HDTV Reviews and Digest
Samsung PN50C6500 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV (Black)
- Mega Dynamic Contrast
- E3-panel single filter design
- Exceeds ENERGY STAR Standards
- Game Mode
- Clear Image Panel
Get a true cinematic experience without going to the cinema with a Samsung plasma HDTV. This Samsung PN50C6500, with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio makes sure every frame is saturated with dense, rich color. Samsung is also ENERGY STAR compliant so you are assured that your 50 -inch plasma HDTV is helping the environment by using less enery while saving you money.
List Price: $ 1,599.99
Price:
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For the price, a definite steal!,
I purchased this TV after many months of research to replace a 7 year old 17″ LCD TV for my bedroom. I have an extensive movie collection and I had nowhere else I could watch my blu-rays except for the TV in my Dad’s man cave. I got sick of my Dad kicking me out all the time, so I decided to invest in a television that will last at least a few years. I chose this model because I wanted a plasma for the size/price ratio, and the superior picture quality. I also considered the Panasonic G20/25, LG PK950, and the Samsung C7000. Panasonic’s response to their rising black levels, plus the floating blacks really crossed that off my list quickly. I was pretty much set on the PK950, but when I researched the price it happened to be on sale. Well, when I was ready to purchase the price jumped up $200 and did not decrease in the few weeks I waited. So, I jumped on a good price on this model. I saw the C7000 in store and was not all that impressed by the black level, but I had read that C6500 was supposed to be a bit better because it is not 3D. Since I plan on purchasing an additional television in a few years, I decided to wait on a 3D model until more content becomes available/affordable.
Delivery: I ordered my TV from Amazon on Saturday, June 26th and scheduled delivery during checkout for Tuesday, July 6th. My TV shipped on the 27th, so I was hoping it might arrive early since it was only coming from about 5 hours away. Since I never received a call, I expected the TV to come during the window I scheduled. My scheduled time came and went, and nothing. Frustrated, I called Pilot, the delivery service. The customer representative told me my package was still at its origin and was not scheduled to arrive in my state until the next day! So, basically I was told Pilot held my package for a week. I was not happy, but I was told I should be called the next day to schedule delivery. Well, the next day I still had not received a call. Finally at 6 o’clock I called Pilot again. This representative was considerably nicer, and connected me to the courier responsible for the delivery. Turns out they lost my paperwork, but the woman I talked to was very nice and apologetic and said my package would arrive the next day and I would be called an hour in advance. The next morning I was getting everything ready hoping my package would actually arrive when I received a call from a local courier, not Pilot, saying they did not read the note to call an hour ahead and were actually outside my house asking if they could deliver the TV then. Two men came in, assembled the TV on its stand, placed it where I wanted it and plugged it in before asking for a signature. A great experience once they arrived, but don’t think your scheduled delivery time is absolute. If you haven’t heard anything the day before your appointment, make sure you call the carrier before you take any time off of work.
Aesthetically, the c6500 is a beautiful set. Nice and slim, with an all black flat border and a bit of clear plastic that extends over the side. The base is black and matches the television. It is almost as impressive off as it is on.
Buzz: I walked out of my bedroom when the delivery guys left, and when I walked back in I heard a strange buzzing sound. My house was completely silent so it was definitely noticeable, and when I heard it I realized it was the infamous Samsung buzz. The first few days it was a little distracting, but I got over it very quickly. Now I only notice it when I am dead center and the volume is either low or I am at a silent part of a movie. Not a deal breaker for me, but I can see why it would be to some people.
Image Retention: My 7 year old LCD has big image retention issues, oddly enough. With that TV, the whole image would stay on the screen for quite a while before it would go away, colors and all. With the Samsung, it’s more of a shadow of the image. Menus and text are the most susceptible if they appear for longer than twenty seconds. I do not think this is a problem as it fades so quickly, and there is a scrolling pattern that can be activated to clear off anything that is particularly persistent.
Reflections: This TV does fairly well with reflections. I have a window opposite the TV with a blind in it that does not fit, so light comes through around the frame. It stills shows up on the screen, but I can easily ignore it and it does not detract from the image. If you’ve had a CRT or any TV with a glass front, you should know what to expect. If you have large windows opposite the screen, you may want to consider a matte screen LCD.
