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Samsung HL-S4666W 46-Inch DLP HDTV
By: Samsung Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 137
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 On: 2008-03-17
I purchased the Samsung HL4666W Model on June 24, 2006. I am dismayed that it is already broken, does not turn on. I checked and since I did not buy an extended warranty I had to contact the manufacturer who referred me to a television repair store that will repair it and I will have to pay a minimum of $65 for an estimate. I would expect a television that I paid $1400 for to last longer than 18 months or for Amazon to offer some assurance that it would last. If I had it to do over again I would go to Circuit City.
jane
 On: 2008-02-19
Bought this back in August of 06. I live in Portugal and never wanted to go the big screen route, never thought of the need to. Didnt like Plasmas due to burn effect and LCDs just worried they would break due to moving around alot. Ive always like projection tvs and screens. Saw this at the BX and decided with the wife that we should replace our 32" CRT. everything in our entertainment center was newer than 04 why not the tv. The main thing that turned us to this is the VGA cable. I love surfing the net with my Blue Tooth keyboard and mouse from my couch, the hugeness of my computer screen is great. Last year I got a Wii and a PS3, picture is great with them. 2 weeks after I decided to buy the HDMI cable for the PS3, gaming has never been so much fun. And Blue Ray movies, wow. I have seen TMNT, 300, and all 4 Die Hards and 1080i is awesome, I cant imagine what 1080p is like. I have a toshiba dvd player hooked it up via component and the color is great, movies are awesome. Now that the High Def war is over I can work on getting a better Blue Ray player with up converting features for all my old DVDs. Ive tried everything with this tv and its great. One thing that bothered my wife and I was the bulb replacement, but 200 on a bulb every like 3 years compared to a new tv every 6 is better off in my book. I cant wait to get some where when I can really try this thing out on High Def TV, for now my gaming and movie experience on this TV are awesome and I recommend this to anyone that is not worried about placing thier TV on the wall.
 On: 2008-02-08
This Samsung DLP tv far exceeded all our expectations. We love it! The picture is wonderful, and the 46" size was ideal for our room, which isnt huge. Weve had absolutely no trouble with it. Its amazing what clear detail you can see on the HD setting. And for channels not on HD, you can make the picture normal instead of distorted. Were very happy we got this one.
On: 2008-02-02
We ordered this set through an on-line retailer. It arrived defective. Samsung "arraigned" for a repairman to fix it. Their idea of a repair man was a guy driving his beat-up personal van. He had to take it to his "shop" to repair it. 2 weeks later it was delivered back to us. It worked fine for just over a year (long enough for the warranty to expire) and then it started making a grinding noise and quit. The repair estimate is $600. We got just over a year out of it and now its not worth fixing. Samsung told us "too bad". Samsung is THE worst excuse for a retailer ever. Do yourself a favor and spend a few $$$ extra and get a GOOD set. We think Samsung is junk and their customer service is terrible.
On: 2007-11-23
We got this TV in Jan. 2007 from Amazon for $999.99 with free shipping, and have had absolutely no problems with it at all. The picture quality is mind-blowing. If Amazon has this in stock, definitely take advantage of it!
On: 2007-09-22
Before purchasing this TV I was skeptical. Its difficult to know how a TV will perform because stores show what they want you to see, making most TVs look great. I had previously purchased and returned a 50" Hitachi projection LCD TV (one of their inexpensive models) because the picture broke up significantly during action sequences. Also the menus were terrible, something I had not even considered before the purchase.
The Samsung is well worth the price. The picture is a 9.5 out of 10 in HD, with an upconverting dvd player, and with XBOX, XBOX 360, and Wii. The picture is crisp, clear, and great during action sequences. Modifying color to your liking is easy. However, like all DLP TVs I have seen, the picture tends to have a pixelated effect when rendering shades of the same color or if youre sitting too close. Only the most picky will notice this at first, but after a week youll forget about it. (Please note: the picture varies depending on the source, as with any TV. With analog cable and a run of the mill dvd player the picture is not nearly as crisp, clear, or bright in color.)
Menus are great, functional, and easy to use.
The remote control is also very user-friendly. I think it is a standard remote for most of Samsungs line.
On a side note: make sure you upgrade your surge protector, or at least use one. TVs and equipment are getting costly these days and its an inexpensive way to protect your TV from the one event most likely to cause it damage.
 On: 2007-09-17
I have owned my Samsung HL-S4666W 46" almost 1 year as of today (9-15-2007) I have been already thru the Bulb and 2 other repairs within my 1st 3 months of ownership. After being informed from the repair company that This TV needs lots of rear venting to keep bulb and components from over heating, Imoved it away at least a foot. It now all will last at least 7 months instead of 2!?
Trust me when I say there are better choices out there! And those that purchased need to inform Samsung of a potential problem with this TV!!
I am one of the fortunate ones that have 12 days left on the TV WARRANTY!
The TV has a great picture directly in front of it when working! Sitting on the side blurs, and Bulb reliability is BAD!
On: 2007-07-12
Good picture. Great bargain. Only qualm is lack of pic-in-pic. Figured that was standard in this day and age and surprised and disappointed no such feature on this model.
On: 2007-05-08
I bought this TV about a month ago and I love it! Using an HD cable box along with a surround sound system its very much like having a theater in your livingroom! I definitely recommend this TV, only down side is not being able to hang it on the wall, but its not very deep and a lot lighter than you would think! (This 46" DLP is MUCH lighter than the 42" Plasma that I had!!)
On: 2007-04-20
I have researched and looked at every TV type, and I think Samsung DLP is really the best. Compaints like "rainbow effect" seem to be either propaganda of the LCD and Plasma companies or something only found on off-brand DLP products. If you need a 1080p model, Samsung also makes a DLP which can display 1080p as well.
On: 2007-04-15
I purchased the Samsung 46inch DLP TV from Amazon 8 months ago. I held off from reviewing this product until I had HD installed by Direct TV. (Until recently locals werent available in HD.) I used super saver shipping and was satisfied with the timeliness of delivery. The box came undamaged and the delivery driver helped me bring it into the house.
Within 30 minutes I had the TV running with no issues. After 8 months I have not experienced any problems or deficiencies with the set.
Now that Ive installed HD I am amazed at the picture quality. For example, while watching golf I can resolve individual blades of grass and bark and leaves on trees. Depth of field is remarkable. Travel and nature shows on HD make it seem like Im there!
For the price you cant beat this set. Why purchase LCD or plasma if youre not going to hang it on the wall?
On: 2007-04-13
This is the best t.v. weve ever owned. Our last 46" hd was total junk.. sitting out on my front porch! Will NEVER buy that brand again.
This t.v. is so clear and sharp.
I am 100% satisfied. We had been shopping for a new t.v. for quite some time, amazon has done well on this. We had no tax, free shipping, and the price couldnt even be matched by stores like WalMart.
Video games are amazing too, by the way. No pixelation at all.
On: 2007-04-10
This review is based on video games and DVDs, as I rarely watch TV. I have an Xbox 360, Wii and PS2 connected to this tv, all through component cables. Games and DVDs on the 360 look amazing. Wii games look great. Most PS2 games look so-so because they are not hi-def, but the ones that are like God of War look awesome. If your thinking of upgrading your tv but dont want to spend $2000-3000 this is a great choice.
On: 2007-03-30
Had this TV for about a month now. the picture quality is not the best but with proper cables and HD programming it is a much better. Non HD programs look terrible on this set. The main dissapointment with this unit is sometimes you can see a whitish shimmer from time to time even with HD programs which can be very annoying at times I believe it may be because the outer screen is plastic and not glass. Other than that it is an overall good buy for the price i paid which was under $999.00 including shipping.
PROS: PRICE under 999.00,GREAT SIZE,STYLISH DESIGN,BUILT IN HD TUNER,VERy GOOD COLOUR SATURATION,GOOD BLACK SEPERATION,MULTIPLE INPUTS
CONS: PLASTIC SCREEN,NOTICEBLE WHITE SHIMMER IN PICTURE AT TIMES,NO PIP
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: 2007-03-15
Its not too late for the delivery. However, the shipping company EGL tried to push me to sign just ONE minute after they came into the hourse and wouldnt give me any time to check. Apparently there are some minor problems on the TVs screen, but I cannot figure it out. Its kind of ribble shaped things on the screen even when its turned off. When the TV is turned on, it disappears, but you can still see it if the background color is dark. I dont know if will cause a big issue later, but for the time beging, Ill try to tolerate it.
DO NOT GET RUSHED just because the delivery man pushes you too much. They do not care about Amazons customer. Be wise to make sure the TV is functional. Check the TV when its off and on. DO NOT SIGN anything unless you feel comfortable. Once theyre gone, its yours, either good or bad.
Based on the bad experience with the shipping company and the minor problems on my TV, I gave 3 stars.
On: 2007-03-11
I ordered my new tv on a Monday and it was delivered Friday. Plus I live in North Dakota so we arent exactly close to many major shipping centers!! Very impressive. I will not be afraid to order online again.
On: 2007-03-11
Received my Samsung 46 DLP tv from Electronics Expo with 8 days of ordering. THey shipped via some oddball freight company but upon contacting them, they provided tracking info and live customer service. Delivered to my house within the 3 hour timeframe stated, took out of the box, put on my tv stand and plugged it in. Great service.
The TV itself is fine. If you dont have a HD receiver, not the greatest picture though, but, acceptable
On: 2007-02-25
This TV has a great picture and would be a 5 star rating if it had acceptable
warranty service. I bought this TV in December and it worked great for about a month. The cooling fan for the bulb started malfunctioning and would only allow the TV to work for a few minutes before shutting it down. I reported the problem to Samsung and have waited for three weeks with no resolution. They say the reason for the delay is the lack of a local authorized repair center to perform the in-home repair. I have no idea of how much longer I will have to wait before I get my TV replaced or repaired.
I cannot recommend Samsung because of their poor warranty service....buy a Sony!!!
On: 2007-02-20
The Samsung 46" DLP is outstanding once it is coupled with cable HDTV. Product was delivered quickly; no problems with the TV straight from the box. Once I adjusted my cable box to automatically adjust to broadcast the picture in low-definition for standard channels, even those looked great. Throw in a $999 price with free shipping and no sales tax and we saved $500. My only complaint - now my wife wants a bigger house to match the TV.
On: 2007-02-20
I searched around for a long time before deciding to purchase this TV. The TV was easy to set up, providing as many different hookups as i needed. It looked allright with my PS2, and absolutly amazing while playing the PS3. Blue Ray discs look excellent on this TV. Standard definition TV doesnt look that great, but thats to be expected with HDTVs. Television in High def. looks pretty good, but not as great as I had expected. I highly reccommed this TV, the price is just so amazingly low compared to other similar models.
