIPT AS THE TV!!!

I checked their PDF (on TVA's site) and it does say that the screen protection warranty must be purchased with the comprehensive service plan to be eligible.

My daughter goes to the U of I and during the playoffs we could not for the life of us figure out what Tar Heel meant...I called the school and received 5 different answers...what is a tar heel? Do you know? Thanks

It is something to do with North Carolina soldiers refusing to to retreat during the Civil War.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tar_Heel

I've tried to read through this long thread but I didn't see two important questions answered:

1. Are the 1080p Samsung sets PC friendly?

2. When is somebody going to put one of these 1080p chips in a FPTV?

....

2. When is somebody going to put one of these 1080p chips in a FPTV?

Best guess is that Front Projectors with the 1080p chips will be available middle of 2006.

Saw a 5078 in Magnolia in Santa Clara CA today. So new that they had not even gotten the box out of the way.

Since I left work early for this errand there was no one else in the store except the staff so I had free reign to switch the direct TV feed to whatever channel I liked for about 30 minutes.

They had it right next to a couple of other 61 and 56 in 720P sets as well as an HD2+ set. It was far away from the 5067.

The color and crispness on this unit was quite noticable and amazing when looking at it in a darkened room. I just reset the color to normal on all of the display models to get an idea of what they might look like. My preference was for the extended depth and definition of the 1080P unit with the older HD2 50" coming in behind. I did not like the color on the HD3 720P units all that much. This was probably just an adjustment item.

They of course wanted SRP for the unit but did incdicate that they had stock.

Overall first impressions were favorable and I think it would look great in my setup.

chris5977, I guess it depends on what you mean by "computer friendly". There is a VGA port for PC connection. During CES in January Samsung had a PC connected to both a 720p and a 1080p set to show what it looked like (I believe they were using the VGA ports). In post #1 of this thread there is a picture of this taken by an AVS member - 1080p vs 720p Comparison (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=4955769&fullpage=1). We also don't know how well PC input will work over the HDMI/DVI connection. It was reported that Steve P (Samsung VP) tried to connect a PC via the HDMI port at HES in New York, but had problems.

Because no one has a set in their hands yet, it is hard to tell exactly how good the sets will be in handling PC input. I think that there will be different reactions depending on whether you want to use it as a monitor for a HTPC or if you want to use it for word processing.

1. Are the 1080p Samsung sets PC friendly?

2. When is somebody going to put one of these 1080p chips in a FPTV?

1. If you download the manual (link on first post), it will detail all of the possible resolutions that can be done through the analog VGA port. There are about 10 listed and one is of coarse the most important - 1920 X 1080 at 60Hz. One thing to be careful of. There WILL be some physical overscan in the display - hopefully not much. This mean some of your icons etc that are at the very borders of the screen might be slightly difficult to access.

As far as HDMI and DVI resolutions are concerned it is looking more and more like only standard HD resolutions are going to be possible. Effectively this means 1280 X 720 at 60Hz will be the most you will be able to do through those ports. You can try to get your graphics card to do 1080-60i over DVI or HDMI (good luck) but 1080-60p will likely only be available via analog.

2. That is a damn good question. I have been lobbying for 15 months trying to inspire FP manufacturers and users that despite the low pixel count, the xHD3/4 chips are for real. I have simulated (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5591488&&#post5591488) the differences and xHD4 with a pinch of sharpening actually looks more promissing than true 1080p.

But alas not even some of the manufacturer's engineers I know are NOT taking the chip seriously eventhough TI has said it will work in FP. So the FP guys are waiting on true 1920 X 1080 chips which should be available in displays for purchase sometime early next year like Rob stated. (Oh, and when they come they will likely be $10K+)

-Mr. Wigggles

I have heard of that before but don' know how to go about getting that warranty extension through the cred cards.

I own a Visa Plat, & I plan to use it to purchase my 5688 Samsung, but how would I go about getting my warranty doubled through the Visa Plat? is it done automactically by using the card or do I need to call up Visa?

So you guys advice against getting the extended warranty plans offered on TVA huh? But what happens if m TV encounters problems after the OEM warranty runs out, wouldn't I be paying more without an extended warranty plan to get the TV fixed?

