Samsung HLP5063W 50-Inch Widescreen HD-Ready DLP Television
By: Samsung Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 17
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 On: 2008-02-29
While I like the picture, sound and features, within 1 year the TV ceased to work. The warranty repair involved replacing nearly everything, and took nearly 2 weeks. I wasnt particularly happy dealing with Samsung service. Although I ultimately got a functioning TV back, I still deal with intermittent problems getting the TV to start. This is accompanied by apparently diagnostic sequences of flashing lights on the front. Unfortunately, the Samsung web site is not helpful decoding those lights, and Im not interested in talking with their unpleasant support folks. I just wait for the day the thing refuses to start, at which point Ill be done with my Samsung experiment. Not recommended.
 On: 2007-04-03
I bought this TV two years ago to the month and have had no problems with it at all, still has the original bulb. My CC warranty is up in two weeks and im wondering whether to renew it or just buy a new bulb online and replace myself. The picture has been great for the past 24 months. I dont have the TV in a entertainment center so it doesnt have a chance to heat up, it just sit out in the open so it cools off nicely.
 On: 2007-03-30
Consumers should be aware of serious design flaws which exist in Samsung DLP televisions. Cooling fans and color wheels are highly susceptible to failing. (As a non-techniocal person I should have no idea what these parts are, but alas, I bought a Samsung DLP) Expect these to fail within 1-2 years. Expect to pay approx $400 to replace the color wheel and $200 to replace the colling fan. That is, if your service technician can find them in stock anywhere. These parts are commonly in a national backorder because of the very high failure rates.
You should also expect the lamp to fail sooner than advertized. Many people need to purchase a new lamp between 1-2 years, and some more often than that. The lamp costs approx $150-$250 depending on your model, but you should be able to replace it yourself without too much difficulty. This cost will be in addition to replacement costs for the color wheel and colling fan. Please remember that these maintenance costs are recurring, and you will have to fix them again in another 1-2 years.
While I was very satisfied with the quality and performance of my DLP, my color wheel failed very early. I called tech support to report a grinding noise, and was told to "turn it off", wait 15 minutes, and turn it back on like this would fix the problem. After doing this for a while, the color wheel finally failed, actually shattered! Now I am out of warranty, and Samsung wants nothing to do with me. I have even tried ordering the part myself from two different online vendors, and they are both backordered indefinitely! It has been 6 weeks and they have no estimate for when this part will be available. Samsung cannot even give me an estimate when the supply of replacement parts is expected to meet demand. I have had my TV for 18 months, and apparently there is a national epidemic of them breaking at the same time!
I have a 42" Samsung Plasma which is a beautiful set along with a 26" CRT. Both are wonderful products, but Samsung is selling DLP LEMONS and will not stand behind them. DLP is a great bargain up front, but a maintenance NIGHTMARE! You will pay in the long run, and by the long run I mean every 2 years. If you still want to purchase a DLP television, PLEASE BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY! IT WILL SAVE YOU A TON, BUT YOU WILL STILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CIRCUIT CITY TECH TO FIND PARTS WHICH MAY TAKE MONTHS!
I expect Samsung to abandon their design flaw riddled DLP sector, and focus on their beautiful plasma line. Expect DLP prices to drop even further, but please...LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP!
On: 2007-03-25
so i got this dlp tv about 3 months ago and right away i noticed there are marks from the inside. then i get lines that last for a few hours at a time, in less time between as time went on, and just now the lamp exploded, scared the hell out of me!!! now i get to wait for a replacement lamp from samsung... not looking forward to going through all the bs involved with this, a big mistake buying a samsung dlp. thats what i get for thinking i was getting a good deal. i guess the 1 year warranty is a good thing, but i definitely dont trust it now, it nearly caused a fire!!!
On: 2006-05-31
From the moment i opened the box it was trouble, the screen had marks on it, then motherboard needed to be replaced and then another picture problem occurred finally Samsung gave up and replaced it. Dealing with Samsung customer service is probably the worst in the business, i have had a better experience at the DMV (no joke). After over 30 calls to Samsung, being constantly lied to and them never calling me back they finally replaced the TV, however this took over 2 months. A year later the color wheel broke and now i am in Samsung hell, with the customer service department. Its now been a month and they still havent managed to call me back, for my sanity I have now given up and decided to pay for the repairs for myself. Dont buy Samsung, the products are unreliable and the after market service is diabolical.
On: 2005-06-28
Bought this tv as an open box at Best Buy for $1,799.00, used the Rewards Zone to get points and got $60 in gift certificates, was able to finance for 18 months no interest. The only thing missing was the manual and I emailed Samsung and they emailed it to me 2 days later!! (now I see that another version is available here in Amazon) What a response talk about service!!
