Best Direct Backlit Samsung Flat Panel TVs - S-Video x 1 Front Input Connectors, 1080p (HDTV) Broadcast Format Supported, 1080i (HDTV) Broadcast Format Displayed
'The LN-T5281F ($4,499) not only uses LED backlighting, it also employs an innovative new technique aimed at improving blacks and contrast called "local dimming," which dims the LEDs that light the screen in localized areas.'
'Samsung's claimed peak dynamic contrast ratio of 500,000:1 is a bit unrealistic, what I saw from this set on dark images was often startling.'
'Three HDMI ports, USB 2.0 and full connectivity devices with one remote'
'the two Samsung flat-panel LCD HDTVs are essentially identical but for screen size, so we expect the picture quality of the 46-inch model to provide a good indication of how the 40-incher will perform.'
'shiny screen causes distracting reflections in normal room lighting.'
'a plethora of features for superb digital entertainment.'
'As I worked with the TV for the UAV review, I came to realize that, in my haste to finish the work for Playback , I had set the brightness incorrectly, which impacted the shadow detail.'
'despite Samsung's "true black" advertising (which pertains to the 65F and not the 61F), after calibration it was often difficult to tell which one displayed a deeper color of black.'
'For what it's worth, Samsung sent us a firmware update that worked with both sets to fix the deinterlacing of video-based, but not film-based, 1080i content and to show every line of a 1080-resolution test pattern.'