If you have a problem you call up the credit card and tell them it broke, was stolen, etc. In the cause of breaking, you then tell them the day you bought and the amount paid they will look it up. Then you need to take it to an authorized service center to have it fixed. If it can't be fixed you will get all your money spent on it refunded. I have used this feature 2 times, first on a car deck which cost $320 to have fixed (had bad caps) and another time on a Nokia 21" monitor that went dead on me. The monitor was a refurb even with only a 3 month warranty, it died the 5th month. It couldn't be fixed so I got all my money refunded...

....

So the FP guys are waiting on true 1920 X 1080 chips which should be available in displays for purchase sometime early next year like Rob stated. (Oh, and when they come they will likely be $10K+)

-Mr. Wigggles

Cool, I was mentioned in a post by Wigggles! ;)

BTW, how's the 8? :cool:

Okay, it gets more interesting! I had called their customer service number (1-800-782-8661) on that day. Now, I called the plan administrator number (1-800-342-5349) after seeing calbert's message. I got the same message that calbert got! :) . The lady confirmed that the screen protection warranty covers the repair caused by negligence like kids painting, cats etc.
BUT, SHE SAID THAT YOU NEED TO GET THIS COVERAGE ALONG WITH THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND MUST BE ON THE SAME RECEIPT AS THE TV!!!

I checked their PDF (on TVA's site) and it does say that the screen protection warranty must be purchased with the comprehensive service plan to be eligible.

Thanks for confirming, ekans! I'm calling my TVA rep back right now to confirm my 5078! Oh, happy day :D :D

Is it likely that the Magnolias (or any other store, for that matter) will have a 6168/6178 to show on the floor? The impression I get is that they don't tend to put the larger sized models on the floor.

I'm worried that the 5078 might look really good because of its small size, but that there might be brightness or sharpness issues with the larger sizes.

Is it likely that the Magnolias (or any other store, for that matter) will have a 6168/6178 to show on the floor? The impression I get is that they don't tend to put the larger sized models on the floor.

I'm worried that the 5078 might look really good because of its small size, but that there might be brightness or sharpness issues with the larger sizes.

I talked to Magnolia two days ago and they are planning on displaying the larger sizes. In fact, my store (San Ramon) isn't going to display the 50". The reason that a couple of stores are displaying the 50" is because it was the first to hit inventory.

The impression I get is that they don't tend to put the larger sized models on the floor.
The Magnolia stores in Santa Clara and Palo Alto have always displayed one of each size.

The Bay Area stores just received their first 1080p sets a day or so ago, and they are 50" models.

You need to work on your "worry" priorities. :)

The color and crispness on this unit was quite noticable and amazing when looking at it in a darkened room. I just reset the color to normal on all of the display models to get an idea of what they might look like. My preference was for the extended depth and definition of the 1080P unit with the older HD2 50" coming in behind. I did not like the color on the HD3 720P units all that much. This was probably just an adjustment item.

They of course wanted SRP for the unit but did incdicate that they had stock.

Overall first impressions were favorable and I think it would look great in my setup.

Thanks for the comments, brentley ... promising news. Do you remember how far away were you from the set? Any thoughts on how distance affected your ability to resolve a difference in image when comparing with the other sets?

Actually I was a combination of up to 4 feet and as far away as 20.
I tried to test how I would use the set in my own house, so I looked at it from just about every conceivable angle. At my viewing distance (with all other factors as above) which is about 10' I thought that the detail in the 1080p was just a bit better. It was mostly visible in the background and transitions. You could see sharpness in things on hte 1080 set (even at 10' or so) that you could not see in the other sets from a variety of distances.

The sales guy tried to convince me that I was looking at 1080i. It was being output from a DTV box (samsung). I told him that I was 98% sure that the set converted everything to 1080p but he could be right.

Now I need to remeasure and actually show the unit to the decorator/approver to see if I can make a run at picking one up.

My daughter goes to the U of I and during the playoffs we could not for the life of us figure out what Tar Heel meant...I called the school and received 5 different answers...what is a tar heel? Do you know? Thanks

What's a Tar Heel? Finally something I know.
go to UNC home page and search for Tar Heel history (it seems I'm not trusted yet to actually post a URL)

Just in case you want to know what UNC stands for?
University of National Champions :)

I spent a bit of time with this TV today at Magnolia.

I felt it was a step up from the prior models -- both the HD3 and HD2+ models.

Hardly dramatic, but the CR seemed a bit better. The shadow detail seemed a bit better.