The tv is plain awesome, highly recommend it, great product!
 On: 2005-06-27
Bought this TV after read many super good reviews here. It took me 2 weeks to figure out that one of the AV inputs is not working: the picture can sudenly dissappear, I have to power off and on the TV set to get view back. Called Samsung and will schedule a in-home service. I think everything else seems working ok.
On: 2005-04-19
While I rarely take the time to review products, the support that I received on my Samsung HLP5063W is forcing me to do so. I was disappointed to have a problem with the bulb/ballast of my new DLP TV (first 4 months), but these things happen. I called Samsung Support and told them of the situation. They appologized and had someone to my doorstep in 2 days. I recieved a call from their support team 5 minutes after the repair technicial left my house to ensure my satisfaction and another call 1 week later, to make sure all was still ok.
This is a company that wants to take care of thier customers and one that I would absolutely buy from again. It doesnt hurt that the picture is just awesome!
Buy woth confidence in this company.
On: 2005-04-15
Had this TV for about a month. The initial setup and hooking up additional components was a breeze. Picture and sound quality are great. Worth every penny!
On: 2005-03-30
I have had the Samsung 50" DLP for about 2 weeks now. I was initally worried about reliability and performance after reading many online reviews. No problems so far - I am very happy with the TV - the images are absolutely stunning. Great picture!
To correct an earlier reviewer, the lamp is covered by the one year Samsung warranty (but I still bought the service plan from my retailer).
On: 2005-03-25
Bought this TV a month ago and the picture is just awesome when connected to a HD-841 DVD player (HDTV Samsumg DVD player) which I got free too from best buy for buying TV online. Sound is great too. It just feels like watching in a new theater.
Couple of times I saw the entire picture turning red when the TV was turned on. But if I swith it off and turn back on, it will was ok. Dont know if it is a defect in either case dont really need to worry since I bought the 4-yr extended warranty from best buy.
On: 2005-03-10
Not only is this set a great deal for the money, it has a great picture. The HD is very good, however, some of the other tvs will have a more "crystal" picture. The televisions many inputs are a plus and viewing a PC on it is very nice. As to the review mentioning a video game problem, I have played XBOX in true HDTV with no problem. Again, this set is a steal and is very versatile in the fact that it can work in multiple rooms such as a bedroom, living room, or even the main piece of a home theather. DLP is really the best new form of watching out there. There is no burn in because of the DLP and that is always a plus because you will really never have to change the picture tube!
 On: 2005-01-20
This TV is a superb value. The picture is outstanding. The one bad thing is that there is a video delay that is visible while playing PS2 games. The delay makes some games unplayable.
On: 2005-01-14
Ive had one of these for a month and I think the picture is great and the built in sound is very good. You will be very happy with that part if you buy one of these. Ive had a couple of problems with it and researching on the internet reveals they are very common problems. Video and audio are sometimes out of sync, especially if you are using component connections from a peripheral device, like a DVD player. Using S-Video and RCA audio connectors can get you around the problem. Sometimes the set turns itself off, especially when cold. Ive heard the bulb can burn out very quickly, so its advisable to get an extended warranty to cover the cost of the bulbs - $300. Im still giving this four stars because the picture (from satellite HD and off-air HD) is fabulous.
On: 2004-12-15
I dont know all the technical stuff about televisions, but Ive had one of these for about a year now and I love it. Im still amazed about how beautiful the picture is. I was watching CITY OF GOD a few days ago and i honestly thought to myself "This t.v. is bad ass." Black & White movies also look great.
Buy one yourself and you wont be disappointed.
On: 2004-11-19
If are thinking of upgrading to HDTV, this will be a real treat. Watching an HD broadcast through a screen this big and bright is like watching something through a window instead of on tv. After watching HD on this tv for a while, youll think that watching a regular old broadcast is like watching something through a cloud.
I did quite a bit of research on the web and in stores and this tv is what I settled on. I have not regretted that choice for a moment. You wont either. (The runner up was one of the Sony LCD projection tvs, which looks fantastic too. The web research indicated that LCD projection may loose definition over time - not sure whether that is truly the case or not. Im sure Id be happy with the Sony too, it actually looked a little bit sharper to me side-by side).
