Samsung xx34, xx44, xx54, xx64 Series Plasma Thread

I agree. Love my 5054.

I put this in another thread but why waste it.

Differences between the new T**54 and older 4253 and 4273:

Looks like the MSRP of the T4254 is 2299.

Right now about 100 more than the 4273 and 200 more than the 4253.

Warranty back to 1 year, 4273 is 2 years.

T4254 has 18-bit processing, previous models were 13-bit.

T4254 has 15,000 contrast ratio, previous models were 10,000.

I do not see a cable card on the T4254.

In addition to the 2 HDMI ports on the back of all the models, the T4254 adds a third one to the side panel.

An extra zoom mode called "Just Scan".

From the manual:

16:9 :Sets the picture to 16:9 wide mode.
Zoom1 :Magnifies the size of the picture on the screen.
Zoom2 :Expands the Zoom1 format picture.
Wide Fit :Enlarges the aspect ratio of the picture to fit the entire screen.
4:3 :Sets the picture to 4:3 normal mode.
Just Scan :Use this function to see the full image without any cutoff when DTV
or HDMI 720p/1080i signals are input.
be set.

In TV,,VIDEO,S-VIDEO,and COMPONENT(480i,480p)modes,all screen
modes can be selected.(16:9 ➞ Zoom1 ➞ Zoom2 ➞ 4:3)
In COMPONENT((720p,1080i)or HDMI(720p,1080i)mode,16:9,4:3 and
Wide Fit can be selected.
In Zoom1,,Zoom2 and Wide Fit modes,you can move the picture on the
screen by pressing the ▲ or ▼ button..
You can not change the picture size when PIP is set to Double.
When Double ((,)mode has been set in PIP,the Picture Size cannot
Wide Fit can be used when watching a Digital HD ((High Definition)signal.
Wide Fit sets the optimum picture format by expanding it both horizontally and
vertically.For example,you can reset the picture in 4:3 format to 16:9.Wide Fit
does not support all external devices (DVD,VCR etc.).
Size T V
16:9
Zoom1 Zoom2
▲ More
Color Tone :Cool1 Detailed Settings Digital NR :Auto Active Color :On Picture T V
Enter Move

Still doesn't look like there is a way to zoom sub 720p signals without cropping. I think the Panny's can do this.

Looks like there are a lot more picture settings.

From the T4273 manual:

Black Adjust:Off/Low/Medium/High
You can directly select the black level on the screen to adjust the screen depth.
Dynamic Contrast:Off/Low/Medium/High
You can adjust the screen contrast so that the optimal contrast is provided.
Gamma:-3 ~3
You can adjust the middle brightness of pictures.
Press the ◄ or ► button until you reach the optimal setting..
Color Space:Auto/Wide
Color space is a color matrix composed of red,green,and blue colors.Select your
favorite color space and experience the most natural color.
You can set the color reproduction space for the input signal to Auto or Wide .
White Balance:R-Offset/G-Offset/B-Offset/R-Gain/G-Gain/B-Gain/Reset
You can adjust the color temperature for more natural picture colors.
R-Offset/G-Offset/B-Offset/R-Gain/G-Gain/B-Gain:Changing the adjustment
value will refresh the adjusted screen.Select the desired option by pressing the
▲ or ▼ button,,then press the ENTER button.Press the ◄ or ► button until you
reach the optimal setting.
Reset:The previously adjusted white balance will be reset to the factory defaults.
My Color Control:Pink/Green/Blue/White/Reset
This setting can be adjusted to suit your personal preferences.
Pink/Green/Blue/White:Select the desired color by pressing the ▲ or ▼ button,,
then press the ENTER button.Press the ◄ or ► button until you reach the optimal
setting.➢
When using the My Color Control Feature,the current picture remains in
movement.Reset:
The previously adjusted colors will be reset to the factory defaults.
Edge Enhancement:Off/On
You can emphasize object boundaries.

I don't see any of the above settings in the previous models.

That's all for now.

I'm anticipating the 64 series, cause I really need that USB port!