Unless a pan was occurring or the background was bright white, there was simply no way to see pixels. I am 20/15 (or better depending on the day) and was standing about 2 feet away for the purpose of experimentation. Hasta la vista screen-door effect.

I don't believe this is a revolutionary product at all. But it's a very powerful evolutionary product in the RPTV world. It certainly dominated the LCD RPTVs (Sonys and Panasonics) in CR without giving up any shadow detail. The rainbows were probably among the least bad in the store. The price feels very high for 50 inches, but the larger sizes would, indeed, represent value.

My preliminary grade would be A-. There was still too much posterization (some probably due to source) and the video processing seemed kind of average for the product class. And there's that price again.

A good effort by the DLP leader, indeed.

The sales guy tried to convince me that I was looking at 1080i. It was being output from a DTV box (samsung). I told him that I was 98% sure that the set converted everything to 1080p but he could be right.

No, you're right. The set converts everything to 1080p. The input source was probably 1080i.

My preliminary grade would be A-. There was still too much posterization (some probably due to source) and the video processing seemed kind of average for the product class. And there's that price again.

A good effort by the DLP leader, indeed.

Thanks for the information! I have been waiting for the set since December (I originally ordered a HLP6197) and expect to have it delivered from TVA and in my home next week. It sounds like the set will be everything I hoped for. :D

Just saw the HLR5078W at Magnolia. It looks very nice. They had it set up next to a HLP5674 model. Contrast is greatly improved, the picture is much sharper (better defined edges) but it was hard to get a perception of the depth of detail in the blacks and dark areas. I didn't get to adjust it too much because there were a couple of other people looking at it. I had the sales guy adjust the 3 sets (all Samsung DLPs) to the same brightness, contrast, etc. settings to get a feel for it. Bottom line...I like it.

I was waiting to see the improvement over the HLR5677 model before deciding which one to get. Now that I have seen it, I am opting for the 5078. I asked the salesman why they have this one in when all indications were that they HLR5668 was gonna arrive first, but he didn't have an explanation. There are supposed to be 9 in the warehouse, and one of those will be mine tomorrow.

We expect some pics and a min-review ASAP please!

I went to the Palo Alto Store and was very impressed with the 5078's overall PQ. One thing I was very concerned about upfront was potentially losing the sharpness that the HD2+ chip has--that was not the case with the 1080p. The picture was so sharp it had a 3-dimensional look to it. I could see real depth in the picture image, and the flesh tones and yeah, those people's wrinkles were like looking right through a window. And this is also, by a mile, the brightest image on a TV screen I've seen. Dudes, and little old ladies, you will be blown away by how bright the picture is when showing a daylight scene. Yes, the future's so bright, you gotta wear shades....

I then did a side by side by comparison with the Sony LCD and Mitsubishi 720p situated at both sides of the Samsung. Both the Mits (which had way too much glare and reflection for my taste) and the Sony, had a slightly foggy look to them--almost like looking through a filter or another pane of glass to get to the actual image. This was the first time that these models looked below average to me. Oh, and the Sony's screen door effect......ever so apparent next to Sammy's crisp, clean, clear, vibrant SDE-less picture.

However, the most impressive thing to me, and the thing that made me drool was how black the blacks were. I know the 10,000:1 CR may be a marketing gimmick, but I was staring at a ladies' dress on TV that was pitch, deep, dark black. I quickly ran down the row of all the other TV's against the wall, and every one of them showed a dark grey dress, to the Sammy's black. Woohoo.......Yeah, I know it's on a 50" and things may change as the diagonal gets larger, but for right now, this is the best looking DLP on the showroom floor. And I'm not 20/15!

I went to the Palo Alto Store and was very impressed with the 5078's overall PQ. One thing I was very concerned about upfront was potentially losing the sharpness that the HD2+ chip has--that was not the case with the 1080p. The picture was so sharp it had a 3-dimensional look to it. I could see real depth in the picture image, and the flesh tones and yeah, those people's wrinkles were like looking right through a window.

...

Thanks for the comments.

Actually, I had a bit of concern re losing sharpness compared to the HD2+ as well, so your review is reassuring.

The sales guy tried to convince me that I was looking at 1080i.
The sales person was right if he was talking about the input source, but he was absolutely wrong if he was talking about the native resolution that can be displayed by a 1080p micro chip device. Everything (480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i) has to be converted to 1080p in order for the DLP chip to display an image.