A few caveats: (1) dont even think of buying an HD tv and not spending the money to upgrade your cable or satellite to an HD feed - thats like buying a Ferrari and driving it without any air in the tires; (2) realize that the number of HD channels and shows is still limited now - if you want the most HD content, look into the alternative satellite service - VOOM; (3) you may have read about the "rainbow effect" on DLP tvs like this one - I can definitely see it and I dont have super-human lizard eyes- try looking at the screen in a showroom when there is a combination of something very dark and very light on the screen at the same time and quickly averting your eyes, youll see it. This doesnt bother me, but I can see it. Make sure it wont bother you. If it does, go with the Sony; (4) make sure you realize that the "HLP" Samsungs are a generation newer and better than the "HLNs". Dont make the mistake of buying an older set at your local store that seems to have that incredible low price without checking to make sure that its the HLP. On the other hand, the Samsung DLPs on the new, funky stands are a generation newer (and better) than the HLPs. If you like the look of the stand, have a place to put all of your associated equipment - cable or satellite box, dvd player, receiver, etc, and dont mind paying the extra money, go for the new one; (5) ignore the bs from the salesman about buying a monster cable for your all digital connections - digital is digital and, besides, by the time you add that new high def satellite receiver (if you do), the progressive-scan or up-converting dvd player, the new stand since your old entertainment center wont hold this thing, and a good power conditioner/surge protector (yeah, they did sell me on that one), youre going to have to either fib or do some fancy footwork to avoid the "too expensive" veto from the wife.
Good luck.
On: 2004-11-18
If are thinking of upgrading to HDTV, this will be a real treat. Watching an HD broadcast through a screen this big and bright is like watching something through a window instead of on tv. After watching HD on this tv for a while, youll think that watching a regular old broadcast is like watching something through a cloud.
I did quite a bit of research on the web and in stores and this tv is what I settled on. I have not regretted that choice for a moment. You wont either. (The runner up was one of the Sony LCD projection tvs, which looks fantastic too. The web research indicated that LCD projection may loose definition over time - not sure whether that is truly the case or not. Im sure Id be happy with the Sony too, it actually looked a little bit sharper to me side-by side).
A few caveats: (1) dont even think of buying an HD tv and not spending the money to upgrade your cable or satellite to an HD feed - thats like buying a Ferrari and driving it without any air in the tires; (2) realize that the number of HD channels and shows is still limited now - if you want the most HD content, look into the alternative satellite service - VOOM; (3) you may have read about the "rainbow effect" on DLP tvs like this one - I can definitely see it and I dont have super-human lizard eyes- try looking at the screen in a showroom when there is a combination of something very dark and very light on the screen at the same time and quickly averting your eyes, youll see it. This doesnt bother me, but I can see it. Make sure it wont bother you. If it does, go with the Sony; (4) make sure you realize that the "HLP" Samsungs are a generation newer and better than the "HLNs". Dont make the mistake of buying an older set at your local store that seems to have that incredible low price without checking to make sure that its the HLP. On the other hand, the Samsung DLPs on the new, funky stands are a generation newer (and better) than the HLPs. If you like the look of the stand, have a place to put all of your associated equipment - cable or satellite box, dvd player, receiver, etc, and dont mind paying the extra money, go for the new one; (5) ignore the bs from the salesman about buying a monster cable for your all digital connections - digital is digital and, besides, by the time you add that new high def satellite receiver (if you do), the progressive-scan or up-converting dvd player, the new stand since your old entertainment center wont hold this thing, and a good power conditioner/surge protector (yeah, they did sell me on that one), youre going to have to either fib or do some fancy footwork to avoid the "too expensive" veto from the wife.
Good luck.
On: 2004-10-19
Heres a feedback which I left for HLP 4663 model TV also. HLNs are older than HLP and the feedback below compares HLP/HLN/HLM. It does not has the nunmber of input/output (composite/component etc) since that can easily be found on the product description page.
This reviews pretty much applies to all the DLP level TVs from Samsung. I researched for around more than couple of months before finally buying this one.
Samsung initially started with HLM/HLN series DLP models which were using HD2 chip from Texas Instruments and the contrast ratio was 1000:1. This performed very well in reviews, quality and black level as compared to Sony LCD rear projection.
The next series is the latest on which is HLP xx63 series where xx is the size in diagonal (HLP 4663, HLP 5063). The improvements in this are 7 segment color wheel instead of 6-segment, which gives better color. This also uses 3rd generation chip HD3 which has contrast ratio of 1500:1. The bulb are also better in this one since there were some problems in the earlier version of the TV. This is a great TV, light weight as compared to some other and plasmas.
The next series which is out only in 2 models is HLP 5085 and HLP5685. These are also 7-segment color wheel but they have HD2+ chip. This is 4th generation chip and is better than HD3. Its contrast ratio is 2500:1 which should mean better black levels. These are the ones with pedestal which looks cool in the picture but is kinda bulky looking in the store. Im not sure why this model is not out in 46 inches, may be it doesnt make difference in smaller sizes.
