Howdy folks, I haven't been on the forum(s) since 2008/2009 and I see there's been a lot of nice changes... site looks real good!! 
When recently I started having issues with a new display purchase, I knew just where to turn... to all the fine folks here at AVS that seriously know their stuff!!
With that being said, here's my recent bind:
In March 2008 I sold my 32" Vizio and purchased a Samsung LN40A550- (1080p LCD @ 60Hz). Was quite the upgrade, at the time. I instantly fell in love with my new display. Gaming on my 360 & PS3 looked brilliant, and Blu-Ray's were lifelike. To my eyes, after a ton of research... Samsung had the best display(s).
I had purchased my set at Best Buy.. and, on a whim, also purchased their "Black Tie" protection plan... which turned-out to be a smart move.
A year or two in I had some screen "artifacts/dead/stuck pixels" which, with my plan, Best Buy sent out someone to my home to quickly service- putting in a brand-new panel and main board. After that, was trouble-free with my set for a few more (awesome) years, until this February. I was getting a flicker that came and went on the screen. Luckily, I was still within my plan. Best Buy sent someone out whom confirmed it was a backlight issue and ordered some parts. Two days later I get a voicemail from Best Buy customer service that because my service plan was almost up- (March 9th)- that instead of waiting for parts to come in, hoping to fix the issue, and have my plan expire within that time... decided to offer me a $500 credit for my set towards a purchase of a new one. Which, I thought was really cool of them. But, honestly, I really liked my LN40A550. They didn't give me a choice... it was a "take it or leave it" kinda deal. Best Buy explained that the credit for a new set would full-fill my 4-year protection plan.
So last Saturday I bring my beloved LN40A550 Sammy into my local Best Buy. After looking at their wall(s) of displays, decided to go Samsung, again, and purchased a UN46EH6000- (1080p LED @ 120Hz). I get that sucker home and I set it all up, super excited!! I'm blown away by the picture... the colors are popping, the picture is bright, lifelike & smooth. But then, the problems start... after gazing in amazement at my new toy for a couple hours, I start-up my PS3. (I should mention that I have my 360 & PS3 connected via HDMI and I play my Blu-Ray's through the PS3). And I notice that, while all the games (pictures) look fantastic, having the PS3 going out at 60Hz on my 120Hz set produced enough "clipping" and "blury-ness" when I panned, that it was driving me absolutely nuts. I tried playing with every setting I could think of... on the PS3 and the Sammy. Nothing would help. The next issue that "sealed the deal" to return this set, for me... was when I popped in Resistance 3 in the PS3. While the style of that game has always been a "depressing" brown & gray... my LN40A550 handled it extremely well... the game looked clean & clear. While, on the new Sammy, it was extremely washed-out to the point of frustration. Like looking at a dark PS2 game on an HD set through composite cables. I couldn't take it. Being that I use my display(s) for 90% gaming, I returned Sunday to Best Buy to exchange.
So, I chose a different display... the Sammy LN40E550. Which, I guess I'm safe to assume, is the successor to my ol' LN40A550. Same as that set- 1080p LCD @ 60Hz. I figured... "ok, now we're good". Get back, set her up... *sigh*... first off, there's a decent size "cloud" on the lower left-hand corner. As well, skin tones are orange and the picture has this sort-of "pastel" type texture to it...(anyone know what I mean be that??? lol!!). And finally, notice sometimes, around moving people and items, that when they start to move on-screen, there's some slight "pixelization" around them/it. I play with the settings and am only able to get the skin-tone issue slightly better... while some folks on-screen have a decent/more legit color-tone, at the same-time, another person is still "orange-y". Sometimes still completely "oranged-out". I move onto gaming... I'm thrilled that the clipping is gone. But the picture seems "softer" then on my LN40A550. And, Resistance 3, and a few other titles are washed-out, again. Play with the settings... and get barely any improvement. Even with "game mode" on. The worst is with Blu-Ray's... while on my old set they looked fantastic: colors, background, people, etc. were crisp, lifelike. It was like looking through a window. But on the E550 it looks "low-end DVD quality"... dull, (the overall picture and colors). Still clear but "washed out". While also being extremely grainy, (even on new films), lifeless- people look "orange-y" again, and that "pastel" look and "pixelization" around things continues. I play with all my settings, again, on both my PS3 and new set. And, again, little to no improvement.
I call Best Buy on Monday hoping I could just get my LN40A550 back but was told it was already sent away.
*Sigh*... I'm going nuts here. Or am I "just nuts"?!! lol!!
Has Samsung changed panels, or the quality of their panels in the years since my original set?? Can anyone suggest a different model LCD or manufacturer whom produces a set that'll bring me "back to the glory days" (sorta speak) of my LN40A550?? Helk, I would even consider a monitor (w/ an HDMI input).
I should state that I am stuck with the selection(s) at Best Buy. Any help, comments, or suggestions would certainly be GREATLY appreciated!! This back-and-forth search is costing me both financially and with stress. I'm worried that I may be "blocked" exchanging too many times... while it's costing me in gas as my closest Best Buy is 40+ minutes away. While the time and effort it takes to set-up, then de-assemble, re-package, load, and un-load these sets is taking its toll... lol!!
Thank you so much, folks.
NOTE: As with being restricted to Best Buy's selection, I should also note my price range is $1,000 or under and I'm not picky on screen-size.