For what it is worth the FCC approval was granted today fro the HLR6768 and the HLR7178. I would expect the rest to be approved tomorrow. The block diagram on the FCC site for these two models is the same as the HLR5688 which we have already seen. You can see Pictures of the Internal Components Here (https://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=561920&native_or_pdf=pdf). :D

The sales person was right if he was talking about the input source, but he was absolutely wrong if he was talking about the native resolution that can be displayed by a 1080p micro chip device. Everything (480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i) has to be converted to 1080p in order for the DLP chip to display an image.

Right.

Since 1080i will be converted to 1080p, I would like to hear more reviews of these sets addressing the issue of whether any artifacts are noticed that may occur as the result of this processing.

For what it is worth the FCC approval was granted today fro the HLR6768 and the HLR7178. I would expect the rest to be approved tomorrow. The block diagram on the FCC site for these two models is the same as the HLR5688 which we have already seen. You can see Pictures of the Internal Components Here (https://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=561920&native_or_pdf=pdf). :D

Thanks!!! I've added the link for internal components to the 68 series section (near end of section). :)

I spent a bit of time with this TV today at Magnolia.

I felt it was a step up from the prior models -- both the HD3 and HD2+ models.

Hardly dramatic, but the CR seemed a bit better. The shadow detail seemed a bit better.

Unless a pan was occurring or the background was bright white, there was simply no way to see pixels. I am 20/15 (or better depending on the day) and was standing about 2 feet away for the purpose of experimentation. Hasta la vista screen-door effect.

I don't believe this is a revolutionary product at all. But it's a very powerful evolutionary product in the RPTV world. It certainly dominated the LCD RPTVs (Sonys and Panasonics) in CR without giving up any shadow detail. The rainbows were probably among the least bad in the store. The price feels very high for 50 inches, but the larger sizes would, indeed, represent value.

My preliminary grade would be A-. There was still too much posterization (some probably due to source) and the video processing seemed kind of average for the product class. And there's that price again.

A good effort by the DLP leader, indeed.

Thanks for the interesting comments. Did you give the set a preliminary A- because you felt it had room for improvement in general OR was the grade relative to another RPTV? If it was relative to another RPTV, that I would suppose was an A, which TV are you using as a baseline?

I went to the Palo Alto Store and was very impressed with the 5078's overall PQ. One thing I was very concerned about upfront was potentially losing the sharpness that the HD2+ chip has--that was not the case with the 1080p. The picture was so sharp it had a 3-dimensional look to it. I could see real depth in the picture image, and the flesh tones and yeah, those people's wrinkles were like looking right through a window. And this is also, by a mile, the brightest image on a TV screen I've seen. Dudes, and little old ladies, you will be blown away by how bright the picture is when showing a daylight scene. Yes, the future's so bright, you gotta wear shades....

I then did a side by side by comparison with the Sony LCD and Mitsubishi 720p situated at both sides of the Samsung. Both the Mits (which had way too much glare and reflection for my taste) and the Sony, had a slightly foggy look to them--almost like looking through a filter or another pane of glass to get to the actual image. This was the first time that these models looked below average to me. Oh, and the Sony's screen door effect......ever so apparent next to Sammy's crisp, clean, clear, vibrant SDE-less picture.

However, the most impressive thing to me, and the thing that made me drool was how black the blacks were. I know the 10,000:1 CR may be a marketing gimmick, but I was staring at a ladies' dress on TV that was pitch, deep, dark black. I quickly ran down the row of all the other TV's against the wall, and every one of them showed a dark grey dress, to the Sammy's black. Woohoo.......Yeah, I know it's on a 50" and things may change as the diagonal gets larger, but for right now, this is the best looking DLP on the showroom floor. And I'm not 20/15!


I was at the same store just before 9PM to look at the 5078. I agree with almost everything you say here especially the brightness of these sets.

However, both my wife and I were totally blown away by the Pioneer Elite Plasmas in the store. The PQ was just stunning...

Is it common knowledge that the Pioneers are so stunning? I somehow suspect Magnolia was feeding a "better" signal to these Pioneers as well. Or does the cost differential explain the PQ difference? Forgive the silly questions but what am I missing?

Thanks....

I was at the same store just before 9PM to look at the 5078. I agree with almost everything you say here especially the brightness of these sets.

However, both my wife and I were totally blown away by the Pioneer Elite Plasmas in the store. The PQ was just stunning...

