Samsung HL-S4266W 42-Inch DLP HDTV
By: Samsung
More Information
 On: 2007-10-08
Do NOT buy a Samsung product especially their DLP TVs. I bought the 42 inch DLP model HL_R4266W and about 6 months after the 1 yr warranty expired, my TV started displaying a left shadow on the screen. What started as a one inch shadow has become 4 inches in 3 months. A cursory google seach shows other customers with same exact problem. I wrote 3 letters to Samsungs "customer service dept" and received zero replys. I finally was able to get someone on the phone who referred me to their exceptional customer relations departments. What a joke! The rep. "assisted" me by telling me I should have purchased an extended warranty and that if the TV was defective it would have been recalled by Samsung. When I asked how many defective TVs were required to demand a recall, she did not know the answer. She did "help" me by putting my complaint on a level 2 status. Wow. I can sleep better now. This will be the last Samsung product I or anyone I know will buy as they do NOT stand behind their product.
 On: 2007-07-21
This tv is unbelieveable, The picture is great, the hd- dlp make the picture so real. You wont go wrong buying this tv.
On: 2007-07-15
I believe this was the buy of the decade for me. Picture quality is great! Watch the LCD DLP because they cant touch the motion smoothness of a true DLP. If you dont need to hang your TV on a wall get a DLP. Better picture and the cost is less.
On: 2007-05-23
I purchased this television after researching all my HD options. It is the perfect balance or price, size,picture, and life span (of course, anticipating a lamp change). When I purchased it in June of 2006, the price was still $1499 at most places. A couple of points:
1. Great picture IF you use HD cables. Ive gotten great performance out of three video game systems (PS2, Wii, 360) and an upconverting dvd player.
2. Buy an upconverting DVD player. It is so worth it. And use an HDMI cable with it.
3. The picture might take a little adjusting, but once you get it right, I think it offers more cinematic visuals than anything Ive seen.
4. The sound quality is surprisingly good.
5. I havent had any problems with the tv (although, I must say that mine is not hooked up to any tv signal and I only use it an average of 2 hours a day for movies and games). My understanding is that a lamp change is likely, but that overall, DLP has a longer life than any other HD format.
On: 2007-04-10
I bought this TV shortly before Christmas 2006 and it failed 2 months later. Its been 6 weeks and we cannot get a straight answer from Samsung. They no longer make this TV, so they cant give us a new or refurbished one. They say the will give us a refund, but in several more weeks. No one on the phone ever knows anything and has no authority to speed up the process. Weve been lied to, weve been told someone will CALL US, but no one ever does, weve been given the run around over and over again. It will probably be 3 months before anything happens (from the time we first called them). I dont know if I just got a bad unit or what, but regardless, their service is lousy and I suspect this design is a bad one that gives them lots of problems. I would not buy this model again.
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: 2007-03-19
This TV has been a disappointment. Youre supposed to be able to view in 720p, and I havent been able to since I had DirecTV HD setup. It flickers every 3 seconds and makes a horrible screeching sound. 480p works just ok. You cant watch one channel however for more than 10 minutes without the picture flickering, going black or getting a "searching for signal" message. Ive had this tv for three weeks now and havent been able to talk to a samsung technician because theyre only available from 6-7 EST, M-F, which sucks for any West Coast person with a job. Ive tried troubleshooting the thing myself, resetting the HD box, switching out HDMI cables, unplugging and replugging in the tv. Nothing seems to work. Scarily, the DirecTV guy, who I had come out a second time just to make sure it wasnt a bad connection, said he just installed the hd box for another customer with a different samsung dlp, who had the same problems not being able to watch on 720p. Seriously, whats the point of having an HDTV if you cant watch in HD? 480 isnt considered HD!
 On: 2007-03-10
I am really happy with the picture quality (and everything else) for HD programs and DVD (I am using HDMI player & connection), however I am a bit disappointed with the picture for non-HD programs. This is my first HDTV, so I cant really compare it to any other HDTV, but on some programs the picture is just awful.