On: 2007-02-15
I researched and researched until my eyes were blurry, and came up with buying this TV as a balance between price and function. Well, I think I made the right decision. First, Eagle freight company has to be the best delivery service in the world. Not only did my TV arrive a week earlier than planned, it also arrived 1/2 hour earlier than the earliest time they gave me! Usually when a delivery service says "Sometime between 9 and 11" they really mean, "about noonish!" Well, 8:30 am the truck arrived. Not only that, but the very nice gentleman brought the TV inside, (I might add through the snow) and unboxed it and set it up for me. All inside of 15 minutes. After letting the TV warm up a bit inside, and reading the quick setup instructions, my son and I turned on the set, went through the setup, and were watching TV in no time. Only problem was I had to drag my son away from it to do his schoolwork! (homeschooled)
To say the least, this TV has amazing picture. Even in bright daylight, and is viewable from just about anywhere in the room, at almost any angle you want. I dont have the HD cable box yet, so cant comment on the HD resolution, but the standard resolution is amazing enough!
I went to a local distributer of lots of High Definition TVs and asked about this model Samsung. They said they are selling lots of them and they really like it. Their price was $1300 on sale, and I got it on Amazon for $999 with free shipping. For once I think I got a wonderful deal.
On: 2007-02-15
Have had the TV for a month now and all is well. Great price, fast delivery and great picture. Anything HD looks amazing, other shows look marginal at best but that can be said about any HD TV. No shows are broadcast in 1080p yet anyways so 720p is just fine. If youre looking for the best value out there get this TV!!
On: 2007-02-09
I received my dlp tv and so far have been very happy. Picture is not quite what I had hoped, but all in all it is great. However the delivery service was the worst I ever encountered. They lied to me at least twice, didnt call in advance and caused my wife to miss a half days work. Then the driver got lost for over 2 hours. Extremely unprofessional for a group like Amazon to use.
On: 2007-02-07
Scheech! This DLP is all I had hoped for and more! Fabulous image; Ive gotta say I think DLP is definately better than LCD or even Plasma. No LCD "windowscreening," no plasma burn-in. If you dont HAVE TO mount your TV on a wall, this is the way to go! Im really glad I compared the technologies before I bought. This Samsung is light and easy to get up and running: great remote menu system, very nice looks and only about $13" deep. By the way amazon shipped it to my door (driver brought it inside) in 6 or 7 days flat. Everything was perfect.
On: 2007-02-03
Great picture for the price. Easy to set up and handle. Do not watch it up close, it will strain your eyes.
On: 2007-01-29
This is a Great TV for the price. Apart from all the good things Every one
mentioned I want to point out something which irritated me a bit. Again may be a lot of people donot use this or
do not need this but I needed it and it did not serve my purpose here are the details
There is some thing called Wiselink it is basically an USB port
1) You can only plug in flash drives, card readers and all that sort of stuff and it works great
if you have ony pictures in them but if you have movie files it does not recognise them or play them and
2) When I connected my Western Digital External Hard Drive
it was smart enough to recognise this device but was not able to read any thing then I went thru
the manual it says the file format should be FAT16/FAT32 my Hard Drive file format is NTFS, FAT16/FAT32 is not effective way of having the file format, NTFS is the better way of storing files and would say latest file format.
TRUE it is a TV not a computer but u know when USB is provided it is intended to do such thing as well I would think and support all or latest file formats.
on the side note if it were able to do this it would replace your costly DVR, plug in a tv tuner dump everything in to hard drive connect this to TV.
Apart from that it is very nice had this TV since November 06 it is Great.
On: 2007-01-27
This is a great tv. Many hookups in the back. No lag/ghosting with PS3/360. There is even a game mode to enhance the picture that much more. Would only recommend getting a Universal remote, but the stock remote is fine.
On: 2007-01-27
Although I have made many Amazon purchases, I never made a purchase which required a freight shipment and I was concerned about delivery, however I could not pass up the great deal on the Samsung 46" DLP HDTV. Great price and free delivery! Within 4 days of placing my order I had a message from Eagle that my set had arrived and it could be delivered the next day. I called the 800 number and set up delivery for a more convenient day. I was told delivery would be between 9AM and 2PM. At 8:45AM on the delivery day the TV was delivered. The driver brought the TV up two flights of stairs to my condo without even being asked or paid. He also helped me unpack the TV in order to inspect it for any damage. The TV was easy to set up and within 15 minutes I was watching a great HD picture. I used two HDMI cables (not included)- one from the cable box and one from my DVD player to make the connections. I am very impressed with the picture quality and must say this was a winning purchase just in time for the Superbowl.
On: 2007-01-27
After doing all my HDTV research, I narrowed my choice down to the Samsung DLP sets. The only dilemma was should I buy the 42" or 46" since the price difference was minimal ($30). After a couple months of watching the price drop, coupled with the delicate process of convincing my wife we needed to make said purchase, I finally purchased the 46" model the last week of December. After having the set, I can truly say it is one of the most satisfying purchases I have ever made in my life. The picture quality is just stunning. I am now a bonified HDTV snob and go instantly to those channels on my cable box. I find myself just watching nature shows because of how good they look. And while I am no big sports fan, I even find myself watching more football lately--again because of the picture. Ive even overheard my hard-to-convince wife on the phone commenting to a friend on how great the TV is. And well, the kids love it too. Nothing looks better than a Pixar DVD on this set! You cannot go wrong with this TV! Price (no tax and free shipping!), picture quality, ease of setup and use, and even the delivery (I thought Eagle was great). I am one satisfied customer who now hates watching analog channels in 4:3 dimensions. Buy this TV!!!
On: 2007-01-26
After an exhaustive search, I settled on this TV and could not be happier. The picture quality for SDTV is equal to a normal picture tube TV, but after hooking up the Playstation 3 and HDTV service, you really get to see what the set is capable of. Wonderful bright colors, black blacks, and sharp edges makes for a viewing experience I had to see to believe. Great value for those who dont have 2 or 3 thousand to spend on a different type set of the same size.
On: 2007-01-25
Very happy with this TV...came fast...and the delivery guys even took it out of the box and put it on our tv stand...excellent service!! Kinda wish we got a larger tv cuz we love movies...but this is a great deal for the brand and price.. We cant wait to get our sony surround system from amazon too...
On: 2007-01-25
I have ordered from Amazon in the past but this order shipped within a week. Eagle shipping was great, both in Customer Service and delivery. I would and have recommended both to all my friends and relatives.
Also the tv is great, buy it youll like it too
On: 2007-01-23
I cant fault this TV on looks, especially at the price I paid for it. However, less that 2 months after we got ours there was some kind of problem with the lamps, and it would not display a picture. The company did eventually replace it, but it took a couple weeks for them to look (unsuccessfully) for someone to come to the area of Maine where we live to fix it. They ended up not being able to find anyone, and so they sent us a new TV and picked up the old TV in the same truck, but we were without a TV for a month. Now that Ive got a nice big TV again, Im happy, but definitely get a warranty on this one.
On: 2007-01-20
This is actually the second DLP set that I have purchased. The orignal being a 50" that I bought a few years ago. When my nephew came to me and asked which set should he buy for his parents, I suggested the Samsung DLP series. All involved are extremely impressed with both the picture quality and the value received for the price paid. Today, all you hear is plasma and LCD(I also own one of those - Sony). They are also fine products, but if you dont need to mount it on a wall, the Samsung DLPs cant be beat for quality and value. An equivalent plasma or LCD of this size costs SIGNIFICANTLY more. The savings achieved by going with a set like this 46" Samsung, can easily buy a decent sound system to go along with the outstanding picture of the DLP. I will continue to heartily recommend any of the Samsung DLPs to anyone interested in a great HD set, especially one who appreciates quality and, like most of us, have limited funds available.
On: 2007-01-20
Once you go Hi-Def you can never go back.
We have a toddler so it seems our entertainment world revolves around our TV. This was the perfect purchase for us. We needed a TV that could fit into our existing custom entertainment center since it was a coner unit. I looked around to find the largest screen I could find in HDTV format. At 43" wide I had a half inch to spare on either side and it was so light I could easily lift it into to place by myself.
Connect a few cables and adjust the HDTV 720p setting on my HDTV box and sway you go. At first I thought I needed one of those HDMI connections ($50) but changed my mind after using the Cable companys cables. The cable didnt seem to work properly anyway with the box. SOund no picture.
On the picky side I do wish the PIP was oriented a bit more to the corner of the screen instead of appearing where the screen edge would typically be with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Plus I wish the speaker grid beaneath the screen was black instead of silver so it would stick out so much.
On: 2007-01-19
I tried to purchase this TV from amazon, but never got a working one. After reading the reviews here I was wary of the delivery process and made sure to plug it in and try it before the delivery guys left.
Delivery was fast, it came in about 2 weeks. The people from Eagle were pleasant and helpful. They were even very apologetic when things went wrong.
The first one they sent me, when we turned it on there was what looked like a large crack inside the TV. The box didnt appear to be dropped and the TV didnt have a scratch on the outside of it. Oh well, it happens. I refused delivery, talked to amazon, and they send another one out promptly. Very helpful.
A week later the second one arrived, but this one wouldnt even turn on. The lights on the front would flash, then it would turn itself off. Now, I was very disappointed at this point, but I still wanted this TV and didnt want to go through the hassle of finding another retailer. Unfortunately, when I called for my replacement, the good people from amazon decided they didnt want to waste any more of this free shipping money on me and responded with:
"As it seems that the problem with this item is more widespread than we originally thought, we are not able to send another replacement."
So, 3 weeks after ordering this TV, not only do I not have it, but now I have to find it somewhere else. And to top it off, now Im stuck with this amazon card I signed up for, the sole purpose of which was to save a little money on this TV. Im told theyll be refunding my money, so all I got out of this is the hassle of making sure that they dont charge me anything for this mess.
If you decide to purchase this TV, it may be more expensive, but its probably more worth it to go to your local electronics store. I know it would have been for me.
On: 2007-01-18
I agonized over this purchase for months. I checked LCD, Plasma and DLP. I watched prices at Sams Club, Best Buy, Circuit City. In my den, I had a bookcase built so I did not need it to be flat. This Samsung is the best picture you can buy for the money if you dont need a flat set. I have been watching Discovery HD constantly just so that I can see the beauty of this TV. The Amazon price and delivery was unbelievable. I cannot say enough about my satisfaction. If you are a sports junkie or a movie freak, this is the TV for you!