Is it common knowledge that the Pioneers are so stunning? I somehow suspect Magnolia was feeding a "better" signal to these Pioneers as well. Or does the cost differential explain the PQ difference? Forgive the silly questions but what am I missing?

Thanks....

Yes, the Pioneer Elite PDPs are stunning. My neighbor just got one and it is very impressive. If you have the need for a flat panel display, you can't go wrong with one of those...very pricey though.

Just saw the HLR5078W at Magnolia. It looks very nice. They had it set up next to a HLP5674 model. Contrast is greatly improved, the picture is much sharper (better defined edges) but it was hard to get a perception of the depth of detail in the blacks and dark areas. I didn't get to adjust it too much because there were a couple of other people looking at it. I had the sales guy adjust the 3 sets (all Samsung DLPs) to the same brightness, contrast, etc. settings to get a feel for it. Bottom line...I like it.

I was waiting to see the improvement over the HLR5677 model before deciding which one to get. Now that I have seen it, I am opting for the 5078. I asked the salesman why they have this one in when all indications were that they HLR5668 was gonna arrive first, but he didn't have an explanation. There are supposed to be 9 in the warehouse, and one of those will be mine tomorrow.

Can someone who as access to a store with the 5078 try to answer the delay issue. Hopefully both in DVD play and in gaming?????? Please!!!!! :rolleyes:

I'll take an A- from Rogo on a set any day. And considering that Price was a factor and many of us are getting these sets for a 20% discount, I have no doubt that this set will be an A in my book (especially considering it will be my very first HDTV).

Is it common knowledge that the Pioneers are so stunning? Thanks....

Probably best answered in the Plasma forum.

Short answer is Plasma in respect of size is much more expensive, has possible burn in issues, and most likely a shorter lifespan (some say 3 years). Like florescent lighting, plasma dims over time. To regain the brightness, rear projectors only need a bulb replacement, where plasma you have to replace the whole unit.

RJGinCA,

Just to clear something up because your comment implied confusion. Rogo's vision of 20/15 is better than the normal 20/20 it means things that a person with 20/20 vision can see at 15 feet he can see at 20. it does not imply poor eyesight but actually better eyesight than 20/20.

I have 20/10 vision and often get confusion from people about it. So besides his well founded knowledge of AV equipment rogo's visual comments can be taken with great respect.

so when are these new sammy's going to start showing up in stores on the east coast, namely NJ ? A couple of Best Buy's in Northern Jersey have added Magnolia's to them

The set to me is about PC use:

Big question is can the shipping 1080p sets do 1920x1080 @ 60Hz using the PC input and get 1:1 pixel mapping? ( not worried about overscan it can be adjusted in the driver)

Does the set allow you to fine tune the sync on the VGA input to remove noise?

How does the desktop look at resolutions other than 1920x1080, that is how does it down res to 1280x720, 1024x768 etc?


In my book the 720p HD2+ Panasonic is the one to beat for PC use. Would like to hear how the new Sammys perform. Video input is very forgiving, but the true test of a HD set can be seen in how it handles PC input.

I was at the same store just before 9PM to look at the 5078. I agree with almost everything you say here especially the brightness of these sets.

However, both my wife and I were totally blown away by the Pioneer Elite Plasmas in the store. The PQ was just stunning...

Is it common knowledge that the Pioneers are so stunning? I somehow suspect Magnolia was feeding a "better" signal to these Pioneers as well. Or does the cost differential explain the PQ difference? Forgive the silly questions but what am I missing?

Thanks....

I was completely blown away with the Pioneer Elite as well. I actually went into a lengthy conversation with the sales rep as to why they consider Fujitsu the better plasma when the Pioneer Elite was a total knockout!. [The reason, he said, was Fujitsu manufactures its own glass panels, and has a better method for scaling motion]. Yes, the Pioneer had a HD feed, while the wall DLP's and rear-projection LCD's had what looked like an SD feed. I believe the Pioneer was 1366x768 (?), but it was very impressive looking, with a big price to match. If the Pioneer was 1080p, it would be a tough choice to make, but the Samsung just has so much value for the money.....and I don't have to worry about dead pixels or a finite lifetime, like the plasma.

RJGinCA,

Just to clear something up because your comment implied confusion. Rogo's vision of 20/15 is better than the normal 20/20 it means things that a person with 20/20 vision can see at 15 feet he can see at 20. it does not imply poor eyesight but actually better eyesight than 20/20.