On: 2007-02-23
I just got this TV and I have to say...wow. I dont even have my HDMI cables yet and I am already amazed by the picture. I played the HD version of RV staring Robin William (ya, dumb movie but allot of scenic sceens of the rocky mountains) via on-demand cable and was amazed by the picture! I am using a surround sound sytem but I did check out the sound from the TV speakers and they are very nice for TV speakers. Would be hard to beat. Ecellent TV for and exellent price.
Add: I do notice a slight "black grass" on dark scenes (in the middle at the bottom). It is slight and easy for me to ignore, but I do wish it wasnt there.
On: 2007-02-08
Samsung truly is the master of DLPs
This TV is great. I sold my 46" projection and purchased this 42" samsung DLP. It met my expectations and more.
Its completely custumizable. whether you are using DVD, cable, Video game system or your PC, it has settings to opimize the used of each.
when i hooked my PC up to it, it looked better than my flat screen digital LCD monitor.
Buy the way, make sure you get the 4 year service plan. its only smart to do when buying a TV of this price. lets face it. TVs break. and the Service Plan will save you some stress if the unfortunate may happen.
On: 2007-02-02
First off, the picture and sound that come from this television is awesome. Simply brilliant, vibrant colors. The shot in every CSI episode where they show the Vegas skyline at night never looked clearer. I noticed several colors I had never seen before. Basketball and football games look great. The television gives a regular season game the feel of a playoff game for some reason. However, Ive owned the TV for about 2 months now and I already have a dead pixel. Not a huge deal and no one has seemed to notice it except me. You would have to have several dead pixels to warrant a replacement from Samsung. Like I said the pixel isnt a huge deal but when you pay a grand for a television you expect it to run flawlessly for a few years before you notice any defects. For the record a dead pixel is not a defect and is considered normal acording to Samsung. NOTE: REGULAR CHANNELS IN COMPARISON TO HD CHANNELS WILL LOOK HORRIBLE ON YOUR SCREEN. IF YOUR CABLE PROVIDER DOES NOT OFFER SEVERAL HD CHANNELS YOU MAY WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THEY OFFER MORE. HAD I KNOWN THAT HD SERVICE IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT FOR AN HDTV I MAY NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS TV WHEN I DID. I THOUGHT I WOULD STILL GET A CLEAR PICTURE AND IF I CHOSE TO GET HD SERVICE I WOULD JUST HAVE AN EVER CLEARER PICTURE. NOT SO. YOUR OLD PAN AND SCAN, 4:3 TV WILL SHOW A BETTER PICTURE THAN AN HDTV WILL WITHOUT HD SERVICE. Please keep that in mind when purchasing an HDTV.
On: 2007-01-29
I have one of the original Samsung DLPs from 4 years ago. Amazing how the price has fallen as that set was $3K+ from Sears. After searching market for products, I came to the conclusion that most of the product is the same....pretty darn good picture from 90% of top rated manufacturers so dont drive yourself to nuts over a purchase! In the end, I went with what I already had. This version is great on HD channels but not so great on SD programs. Therefore, suggest this be your second set for pur HD or DVD viewing. My older Samsung is smoother on all channels and FAT on HD, but the color quality is not as high as the newer models. The picture is true to DLP...bright and vibrant. The rear projection has its angle issues, but as long as you are not watching from a tree or at a 90 degree angle you will be just fine. I bought the 42 inch, but what what the heck, for $100 bucks more go for the 46 inch. I would have returned but did not want the hassle of re-packaging. Delivery was GREAT and no issues. Eagle does a very good job. This is a very good value as you cannot get the quality for the money. Remember one thing in the end, if you are not going to put the TV on the wall....SKIP HIGH PRICE FLAT SCREENS AND GO REAR PROJECTION. This is also a good option because due to the relatively low price, it will be easier to dump the puppy in a couple of years when there is significant source programming for the overpriced 1080P sets currently being hyped everywhere. By then they will be half price with HD-DVD and Blu-Ray having finally settled their dispute and you wont have to spend $700 bucks to watch your DVD. (The 1080P picture with Blu-Ray is absolutely, positivley SMOKIN, however!!!)