On: 2007-01-18
Great HDTV! My wife and I ordered it a few weeks before Christmas as our Christmas present to ourselves. We were told up-front that delivery would be after Christmas, but we ordered anyway. We later received notification that it would be available for delivery only a little more than a week after we placed the order. We ultimately took delivery 10 days BEFORE Christmas. The delivery guys were very polite. They unpacked HDTV and set it onto the TV stand for us. The picture is fantastic. The DLP is a lot of bang for the buck!
On: 2007-01-16
I purchased this in the first week of December and quoted as expected to arrive in January. It arrived within a week just in time for the holidays and delivery was without any complications. Overall it was very good experience of purchasing. This TV is a bit older model and being replaced with a thinner model of virtually identical picture quality. I am very happy with the picture and ease of connections. Effective view angle is narrower than I wish but family and friends all enjoyed this last few weeks. Amazon refunded the difference after I mentioned the price came down two weeks after I purchased it. Thank you Amazon.
On: 2007-01-16
I am VERY pleased with the quality of this unit. The one caviot is the BEST picture is definately viewed straight on.
On: 2007-01-16
This tv is great. Nothin wrong at all with it and the free super saver shipping I recieved was very fast. The tv is amazing and for the price, you cant beat it anywhere else.
On: 2007-01-14
Wow. Fantastic performance at a great price. Its easy to use, has plenty of A/V hookups for every need, is lightweight, and has a great picture. Ive never spent this much money on a TV before, and I have no regrets now.
Weve only had it for ~3 weeks, but already are thinking about getting HD TV cable. (We got this primarily for DVD viewing.) As others have mentioned, once you see an HD TV signal (over-air), or even a 720 picture from a good DVD player, the regular "standard definition" cable TV signal looks terrible. Thats no fault of this unit of course.
Minor nits to pick:
- Managing the stations (weeding out those that dont come in well over-air or ones you dont care about) is a bit clumsy using the menu screens.
- The air vents for the unit are on the back vertical panel, rather than being on the top sloped panel. This means the unit has to be ~5 inches away from the wall rather than only an inch or two away.
- The sideways viewing angles arent quite as wide as I had hoped for, it dims considerably.
- The manual and Samsung web site are not particularly clear on whether this is a 1080 unit or a 720 unit.
On: 2007-01-12
If you are in the market for a TV and dont need to hang it on the wall...buy this Samsung 46" DLP IMMEDIATELY!!! Picture quality is comparable if not better than the LCD/Plasma displays Ive seen. Esp. the lower end models. I have this set hooked up VIA HDMI to my Cablevision box and even standard definition channels are great. HD is stunning! I cant leave my living room. BEST OF ALL...the price. Insane deal, you wont find it for under a thousand anywhere but right here. I ordered the TV Sunday January 7th..it arrived today (Jan. 11th) at 10am. and this shipping was free! you have to be kidding!..this is an incredible deal. I am 110% satisfied.
On: 2007-01-12
Shopped everywhere for this Samsung TV No one could match Amazone price for it including no tax and free delivery.
TV is fantastic great control, lots of upgrades and input jacks great sound.You need to hook up to HDTV receiver to get the best results.
replaced my GE TV with this, nothing can compare with the size for the price.
On: 2007-01-12
For those considering the Samsung HL-S4666W 46" DLP HDTV you have good reason to get excited. If I had one word to describe the unit it would be "wow."
This review is aimed at those who, despite having done a copious amount of research, have difficulty narrowing their purchase. If a wall mounted unit is not your preference, then DLP is the way to go. Rather than rehash from the previous reviews, Ill try and add something new beginning with delivery.
The delivery was faster than expected. The unit shipped via Eagle USA and arrived in 7 days. The delivery guys even offered to open the box and place it on the stand, which we also purchased on amazon.com. Search for adjustable DLP TV Stand for Samsung HL-S4266W and HL-S4666W for reviews.
This being my first HD experience, I relate to people this analogy: its the difference between dial-up and high-speed internet access. Generally, once you go high-speed you dont go back. Likewise, once you witness HD in all its 46" DLP glory, youll wince in pain as you see SD (standard definition). In fact, although nit-picking, the HDTV uses such advanced technology, that regular TV actually looks pixilated and grainy. This can be remedied simply by using one of the three A/V inputs found on the HDTV. You can view SD via the HDMI cables, however, the HDTV will try to upconvert the standard signal with degraded image quality.
When one is viewing 720P video on this Samsung unit, one can immediately noticed the difference. For instance, I paired this unit with a newly purchased Playstation 3, and proceeded to download an HD trailer for Blood Diamond via the wireless connection native to the PS3. Playing the 720P trailer revealed immediate sharpness and detail I had never seen on a TV. 720P is simply phenomenal-looking on this unit. Coupled with surround sound speakers this HDTV delivered the HD trail in theatrical quality! That was the first theatrical experience Ive had outside of a theater. Yep, the Samsung unit IS that good.
Speaking of the PS3, let me make this clear: playing Resistance on the console with HDTV is like playing the game for the first time. The difference in image quality is that staggering. Details emerge as though one is truly viewing the game as it was intended to be played. In short, if you already own a PS3, then you simply cant go wrong with this
HDTV. Utilizing the PS3 on an HD unit also has the added advantage of being able to surf the web with full screen support. Basically the viewer can see the whole webpage, making the web appear quite good in HD, though it probably wont replace your computer for this use.
Blu-ray DVDs play back with equally sharp, crisp detail. Even standard DVDs look better on this wide-screen DLP unit.
Its hard to complain about this electronic bundle of joy. My only complaint, although minor, is the limited viewing range for this unit. Though this is true for all large HDTVs. If youre standing up, looking down at the unit, youll notice glare, particularly in brightly sunlit rooms; however, while sitting in normal viewing range, this is eliminated.
Additionally buyers should note that they will need to purchase at least one HDMI cable separately. Consider buying two if you have a PS3. Buyers can prevent being scammed by buying HDMI cables at amazon.com. At the time of this review, store equivalents (such as those sold at Best Buy).
Summary:
Pros: Vivid detail and colors - provided you can find HD programming. Mind you, you will probably need a digital receiver from your cable company.
Works great with Playstation 3
Exceptional value - no tax and free shipping
Speedy delivery - took 7 day for this particular unit
2 HDMI ports + 1 USB and every other standard video/audio hookup.
May develop uncontrollable urge to hug your HDTV
Cons: No serious drawbacks.
Final Grade: A
On: 2007-01-12
After searching feverishly for the perfect tv at the most reasonable price this TV wins hands down. The picture is amazing. We also have the HDTV box from Brighthouse Networks and shows that are broadcast in HD on an HD channel are mind blowing! I dont have anything negative to say about the TV, the company that delievered it wanted to throw it on my door step and leave and thanks to what I read here I knew enough to tell him that it was his responsibility to set it up and make sure it works, he huffed and puffed but did it but didnt take the packaging like some have said but not a big deal. Overall I couldnt be any happier, we purchased it in October and havent had a single problem!
On: 2007-01-11
Got this TV for my husband for Christmas. I shopped hard, Amazon had the best price by a couple of hundred dollars. The big plus is that we were moving 6 hours away and spending Christmas in our new town, so Amazon shipped to a friends house at our destination. Free shipping, and it got there in less than a week. Ive read some negatives here about Eagle Shipping, but they were prompt and very responsive to questions about delivery date, even arranged for a Saturday delivery. Amazon said that the TV would NOT be there in time for Christmas with an early December order date, but it was there well before. And the picture on the TV is amazing. My husband just LOVES this TV, hopefully Ill get him back with the rest of the family when the new wears off! Thanks, Amazon, wonderful job.
On: 2007-01-10
I got my TV from Electronics Expo (abstain from doing business with these guys) and it came with four smudges. They are not willing to help me solve the problem.
On: 2007-01-10
What else can I say? It looks great, excellent picture quality, bright enough to use even in direct sunlight, easy to use menus, and even light enough to not be a big pain when moving. XBox 360 games look unbelievable. HDTV will spoil you. I find myself complaining to my girlfriend if I walk into the room and she is watching something in Standard Definition if its being broadcast in HD as well. The built in speakers are better than I thought they would be. I was expecting to buy a surround sound system right after the TV was delivered, but Ive decided to put it off for a few months until the new systems are released. Tons of inputs: cable, antenna, 2 component sets, 3 composite sets, 2 S-Video, 1 HDMI in, 1 HDMI in/out, digital audio, and a USB. All in all, a great TV at a great price. It looks better than LCDs and Plasmas at at twice the price.
On: 2007-01-10
This TV is a great value. IT has an extraordinary picture, either with a HD antenna or cable/sat. You will not be disapointed with this item.
On: 2007-01-09
You cant beet this TV for the price. TV was delivered 7 days from order. Excellent picture quality. I use mine with DirecTV HD, a standard DVD player, and a Blueray DVD player. Two friends have also purchased this TV after they saw mine!
On: 2007-01-05
The TV is excellent. HD over-air broadcasts are incredible, especially FOX Sports. DVD movies also look incredible. If you are using a console gaming system like a PS2, be sure to get the component cable and go Progressive. Youll be glad you did! This TV has plenty of inputs and the onscreen interface is simple to use.
On: 2007-01-04
I am very pleased with this purchase and its preformance
On: 2007-01-04
I couldnt be happier with the Samsung HL-S4666W 46"DLP HDTV, but I did a lot of research and analysis before making the purchase. I decided my price range, my needs for filling a space in my room, the pros and cons of the different technologies and my HDTV needs for now and the future. I also considered the input and output capabilites of the TV. I zeroed in on the Sony or the Samsung rear projection models and ultimately decided on the DLP technology. This TV has a built in HD tuner, so I bought the Terk HDTVi VHF/UHF Indoor Antenna and watch my local stations in HD for free--beautiful picture. I upgraded my cables to component-video for watching dtv satellite shows and DVD with improved video quality--definitely connect video sources the highest quality way. It was a consuming task replacing my 15 year old 27" Sony tube TV, but for now I am very pleased. Amazons price and super saver shipping saved me hundreds of dollars.
On: 2007-01-04
I did a lot of research on all types of televisions and finally narrowed it down to DLP. They are so much more affordable than plasma or LCD, plus they have a longer life span. The only thing you have to do is clean them once a year and replace the lamp every few years. Samsung is the brand most recommended for DLP, plus you arent paying extra for a name like you have to with Sony. This television is great for the value, awesome picture, sound, everything and the 720i is just fine for me. The only gripe I have is about the free shipping. I was optimistic at first , but I found that the later delivery date is actually the one you should expect. It ended up taking two weeks to get it.