I have 20/10 vision and often get confusion from people about it. So besides his well founded knowledge of AV equipment rogo's visual comments can be taken with great respect.

I didnt' mean to slam anyone. I just meant to imply that my vision is not as good as others that have better vision (20/15), and I still thought the PQ looked outstanding. It was meant as a compliment. Actually, I just had lasik and now I'm 20/20 (that's the best they could get it to), but previous to surgery I was 20/600 (without contacts). Thank god for lasik. Anyways, I've had difficulty seeing things that other people can see (like rainbows, and in some cases, the screen door effect, sometimes scan lines, etc.), but I can clearly see that Samsung has a winner with their 1080p DLP....and I don't need to put on glasses to realize that...it is crisp, clear, sharp, colorful, and full of detail. I apologize Rogo for my vague comment....you have my respect!

Probably best answered in the Plasma forum.

Short answer is Plasma in respect of size is much more expensive, has possible burn in issues, and most likely a shorter lifespan (some say 3 years). Like florescent lighting, plasma dims over time. To regain the brightness, rear projectors only need a bulb replacement, where plasma you have to replace the whole unit.

Uh, NO, NO, and NO.

It is extremely rare for a current generation plasma to get burn in. If you had a child today, by the time a current gen plasma reached half brightness your child would probably be married and had you a couple of grandchildren. As most people on this forum like the latest and greatest, they will replace their DLP or plasma at least once in the next 10 years....so maintainance on a DLP (bulb replacements during that 10 year period) would cost more than a plasma.

UCSB here is spec info on the hlr5087,hlr5688

http://product.samsung.com/SamsungUSA/PRODUCT/20050713/HLR5087W_5688W_spec.pd

oops this link
http://product.samsung.com/SamsungUSA/PRODUCT/20050713/HLR5087W_5688W_spec.pdf

I spent a bit of time with this TV today at Magnolia.

I felt it was a step up from the prior models -- both the HD3 and HD2+ models.

Hardly dramatic, but the CR seemed a bit better. The shadow detail seemed a bit better.

Unless a pan was occurring or the background was bright white, there was simply no way to see pixels. I am 20/15 (or better depending on the day) and was standing about 2 feet away for the purpose of experimentation. Hasta la vista screen-door effect.

I don't believe this is a revolutionary product at all. But it's a very powerful evolutionary product in the RPTV world. It certainly dominated the LCD RPTVs (Sonys and Panasonics) in CR without giving up any shadow detail. The rainbows were probably among the least bad in the store. The price feels very high for 50 inches, but the larger sizes would, indeed, represent value.

My preliminary grade would be A-. There was still too much posterization (some probably due to source) and the video processing seemed kind of average for the product class. And there's that price again.

A good effort by the DLP leader, indeed.

The posterization could have come from the DNIe as well that Samsung uses. Out of the box is almost always too much contrast, too much color.

Also the 50" is REALLY bright according to their spec (800 nits = 233 ft-L!!!!) so that can lead to posterization and could be the problem. If the unit didn't look bright it is possible the sales guy turned the contrast down which ironically can also lead to posterization. (or it could be the source :))

At some viewing distance you SHOULD be able to at least see the diamond pixel structure (4 million total diamonds are created in the final picture). The fact that you didn't see them indicates that the unit is defocused in the optical path (the earlier gens did have a focus adjustment which is probably still inside this unit) or I would rather guess that it is simply too much resolution for the chosen material of the small 50" screen. The later was the issue with the first xHD3 demo I saw at CES 2003; the coarse nature of 50" screen on that set was as coarse as the resulting diamond size (in fact I didn't see any diamonds; so we didn't even know how xHD3 worked back then).

There is no getting around the necessity of quality optics needed by xHD3/4 technology. To pull the smoothpicture trick off, the optics need to be top notch and not add to the smoothness and this includes the screen material. (Screen material becomes less of an issue as you go to larger diagonal sets and thus the pixel size increases)

-Mr. Wigggles

The Magnolia stores in Santa Clara and Palo Alto have always displayed one of each size.

Ah. I got my impression from the Emeryville store, where they said they probably wouldn't put the 6167 out on the floor, so I assumed they wouldn't put the 6178 out either.

Guess I'll have to drive down to the Peninsula...

The set to me is about PC use:

How does the desktop look at resolutions other than 1920x1080, that is how does it down res to 1280x720, 1024x768 etc?