On: 2007-01-21
Purchased 9/1/2006 for $1855. Operated flawlessly until 1/6/2007, then the picture froze and went blank and stayed blank. Samsung Customer Service said the warranty is for one year from the date of purchase. However, they customarily will add an additional three months of warranty, bringing the total Samsung warranty to 15 months. Since the date of failure was beyond the 15 months (36 days), they would not warranty the unit. They suggested I should have purchased an extended warranty.
Diagnostic test determined the light engine assembly had failed. Cost of repair, (parts and labor), $1561.15. Additionally, the color wheel may have also failed, but could not be tested without the light engine assembly being replaced. Cost of color wheel, $275.00.
Samsung Customer Service is correct; I should have purchased an extended service warranty. At least I could have counted on the set lasting for 4 years if I would have purchased the extended service warranty. See also the same failure in the Samsung HL-R6868W reviews on Amazon.
On: 2007-01-12
I was leary of buying a Samsung. That hesitation was unfounded as this TV is incredible, and the price was unbeatable.
Dont skimp on cables. They make a big difference. Also, keep in mind that regular non-HD TV looks bad on an HD set. If you dont plan to upgrade to HD, dont buy this TV.
On: 2007-01-10
Samsung is king of DLP televisions and Amazon is king of price. Highly recommend this set.....
On: 2007-01-10
Having read many reviews posted here I was concerned about some items mentioned.
Sorry but I dont see the so called grass in the middle at the bottom of black areas as other reviewers have. So far I have an exceelent picture. I am using Dish Hd for most of the signals. I am using plain old rabbit ears to pick up the local digital high def. The results are fantastic.
Standard dvds and vhs tapes look good, but not great. The upconverter on the samsung is not mearly as good as my 65" hitachi.With the Hitachi for some reason the dvd and vhs looks much better even with a much larger screen.
I am concerned about reliabilty of the lamp though. Time will tell.
There are TVs with better pictures in a side by side. But they were 400 more at the time of purchase. as I told the sales person at one elctronics store, Yes I can see the sony or hitachi is a little better, but, I wont have a sony sitting next to this one in my house.So no one will know.I will also have the extra money in my pocket.
I did follow some techniques from video websites to change the settings to get the picture at its optimum.Do not run the set on dynamic. All reviews state that this will cut lamp life. Besides if you follow proper setup procedures as stated on several sites this setting is no where close to the best setting. Its just much brighter.Not better.
The shipping company did a fantastic job. although he was very busy he stayed until I had inspected it and had set it up to make sure it worked properly.
The game mode works very well for the kids playstation2.Very good graphics on all games.
For the money this is a fine tv.
My biggest complaint is that several weeks after purchase, Amazon lowered the price $150. If I had purchased it at my local retailer and the price dropped this much I could have gotten the new price under their 30 or 60 day price guarantee. No such luck with amazon.
On: 2007-01-05
I checked out the plasmas and the lcds and found that the dlp tvs had as good or better quality picture and the cases were generally smaller and less glaring. I checked them all out at BestBuy and then found the best prices on Amazon.com. Ordering was a breeze and it arrived with no problems. When I first got this set home and hooked it up to my regular DishNet system I was really happy with the brightness of the picture, sound quality and ease of changing picture sizes, etc. No HD at this point. Then I hooked up my over the air antenna...WOW! the picture rocked with extreme brightness and clarity. I was blown away. Even signals that were poor over the antenna before were now clear as a bell in HD. Hope to get dishnet HD soon but until then I am enjoying all of my local channels using my over the air antenna. Using the remote to switch back and forth is a breeze and only a 1 button press.
