Official Samsung UNxxES8000 Owner's Thread - Page 233

Originally Posted by gtm73 

Which Vizio do you want?

Originally Posted by gtm73 

Which Vizio do you want?

Originally Posted by gtm73 

In all seriousness though, this sounds like pretty standard practice on any form of replacement or "insurance" type policy. Is a half dozen phone calls and a couple visits a whole lot of effort to support the claim of faulty merchandise? Not really. Just imagine what these panels would cost if the return policy was "You don't like it, we take it back no questions asked anytime in the first year". Clearly Samsung, or any other reputable firm, would need to assess the claim that the merchandise is faulty. From what you have relayed here it actually seems that the bulk of the problem lies with your inability to influence the tech to view the right content.

Originally Posted by englechgc 

I just got a 65es8000 and noticed it gets really dark when we watch star wars and uts hard to make out any detail. Can anyone tell me how or what setting i can change to correct this. My son notices a auto brightness as he says is making everything look dark and hard to see.

Originally Posted by Shagz 

Long time Lurker. First time poster.
Reading alot about this HDTV. Thinking about pulling the trigger this weekend on the 60inch model. Roughly going for 2700.00. Was thinking about a soundbar (polk audio 6000). Would rather the 5.1 but dogs play alot in the living room. Main sources for this TV is streaming media (netfilx,hulu) movie backups on my PC. Ps3 for games and movie streaming off PC. I dont have a cable provider, dont watch that much TV to spend $$ on cable at this time. Future plans is a HTPC for games/movies/emulators.
IF i didnt want to go with this TV and spend less but wanted to keep the size or go larger.. What else would you reccomend.
Thank you for your time.
Marty

Originally Posted by Bladerunner1959 

Marty, buy this TV. I shopped and test drove more than anyone ever using my own bluray disks and player, forcing my own viewing in lighting conditions that i needed to see.
Had this tv since early June. Best TV for the money easily, best electronics purchase of my life. Not 1 second of buyer remorse. If you are realistic, there is no tv technology without some type of inherent weakness. This TV is almost equal to the wayyyy overpriced Elite, better than any plasma period. I have the 60.
Even off, its the sexiest piece of gear out there as it floats in the room only surrounded by a thin bezel. I retired my 5.1 to the gameroom and love the clean streamlined insatll of the soundbar with this panel.
IMHO: Buy it, never download firmware upgrades unless you depend on this for smart features (i use my bluray player for all connectivity), I use the panel for pure viewing pleasure of high quality images.
-put in "movie mode" for 2d and then for 3d and mildy tweak from there, as this is as good a 3d image as you can get
I spent the holiday at my brother inlaw watching his vt50 plasma ...I was so happy to be home ...the clarity, clearness window-hd effect of this panel compared to the plasma is rediculous. I dont understand HOW or WHAT a plasma person can see when actually comparing.
This Sammy is so clear and detailed that some source material appears as if you are looking out the window. And I thought i was gonna get a plasma when i started shopping..Ha ha ha ha !!!!
My bro does have a sweet Polk soundbar that has nice full warm sound and backed by a Velodyne sub. I love the soundbar approach.
If you wanna spend about a grand less I'd look at either the Samy 6000 if you dont want or need 3d or....I was about to grab one of the Sharp 240hz 3d sets....alot of really good image for the money in 60 and 70 size.
Enjoy!

Originally Posted by Shagz 

Long time Lurker. First time poster.
Reading alot about this HDTV. Thinking about pulling the trigger this weekend on the 60inch model. Roughly going for 2700.00. Was thinking about a soundbar (polk audio 6000). Would rather the 5.1 but dogs play alot in the living room. Main sources for this TV is streaming media (netfilx,hulu) movie backups on my PC. Ps3 for games and movie streaming off PC. I dont have a cable provider, dont watch that much TV to spend $$ on cable at this time. Future plans is a HTPC for games/movies/emulators.
IF i didnt want to go with this TV and spend less but wanted to keep the size or go larger.. What else would you reccomend.
Thank you for your time.
Marty