All in all, I would recommend this television to anyone. But I would probably pay for shipping instead of getting the free standard shipping.
On: 2007-01-04
Ive been using this TV for a few months now and its great. The picture quality is good, easy to set up, and its hard to beat the price. The one issue is that lots of people seem to be running into is the delivery service. My TV arrived broken. Eagle Global Logistics is the delivery company and they were rude, arrived late, and rushed me into signing the papers. Definitely check the TV, make sure it works before signing the delivery forms. On the brighter side, I called Samsung customer service and they were very helpful. A repair man was sent to my house about a week later (it was the earliest I could schedule) and he fixed the TV in about 15 minutes. It was all free of charge.
As a TV, I give it 5 stars, but the entire experience brings it down to 4 stars.
On: 2007-01-04
This is our first venture into HD but all I can say is--Wow! The TV took about a week to arrive. We asked the delivery person to wait, so we could make sure it worked prior to signing off on it--which it did. It is still working beautifully and I wouldnt hesitate to recommend this television to anyone!
On: 2007-01-03
NOTE: Check out the high-res pictures I posted of this set. They are the ones of the image itself (bear, desert, ocean, as well as a shot of the set in my basement flanked by the Athena speakers and the stars on the wall). Just dont judge the overall image quality of the set from these pictures, as they are obviously limited both my my camera and skills, and also the monitor youre displaying them on. Use my review as a guage of quality.
***
I will begin this review by stating I DO NOT WORK FOR SAMSUNG. I know there was one or two disgruntled customers that insisted the people posting positive reviews on this product were Samsung spys. I assure you, I am not among their ranks.
That nonsense aside, I was a little leary ordering this TV. For starters, its not 1080P, which was my biggest gripe. For two, its DLP, which has its quirks, including the rainbow effect. For three, there were a few fanatical reviews here on Amazon from people that were completely unhappy.
Well, Id like to say that although its unfortunate a few people had bad experiences, I will say that this TV is stunning. This is my opinion after a solid three months of ownership. Im not one of those individuals who post two days after getting their TV, still overcome with the initial wow factor. No, I figured Id let it settle in a bit, become a part of my everyday life before I commit my opinion to the world. Its only when you become accustomed to something, take it for granted even, that you can provide a true measure of its worth.
Before the details, I will qualify them by stating I am the definition of picayune. If there is ANYTHING wrong with this TV, you can rest assured I will bring it up in this review. And I will say that this TV isnt perfect, and I will begin with its shortcomings. However, I generally give products ratings based upon how they fare with regards to my expectations. A four = meets expectations, while a five = surpasses expectations.
Now then, the bad. The speakers on this TV, while passible, and probably the best factory speakers Ive ever heard on a TV, are not up to my standards. Given that this was a "budget" home theater system, I went with the Athena Micra 5.1 speaker set and a Pioneer A/V Receiver to compliment the picture of this TV. Anyone even remotely serious about home theather would do the same. Even during high def sports games, where you would think sound doesnt play as large a role, I noticed some stations break the audio into five channels, with the sounds of the fans (screaming, clapping, etc) actually coming from the rear speakers, giving you the impression you are right there in the stands.
Anyhow, beyond the sound, the only other thing I can think of that detracts from this otherwise stellar TV is the rainbow effect. If youre looking into TVs Im sure youve heard of it. Basically, the best way to describe it is a rainbow colored shadow that appears for a split second as you run your eyes across the screen. A better way to imagine it might be very, very short bursts of rainbow color as the eyes move quickly across the picture. That being said, about 99% of people DO NOT SEE THE RAINBOW EFFECT. I, however, must be in that one percent. I might add Im most likely susceptible because Im Mr. Picky McPick and looked for the rainbow effect until I saw it, as opposed to watching the screen like a normal person. Nevertheless, even though I have seen it, and can see it if I want to, it is not noticeable unless you are looking for it, and even when you are, IT DOES NOT DETRACT FROM THE OVERALL PICTURE/IMPACT. Additionally, from what I can gather, the people whose eyes can actually pick up the rainbow effect are a small minority, and, like I said, among that minority there is an even smaller minority that pay the rainbow effect any mind. Believe me, I would be the first one to send this back if it got in the way or distracted in the least bit. Im the type that buys a completely new product if my old one gets a scratch on it.
Ill touch on resolution, briefly. When originally looking for TVs, I was dead set on 1080P. Money being what it is, I had to settle for 720P. That said, and I really must emphasize this a thousand times, HD is what it is because you have an image that was captured, transferred, and displayed digitally. Thats it. Resolution really does not have as much to do with it as you think, and really only determines how close you can sit to a set. Basically, youre only going to begin to notice the difference of 1080P at normal viewing distances with 50 inches and above. I dare say 1080P is moot until you pass well beyond 60 inches.
Be that as it may, lets talk about whats good about this set: namly, everything else. The picture is fantastic. Out of the box, the MOVIE setting is the way to go for EVERYTHING, including sports, etc. I have yet to hook up an X-Box 360, and thus have not tried the GAME setting, which may or may not have benefit, but otherwise its Moive all the way. Several notable (ie: professional, not Amazon) reviewers have mentioned that MOVIE is so close to 100 percent ideal image on this set that there is no reason to go for a professional calibration.
Case in point: while this TV was en route to mi casa, I called a local, certified HD TV calibrator. Cost? $300 to professionally calibrate the TV. However, as soon as it arrived I checked out the MOVIE setting, as some online reviewers recommended, and immediatly cancelled the appointment. Realistically, if the MOVIE setting doesnt do it for you, forget TVs and read a book (which I would recommend you do from time to time anyway).
As an aside, this TV looks the best from about 9-15 feet viewing distance. It is perfect at 10 feet, a little close (but still very useable) at 8 feet, and really edging into 50 inch territory beyond 12 feet. I should note that this is the distance measured from the center of the set to the average distance your eye is away from the TV, not necessarily the front or back of your couch (yes, one or two feet can make a difference when youre on the borderline).
Really, this TV is great, and an incredible buy for the money. We paid $1200 for it at the end of September, which was great even then, and now theyre going for less than $1000 (well, $999). This is a STEAL for this TV. Free shipping too? Cmon...no brainer here. Really it blows me away that this TV is this inexpensive. Everyone that comes over says, "How much, 3K...4, 5?" When I say I paid $1200 for it they think Im pulling their leg. Once they realize that is the real price, they really start to consider the HD TV market. In fact, over Thanksgiving one of my relatives came down to watch the football game. He of course could not believe the price. I turned on my laptop, brought up Amazon, showed him the price, and he pulled out his credit card and ordered one right on the spot. You could seriously tell someone you paid $6000 for this TV and they would believe you without question.
On top of that, with Samsungs "floating screen" design, the TV actually looks like a flat panel plasma or LCD, which adds to that luxy appeal. I highly, highly recommend the Samsung stand designed for this TV if you are at all into how it appears aesthetically, as it really compliments the whole effect. I forget the model number, but I believe it comes up as an option when you choose to buy this set.
Overall, this TV blows away sets Ive seen costing five times as much, literally. A buddy of mine picked up a Phillips (ie: junk) HD set a year or two ago for about 4K. He now comes over to my house every chance he can get to watch TV. His set completely pales in comarison. Even the LCos Sonys are just on par with the Samsungs. I am 100% confident when I say that Samsung is a, if not THE, leader in the modern TV segment.
Now before I write a thesis on this thing, Ill wrap it up with the totals. Ive been told by several self-proclaimed home theater aficionados that you cannot get a decent setup for below 4K. That may or may not have been true five years ago, but today this is patently false. We were originally looking at a Sony Bravia 1080P 40 inch LCD panel. It was $2800, best price. We budgeted 3K for the whole system, so figured with that amount we could get the Sony and the wires and brackets to hook it up.
Now lets consider option 2, the Samsung. $1200 for the TV, $500 for Athena Micra 5.1 speakers (also avalible through Amazon and reviewed by me, great stuff), $150 for the speaker stands, $400 for a Pioneer A/V receiver, $400 for an HD DVD player, and give or take $200 for those things that didnt qualify for shipping and for cables. In all, a shade over $2800, what we originally were going to spend on the Sony alone.
Im not going to sit here any longer and bable away, but I really must emphasize this TV blew my expectations out of the water. Complete the package with a nice set of speakers and a receiver (NOT BOSE!!!) and an HD DVD player, and you have a certified, signed, sealed and delievered home theater system that will give any guru a run for his money. At least consider this option if youre in the market.
On: 2007-01-03
I tried HDMI (for DVR/cable box) and component connections (games and DVD player). They both produce very good images, which is what I expected from this purchase. Operation of the unit is intuitive, and there are more than enough inputs on the television for my needs. The variability of image quality with the viewing angle, especially from top to bottom, is the only negative comparison to plasma or LCD monitors.
I am happy with my purchase. This is a good alternative to panel televisions for those who do not need to mount the unit on a wall, as this product has a slimmer profile and lighter in weight than one would expect.
Prompt delivery with excellent service.
On: 2006-12-30
I ordered this on the 20th of December and received it on the 27th. With free shipping it wasnt suppose to come until January 10th... lucky me! Im very happy with the price, speedy delivery, and the quality!
On: 2006-12-27
I bought this TV in the beginning of December. Although shipping took a little too much longer than I would have liked I love the TV. The picture is fantastic, especially for things that can run in 1080i. It has plenty of inputs (the dual HDMI is great) plus it was a USB port for those who want to hook up an iPod. I highly recommend this set.
On: 2006-12-16
I looked at Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, etc to determine which TV I wanted. Was drawn to this one. Amazon.com was $400-500 less than the aforementioned stores. PLUS - free shipping and no tax. I ordered the TV on a Friday, I was watching it the following Thursday. The HD pic quality is amazing (DLP - Its the mirrors), and if youve not watched NFL, NHL, NASCAR, MLB in HD, you have no idea what youre missing. The back panel was perfect for my needs with 2 HD component cable inputs and 2 HDMI inputs.
On: 2006-12-16
You cant go wrong with this tv. I got it in about 10 days. Free shipping was okay, but I had to pick it up at the depot because we could not arrange a convenient time. It got to my town in about ten days.
The tv is great. The picture looks very nise (of course with all hdtvs, depending on your source). Digital cable looks good and hdtv look amazing. Analog channels sometimes look fuzzy. Overall, a great big beautiful picture for the money.
