Pros & Cons On Samsung 3096whf (1 Viewer)

[Bill Will]

Friend was looking at this at Best Buy. Need any help you can give me on it. I know it will need an HDTV BOX to get off air HDTV. Can this set get HDTV from a SAT. BOX without an over the air HDTV BOX? Also What else would you suggest in the $1000 to $1,200 price range & he doesn't want any RPTV's. To me this set seemed on the small side for his main tv & my thinking was to buy an inexpensive 36 inch analog sets until the HDTV sets come down in price & the tuners are built in & all the inputs & etc are finalized. Any of your thoughts on this guys would be great. Thanks.

 

[Bill Will]

Just a bunch of looks? Can't anyone give me some advice on the Samsung?

 

[Lew Crippen]

Patience Grasshopper.

Your friend will need some kind of external HD Set Top Box (STB) to get HD. All of the DirectTV STB’s will also decode external OTA signals, so he won’t need both. If he has cable, many of the cable STB won’t decode OTA signals, but some will. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe that all of the Dish STBs will decode OTA (for sure most do).

Finally there are some OTA STBs available.

It may be just me, but I’d not wait for built in tuners. A reasonable strategy is to get the set and make your own price-point decision on STB at the time that seems correct.

Right now STBs run from under $450 for models recently discontinued (e.g. Hughes E86) and can be found occasionally for less up to close to $700-$800 for the latest and greatest (full retail price—probably can be found for less).

As with everything, the price keeps dropping and new models with new features keep being introduced—with the price going back up. It is sort of like the computer racket. Whenever you buy, you could have got a better deal later. You just have to suck it up and buy.

I own this set and it has a very fine picture—perhaps not quite so good as my Sony, but its hard to beat for the price.

 

[TimTurtino]

A good buddy of me got this, had a PQ problem with it, returned it, the new set had another (different) problem, returned that, and upgraded to a Toshiba. He's been happy ever since (although now we're in a great DVD player debacle).

He's _awfully_ picky, so YMMV,

Me

 

[Bill Will]

Thanks guys any thought on the size of the set as the main tv?

 

[Lew Crippen]

That’s really a function of distance.

Many on this forum would not consider it nearly big enough. As my main set is only a 34” widescreen, I differ from the majority. But so long as you don’t sit too far away, it should be fine. YMMV!

 

[Moe Dickstein]

I'm looking to get one of these as well

One thing i am concerned with is progressive modes.

my roommate has a 65" WS HDTV Mits, and when in component, you are locked into full mode, which means that TV shows on disc are either stretched out progressive or proper ratio yet crappy in comparison interlace.

i refuse to watch things "stretched" bars on the side are *vastly* preferable to a distorted image!!

but does this tv force you into full mode on progressive/component? or can i select an appropriate mode (windowboxing)

help appreciated, i have a few weeks left til i get this, but im not so sure i will if it does force full mode...

 

[Jack Briggs]

Why are the Samsung direct-view sets so cheap? I posted about another model, a 4:3 32-inch HD-capable set which I noticed is selling for only $899 at a very well-known retailer. Not that I plan to get it, but why is it so cheap? Have there been reliability issues with Samsung's direct-view displays?

Your answers mean I can go ahead and close my other post (which has received zero responses).

 

[TimG]

I don't think Samsung sets have any more problems then others. They(Samsung) are pushing hard to get into the HDTV market, and to raise their name out of the "cheap electronics" catagory. We looked at them before we bought our latest tv, a Sony HS500. The only reason we didn't get the Samsung was the lack of DVI, and fewer inputs. At the time I believe the Samsung was $1100, so it was only $200 dollars cheaper than the Sony, not enough difference to not go with the Sony. Plus I hear the new Samsungs are coming out in the next few weeks, so the prices on last years model will likely drop even further.

TimG

 

[Bill Will]

I did read an article a few years ago that Samsung was the 10th largest maker of tv sets in the world & that by the year 2005 they wanted to be the 5th largest so that maybe one of the reasons their keeping their prices down just to gain market share. I also read a few years ago that they had built an auto plant with the help of Mitsubishi, I think?, but I don't know whatever happened to that? Maybe their just not importing cars to the USA or they sold it? They probably were going after Daewoo's auto business to start with. They also make a lot of Heavy-Duty Construction equipment so I think cars would be a natural for them. Maybe that's why Daewoo decided to get into the USA with cars before Samsung beat them to it?

 

[Donnie Eldridge]

I can chime in here because I just received mine from THAT well know retailer(Onecall). From the time I order it, I received the set four days later via Fed Ex Freight. Initially I was concerned how it would arrive being shipped via truck. Low and behold it arrived to my relieve on a pallet. The set is much lighter that I though weighing in at just over 100lbs.

My setup:
B&K Ref 50
Parasound 855
Panasonic RP-91
Malata N-966
Atlantic Technology 270THX

Both dvd players are being fed through the Ref 50 via component video.

The default settings of the Samsung are down right awful(serious red push). I immediately went into the service menu to dial it out. From there I tuned the set with Avia. Geometry was perfect and overscan was well within limits.

With both players set to output in progressive mode the Samsung locks in full mode. This is fine for me since the RP-91 and N-996 both scale the images. 2.35.1 maintains its correct aspect ratio with black bars on the top and bottom of the screen. A 4:3 also maintains its correct image size being centered on the screen with black bars on the left and right sides.

For demo's I tried Episode II, Monsters, Inc., and Desperado Superbit. Colors are vivid and flesh tones look very natural. Black levels are grant and shadow detail revealed subtleties that I hadn't noticed before.

For the money the set is a fantastic value. This is one TV which can't be judged on a showroom floor. If you couldn't access the service menu to dial out the red push I would pass on the set. However, with access to Avia and the service menu you'll wind up with not only a great image, but a whole lot of extra money in your pocket.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Actually, Onecall wasn't the vendor where I noticed the low-priced Samsung.

 

[Bill Geiger]

Well, I was looking at this TV before I ended up getting a 55inch. The TV was great, until I changed channels. There was always a delay and some sort of interference that would show on the screen. Reminded me, if watching a VHS tape (what's that?) and the tracking was off and there was distortion in the middle of the screen (this lasted about about a half a second on this TV) and then would disappear. I have heard horror stories from others, but some might find a gem in some of them. YMMV.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

so knowing this id say the best idea is wait til the new models come out to take advantage of a price drop, then find out how to access the service menu, then make sure the DVD player I get does scaling... does anyone know if the Sony 715 progressive that is out now does this? as long as the player will, then the tv obviously isnt an issue...