Originally Posted by Bolt989 

Never trust biased owners. This is really not a good place to get honest feedback. My suggestion is read the reviews and compare sets for yourself. There seems to be a lot of hyperbole in this thread from a select few individuals. It's funny what Blade runner said, the reviewers (professionals) seem to think the exact opposite of what he said about the other sets. IF you want to talk about overpriced, this set is overpriced by a long shot! Your paying for gimmicky motion and voice controls that do not work worth a damn.
Just my 2 cents.
Hope this helps!
Billy

Originally Posted by EAnglum 

I disagree, most of us have done extensive research and comparisons before laying down $$$$ for these sets. Its not like ES owners blindly purchased a TV or were forced to purchase these sets, then all of a suddenly become biased owners. There is plenty of positive and negative feedback within all Owners Threads.
We obviously like these sets or they never would have been purchased or would have been exchanged for another brand.
My suggestion to anyone looking to purchase a set is to do an extensive demo before purchasing.

Originally Posted by Bolt989 

Never trust biased owners. This is really not a good place to get honest feedback. My suggestion is read the reviews and compare sets for yourself. There seems to be a lot of hyperbole in this thread from a select few individuals. It's funny what Blade runner said, the reviewers (professionals) seem to think the exact opposite of what he said about the other sets. IF you want to talk about overpriced, this set is overpriced by a long shot! Your paying for gimmicky motion and voice controls that do not work worth a damn.
Just my 2 cents.
Hope this helps!
Billy

Originally Posted by 7011jrs 

Couldn't disagree more with this assessment. But my opinion doesn't matter - look at the sets side by side and you won't match the clarity of this set with a Plasma. Also, try to adjust a plasma for better clarity or pop, or whatever look you want - good luck!
The ES8000 is an incredible set. You pay for gimmicky smart hub stuff on this set - i use some of it, but not most of the features. At the end of the day, the picture quality is what sold me - you might find comparable, but i doubt you'll see a better picture quality on any set for less than $5k.
Whatever the criteria for your purchase, get what looks best to YOUR eye, based on YOUR viewing environment. Buy a warranty, and enjoy your purchase.
EDIT - don't expect the set to be perfect out of the box. you are going to adjust or tweak more on this set to get the picture looking the way you want it. That is a benefit that you can do this, not a negative. Most of the reviews I have read, are "out of the box" reviews and not calibrated/tweaked for user environments.

Originally Posted by Bolt989 

Not sure what reviews you are reading, but the ones I listed above Calibrate their review sets to ISF standards. They go through a full ISF calibration and test's using expensive calibration equipment and software and get compared with other models side by side. They also measure contrast, black level and run the sets through very complex test's to see the performance of the set. I would trust a professional's point of view on a set way over a owners thread on a public enthusiast forum. Most people come here when they have issues, not really so much to get feedback on making a buying decision, thats what reviews are for. But like you said, do your own research as well.