Really easy to set up and my wife and I love it. We have not had any problems. If you are thinking about getting it, do it.
On: 2006-12-13
It is a great buy, 46 Samsung DLP for less than $1,100. However beware if you order this from Amazon. Their shipping information is inaccurate and could be considered fradulant. I ordered this item from Amazon and was told it would be delivered between December 19-22. When I received the shipping confirmation, they changed the delivery date to January 3. While I protested that they had broken our purchase agreement, they have yet to change their delivery date to what was agreed upon. I would recommend you pay more and buy from a local or other online vendor. It would appear that Amazon can not be trusted.
On: 2006-12-03
I had read a lot about HDTVs before I bought this one, and it seemed that this one would be good quality with a large size for the price. All those things turned out to be true. I have to say that it took about three hours to set it up--most of that was because I bought the wrong cables (and had to return them), and had to get my DVDs output set to the component output first. I did call Samsung with a few questions, and they answered in about 1 minute on a Saturday morning. I was very pleased with that. At any rate, you can easily switch from TV to DVD with one button and use one remote for both. When I finished putting all this together, I popped in a home made DVD with pictures of the Olympic National Park, and I was amazed at the picture quality. This was with component cables, and not the high end HDMI. Anyway, I called in my 16 year old daughter to see this (she is not usually impressed by much), and HER jaw dropped. Thats quite a complement. Anyway, I also like the display...it doesnt do any of that stretching you see on other screens that dont have the 16:9 display. Id buy it again!
On: 2006-12-02
Yesterday, my Samsung HL-S4666W DLP HDTV was delivered to my home by super-saver shipping exactly 11 days after it was ordered. (I live a considerable distance from the nearest large city, hence the extra days) The TV worked amazingly well right out of the box. I connected it to my outdoor antenna and immediately began to receive clear, sharp, over-the-air HDTV broadcasts from our local repeater (translater) station. After a few minor adjustments to contrast, brightness, and tint, to suit my personal preferences, I was ready to go. Next, I connected my progressive-scan DVD player through the S-video input, popped in a DVD, and was impressed by what I saw on the screen.
Having noticed that the price of the HL-S4666W had dropped between the time I placed the order and when it was shipped, I contacted Amazon customer service to request a credit for the difference. They promptly and courteously responded to my request, and indicated that a credit would indeed be applied to my VISA account.
I, like most individuals contemplating the purchase of a relatively expensive consumer electronics item, have paid close attention to user opinions and feedback, and accordingly, had been somewhat alarmed by a few of the comments regarding the quality of this product and its performance, as well as Amazons shipping and customer service. All I can say is that my experience thusfar has been entirely positive.
On: 2006-11-29
Hi Def, digital, or otherwise, the picture is STUNNING on this tv. A multitude of connection options and a fairly compact size just add to the overall value.
On: 2006-11-29
Ive had this TV since July and have loved every second of owning it. Every dvd, xbox 360 game, and HD channel has looked beautiful. Even the PC input looks great and the TV will work with the computer to fill whatever computer resolution youre using into the whole screen. I have gotten SO many compliments on this TV. I bought it from Amazon...they were quick, very helpful, and I couldnt be happier with my purchase. Ive used the TV in all its HD resolutions and they work great. The remote is awesome and so are the menus.
On: 2006-11-28
Amazon has done its best to supply the consumer will Durable and reliable products! This is one to CAPTURE your senses! The colors are amazing! The Audio plugs allows you to add on a HTIB system! Which in todays market is a plus to have.
Please make sure to get all your cables ahead of time and contact your cable company. SOmetimes its these minor details that can cause a delay in enjoying the true delight this Wide screen can display. If you can, get a calibration disc as well. This will save on hours of tuning the colors/tints/contrast, etc.
I personally recommend this particular model, for two reasons: One is its just the right size to not be overpowering. Two: Ease of setup. The DLP is sure to last in todays market of ever changing technology. Its a keeper for some of us long term investments. The price seems to be dropping too! who can resist the free shipping that Amazon offers from time to time! Its well worth waiting the 10-18 days to get.
The only small concern I would bring about is the shipping company that is used. Slow to setup a delivery time or a date. This is an area where improvement can be met by giving the customer two alternate dates so that the adult can be home for the acceptance and setup. It really should be the customers *choice* on the target date.
The Samsung overall is a product that is worthy of the positive reviews received herein! Get it and enjoy the array of features!
On: 2006-11-28
First of all, you must realize this TV isnt top of the line; however, odds are you wont be able to tell the difference. Standard DVDs output at 480p, and this TV is at 720p. I have a DirecTV HD receiver which broadcasts at 1080i, and the picture is simply amazing. Im sure if you spent 2-3 times as much on a fancier TV, youd get a slightly better picture; however, I once again stress that this picture is pretty great on its own.
The TV has every input you can think of (except DVI, which is really only for a computer), and most importantly it has 2 HDMI slots. I have my Sony Dream System stereo plugged in (it upscales normal DVDs) as well as my DirecTV receiver.
I had the TV running simply on a digital satelite signal and the speakers attached for about two months, and I have no complaints. The digital picture is very good, and not very grainy at all (analog channels are another story). The sound coming from the internal speakers were also pretty good.
Personally, I think DLP technology is the cats meow when compared to LCD (too bright) and Plasma (left hanging if it breaks). Now if you want to hang a TV on the wall, this isnt the TV for you. But if you want a great movie-watching experience, youve found your match.
For the current price (around $1000), I dont think you can get a better bargin. The TV is light, high picture quality, supports nearly every format out there, AND you can get it with no tax and free shipping. What are you waiting for?
On: 2006-11-17
Awesome TV. I own it for last 6 months. I recommended it for many of my friends. None has any complaints about it.
On: 2006-11-16
What else can you ask for through Amazon. Free shipping and best price anywhere. After looking at all the other Hdtv types I think for the money the Samsung 46 inch DLP at 720P is the best bang for your buck. Sharp picture, bright colors, excellent contrast. I could not see much difference between 720P and 1080P with the 720P being a lot cheaper.
On: 2006-11-11
Great Tv, I hook it up to my xbox 360 and it looks fantastic. Star Wars episode III looks incredible on it.
On: 2006-11-11
No complaints on this clear as can be HDTV. Highly recommend it. My husband did alot of research and this was his decision. It paid off! Free shipping helps, too!
On: 2006-11-11
best tv i have ever owned crisp,clear,colorfol. better then plasma.i saved 2500 dollars[plasma 3600 dollars]
On: 2006-11-10
I bought this TV a few months ago based on reviews and price range. I have had no trouble with the TV and the picture is good, but is not exceptional. I believe that this is because I do not have HDTV and/or the best cables for hookup. I think the DLP is something you have to get used to, as at different viewing angles or when a program is recorded the picture is not as good. DVDs look tremendous! Overall I am very satisfied with this TV especially for the price.
On: 2006-11-10
I purchased Samsung HL-S4666W DLP-HDTV, which replaced my 27" Sony Wega CRD which weighted 100 pounds; despite the size (depth 13.4 inches) of the Samsung, which maybe its only down fall, it weighs 66 pounds and is much easier to transport. I purchased it in the second week of September 2006, I opted for ground shipping and to my delight, and it arrived 1 week and a half later- to my college dorm room. Best part - 46" least expensive for its size when I purchased, friend of mine bought a no-name 37" LCD TV for $300 less, but seems like he is in here when we watch movies. Go figure!
Brilliant picture quality, inputs galore- My roommates and I currently have a DVD player attached via S-video input, an Xbox 360 via HDMI, a Nintendo Gamecube via the standard RCA inputs, and Ive also used it as a monitor for my MacBook via the PC input. It has met every expectation and continues to prove to be an excellent purchase. As for durability, it has surprised me; we like to juggle soccer balls in the room~ time and time again, the ball has hit the screen - (Approx. 5 times) the TV hasnt shown any signs of weakness due to our less then typical recklessness.
Bottom line for this TV is that it is one of the best DLP TVs you can buy; an excellent alternative to a expensive plasma or LCD TVs of similar size.
Best advice I can give you: Go and Look at the product and compare it with others side by side at Best Buy or some other retailer then find the best deal your can at a reputable online retailer- such as Amazon and enjoy it.
On: 2006-11-10
I got problem with the shipping. The first TV was lost during transit and it took me a lot of time to communicate with the shipping company "Eagle global". Finally, I had to turn to Amazon customer service but it still took more than 5 days before I got the answer.
Bottom line is it took more than 3 weeks before I received my TV and next time I should probably think twice about the free shipping service.
Fortunately, the TV has been working well so far.
On: 2006-11-10
INITIALLY, MY WIFE AND I DID NOT FEEL THAT THE PICTURE WAS VERY CLEAR. AFTER A FEW WEEKS EITHER WE GOT USED TO IT OR IT SOMEHOW IMPROVED. WE FEEL
THAT IF WE ARE FURTHER AWAY THE PICTURE IS CLEARER. ALL THE FEATURES ARE WONDERFUL AND WE ARE VERY SATISFIED WITH THEM. IF I HAD TO MAKE A PURCHASE FOR A LARGE SCREEN TV AGAIN I WOULD CHOOSE A FLAT SCREEN [LCD OR PLASMA] INSTEAD, DUE TO THE SPACE SAVING CAPABILITIES.
On: 2006-11-08
I searched for the best deal. This was it. This product is rated highly by most every service, and the Amazon price was WELL below the competition. Excellent picture. Delivery was a snap. I only wish I waited a bit longer, as the price has gone down $100 since I purchased.
On: 2006-11-06
Well, My T.V. has a blue streak across the bottom of the screen. It has been there Since day one and appears to be growing in size. I do not know if i will order big items (such as electronics) on amazon for awhile, if ever. Receiving the TV took longer than expected and to have a blue streak and not great Hi-Def picture is absurd.
So apparently Amazon cannot do anything to help me except that i need to contact a certified TV repairer authorized by samsung. It was very hard to arrange him to come, and when he finally did he was just like yeah you have a blue line thats bad (I could have told you that). He said that he would get back with us. Well he never did, and 3 weeks later i finally call him, and he tells me "I have forgotten about you yada yada yada...just let me know when you are going out of town so i can pick up the tv, its probably the light engine or something."
That would have been great if you could have told me what the story was earlier. But in the end it is probably Amazons fault because the T.V. essentially "broke" in shipping.
Sincerely,
A very displeased customer.