Picture Quality: I have watched a variety of content on this TV and overall I am very pleased. I admit I am very picky and critical when it comes to a good picture. The color accuracy is very good. When I watch blu-rays I am amazed at just how crisp the picture is. The TV in my Dad’s man cave is a rear projection…
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|Why get an LCD panel?,
I was struggling between this TV and the G25. The Panasonic did have warmer colors and performed better with motion however, I could not stand the grain. Returned it eventually and got this Samsung. I am MUCH happier with it. I would recommend the Panasonic only if you have a very dark room (even during the day) and plan on only watching movies but for overall, everyday use I would go with the Samsung. Even though the Panasonic had better anti-reflective screen
- Great PQ, less grain
- Much more refined user-friendly interface and bezel
- Super thin
- Surprisingly better sound than the Panny
- Colors ‘popped’ out more like LCD, G25 definitely has more realistic colors (esp. during dark room viewing)
- Great response rate with gaming – Plasma is the way to go if you’re a game
- BUZZ – my first C6500 was terrible, it sounded like there was a beehive in the back of my TV, switched it out and got a July 2010 build ^^ and am happy to report that it’s SUPER faint; only noticeable when you put your ear up to the screen. So if you’re super paranoid about it, try to request the latest build.
- No rising blacks
- Does get warm but that’s expected with all plasmas
- Does not deal as well as the Panasonic with fast motion/panning
- IR was there with the first one I got, but with the July 2010 build it is virtually nonexistent. And even if you do get one with IR it goes away after a minute
- Better SD performance
If you are looking for a reference plasma in your TV for your home theater, look elsewhere (G25). If you need an all-around plasma TV that has great daytime performance, less grain and great colors go with the Samsung
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|Excellent 2D Television Value,
This TV delivers awesome value to those who are not interested in 3D. I did not have any retailer nearby that carried this model (retail stores prefer the pricier 3D models), so I bought it from Amazon on blind faith. Turned out to be a great decision!
Pros: The picture quality of this TV is amazing. Blacks are black, colors are vibrant and motion is smooth. The biggest thing I noticed compared to my smaller 1080p Samsung LCD is that shiny objects actually look glossy on this tv. Blacks seem to be pretty deep to me, certainly a step up from any LCD or LED I have seen. The picture quality is also a step us from the thicker Samsung PN50C550 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV (Black) I was able to see in stores. That model has a nasty habit of having random background fuzziness that both this TV and the higher end Samsung plasma models don’t seem to have. If you are considering between the two like I was, get this one instead.
The Movie setting is very nice, and there are tons of calibration options if you want to really get the picture how you prefer it. Samsung should be proud to put their name on this TV.
One good thing about this TV is that is does not suffer from the “soap opera effect.” In fact, turning that effect on is not even an option!
The built in tuner is good. The TV picked up my local channels and HD sports look amazing. SD programming looks pretty good compared to my old LCD, but I personally watch less and less SD stuff nowadays. I hooked up my HTPC and the TV has a perfect 1:1 pixel mapping, which means no overscan.
This TV is super slim (like their LED series) and very ascetically pleasing. I actually prefer the glossy traditional Samsung look over the matte black and brushed metal of the 7000 series plasma I saw in the store locally. There is no buzz, or at least none that I can hear. My wife plays music for a living so she has good ears and she never complains. Mine was made in June, which must be when they got it figured out.
Image retention started off pretty bad but got ok within a week and ever since then IR has barely been a factor. I have my Xbox hooked up to the TV, and gaming is great with no ghosting or blur.
Cons: Unlike what the description above states, the TV does not have the Cinema Smooth feature unless you are willing to hack into its service menu and force it to think it is the 8000 model. I personally don’t want to void my warranty, so I left that alone. If you read online you find that Cinema Smooth raises the black level anyway and is probably not a wanted feature. Go outside of Samsung if you want 24p.
The service manual warns about not watching too much 4:3 content (I assume to avoid black vertical bar burn in) and even though I haven’t had any problems if your DVD collection is all pre-2000′s SD TV then maybe consider something that’s not a plasma.
The only picture quality downside is that it is not as sharp as some TVs I have seen; the image doesn’t “pop out” as much as the highest end models do. But overall the amazing blacks, colors, and lack of motion blur means it easily bests any LCD near it in price.
If you have a bright room this TV might not be the best because the screen isn’t as bright as some LCDs, but that brightness (unless you pay $2000+ for a LED with local dimming) also means washed out colors so consider some curtains and enjoy the show!
The last downside is that the stand is weak, but the TV comes with a way to attach it to a nearby wall for support.
Overall I think this TV provides great value for those who don’t care about 3D, and should be considered over the 2009 plasma models that are thicker but barely less in price. Amazon seems to be the only place to get it, and for that I thank them!
Other Comments: The delivery was easy. I called Pilot a day after Amazon confirmed it shipped, and they scheduled a delivery time for me a whole week ahead of the indicated delivery date. The delivery man helped me set it up and hook up my Blu Ray player to make sure it worked. Don’t be scared buying online, it was really a nice experience. Time to go watch a movie!
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