I also liked the very slim footprint which allowed me to put it into a confined built-in entertainment center. Fit perfectly with plenty of room in the back for ventilation due to the short depth. It looks great in the entertainment center, has an outstanding picture and sound quality, was a great price with free shipping and no sales tax. What more can I say. I expect the projection bulb to go out within a couple of years and require replacing but it looks like an easy job so I should be able to take care of it without any problems.
I would recommend the Samsung HL-S4266W without reservation!
On: 2006-12-24
Coming off a 27" LCD, I researched the market incessantly. I didnt want to spend over $1K for a TV, but wanted a big screen, crystal-clear screen and HD tuner. The Samsung fit the bill and I am 100% satisfied.
Factory speakers are good (IMHO better than the new 46" slimline replacement, which also has an annoying reflective front panel), picture is outstanding with digital cable, although some graininess with local channels or old TV movies (thats the signal, not TV), interface is easy to understand, remote, although unlit, is well designed. Unit is light, easy to move, hookups are well-marked. User-replaceable bulb guarantees long-term service.
I got a perfectly matching (and well built) stand at Wal-Mart for $90.
On: 2006-12-22
Let me first off tell you to NEVER buy a samsung product. Unreliable and horrible customer service. I had the model berfore this one (HL-N) and it broke after 5 months of owning it. Samsung does not come out and service your TV. They send a company they hier near you to fix it. They dont support them either in what they do if they messed up anything they have to be responsible which is ok but samsung with not intervien while they will tell you to call them. After 3 months of none stop calling being very calm in all my conversations they only came out 2 times in 3 months. They actually told me they were horrible at calling people back. So after all these discouraging events that happened i finnally had it. I called samsung and was very upset and sent me a new TV. The HL-S to replace it. I was very happy. I got the TV in 2 weeks from when i called them. Needless to say i got a PS3 the same day is arrived so you can say i was very eager to hook everything up and play some HD games and sit with a smile. Let me tell you there was NO smile on my face. Straight out of the box this TV was a MESS. The picture quality was horrible. Everything was trailing and PIXLES WERE HORRIBLY NOTICED. I called samsung and they basically told me some of what was happening was normal (LIE) and that a DLP does not show pixles. Well i was sitting in front of my TV when i was talking to her and there were pixles everywhere. I will never tell anyone to buy or deal with samsung ever again. I am so dissapointed not only in the TV but in the way they handled everything. Still waiting on them to fix my new one now so i hope it come out alright.
On: 2006-12-21
Let me first off tell you to NEVER buy a samsung product. Unreliable and horrible customer service. I had the model berfore this one (HL-N) and it broke after 5 months of owning it. Samsung does not come out and service your TV. They send a company they hier near you to fix it. They dont support them either in what they do if they messed up anything they have to be responsible which is ok but samsung with not intervien while they will tell you to call them. After 3 months of none stop calling being very calm in all my conversations they only came out 2 times in 3 months. They actually told me they were horrible at calling people back. So after all these discouraging events that happened i finnally had it. I called samsung and was very upset and sent me a new TV. The HL-S to replace it. I was very happy. I got the TV in 2 weeks from when i called them. Needless to say i got a PS3 the same day is arrived so you can say i was very eager to hook everything up and play some HD games and sit with a smile. Let me tell you there was NO smile on my face. Straight out of the box this TV was a MESS. The picture quality was horrible. Everything was trailing and PIXLES WERE HORRIBLY NOTICED. I called samsung and they basically told me some of what was happening was normal (LIE) and that a DLP does not show pixles. Well i was sitting in front of my TV when i was talking to her and there were pixles everywhere. I will never tell anyone to buy or deal with samsung ever again. I am so dissapointed not only in the TV but in the way they handled everything. Still waiting on them to fix my new one now so i hope it come out alright.
On: 2006-12-15
This TV is awesome! Samsung is one of the leaders in electronics and also the first to use DLP technology. I waited until Black Friday to buy this TV. There is no other TV under $1,000 that could be better in terms of quality and size. Everyone knows about DLP drawbacks such as the viewing angle and having to change the bulb. However, the picture quality is fantastic and it uses less electricity (approximately 100 watts less) than plasmas. The speakers are pretty good, but I recommend that you get at least a decent home theater system for good sound.
