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UPDATE:
The picture settings that I previouly stated in my review were made while the `Eco Solutions' settings (found under the `Plug & Play' tab) is set to `On'.
However, I found something very interesting. If you change `Eco Solution' setting' to' Off', it dramatically changed the picture. When you first turn the setting to `Off', the picture turns exceptionally bright. However, it is not as bad as you think. While having the `Eco Solution' setting set to `Off', I made the following changes to my settings and I'm updating my review to allow for a choice between the two options. No matter which setting changes you choose, your picture will be greatly improved. It's just a matter of taste.
Again, my goal all along was to get the clearest, most stunning picture that the set had to offer without comprising the beautiful blacks, nor the brilliant colors, nor the outstanding 3D like effects you can sometimes perceive, all while never having to change the settings between channels or sources, no matter what the lighting of the room may be. I believe that I succeeded in this endeavor.
If you choose to set the `Eco Solutions' setting found under the `Plug & Play Tab' to `Off', then try these settings. I recommend that you do a `Picture Reset' first. This is found under the `Picture' settings.
Under The `TV Picture' settings, I have the `Picture Mode' set to `Standard', the `Backlight' set to `10', `Contrast' set to `80', Brightness set to `45', `Sharpness' set to `50', color set to `50', and tint (G/R) set to `50/50. Under the `Advance Tab' settings, I set the `Color Space' to `Native', the `Dynamic Contrast' to `Low', the `Black Tone' to 'Dark', (and here is a big change), the `Flesh Tone' to -3, and the `Motion Lighting' to `Off'. Under the `Picture Options Tab' settings, I set `Color Tone' to `Standard', the `Digital Noise filter' to `Auto', the `HDMI Black Level' to `Low', The `Film Mode' to `Auto', The `Auto Motion Plus' to `Clear' and the `LED Motion Plus' to `Off'.
If you choose to set the `Eco Solutions' setting found under the `Plug & Play Tab' to `On', then try these settings. Once again, I recommend that you do a `Picture Reset' first. This is found under the `Picture' settings.
Using the `Standard' viewing mode settings for everything, I made the following changes. Under `Picture' settings, I changed the contrast from `100' to `85'. Under `Advanced Settings', I set the `color space' to `native' the Dynamic Contrast to `medium' the Black Tone to' Dark' and turned the motion lighting `Off". Under `Picture Options', I have the color tone at' standard', digital noise filter at `auto', HDMI Black level at `Low', Film Mode at `Auto', Auto Motion Plus at `Clear', and turned the LED Motion Plus to `Off'.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
First I must say that I didn't purchase this TV from Amazon. However, I love Amazon and I love this TV!
PROS:
This TV is aesthetically gorgeous and made a solid hand shake with my receiver. It has surprisingly smooth sounding speakers that I can finally hear over my loud AC. The colors are vibrant, vivid, actual, and true. The picture can, at times, appear to look like a 3D TV when viewing certain movie sources. It quickly powers on and off and plays a sweet sound. It comes with a perfectly sized backlit remote that has a sleep button on it. It does not use Edge lit or ARC channel technology. Yea!
CONS:
I had a dickens of a time tweaking this set. Initially, it gave off a bright, 'reality' type look. My circle of people thought that this was a cool thing. However, I hated it with a passion and spent the last two weeks trying to get rid of it.
These changes made all the difference in the world and now there is uniformity between all of the source material. Movies, be it cable broadcast movies or Blu Ray movies , as well as primetime cable shows including cable news, all look the way they were intended.
SUMMATION:
In my quest to find the best TV for the money, I've discovered that most of today's LED TV's are challenged with the aforementioned "soap opera' effect. In a way, it's understandable. Networks broadcast their shows using a multitude of lighting choices. That alone can be problematic. Add to that the commercials that are broadcast in a non-HD format and then throw in the desire for TV makers to make TV panels super thin and you get too many options for your backlight to choose from. All I know for sure is that I love the fact that, with this TV, Samsung chose to put the backlights across the whole of the back of the TV and not around the edges. Also, please know that, in my opinion, this TV is easily thin enough, takes up surprisingly little space and has the audacity to look beautiful.
I actually HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TV and think that it is a fantastic TV and it is being offered at a fantastic price. YOU JUST GOT TO TWEAK IT. I'm also writing it so that the next person doesn't become discouraged and want to immediately send it back. They would be making a HUGE mistake. I was about to return it myself because of that crazy REALITY look that it had on certain stations and formats. To my mind, my initial tweaking should have done the trick and solved the lighting problem. It is, after all, my fourth owned HDTV, one being a Sony XBR full array set, so I'm no stranger to tweaking.
MORE THOUGHTS:
The changes I eventually made was just counter-intuitive as first choice changes, hence, it took me two weeks to get it right. I don't have a college degree, but it seems to me that, if it took me two weeks to tweak the TV, Samsung could have, and should have; done it themselves before they put it out on the shelves. They know, or at least they should know, about the various swings regarding lighting amongst the various media sources. It just shouldn't be rocket science.
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