Next, 5th generation chip is going to be xHD3 and should give around 4500:1 contrast ratio.
Overall, DLPs are better since they have better contrast than plasmas and weigh less. They also dont have a burn-in issue like plasmas. HLP series is the best one till now and Samsung is the oldest player in this.
Other manufacturers are also catching up, so this should drive the price down further. good for consumers.
Hope this helps and good luck shopping.
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Some more feedback on the picture and input modes after two weeks into the purchase:
The contrast ratio of HLN/HLP series are good provided you are watching the TV at the same height. If you watch from slightly above/below or left/right, then youll see it slightly less bright. Just like a laptop screen behaves, maye slightly better.
It has following picture modes:
- 4:3 standard definition (SD) cable programming. puts black bars on the side of the picture if you watch it in this mode.
- wide mode (16:9). if you watch SD tv on this mode, itll stretch the picture
- panorama mode. stretches only the outside portion of the picture making center of the picture in the correct proporting (aspect ratio) but the sides bit distorted
- zoom1/zoom2: they just soom in from the center with different stretching methods.
Component inputs (in SD and HD) aspect ratios only have normal and wide options. Normal being a little pinched, while wide is normal.
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Some more feedback after 5 weeks of purchase.
I started seeing some problems with the lamp. The manual says that when the bulb/lamp needs replacement, all the three lights on the front switch will start blinking. Atleast couple of times a day, the following was happening:
- when I switch on the TV, the lamp will try to bring the picture while the audio was there
- after couple of seconds tv will go to standby mode
- itll turn on again after couple of seconds and try to bring up the picture
- and go again the loop to standby mode
something this happens 3-4 times and the pictures comes and sometime it just gives up and the tv turns off.
Im glad that I bought the warranty after couple of weeks from Circuit city itself, otherwise lamps are not covered in one year Sammy warranty.
... to be continued ...
On: 2004-09-30
I recently moved up from a Toshiba 34HFX direct view to the new DLP technology. I bought the Toshiba three years ago because of the direct-view HD. I wasnt happy with plasma prices or the ED standard that it was limited to.
My Toshiba is still giving one of the best HD views Ive ever seen, except now, my nephews are enjoying both HD cable and wicked gaming, and Im enjoying my 5063.
The 34 cost 2500 three years ago. I paid a shade under 3000 for the 52. And Im very happy.
Side to side comparisons from both DTV and cable give the edge to the tube. [this may be one of those nothing sounds better than a tube-driven amp arguments ...personal pref for a ray gun?]. Rearranging the furniture comparison goes to the 5063 - although bulky for one person, it weighs in at +-75 pounds.
If youre a computer geek, and you want convergence, you have a super choice. Tie your graphics card to the component inputs (2), the DVI input, the HDMI input, the PC input (rez up to 1920 x 1080i, including 1280 x 720p), and the standard composite and s-video inputs.
The nature of DLP means no burn-in. If you forget to turn off the x-box/ps2/gamecube and youre gone for a couple months, the screen wont have a burned-in image. For you geeks out there, this includes the HTPCs you want to connect for a convergence appliance.
Since Ive been using convergence in non-technical terms, Ill visit rear-projection convergence. It does not apply. The halogen lamp image is reflected off the DMDs through a color wheel, which requires no calibration that you would expect with tradition rear-projection sets.
DMD-DLP technology is not new. How the D-D technology is being applied is new, and you should be aware of that. The current gurus of digital display technology see plasma as a dead-end gap-filler (thin, relatively light, big screens) with the real slug fest between DMD/DLP and LCD. Both DMD/DLP and LCD have advantages over the other. In the end, I chose currently available top-of-the-food-chain quality over specifications. You will find no better convergence resolution and size in anything but DMD/DLP today. After viewing the range of products from LG to RCA(?) to Samsung, my eyes chose Samsung. If you promise not to buy a plasma, use the following tips to buy your next display:
-Grap the remote and reset everything to factory presets (do a google on how to do that via the remote, then when you go in the store, do it!)
-Put your favorite video in. What do you see? Better than your current setup? If not, adjust until you find a better picture. If you cant, leave.
-Turn off the sound. Sound evokes emotion. Watch the show. What do you see? Montovani (or RHCP) might emote you into an unqualified decision.
-DO NOT BY PLASMA
In the end, this is not a buying decision left to guys like me on A.com or your local retailer. Its up to you. Buy what your eye likes, and remember that next year is a better model.
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