On: 2006-11-06
Purchased in August 06 and shipment via Eagle was flawless. Arrived in about 10 days and shipper delivered, unpacked the TV and took away all the packing materials. Set up was easy. The TV is surprisingly light weight. We bought the companion stand for the unit and the two go together well. The stand is obviously designed for this unit.
Picture quality is excellent (its the mirrors!). Our son is jealous and much prefers the picture on our Samsung to the picture quality on his 3 year old Sony rear projection HDTV. I have yet to see a better price for this TV anywhere else.
On: 2006-11-06
We love this television! And it was so nice to have it delivered to our door....however, the deliver date from Amazon was a little misleading because they dont have the delivery schedule of the delivery service...but again, the TV is terrific, expecially for sports and travel shows...M.Kofman
On: 2006-11-05
Great product, great price, shipping was much faster than expected, I will buy again.
On: 2006-11-04
I bought this in September, and have been too busy enjoying it to submit a feedback. :-)
To me this HDTV is a great balance of cost, size, and features. I use it for over-the-air broadcast HD programs, DVDs (with upconvert DVD player via HDMI), and XBox 360 games. All work great with it.
On: 2006-11-03
The picture has to be seen to be believed. It is bright, plenty of contrast, and great color. I have had this tv for a couple of weeks, but I am still in awe as I watch a hi-def movie. I think Samsung has done a great job at the price for a tv with this quality of picture. It beats my 42" plasma hands down.
Where ever you buy, make sure to check out this tv.
On: 2006-11-03
This product is a great value and the picture quality is amazing. We have been very pleased with this products performance. I have never seen such brighter and clearer pictures. The only downfall is that when you watch non-HDTV channels the picture may look fuzzier compared to a CRT (normal) t.v. However, I think that goes for all HDTVs. This is not a flat-panel t.v. There is some depth; however, it is about 15 inches. We placed it in our entertainment center and it looks gorgeous. In fact, you cant even tell its not a flat-panel. Plus, I can pick up the t.v. by myself since it weighs about 70 pounds.
On: 2006-11-02
I spent weeks researching before buying this product. Searching online reviews, and visiting stores. I had no problems with the delivery company unlike quite a few customers. The television looks splendid, very good sound. Excellent picture. Some people have left poor comments concerning the remote, personally I find it pretty intuitive, works fine controlling my dvd player also I had to find the codes from the online manual as the printed version must of been out of date. The usb function works very well. Amazing to see ones photos at such a large scale, if of course you take them at a high enough resolution. Playing on a non HD games console such as a ps2 and you will notice a few jaggys if you sit too close to the screen. But at the corrent distance and the experience is astounding. Would like to see how the xbox 360 plays on this.
On: 2006-11-01
I kept my eye on this TV for a while, read many reviews, and Amazon definitely has the best price with free shipping. The shipping from Eagle took about 7 business days, which was not that important to me, and was delivered in perfect condition directly to the TV stand.
The picture is great. I could not justify the 1080p models by Samsung (which look amazing), so I went with the lower priced 720p native display model. Its way better than what I am used to and good enough for me.
Check out AVSFORUM for this TV where there are many advanced users with info on custom settings for a perfect picture. That has been very helpful.
All together a good TV for the price. So far I am very pleased with this purchase.
On: 2006-10-30
Ive owned this TV now for about 4 months and I still think it was the best deal I could find anywhere for the quality product I received. Samsung DLP technology is just so much cleaner than the sonys I looked at. I got the TV for around 1,150 shipped to my door after I had some shipping issues with the freight service, but Amazon was great and gave me a discount because of the problems - customer service was very helpful. As for the picture of this TV its truly amazing. I have yet to get an upconvert or blu-ray/hd-dvd player, but I do have HDTV DVR cable connected VIA HDMI cable and it is amazing in 1080p. the resolution is so crisp I hate watching regular TV now. I highly reccomend the 46" DLP if youre looking for an affordable HDTV, but you dont want to spend the money yet on a plasma or LCD. Sofar the lamp life has been great, I imagine I will be replacing it in the next couple years because we are watching movies and recorded shows ALL THE TIME we love it so much.
On: 2006-10-24
Ive had this TV for over a month now. It came within 2 weeks, delivered just fine. Worked right out of the box. HD Discovery is amazing to watch. Movies in HD are a pleasure to watch (cable stations providing HD)In alot of ways I like watching this TV more than going to the movies. The size is perfect for viewing from about 9 ft, not too big (dont have to scan back and forth) not too small. The only real problem Ive had is hooking up a PC. For some reason it wont accept the laptop monitor signal. I havent tried hooking up a desktop yet. The only other complaint I have is the connector backplanes are a little cheesy. Everything is plastic so when connecting an RCA plug, it gives a little, makes me nervous not to want to push too hard or Ill break it. But everything is great and for a great price with no tax and free shipping.
On: 2006-10-23
The purchase of the Samsung HL-S4666W is a "no-brainer". Why pay more for a set thats either more expensive, too big, or has features (like 1080p) that are unnecessary? I purchased the HL-S4666w, stand and extended warranty through Amazon, all with free shipping and no tax. The stand came in less than a week, and was easy to assemble. The set came in two weeks, and was professionally unboxed, cleaned up and set-up by Eagle. They called in advance to set up my appointment in the evening and called again when they were about to deliver it. They even waited at my door until I could come home from work !!! The picture is awesome, nearly perfect in every way; and the remote and set-up is easy to use and do, unless youre a moron. The remote allows you to easily switch 1) the Picture mode to one of 4 customizable settings, 2) sound mode to four customizable settings 3) size mode and 4) a few other minor things; very convenient. In my humble opinion there is simply no reason to purchase another brand or model anywhere else; unless you have some very specific reason. A 46" set is the ideal size for the average room. And all that stuff about contrast ratio is nonsense. This set is so bright Ive had to tone down most of the settings. And buying 1080p is like buying HDTV back in the 90s. theres nothing to watch, as it is, the only thing to watch in High Def is 4 or 5 channels. Even most DVDs are only 480p. if you really want to test this set or any other HDTV, watch the movie "Ultraviolet"; not much of a story but its obvious sole purpose was for us folks to watch HDTV; and this set passed with flying colors, literally !! Two other things worth noting 1) I cant detect absolutely any color wheel noise and the DNIe can be customly set for whatever youre watching; its better ON for High Def and fast action; and set for OFF for most other things. I simply set it up in the customizable picture modes so I can easily switch it from a push of a button on the remote. For the price and quality and service; do yourself a favor and go and buy this set; before Amazon (and Samsung) realizes what theyre giving away!!!
On: 2006-10-19
With so many tvs out there I think you have to start at your budget. Mine was $1200-$1400. How much can you spend? I guess the more you spend the better the tv, right? I read up on DLP, LCD and Plasma. All had strengths and weaknesses. So decide on what you want. DLP - the bulb may burn out after 2-3 years and cost $250 but you can replace it yourself. LCD - be careful with the screen and watch out for dead pixels. Plasma - burn spots if you play PS2 games. Now that you have the budget and type of tv sorted, which brand? Samsung, from my research, came out top. All the reviews showed they produce the most reliable and have the better picture quality. Now the size. The biggest you can for the budget you have and the type (DLP/LCD/Plasma). I picked the Samsung 46 inch DLP. I play PS2 games, so did not want to suffer burn spots. This was the largest for my budget of $1200. I ordered from Amazon and delivery was in 8 days (free shipping!). I had found cheaper places but they added shipping taking it over Amazons price.
At first I thought the tv was too big for my 25 x 16 living room but its not. You get used to the size very quickly and wish you could get bigger! The picture is crisp and there are many settings so you can make your own adjustments to suit you. I have read that if you keep the brightness to 55 or less you extend the bulb life and 55 is bright enough! The built in speakers are only ok. Not much bass but I wanted surround sound speakers anyway. (I bought Onkyo 650w and they are awesome with this tv). I have not set the tv up for HD yet (no HDMI cable yet) but when I do, things can only get better.
This tv is well worth its money. I have no regrets. The only downside is the low humming sound from the fan at the rear of the tv. With you volume above 10% you cant hear it though. Put this on your wish list and see if you can find better value. I couldnt. Good Luck!
On: 2006-10-15
Well let me start by saying I am not sure who these reviewers are that have reviewed this Samsung HL-S4666W, maybe they are paid by Samsung who knows. Well here is my nightmare of a story
I received this TV some 5 weeks ago after watching a DVD I noticed there was a green tint on dark color screens specially on skin color, and its really bad when the person is black. Anyway I called samsung and they responded really quickly (Which surprised me because I have read some horror stories ) - Anyway within 2 weeks Samsung sent a man to "fix" my TV.
The guy they sent went about changing the motherboard and said the problem was fixed now - so I put on DVD to look at it and the green tint was still there !!! I asked him if he could see it but he said it was the source so I had my old TV hooked up and he proceeded to say that you cant
compare the TVs - Of course you should not be able to one is a 27" CRT I bought for 220$ at walmart the other is a 1200$ HDTV. Anyway after forward and back he insisted there was no problem I insisted there was. 2 days later I called samsung and there line is as long as the technician says its within specs there is nothing they can do !!!!! Anyway so I am
stuck with a TV that I am now trying to Sell - After this no more Samsung products of any kind for me...
Just be careful with this Samsung product Google samsung this model number and green tint and you will see what I mean, there are still MANY issues that are not resolved with this TV. If you do order one - you have been warned
Good luck.....
On: 2006-10-04
We just received our Samsung TV - what a great picture - were very pleased. Werent sure what we should expect from an online purchase of this size but it came on time, delivered quality expected. We bought it bundled with the stand that works perfectly and was very easy to setup - everything matches beautifully. Thanks Amazon! Also, the delivery company - Eagle - were on time, helpful, careful and took the time to unpack and setup my TV and answer questions - very very happy with the whole experience!
On: 2006-10-03
So far I do not have a working TV. I ordered it almost a month ago. It never worked out of the box and the first available date for a "authorized" dealer to come service it is another two weeks away. That means it will be close to two months that I have waited to watch my (hopefully) working TV. Never again!