Edited by RyanLec84 - 3/5/13 at 9:06pm
When recently I started having issues with a new display purchase, I knew just where to turn... to all the fine folks here at AVS that seriously know their stuff!!
With that being said, here's my recent bind:
In March 2008 I sold my 32" Vizio and purchased a Samsung LN40A550- (1080p LCD @ 60Hz). Was quite the upgrade, at the time. I instantly fell in love with my new display. Gaming on my 360 & PS3 looked brilliant, and Blu-Ray's were lifelike. To my eyes, after a ton of research... Samsung had the best display(s).
I had purchased my set at Best Buy.. and, on a whim, also purchased their "Black Tie" protection plan... which turned-out to be a smart move.
A year or two in I had some screen "artifacts/dead/stuck pixels" which, with my plan, Best Buy sent out someone to my home to quickly service- putting in a brand-new panel and main board. After that, was trouble-free with my set for a few more (awesome) years, until this February. I was getting a flicker that came and went on the screen. Luckily, I was still within my plan. Best Buy sent someone out whom confirmed it was a backlight issue and ordered some parts. Two days later I get a voicemail from Best Buy customer service that because my service plan was almost up- (March 9th)- that instead of waiting for parts to come in, hoping to fix the issue, and have my plan expire within that time... decided to offer me a $500 credit for my set towards a purchase of a new one. Which, I thought was really cool of them. But, honestly, I really liked my LN40A550. They didn't give me a choice... it was a "take it or leave it" kinda deal. Best Buy explained that the credit for a new set would full-fill my 4-year protection plan.
So last Saturday I bring my beloved LN40A550 Sammy into my local Best Buy. After looking at their wall(s) of displays, decided to go Samsung, again, and purchased a UN46EH6000- (1080p LED @ 120Hz). I get that sucker home and I set it all up, super excited!! I'm blown away by the picture... the colors are popping, the picture is bright, lifelike & smooth. But then, the problems start... after gazing in amazement at my new toy for a couple hours, I start-up my PS3. (I should mention that I have my 360 & PS3 connected via HDMI and I play my Blu-Ray's through the PS3). And I notice that, while all the games (pictures) look fantastic, having the PS3 going out at 60Hz on my 120Hz set produced enough "clipping" and "blury-ness" when I panned, that it was driving me absolutely nuts. I tried playing with every setting I could think of... on the PS3 and the Sammy. Nothing would help. The next issue that "sealed the deal" to return this set, for me... was when I popped in Resistance 3 in the PS3. While the style of that game has always been a "depressing" brown & gray... my LN40A550 handled it extremely well... the game looked clean & clear. While, on the new Sammy, it was extremely washed-out to the point of frustration. Like looking at a dark PS2 game on an HD set through composite cables. I couldn't take it. Being that I use my display(s) for 90% gaming, I returned Sunday to Best Buy to exchange.
So, I chose a different display... the Sammy LN40E550. Which, I guess I'm safe to assume, is the successor to my ol' LN40A550. Same as that set- 1080p LCD @ 60Hz. I figured... "ok, now we're good". Get back, set her up... *sigh*... first off, there's a decent size "cloud" on the lower left-hand corner. As well, skin tones are orange and the picture has this sort-of "pastel" type texture to it...(anyone know what I mean be that??? lol!!). And finally, notice sometimes, around moving people and items, that when they start to move on-screen, there's some slight "pixelization" around them/it. I play with the settings and am only able to get the skin-tone issue slightly better... while some folks on-screen have a decent/more legit color-tone, at the same-time, another person is still "orange-y". Sometimes still completely "oranged-out". I move onto gaming... I'm thrilled that the clipping is gone. But the picture seems "softer" then on my LN40A550. And, Resistance 3, and a few other titles are washed-out, again. Play with the settings... and get barely any improvement. Even with "game mode" on. The worst is with Blu-Ray's... while on my old set they looked fantastic: colors, background, people, etc. were crisp, lifelike. It was like looking through a window. But on the E550 it looks "low-end DVD quality"... dull, (the overall picture and colors). Still clear but "washed out". While also being extremely grainy, (even on new films), lifeless- people look "orange-y" again, and that "pastel" look and "pixelization" around things continues. I play with all my settings, again, on both my PS3 and new set. And, again, little to no improvement.
I call Best Buy on Monday hoping I could just get my LN40A550 back but was told it was already sent away.
*Sigh*... I'm going nuts here. Or am I "just nuts"?!! lol!!
Has Samsung changed panels, or the quality of their panels in the years since my original set?? Can anyone suggest a different model LCD or manufacturer whom produces a set that'll bring me "back to the glory days" (sorta speak) of my LN40A550?? Helk, I would even consider a monitor (w/ an HDMI input).
I should state that I am stuck with the selection(s) at Best Buy. Any help, comments, or suggestions would certainly be GREATLY appreciated!! This back-and-forth search is costing me both financially and with stress. I'm worried that I may be "blocked" exchanging too many times... while it's costing me in gas as my closest Best Buy is 40+ minutes away. While the time and effort it takes to set-up, then de-assemble, re-package, load, and un-load these sets is taking its toll... lol!!
Thank you so much, folks.
NOTE: As with being restricted to Best Buy's selection, I should also note my price range is $1,000 or under and I'm not picky on screen-size.
Edited by RyanLec84 - 3/5/13 at 9:06pm