The manual only lists the following resolutions as "supported" via the VGA connector:

640x350
720x400
640x480
800x600
1024x768
1280x1024
1920x1080

I find it interesting that 1280x720, 720x480 and 704x480 are not listed as valid resolutions.

John

I know the 10,000:1 CR

Isn't the 5078 5,000:1? Or am I mixing my model stats???

jpoet,

Yes, officially the only way to get 720p in would be through the DVI connector. If the SDA lines are working properly then the graphics card should have no problem what resolution to send to the set. It will be interesting to see what "available resolutions" are listed through the DVI connection.

-Mr. Wigggles

UCSB here is spec info on the hlr5087,hlr5688

http://product.samsung.com/SamsungUSA/PRODUCT/20050713/HLR5087W_5688W_spec.pd

Thanks!!! I've added the Spec Sheets to the 87 / 88 areas in POST #1.

I called TVAuthority this morning and recieved the following bit of information from *James: The next shipment of 5668 model (my order - thanks to avsforum!) is due to arrive at TVA at the beginning of next week (around Monday the 18th). He said that whenever they arrive - that I am number 32 for delivery. Dare I dream?


*James - a name created by me to cover the fact that my short-term memory loss was self induced.

How can you comment on the black level? The setup must have lots of ambient light, all the other tvs and general lighting.

...
At some viewing distance you SHOULD be able to at least see the diamond pixel structure (4 million total diamonds are created in the final picture). The fact that you didn't see them indicates that the unit is defocused in the optical path (the earlier gens did have a focus adjustment which is probably still inside this unit) or I would rather guess that it is simply too much resolution for the chosen material of the small 50" screen. The later was the issue with the first xHD3 demo I saw at CES 2003; the coarse nature of 50" screen on that set was as coarse as the resulting diamond size (in fact I didn't see any diamonds; so we didn't even know how xHD3 worked back then).

...

Mr. Wigggles,

I agree re: the screen material ... I *really* noticed the "sparklies" as you call them on the 42" 66 model. I'm hoping that jumping up to the 50" screen (and my subsequent further distance from the screen) will help me not notice them as much on the 5078 model.

The focus adjustment you speak of re: earlier-gen models ... was this a user-adjustable item, or does it require the assitance of a professional calibrator? (or am I misunderstanding your statement?)



Thanks for all of your (and kiwishred's) work on the SmoothPicture tests in the FP forum ... It was a great read!

Doubt I'm the only one who likes everything about Samsung DLPs except the price. So forgive another newbie question, but is it too early to talk about discounts deeper than the 20% offered by TVA? What has been the pricing history of these sets? With all of the competition in HD and widescreen--and Samsung's own upgrades seemingly occuring on a 6-month interval--is it unrealistic to expect a 5078 to approach $2,500 some day? I know I could buy a previous generation for about half the current price of a comparably sized current model, but that's missing the point: I want the best I can get for as little as I can give. And, although it's painful, I can wait awhile. But should I reserve space under the Christmas tree?

Thanks

Angus

so when are these new sammy's going to start showing up in stores on the east coast, namely NJ ? A couple of Best Buy's in Northern Jersey have added Magnolia's to them

According to Samman's in Wayne, NJ, who spoke to the Samsung rep on 7/11, the 1080p sets are expected to arrive in NJ first week in August, approximately three weeks behind the West Coast.

Doubt I'm the only one who likes everything about Samsung DLPs except the price. So forgive another newbie question, but is it too early to talk about discounts deeper than the 20% offered by TVA? What has been the pricing history of these sets? With all of the competition in HD and widescreen--and Samsung's own upgrades seemingly occuring on a 6-month interval--is it unrealistic to expect a 5078 to approach $2,500 some day? I know I could buy a previous generation for about half the current price of a comparably sized current model, but that's missing the point: I want the best I can get for as little as I can give. And, although it's painful, I can wait awhile. But should I reserve space under the Christmas tree?

Thanks

Angus

I don't think the first person has received his/her set yet, so talking discounts deeper than 20% right now would just be talk. Maybe in a few months or so.

The waiting game is not only painful but a catch-22. You wait for the prices to drop on the latest technology and then low and behold, the next new thing is just on the horizon...should you wait for it....it finally comes to market and the initial prices are hefty...should you wait for the prices to come down...oh darn, more new technology ... you get the idea. Painful can be such an understatement :D