Originally Posted by gtm73 

Great point, it is best not to trust anyone biased regardless of whether or not they are an owner. Even NON-owners have their own personal biases.
One of the great things about AVS is that, if you are willing to spend the time, you can see a person's posts over time and come to a conclusion about their biases. Of course, one of the things to watch for is folks who pop up out of no where and slam a long term contributor, often as not they just have an axe to grind and their commentary is questionable.
Bladerunner has made no bones for the past MONTHS about just how happy he is with his set. Nothing surprising there, it works for him and he would like to see it work for others too.
To the OP of "should I buy this set" it pretty simply comes down to personal preference and the compromises anyone is willing to make. For me the 46" ES8000 hit all my requirements. It maximized the screen area in the cabinet into which it had to fit. It has the ability, with Eco Sensor, to automatically adjust to the lighting conditions in my family room which has many windows that dont have blackout shades so it performs well during the day and then adjusts itself nicely without any fiddling to night time viewing. From most accounts and my personal viewing I found that the bright BRIGHT LED picture really performs well in a bright room and although the screen is glossy because the picture is so bright I don't find reflections distracting. I did find that to be an issue with the plasma's I have (in the basement now with a nice dark room). The drawbacks of slight off axis viewing issues and some work to update settings after firmware updates weren't deal killers to me. Some have claimed that CE or autodimming is very noticeable and ruins their experience. That PREVIOUSLY was noticable to me although I could get past it it did bug me. Fortunately a recent firmware update either sped up the dimming or smoothed it out and now it is not noticable and does the job it supposed to do.
Someone else mentioned the 7500 vs 8000 question. While I haven't seen it with my own eyes I believe from reports here that CE dimming performs differently on the 8000 vs the 7500. Since a recent firmware update most 8000 users report that the harshness of CE dimming is gone/greatly reduced. One of the 7500 users reports it is still just as bad, others may agree or have commented but I don't recall.. The jury is out if this is because the 8000 does a better job or if the 7500 user is just more perceptive than everyone else.
Good Luck!

Originally Posted by englechgc 

I just got a 65es8000 and noticed it gets really dark when we watch star wars and uts hard to make out any detail. Can anyone tell me how or what setting i can change to correct this. My son notices a auto brightness as he says is making everything look dark and hard to see.

Originally Posted by Garnoch 

See the link below your post. Also search here for CE Dimming, which is what is causing what you see. Movie mode does not have CE Dimming. Feel free to look at my settings on page 117 or by the direct link you see after you click on my name. My third set of settings is for counteracting this effect in Standard. I'll be back in the States later tonight and will be updating my settings based on the latest firmware though.
All, I'm at an airport typing on a phone again so excuse it please. I've been trying to read when I can find time when not sitting under a palm tree
As for biased people, it may be true to not ask for advice on another TV in a specific thread like this, but I feel there are very few fanboys in this thread and Blade isn't one of them. Like me, he is simply happy with the TV he bought after reading multiple threads and reviews on many TVs, then comparing them himself, then weighing price vs features vs picture quality. I can easily and have told others that aren't happy to look at the Sony or Vizio or even plasma depending on their viewing habits. The OP asked for advice from Samsung owners, Blade gave his opinion.

Originally Posted by Bolt989 

Not sure what reviews you are reading, but the ones I listed above Calibrate their review sets to ISF standards. They go through a full ISF calibration and test's using expensive calibration equipment and software and get compared with other models side by side. They also measure contrast, black level and run the sets through very complex test's to see the performance of the set. I would trust a professional's point of view on a set way over a owners thread on a public enthusiast forum. Most people come here when they have issues, not really so much to get feedback on making a buying decision, thats what reviews are for. But like you said, do your own research as well.

Originally Posted by skibum5000 

I could swear the 60" panel looked like Sharp almost. It seemed to have a bit better viewing angles but has that sort of dotted grid look that most Sharps have.

Originally Posted by 7011jrs 

Couldn't disagree more with this assessment. But my opinion doesn't matter - look at the sets side by side and you won't match the clarity of this set with a Plasma. Also, try to adjust a plasma for better clarity or pop, or whatever look you want - good luck!
The ES8000 is an incredible set. You pay for gimmicky smart hub stuff on this set - i use some of it, but not most of the features. At the end of the day, the picture quality is what sold me - you might find comparable, but i doubt you'll see a better picture quality on any set for less than $5k.
Whatever the criteria for your purchase, get what looks best to YOUR eye, based on YOUR viewing environment. Buy a warranty, and enjoy your purchase.
EDIT - don't expect the set to be perfect out of the box. you are going to adjust or tweak more on this set to get the picture looking the way you want it. That is a benefit that you can do this, not a negative. Most of the reviews I have read, are "out of the box" reviews and not calibrated/tweaked for user environments.

