Quote:
Originally Posted by
johncourt 
Thanks to everyone for posting pics and for posting calibration settings. This is great stuff! It's exactly what we need: objective evidence and post calibration settings.
BTW, I just glanced through the latest issue of consumer reports. The 6000 and 8000 series samsungs get the highest ratings for HD PQ. Not surprising, and exactly what I expected. The non samsung panel 50" also gets a top rating for HD PQ.
I guarantee you just about everyone complaining about PQ either:
1. did not calibrate at all, and/or
2. has a problem with a low quality input, such as SD broadcast, heavily compressed HD broadcast, or some other similar issue that has nothing to do with the quality of the tv itself.
johncourt, I read a couple of the reports as well on CR's web site but don't see any reference at all to panel type. Can you provide a link or some of the direct commentary that refers to that? For the record, CR does give kudos to these sets for PQ, but does not give them its highest ratings, generally in the mid 60s (out of 100). The highest rated sets - two 8000 series Samsung plasmas - score 78-79. As you can see from the report below, the primary complaints from CR are related to viewing angles and lack of features. This should come as no surprise to any of us as we all know that the 6000 series is not Samsung's top-of-the-line and in many cases, we specifically chose this model because 1) we didn't want or need any of the Smart features, Internet connectivity, etc. and 2) we didn't need 3D. That being said, I'm
very happy with my 6001 (AH01 panel) and I'm not even done callibrating it. For the $799 I paid for this TV, I feel like I got an amazing deal. My only real complaint is that I wish it had a couple of more viewing modes and I wish Auto-Motion Plus was configurable per viewing mode, but these are very minor issue in my book as it only takes a few seconds to turn on AMP for football or other shows that seem to benefit from it.
In the end, these ratings should be taken with half a grain of salt. For instance, CR lumps LCD and plasma sets into the same category and generally gives higher ratings to the plasma sets, but plasma is certainly not the best choice for everyone. They oughta break it into two separate categories IMO.
At the risk of being flagged for a copywrite violation, here is the CR take on the UN55EH6000 from their web site:
This 55-inch 1080p LCD--the larger sibling to the 40-inch model also in our Ratings--delivers excellent high-definition picture quality. This model is in Samsung's EH series, which uses a new, less expensive type of LED backlight, called a direct-lit LED, that's a version of a full-array LED without local dimming. The TV doesn't have a lot of features, though ConnectShare Movie lets you directly play videos, music, or photos stored on a device or flash drive when connected to the TV's USB connection.
Highs
• Excellent HD image detail
• Very good color accuracy
Lows
• Limited viewing angle
• This model has fewer useful features than most
Detailed test results
PICTURE QUALITY. This model had excellent high-definition picture quality. It did a top-notch job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was very good, with images looking quite natural. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images showed some depth and dimension. In this respect, the TV was similar to most of the models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. The deinterlacing and film mode operations were excellent on HD content; there was little or no trace of jaggies on the edges of objects for video and film-based 1080i content.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY. The glossy screen surface on this LCD TV is susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
VIEWING ANGLE. This Samsung has a moderate viewing angle overall, not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the sides of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality.
When we moved off to the sides, the picture lost color, so flesh tones looked washed out, while black levels brightened, significantly reducing image contrast. Even when viewed from right in front of the screen, dark scenes were brighter at the edges due to the tight horizontal sweet spot. Saturated colors like bright red or green, such as you might see in an animated film, degraded less as we moved to the sides than more subtle "real world" tones, which showed more color loss. While horizontal viewing angle was fair, vertical was good. When we moved from a standing position to a floor-seated position, the picture showed slight change in color, contrast, and black level. Note that plasma TVs are currently the only flat-panel technology on the market that provides unlimited viewing angle, with no change in image quality regardless of where the viewer sits.
MOTION BLUR. This TV has Samsung's Auto Motion Plus, a feature designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned on, it has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests. On typical program content, the blurring effect is often fleeting and may not bother most people. But keen-eyed viewers may detect the loss of texture and detail on scenes with movement, especially in high-quality video such as a Blu-ray movie.
INTERNET FEATURES. This TV does not have access to the Internet.
SOUND QUALITY. Sound was good, fine for typical TV programming, but won't reproduce the full range of movie soundtracks and music. The TV has a good volume range with little distortion at higher volumes. Sound is generally smooth with good bass providing a full-bodied sound, though it is lacking in deep bass. The slightly uneven response yields a less open sound than the better-performing TVs.
CONTROLS AND CONNECTIVITY. Overall, we found the set very easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was excellent. Also, the remote control is excellent, and the on-screen menu is very easy to navigate.
Mounting the TV to the included support stand is easy, though the stand requires the assembly of two parts before mounting. You'll also need a thin Phillips-head screwdriver on hand to mount the TV to the stand. All buttons on the remote are backlit so they're easy to see in the dark. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate. HDMI and analog cable connections made to the rear-facing panel will protrude beyond the panel's slim depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX. The TV comes with: a printed user manual, a quick start guide, a remote with batteries.
There were no major differences between the Disney derived and the AVS derived settings except for R-Gain. I found patterns A-3 and A-4 in the Misc Patterns section of the AVS disk to be extremely helpful in trimming back the red.