If you really want a flat panel TV (plasma/LCD) in order to hang it up in your home, of course, this TV is not for you. However, if you dont care about that, I highly recommend this product.
On: 2006-12-14
All my TVs have been CRT before this. And this one is a lot nicer. Ive been watching DVDs and playing Gears of War (XBox 360) on it for the past week. It looks great and was easy to set up--Im not an A/V expert, but I can plug green-into-green and blue-into-blue. I havent noticed any noise from the fan or color-wheel. So far its just great all around. And light enough for one person to move.
 On: 2006-12-13
The TVs main circuit board was defective from the start, causing a cracking noise after the TV had been on 30 minutes. Samsung did the repair and it is fine now. I wish it took them less than a week to come. I wish they didnt tell me that it must be my cable box that was defective and I had to swap that out before they would even make an appointment. Nevertheless, the repairman was very professional and fixed the problem on the spot.
On: 2006-12-05
I spent about 6 months trying to find the right TV for my livingroom. We have limited cabin space - 41.5 wide - so that was my first criteria. It had to fit. Second, it had to be reasonably priced. Third, it had to last. Theres no sense in spending thousands of dollars on a TV that wouldnt last as long as the regular tube TVs. The choice was between Sonys rear projection LCD, Panasonics plasma and this Samsung DLP. In the end, I decided on the DLP for several reasons:
1. Best price (over LCD/Plasma)
2. User replaceable bulb means itll last longest
3. Deep blacks plus uniform image (over LCD)
4. Best for games and sports (over LCD faster refresh, over Plasma no burn-in)
5. No rainbow effect (in stores or at home)
WARNING: Your picture will suck if you dont have HD channels!
I knew this going in, but I was still shocked at the disparity in quality of Standard definition vs High def. I bought an OTA HD antenna just for that. That made a huge difference but there are still only a few HD broadcasts. So now Im looking at getting an HD Tivo.
DVD movies look fantastic! I watched my Lord of the Rings extended DVDs and was blown away after enabling progressive scan on my DVD player. I will be increasing my DVD collection rapidly with widescreen editions. I have to say, I do like the TV and I like the remote. It has lots of inputs AV, composite, component, HDMI, DVI and USB. I plan to hook up a Mac Mini with wireless keyboard and mouse so I can surf the net from the living room. The TV looks good in my entertainment center. Plus my wife is happy I didnt break the bank.
You cant get a better TV for this price.
On: 2006-11-28
This is my first HDTV and I just LOVE the clear picture! And this is not even with an HD receiver for my Dish. And I loved the savings I got from Amazon.com, delivery was fast, and I saved a lot! Thanks Amazon and Samsung, would reccommend this TV to others!!
On: 2006-11-10
now this days plasmas and lcds got way cheap.
This tv is dlp. Dlp has good quality of viewing but probably
lcds and plasmas are better. But i still highly recommand this product.
If you want a lcd or plasma than spend like $200 more to buy it.
Excellent quality.
On: 2006-11-04
This is the first HD Wide screen TV I have purchased so my experience is limited.
I had to set-up the TV on my own and it took me several attempts to get it right. My difficulties were with getting the wide screen capabilities on channels that were not HD. The result was well worth the time and effort it took.
Every day I marvel at the picture quality [especially this time of year while watching football].
Also, I was very pleased with saving $250.00 over the best offer I could find by purchasing through Amazon.
Delivery was on schedule and the delivery team was professional in their interaction.
All in all I am extremely pleased with this purchase and I plan to purchase another Samsung [most likely through Amazon] for my rec room.
