Many of these TVs don't have a Samsung panel (the screen/the part that has/makes the image!)! I cannot believe this has not been mentioned. It makes a SUBSTANTIAL difference, because some panels they use should be in TV's that cost $100 less.Can you imagine buying a car because you know its manufacturer uses great, reliable engines, only to find out that they use completely different engines without telling you, all of which are of lower quality? Samsung does this with their TVs, and some of them don't EVER have Samsung panels (e.g., the 37" model will NEVER have a Samsung panel because they don't make 37" panels). Samsung uses 4 different panel types from four different manufacturers each with a substantially different technology.
You can tell which panel YOUR TV has by the "Version" on the sticker outside of the box. There's also a sticker on the back of the TV; the "Version" code is below the Model number and above the S/N. BTW, reviews can't be interpreted without the four-digit Version code because they are quite simply different TV's. Here's how to interpret them:
("x" means a number, probably from 1-4, that represents the version of that panel higher means newer but not always better).
TH0x or TS0x: Samsung S-PVA panel (possibly just a PVA, if you're less lucky): This is what you thought you were buying. Best color, best black, best viewing angles.
HS0x: Sharp ASV panel: Lower contrast ratio, more narrow viewing angle. I read HS02 in particular has terrible ghosting.
A_0X: AOU A-MVA panel: Even lower contrast ratio.
CH0x or CM0x or CS0x: Chimea S-MVA panel: You lost the lottery. Markedly worse in every way way worse viewing angle, color reproduction, etc. Just a terrible rip-off.
Mine, from Amazon, is an HS03, so a Sharp panel. I will be testing it tomorrow (DVD and watching football no Blu-ray). There is a decent chance I return it, because it is not a Samsung. Also? Sony and Panasonic do much less "panel lottery" and are vowing to stop entirely. LG does not do a panel lottery. Samsung has absolutely no plans to stop, and they only use "standards" that won't reveal a difference between the different panels.
I will update after doing more testing. I just simply could not believe that this was not mentioned. Nothing like finding out you paid $500 (40" model) for a $400 TV when that extra $100 could have been used for sound, Blu-Ray, etc.
**Other reviewers, please, update your reviews to give your version code!**
More reading:
UPDATED 10/24/12: Added info on how to find version number without the box.
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