On: 2006-10-03
I purchased this Samsung HLS4666W television because of all the good reviews I read about them. I received the TV in a timely manner from when it was shipped out to me. I started watching the TV ,maybe about 3 hours of viewing,and then it broke. It never would turn back on so I called the customer support 1-800-Samsung to get help since I have a 1 year warranty. Well I was told the error code of blinking lights on the front of the TV meant the Lamp was bad and that all I needed was a new one. I was put in contact with the service department then. The service department told me they needed to order the part it would be in a couple days later and replaced in about a week. Not a bad time frame I thought. Well a week went by and I received no calls from anyone. I called customer support back and after a little tooth pulling found out it was never ordered and was now being express shipped to the service center I was in contact with and would be there by that wednseday which was already a week and a half later by this point. So I waited till friday after receiving no calls and the part was still not in. I was guaranteed it would be there and never came in. At this point I asked for a manager and got sent to their Teir 2 support department. The person I talked to said since it was so long waiting he would put me in for a replacement
with the Executive customer Relations department and they would contact me within 48 hours and he gave me a direct number to call them if not. Well I waiting till tuesday and gave them a call since I again heard nothing from anyone. The number I was given was not a samsung number it was of a random company and after talking with customer support again I was told it takes 3-5 days not 48 hours.So again I waited till that Friday still hearing nothing and called the ECR department directly( the customer service person gave me the real number). They did not know what I was talking about as nothing was sent over to them about a replacement. You can imagine my frustration by this time it being 3 weeks after the TV had been broken and still nothing was being done. So they told me they would just ship me a lamp and I could replace it myself. Well that came in yesterday which was over a month after my initial call of complaint. I replaced the lamp and it still is not working it gives the same error. As of now after talking to enough managers they have decided to replace the TV which is going to take another 3 weeks. So I will have owned this TV for 2 months where it hasnt worked and I have had nothing but the run-around by anyone in the customer service center of samsung. Maybe the TV isnt a bad Tv but the one I received was and the customer support is more that horrible. I would not buy anything from Samsung if this is the hardships you need to go through just to get it fixed. So I am waiting on a replacement since they would not give me a refund since I bought it online through Amazon.com. I hope this helps because all the people who have been helping me try and get this fixed will never buy from Samsung now.
On: 2006-10-01
I ordered this tv from Amazon and delivery was set for 1 week later. The tv arrived in phoenix (my city) two days prior to the scheduled delivery date. EGL Shipping Company began to call me the day prior to scheduled delivery to set up a delivery date for the FOLLOWING WEEK! I was quite upset and told them that this was unacceptable so they aquiesced and ended up delivering the tv the next day (one day earlier than the delivery date quoted by Amazon). I had spoke to the delivery coordinator at EGL and told her that I expected the delivery person to standby while I plugged in the tv to ensure against DOA. She was in agreement and I had no problems with the deliver guy. He helped me set up the TV and stood by, without me asking, while I plugged it in and checked it out. He even took the boxes with him, again without being asked to. Very cool delivery guy.
As far as the TV goes, I have it hooked up with a Zenith Silver Sensor OTA antenna and the HD sigal looks great! DVDs look very nice as well however am awaiting my DVD Essentials calibrating disc to set up the picture a little better. Oh, dont pay ridiculuous retail prices for the DVD...get it on eBay for 15 bucks!
So far, so good! Although its only been three days, I like this tv. Its a great-looking set and I recommend it highly. Will update if and when any issues occur.
On: 2006-09-29
Love this TV. Have watched OTA HDTV and 480i DVDs only so far, but picture quality really is great. Not a huge fan of watching some widescreen movies on it, but fullscreen always look great. Some widescreen just look a bit blurry when Zoom feature is used to fill screen, while others look great. Might be user ineptitude.
Used Avia to calibrate picture, and found that I had to make very few changes to get good results.
Be firm with shipping company if they seem to be toying w/ you. Eagle was a bit unreliable regarding time of delivery, but once it was delivered the delivery guys were great and helped me get it set where I wanted it to make sure everything worked okay, then they took away the packaging so I didnt have to deal w/ it.
Only downside I see: I notice the LASIK induced astigmatism in my right eye more than I used to...might have to go get that fixed now!
On: 2006-09-28
Can I just say WOW. This certainly is the best bang for the buck. I have nothing negative to say about this tv. We got the matching stand so its set up perfectly. Eagle Delivery was toying around abit about the delievery time so I called in and laid down the law and they got it out to me the same day. I cant believe how huge it is the picture is GREAT unless youre standing inches infront of it...which only my toddler tends to do so thats not a problem for me.I did lots of research and was very hesitant about making such a purchase online so I advise people to do there research and take youre time, BUT trust me this is a AWESOME DEAL.My husband likes to hook up the Pc for his games and such thats a great feature as well. Its very light and sleek looking.I will try to post a pic and I will also update this in a couple months ...Im loving it. And so will you.
On: 2006-09-26
I just wanted to say I received this tv yesterday from eagle. It was delivered on time and the man who delivered it helped set it up and it works fine . I am well pleased with the service and the product . Thank you John from florida
On: 2006-09-24
I have no problem with this TV from Amazon. Eagle called me 4 days ahead of the estimated delivery date and say that it could be delivered the following day. With free shipping I did not expect white glove delivery, so the single delivery guy just place it at the spot I want and unboxed it. There was not any damage to the box, so the guy did not turn it on before leaving. He did not take away the box, but thats ok I can just cut it up myself and place it in the recycle bin. The tv is still working fine. Free HDTV from the major networks and PBS comes in very nice. Football and nature shows are awesome when broadcasted in HD signal. Now i am just waiting for my up-converting DVD player to arrive.... Four stars because I just got it, if no problems in the coming year it would receive 5.
On: 2006-09-24
This large HDTV from a reputable manufacturer came in at a price that made me wonder -- whats wrong? Is the screen made of Saran Wrap? Does the remote control periodically burst into flames when you attempt to change the channel to Lost?? Was the user interface created by Franz the Designer of the "more is better" school of design?
Nope. Pas de problem. Well, except for the remote control that Im fairly certain was indeed designed by Franz. So, basically, this is TV that delivers a very high quality viewing experience, but has a mildly klunky interface (managed from the remote) for selecting inputs, adjusting the picture, etc.etc. More on that later.
Keeping in mind this is my first personal HDTV, and Im mesmerized by the picture quality, Im quite pleased. Easy to set up, oh, a big thing -- it is deceptively *light*, for all its size and apparent heft. I was able to get it out of the box, move it around and set it on its stand pretty easily by myself. By the way, I installed it on the same stand that had previously held a 27" tube TV. Not only did it fit laterally, but it was so much shallower than the tube TV that I was able to make cable connections behind the set with the greatest of ease! Score.
The set is bountifully supplied with inputs. I was able to connect my DVD to one of the component inputs with a few random RCA cables I found in an old file cabinet -- nice! Seemed to work just as well as the rather expensive specialized cabling I returned to Best Buy the next day.
Samsung sez they use a *really* fast DLP chip,and a specialized digital signal processor that manages such things as motion, edge clarity, contrast and other visual elements.
After watching many different kinds of video, I believe them. Theres very little artifacting or blurring with fast motion on screen. Hues and saturation seem very lifelike, and theres essentially no flicker (at a proper viewing distance). I have it set up in a room where viewers are approximately 9-12 feet away, and that appears to be about right. The picture is bright. As an experiment, I manually turned up the brightness and contrast to 100%, at which point, it took less than 2 minutes to toast a cheese sandwich held with kitchen tongs a few inches in front of the screen.
The screen does take a few seconds to spin up to full brightness, but I do mean a *few* seconds. I have seen a few HDTVs where the extreme clarity of the image appeared almost unnatural, overly optimized, somehow unreal. To my eye, this set doesnt have that problem.
My wife initially deemed this purchase a "grotesque and unnecessary acquisition", asking me to explain what was wrong with our old 13" tube set that had worked so loyally for us since 1936. Or so it seemed. Now, she actually watches TV. She basically *never* watched TV before except for Mariners games and public television pledge drives (dont ask), so Im not sure whether this is a good thing, or whether Ive somehow turned her to the dark side of passive entertainment.
Overall, Im giving this set a four because of a minor issues, primarily related to the complexity of using the remote to manage image appearance, aspect ratio, enable/disable features, etc. It seems to take about 5 "clicks" of various oddly located remote buttons to accomplish almost any task. For example, if Im watching a DVD on component input 2, when the DVD is done, the simple act of switching back to input 1 to watch cable takes, let me see, press menu, select inputs, press the right arrow twice, press the up arrow once, press return. Thats six "clicks"! Bad Franz, bad designer. I have trained my cell so I can say things like "Text" or "Home" and the phone immediately performs the sequence of actions that lets me (in this example) send a text message or call home. Why cant I do that with my TV remote?? If somebody made a decent voice programmable TV remote, Id buy it in a heartbeat.
OK, even with the bad ink Im giving the interface, to me this isnt such a big deal. Its just that Im a fan of good design and this remote is not good design. It makes it too complicated (and, thus, annoying!) to do things that are part and parcel of everyday viewing.
So -- a four. But -- I am still utterly mesmerized by the picture quality!! Oh, and the price.
On: 2006-09-24
I wish I had seen more of the war stories online before I ordered but thats water over the dam. TV was delivered by EGL, my wife was home and did not really know what to look for (I had told her to have the delivery guy plug it in, make sure it was working and for her to look for obvious scratches, etc. Turns out the delivery guy unboxed it, left the box with us ("in case you need to ship it back..") and turned it on. Wife called, said he turned it on and the power button went on so he left. Yeah.. I got home and thats as far as the TV ever did go. Nothing worked, called Amazon and, as noted by many others "if its over 27" Amazon cant take it back" and...apparently, cannot provide any telephone assistance of any kind. This was Friday. Then things brightened up. I called Samsung on Sunday, they said a technician would call within 48 hrs to schedule an appointment..he called the next day (Monday), set repair appt. for Friday. He showed up on time, again with me at work, my wife there to let him in. One hour later they called me, the set was up and working. He had to replace the entire "engine" for the set, said its impossible to know what happened between manufacturing site and my home but, all is in order now. Set looks great, HD is terrific, DVDs playing very well, cant complain.
So, thats my jury is still out story..the bad was receiving a set that did not work at all, combined with a total lack of interest on the part of Amazon. The good..I must admit, Samsung onsite repair service was quick and effective.
On: 2006-09-24
I dont know about the rest of you, but I received my tv 2 days before the estimated date. Reading about how bad egl handles packages, I patiently waited outside for the tv to arrive. And of course the shipping guys were in a hurry to leave. They wanted me to sign right away before the tv was even unloaded. I told them "No!" and that I would to need to inspect the tv before signing. They said ok, but in a way like they were irritated. I inspected the tv and everything was ok.
I fine tuned everything and picture is fantastic. Regular tv signals are alright. But while I was watching a dvd, the tv turned off all of a sudden and a burning smell started coming from it. I quickly unplugged it and waited a few minutes before turning it back on. The tv still worked, but now the Audio out doesnt work. I will be calling samsung to see if it can get fixed.