On: 2006-11-01
Look, if youre trying to find an excellent HDTV for a steal of a deal - this is it! I purchased a 300 pound HDTV ready television a few years back for not much less than this one. At $1,150 on Amazon with free shipping, theyre practically giving this thing away. And the performance...my has technology come a long way in just a few years time. Sometimes I feel like Im looking at art in a museum with my television - the colors are unbelievable. And wait until you feed the picture with HD material...wow! After doing considerable research on a smaller projection television, this is the most for the money...money which was definitely well spent. No regrets, simply amazing.
On: 2006-10-22
After researching LCD, plasma, and DLP televisions I settled on the Samsung HL-S4266W after input from a friend who owns a DLP.
I now consider him a better friend. Out of the box setup was very easy and I found the instructions written in easy to follow steps. The overall picture quality if wonderful. Crisp and clear display whether the input is high-def or regular cable/satellite input. The built display modes are good and the custom picture mode allows me the leeway to set my own personal desires easily. **I did find that Samsungs movie mode is a little darker than I like however**
This model has more than enough inputs to allow me to flex between cable, VCR, DVD, and satellite with ease. Setting up personal viewing desires is too simple. I used the audio to see what powers it had; and it has more than sufficient capability to tweak anyones ear. I opted to run audio via my A/V setup only because of my personal desires.
I write this evaluation only after owning this model for six months of testing. And, I am still very, very pleased. So pleased that I purchased another one of this same model for my sisters enjoyment.
The "moving parts" of this television are so silent you have to struggle to hear them up close.
Only one item needs work. That is the PIP function. It needs to be expanded to handle more than one differing input signal.
I do recommend using this in conjunction with a good A/V component system. Even if stand alone, I HIGHLY recommend the Samsung HL-S4266W.
My system:
Brain: Yamaha RX-V1600e
Speakers: F,R, CC, Rear, Rear CC, Sub-Woofer (all 6-ohm Yamaha)
DVD: Sony RDR-GX-7
VCR: Panasonic PV-9662
Sat: Hughes HR10-250 (using both HDMI and component outputs)
Cable: Direct from company
Power: Monster HTS5000
TV power: Monster HTUPS500
I recommend that anyone purcashing this televison read the supplied operator manual cover to cover. If you do this you CANNOT go wrong. Most people who say they have trouble with this televison are the ones who dont bother to read the manual.
On: 2006-10-02
I bought my 4266w from Amazon. The shipping took less then a week and that was without paying extra to get it fast. The product was carried into my house unboxed and placed from the shipping company. From 20 seconds after I turned it on the picutre was nothing short of awesome. This is true for SD and HD which is a feat in itself. Many HDTVs I have or see do a great job on HD but not so nice on SD.
Now for the the dirty little secret. After the euphoria wore off I noticed a few spots on the right side of the screen. After a closer look I noticed they were on the inside of the screen. No one at Samsung would tell me how to clean the spots off, they told me to call a service guy to clean it (not under warrantee). After a bit of effort I figured it out. There is an access panel on the right side (while facing the screen) of the TV. The tab on the panel can be removed with a flat tip screw driver. Once you remove the tab you can unscrew the one phillips screw and remove the access panel (circle). Look inside and ,surprise, you can wipe off the inside of the screen. This info is not anywhere on the web or in the documentation but its worth noting (just in case)..
On: 2006-10-01
I bought my 4266w from Amazon. The shipping took less then a week and that was without paying extra to get it fast. The product was carried into my house unboxed and placed from the shipping company. From 20 seconds after I turned it on the picutre was nothing short of awesome. This is true for SD and HD which is a feat in itself. Many HDTVs I have or see do a great job on HD but not so nice on SD.
Now for the the dirty little secret. After the euphoria wore off I noticed a few spots on the right side of the screen. After a closer look I noticed they were on the inside of the screen. No one at Samsung would tell me how to clean the spots off, they told me to call a service guy to clean it (not under warrantee). After a bit of effort I figured it out. There is an access panel on the right side (while facing the screen) of the TV. The tab on the panel can be removed with a flat tip screw driver. Once you remove the tab you can unscrew the one phillips screw and remove the access panel (circle). Look inside and ,surprise, you can wipe off the inside of the screen. This info is not anywhere on the web or in the documentation but its worth noting (just in case)..