(and can we make this the official thread, cause there are way too many sammy threads on the new plasmas!)

Just wanted to mention that the 4254 also has these same picture controls.

The 4254 is one of three (3) 42" plasma's I have narrowed my choice down to. How is the SD on the Sammy?

Still plenty of SDTV in my Middle Tennessee world.

Thanks!

Crow

SD is surprisingly tolerable on this set. Much better display of SD programming than other HDTVs I've seen.

I can't wait until someone with the expertise gets their hands on a T5054 and calibrates it. It has so many individual parameters to calibrate I just don't know what to do with them all.

I too have noticed that the SD channels look better on this set than on the 5053 I had (exchanged it for the T5054) and also better than the Vizio VP42 I had. The picture really is awesome, from what I've read though about Plasma's needing to be calibrated to make to them get more acurate colors I imagine when some new settings are posted the picture is going to be just unbelievable.

I also can't wait for someone to post some settings....theres just too many adjustments to mess with, so for now I have just played with the main ones..nothing too detailed yet...

I wish the Panny 77U was in the stores so I could compare the anti-reflective properties of both. By the way, isn't it strange that Panasonic terms the coating on the 77U as antiglare, and the coating on the 700U as anti-reflective when the 77U's coating is apparently less reflective?

Oxfordblue, did you mess with the picture adjustments on the Pioneer? some folks here said that the Pio looks the way it does in the stores because of the factory default color temperature it's set to.

Going back to the Samsung, I really like the idea of having all those color controls, along with a reset. Foolproofing for fools like me

Aside from the anti-glare coating and price, what are the differences between the 54 and 64 series? Thanks.

I don't understand why they have to have that little difference there. The 54 has a USB port as well, but only usable for firmware upgrade. I wish they'd upgrade the firmware in the 54 to allow that USB port to be used for pictures and stuff.

If Samsung intended to drive customers to the 64 series by making the 54 series bezel less attractive, they didn't succeed

buuummpp... people still creating new threads on these sets, gets kind of annoying.

Plus I wanna hear some calibrated settings!

It would help if when you do a search for a specific TV model if the threads that actually list that model in thread title would come up first.

I posted a thread when I could find no specific threads on this model doing a search. Even after I posted my thread it didn't show up in the top 20 list produced in a search. When I posted my thread, there was apparently already another thread...about 10 days older...already posted with the EXACT same title, yet neither thread came up in a search. Really lame search engine here.

Just got my new 4254. I noticed that screen burn is now "a thing of the past" according to Samsung's new pixel shift, but if that is true why do they scare the hell out of you in the manual about it??

OK... it's my first plasma, should I just leave the TV on Dicovery HD (what people tell me is the "break-in" channel). I mean, should I just let it stay on? I hate to do that, but it would expedite things.

I have been running mine on Discovery HD at "conservative" settings....although even with the contrast and brightness below 50 out of 100, this thing is still much much brighter than Samsung's plasma from last year.

I wonder, do people have to trade in their digi camera before they can buy
a new 54 Sammy? Or is Samsung forcing them to sign a "show no pics" paper before you can buy?

A dozen of new owners here but still no pics of the damn thing...


Here we go again, for the tenth time

It does look a little different. The LCD bezel is by far the most attractive I have seen, but then again it still looks better than most.

Is there any advantage or disadvantage going directly into the TV with the cable or through the cable box? I understand that the box "unscables" but let's just assume... all things being equal... do you lose PQ throught the box and or gain it through a direct connect?

I think the pictures straight off the cable look better than the ones through the box to the TV. The SD channels definitely look better straight through the cable. But, I have a duel tuner DVR, so I still use the box anyway. If all your channels come through the TV direct from cable, and you aren't using a DVR, well I say forget the box....although, you can use the box AND the direct cable. Run video and audio out from the box into one input on your TV, and then use a splitter and run a straight cable into your TV, then when you use PIP you can have two different TV channels since the Samsung doesn't have two tuners.

The Motorola cable box does a very poor job processing a good cable signal. When compared next to a cable card you will see a massive difference in PQ