Overall the tv is great.
On: 2006-09-23
I just checked my order n eagle gl tracking system, I found my order had been moved around 100 miles for 10 days. Average 10 miles a day.
On: 2006-09-23
Amazon promised 3-5 day shipping. 2 1/2 weeks later, I received my TV. Ive have now had my TV for 9 days and the picture doesnt come on anymore. Samsung claims the bulb is screwed up. Thinking of buying Samsung.........maybe u should think again. Thinking of buying from Amazon.........definately think again!!
On: 2006-09-22
I dont know how Ill like the TV. As I went through the order forms it said that I was supposed to receive it in 6 t 8 days. After I ordered it the e mail I got said it would be at least 25 days. Thats wrong for Amazon to do that to someone.
On: 2006-09-21
I ordered this TV from Amazon August 28th and although the shipping was quite slow in my opinion, the delivery guys were nice and the tv arrived in great shape. The picture was ok but I wasnt "wowed" like other reviewers. I have a 36" Sony hi def and it blows this tv away. The picture is good and hdtv looks great but its certainly not top of the line in my opinion. Now for the horror story---After less than a day the tv stopped working. It would turn itself off after a few minutes and I found out this was due to a faulty bulb. I called Samsung to get it relaced but they said I lived too far away from a service center so it would take a few weeks to negotiate with someone to come out and fix it. Then I get an email stating that I live too far away and that they will send a replacement tv...from California! Instead of sending someone 85 miles to replace the bulb (which is actually a fairly easy job) they are sending a new tv. Make sense to you? no me neither. I was hung up on numerous times by the customer service idiots and only got through when one lady sent the order through for the replacement tv. Now however, Im still waiting on my tv and they claim the order has been sent but not filled. Samsung sucks! So all in all this tv is pretty good but certainly not worth the hassle of dealing with Samsung. The service from Amazon was great as always.
On: 2006-09-20
My personal bad experience was more on the delivery side. I read "white glove" service. WHAT white glove service??? FIRST, I watched the ONE delivery guy drop my tv as he was unloading it. He didnt see me so I waited for him to tell me he dropped it and to offer to check it over with me. NO... he brought it into the house and was in a rush to leave. Didnt say a word OR offer to check it for me. SO, I told him I saw him drop it and that he had to help me look it over. WELL, it turned on yet he seemed in more of rush so I asked him what happens if I find something else while using it. He said to contact Amazon. So I move it around thinking there is too much glare. Low and behold the entire front screen is punctured in making the screen look like there is perpetual glare. I call Amazon immediately within 5 minutes of the guy leaving telling them what happened. The guy on the phone reassured me that I did the right thing. Two days later I get a letter from Amazon that I cannot return the item, that the delivery service is not required to check to see if the item is working and that I signed for it. Believe me, I complained and now am able to return it.
The moral of the story is to SERIOUSLY MAKE the delivery guy stand there whether it takes 5 minutes or an hour while you check every inch of your television or any large expensive item for that matter. Dont let them bully you into hurrying either.
Im contemplating getting another one but am weary on the delivery service.
On: 2006-09-20
Initially hesitant about making such a large purchase online, I did so anyway based on much of the glaring feedback I read. What a mistake! The delivery truck broke down so I received the TV later than promised. The delivery guy basically ran out of the door after bringing the TV in the house and told me if I had any problems to call Amazon. Hooked the TV up and realized why I should not have bought this thing online. The picture is terrible! Bought all the upgraded cables etc and still no difference.
Attempted to return the TV and Amazon told me they dont take TVs over 27 inches back. Learned a hard lesson. Will never make a large purchase online or with Amazon again.
On: 2006-09-16
Myself and my wife just loved it when we had a look at it at BestBuy. It feels good to watch your favorite shows and movies on such a big screen in the comfort of ones home.
I heard people complain a lot about the delivery but I got the TV 2 days earlier than the estimated date and they also called up and informed us the time they would come to deliver the TV at home.
On: 2006-09-15
I cant talk TV jargon like the other guys can, so Im posting these logistics to see if it helps clarify how the TV was delievered.
Order Date: September 2, 2006
Sep 14, 2006 12:00:48 PM San Francisco Delivered
Sep 12, 2006 03:44:40 AM San Francisco Arrival Scan
Sep 04, 2006 01:00:00 PM Dallas Departure Scan
Sep 04, 2006 12:30:00 PM Dallas Shipment picked up from sellers facility
Actual Weight 76.0 Lbs / 34.5 Kg
Sundays: Sep 3, 10
Labor Day: Sep 4 (Looks like they worked on labor day)
Apparently, they use a company called Eagle GL (or EGL) to ship the TV. They will set the TV in the house for you, and take the box with them. They will make sure the TV also turns on and everythings functioning correctly, although Im not sure if you get your money back or if they take it back for you if it doesnt work. I had it shipped to my PO Box, which was a mistake. They left a note saying that they couldnt reach me, and I had to go pick it up myself.
So far, its been what I expected from the TV. Seeing it at Best Buy with all the other Big TVs on display made it look smaller than it really was. Its easy to set up, and its a lot lighter than you might think. I had an old Samsung 27" tube TV, and for some reason that TV actually felt just as heavy as this one. On EGLs website, it said it weighs 76 lbs, but it actually feels lighter than that.
Hope this helps.
On: 2006-09-10
Now, I dont have anything to compare this against since this is my first HDTV, but I think the picture is absolutely stunning. You see the small details that you never noticed on standard television...like a mole or birthmark on a celebs face, being able to pick out any person in the crowd of a sporting event, or simply being able to view more lifelike images of water, the sky, grass, etc. I had wanted to purchase an HDTV for a long time, and when the price of this set dropped to $1199 I jumped on it. Amazon offers this set for a good $400 - $500 cheaper than most national chains.
There are a few things I was not aware of, however, when I bought this TV (none of them actually the result of the TVs performance). First, while HDTV channels look stunning, regular digital cable doesnt look so great. Secondly, my cable provoider only offers a very limited selection of HDTV programming (less than 20 stations in all). Thirdly, the quality of the picture really varies from station to station, and even program to program. Older movies and re-runs really dont do HDTV justice.
A final note on the "white glove" shipping. While I did receive the item ahead of Amazon predicted delivery, I was a little disappointed with Amazons choice of shipper. First, they only deliver to my area on Wednesdays and Fridays. Secondly, they refused to give me a 4 hour window (as Amazon promises). Thirdly they refused to take the packaging with them (also promised by Amazon). These are small complaints, but something a potential buyer may want to be aware of.
Edit: Id recommend ordering a calibration DVD, like DVE or AVIA, and visiting the AVS forums for help properly calibrating your TV. I was very surprised at how much better the picture looks by following the DVD and the advice of a few knowledgeable people over at AVS.
On: 2006-09-08
I purchased this unit based upon the following criteria:
1. Strong recommendation from a videophile / movie buff friend who owns a prior-year 50" version of this set. Same 720p resolution. This model has a superior 5-color 14K RPM color wheel and is classified as a "6th generation" unit.
2. Image continuity: little or no pixelation compared to LCD, plasma, or projection LCD sets. While initially I thought the image looked "fuzzy" compared to these technologies, I soon realized that it was far less "fuzzy" than it was consistent. "Sharp" is a relative term and too sharp is not a pleasurable viewing experience. After all, if maximum sharpness were desirable, why not set it so (to "100") by default in the video settings?
3. Motion: this unit deals with fast motion (such as that in action films and sports) better than other technologies.
4. American technology: the DLP engine is a product of an American firm, Texas Instruments. While the maker, Samsung, is Korean, at least some small element of the set is American intellectual property.
5. Specific size: wanted to fit a 45" width and get the most screen in that space. This unit allows just about an inch on either side.
6. A high performance:price ratio. DLP sets in general deliver a lot of TV for less money than other technologies.
7. Ease and cost of repair. Heres a contrarian view on the much misunderstood "you have to replace the lamp periodically" issue. I *like* the fact that the lamp is user-serviceable and not prohibitively expensive. Say its $300 in 3 years when I need to replace it. Then it cost me $100 / year to operate the set, in addition to electricity and lost productivity. ;-) But I wager this is MUCH less expensive than either 1, replacing your complete plasma-based set when it has faded in intensity over time (even if in 10 years) or 2, having someone come out to your house to replace the burned-out backlight in your LCD set.
7. Technology that is standardized and wont evaporate in a couple years. I love technology, but dont live on the bleeding edge. I generally stand about 2 steps back from the edge and buy when Im confident a technology will be around long enough to enjoy it. Though this unit is "only" a 720p unit, it effectively downscales 1080i to the 720p resolution - and looks great doing it. To appreciate 1080, you really need a *large* TV, probably larger than this 46" screen.
Impressions of the video quality:
Initially, my wife and I were surprisingly underwhelmed with the image. Knowing how hard it was to convince her initially to get this TV, I bit my tongue. But as I investigated, I soon found why the image was not so great:
1. Using a component hookup from the DVD player, I had the player set to 480i (rather than progressive output). Changing it to progressive looked a lot nicer.
2. I had to play with the video settings a bit to get the best picture for watching a movie. The standard "Dynamic" out of the box setting is too dark and contrast-y for pleasurable movie viewing. Changing it to "Movie" or even "Standard" looked much better. Remember - too much contrast is not a good thing when watching TV. Unlike computer monitors, wherein you want to see each pixel as sharply as possible, pleasurable TV viewing is about consistency and flow, scene to scene.
3. The HDMI output from my DVD player produced a noticeably grainy image on the Samsung. It actually looked worse than the component inputs. This was, I found, for the same reasons as above. I had to doctor the image a little to get it to be less sharp. Remember, when you are viewing 480p upscaled to 720p, there will be some conversion issues. You want to minimize these.
4. In general, I still find that allowing the set to take the component video and upscale it internally looks a bit more natural than going full-digital from the DVD player through the HDMI. Its close, but noticeable. Still, I really like the idea of a total digital link all the way through, so I may just keep tweaking. And I need to add that if you dont have external audio amplification, then really, one cable does it all for you: DVD to TV. However, make sure you turn "Digital Out" on in the audio setup portion of the menus. Get there by choosing "custom". I wondered for quite some time why I wasnt getting audio through the HDMI.
5. TV tuning and HD programming: part of why we were so underwhelmed with the image initially was because we were watching regular analog cable TV, with all its inherent video faults. On a digital 46" set, these will only be magnified. The Samsung has an engine which is supposed to process and refine these images - which it does - but nothing compares to HD. On the 3rd night we | | |