On: 2006-09-22
I have been looking around for a large screen HDTV for a long time, this seemed to be the best deal I could get for its cost.
Picture quality is very good although it could be better, it is not the sharpest image you can get but colors are very nice and vivid.
Featurewise this TV is very rich, I mostly liked the Wiselink feature which lets you browse images and pictures from a USB storage device, it would have been really nice if it was able to play videos as well.
It has enough video inputs for a modest home theather system (ie: dvr, dvd player and a game console). However since it has no digital audio inputs (except for HDMI) you will still need to use your audio receiver as a switch for AV signals. Also if you have enough space in your room, go with the 46" model as there is a very little price difference.
One complain I had was about the shipping company, Eagle GL. They refused to let me test the TV before signing the delivery papers, which Amazons shipping policy at the time I was ordering claimed that they would set up the TV, test it and if it wasnt working they would take it back. I have already contacted Amazon about this problem. Fortunately TV worked fine for me.
On: 2006-09-01
AWESOME TV! Cant say how pleased I am with purchase! Awesome price from Amazon too.
NOTE!!! STAY AWAY FROM EGL SHIPPING! TV arrived 10 days later and the box was all crushed. Luckily it worked fine, but their service is downright HORRIFIC!
On: 2006-08-18
Note, somehow Amazon saved my review as 4 stars, and I gave it one star. The only reason I gave it one star is that there was no choice of ZERO stars.
Purchased the TV online at a great price. Arrived in a very short amount of time, and EGL did an excellent job.
I set the TV up as per the directions, and ran the Digital Video Essentials DVD to calibrate the TV properly. This was done during daylight hours, and at first, everything seemed fine. However, when watching at night with a semi-dark room, and dark subject matter on the screen, I noticed what some people have called "black grass" in the lower center of the screen. It is only visible on dark scenes when watching in a semi-dark room.
I reseached this problem online, and it appears to be a CLASS problem, that is, everyone of these TVs has that specific problem. Other than that, the picture is wonderful - sharp, crisp, great color and deep blacks. But, once you notice the "black grass", it is hard to ignore and you start seeing it more and more. My girlfriend even commented on it, and shes not very picky when it comes to tech stuff like HDTV.
It is "strange" that after numerous people complained to Samsung, they lowered the price of the 46" model to the same as the 42" model. Essentially, admitting they have a problem and should do a recall, but not taking responsibility for their product. If you research this in AVS Forum online, youll see that no one has been able to get Samsung to fix this problem on their TVs, yet SAMSUNG refuses to replace the TV or give a refund. Luckily for me, the online store I purchased the TV from accepted a return and gave me a refund. In turn, I purchased a 46" Sony LCD TV from them, and am 100% satisfied with that. Buyers beware of Samsung HL-S4266W HDTVs!!!
On: 2006-08-17
After lots of research, bought this TV because we needed a bigger screen, and didnt want to spend what it takes for a Plasma or LCD set. This is a GREAT television. We have HD reception, but even with regular signals, the picture is fantastic. Easy to use, meshes perfectly with our HDTV DVR box, and shows movies with breathtaking clarity. Highly recommend this set if you want great performance at a price considerably less than plasma or LCD.
On: 2006-08-11
i bought this tv from amazon 3 weeks ago and i havent regreted it since. the delivery was fast and the white glove service was awesome. they unpacked the tv, set it up on the stand, made sure the tv was working properly, and threw out the box. i suggest getting an hdmi cable to connect to your cable box instead of using the regular coax cable. the picture is 100x better with hdmi. theres even a second hdmi port on the tv, so i hooked my dvd player up to it as well.
i didnt pay plasma quality money, so i wasnt expecting that. but it sure comes close! regular channels are tolerable, but the hdtv feeds are incredible. it can get a little grainy at times, so if its going to bother you THAT MUCH then spend an extra $1000 for a plasma. id give the overall picture quality a 9 out of 10. the sound is great with the tv speakers alone.
people who have bad things to say about this tv have champagne taste with beer money. like i said, if you want the best quality possible get a plasma. but if you want an hdtv that comes real close without breaking the bank, i suggest getting this one!