Originally Posted by Bolt989 

Maybe the ES8000 is a better choice for some but realistically saying a edge lit led is better than a high end plasma or full array local dimming led such as the elite is kind of ridiculous. This is common sense.Billy

Originally Posted by Ricoflashback 

Best recommendations for buying any set, not just the Sammy's discussed in this thread:
1. Do you homework. Look at reviews but most important - - go see the sets for yourself, in person, at a retail location. I prefer Paul's TV (if you have one in your area) or some other retailer besides Best Buy. Costco is also very good - - especially with their return policy and extended warranty.
My advice to to find a reputable retailer that will match prices with online distributors - primarily due to experience and making sure you are covered if there is anything wrong with your set - - which is a distinct possibility when you're looking at new technology or the "panel lotto" as it is referred to on this thread and many others.
Online preferences are Amazon - - again, personal experience, but I've never, ever had a problem in returning a product to Amazon and getting a full refund, pronto. But these sets are large and cumbersome - - if you can get it delivered to your residence, that's that way to go - - convenience wise.
2, ISF calibrations and technical reviews like CNET. If you really want an ISF calibration, then fine - - get one. Personally, I do not think it's necessary. The settings recommended on this forum have worked great for me but with my own tweaks. My setup is also a little different in that everything is upscaled through my Yamaha AVR - RX-A2000 to 1080P.
And we've been over this and there are many opinions but I could give a "rat's ass" about color uniformity or calibration to "expert" settings. The recommendation by CNET (Katzmier) for the Sammy was pure, unadulterated horseshit. I've never seen such a bad picture from their "recommended" settings. If you want your Sammy to look like a dull Plasma, then by all means, take their advice. I also find CNET to be quite biased towards Panasonic and especially the VT50.
Again, personal preference, but use your own eyes. I personally viewed all the sets except for the Sony HX950 which wasn't available when I bought and probably wouldn't be a consideration due to the extra $1,500 price tag.
Use your own eyes! Repeat, use your own eyes! Play around with the settings at the store. If you can, have them hook up a Bluray player. Make your own judgment.
3. Extended Warranty - an absolute must!!! Costco is the best in this area - - SquareTrade Warranty - four years for $99.00 total. And, you do not have to buy the TV from Costco! If you do, an extra year - - five years. There are also other warranty companies out there that are much cheaper than going through your retail site - - even Paul's TV was way overpriced on the warranty. You usually have 60 to 90 days to be eligible for the warranty for your set from date of purchase.
GET THE WARRANTY !!!! For piece of mind!
4. Problems you may incur with your set include flashlighting, clouding, bleeding, vertical banding and dead pixels (see the Sony HX950 AVS thread!). If you incur anything else, chances are it's a real lemon. (Hissing, buzzing, major functionality problems.)
Can this be mitigated? Yes - to some degree. The larger panel like my 65" 8000 is more susceptible to vertical banding - - which can be a real problem with these sets. It took my two tries to get it right - - and this will be discussed in the next topic.
5. If problems arise - how to resolve: many experiences here on this thread as well as my own. My recommendation - find out and quick if you have problems. First recourse is where you bought your TV from. If you have to go to Samsung, forget calling in - - always, always document in writing. Unfortunately - - you need a paper trail to build your case. And it's not just Samsung - - take a look at the Sony HX950 thread and the issues with vertical banding and especially dead pixels - - what Sony views as acceptable as compared to an owner who is pissed off (and rightly so) about a $5K TV that has dead pixels with it. (As opposed to "stuck" pixels that can be fixed or flipped back.)
Net net - - don't accept no for an answer. You're entitled to be happy with your purchase. If it is a reputable retailer/online distributor - - they want you happy. It's just a sound business practice.
Lastly - - this should be a fun experience! Once you get the right TV, it's heaven. I'm extremely happy with my set and the 3D movie experience. It is like looking through a glass window - - CNN is fabulous - - down to Wolf Blitzer's teeny hairs on his beard and Candy Crowley's craters (sorry Candy!) Older movies look like new on my Sammy 65". Football is a gas - - NFL Ticket in full HD. Bluray movies in all their glory with full soundtrack!
Hope this helps.
Enjoy!!!