On: 2006-08-09
Having seen this TV in stores, I was very impressed. After doing further research, though, I found that the 46" model had slightly better black levels and did not suffer from a problem some refer to as "black grass." Black grass describes a (slight) certain shadow or impression that you see at the top and/or bottom of the screen that may be distracting for some. So, if you have the space, the small price increase (around $40, if I am not mistaken) is certainly worth it for those small details and a larger image.
Aside from that, the TV is brilliant and produced a picture as good as most any LCD or plasma I have seen (albeit from a more restricted viewing angle). I just submitted a very detailed review of the 46" model, whose details, except for those mentioned above, are just about the exact same as this ones, and the bottom line is that it is a great choice.
On: 2006-08-09
First let me say that I researced DLP and 1080 tvs for a while before deciding on this one and no doubt Amazon had the best price I could find from a reputable retailer. Kudos to Amazon!
But as for the TV, while I enjoy it, it really isnt everything I expected in a DLP. Its sharp but grainy at times and its a little frustrating messing with the remote. You cant just go from watching a dvd, to regular TV. Its a process, going into the menu on your remote, and then switiching over just to watch a regular channel! (Its the same for gaming, it isnt just a one button switch over. Its a process of several buttons you must click on in the menu every time ) I actually compared all the DLPs at circuit city one day and the most awesome picture and quality for a little more money was the Samsung 50" DLP HDTV (HL-S5086W)its a 1280 X 720 and if your looking for plasma quality, this one has it. The detail and sharpness blew me away! If you can spend a few extra hundred dollars, its worth it. I wish I had!
On: 2006-07-31
I purchased this TV for our bedroom. We also own the same model in a 61" version in our living room. We are just as happy with our 42" as we have been with our 61". Stunning picture! Incredible closeout price for the 42". Delivery was fast and flawless.
On: 2006-07-26
The Samsung 42" DLP HDTV has an excellent picture both in HD and regular digital cable. I am very pleased with the purchase and recommend it highly.
On: 2006-06-21
After way too much research, I decided to go with this Samsung HL-S4266W 42" DLP HDTV over the Sony KDFE42A10 42" LCD Rear Projection Television. I compared the two side by side for a long time with different signals going into them. I may have seen slightly better colors on the Sony from time to time-but it seemed that the reverse was true too. It was just not enough difference between the two to justify $200 difference. They both look incredible with HD content. The sound on the Samsung is great(not sure about the Sony). I finally set it not to stretch 4:3 content on non HD signals because I could see artifacts in the middle sometimes. Ive had this TV for about 2 weeks now and when I invite people over to see the TV, they are amazed by the Picture Quality(of course I always show them 1080i HD content). I am very happy.
On: 2006-06-07
This is one of the lowest priced tvs I could find at 42" and Im very pleased with the quality. Ive had it for about 2 weeks and have no buyers remorse! If you want a HDTV at an affordable price, I dont think you can go wrong with this one.
On: 2006-05-17
After I had reached "research overload" comparing plasma, LCD, DLP, etc. I purchased the Samsung HL-S4266W DLP HDTV. And I was not disappointed. This TV is so fun to watch! I am completely satisfied with it. Great job Samsung on an incredible TV. (I should note however, I have not even turned the TV speakers on because I have a surround sound system. So I cannot comment on the speakers, just the great picture.)
Update: Well, I finally listened to the TV speakers. I was using the USB feature to watch a slideshow of some photos while listening to an mp3 of Mozart. The sound quality was great for TV speakers. The slideshow feature of the TV is very nice for viewing photos with groups of people rather than crowding around a computer screen.
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