Can there be a fat lineup of ultra-thin TVs? At a gala press event in New York City this week, Samsung announced no fewer than 21 new models of their cutting-edge LED-let LCD televisions. With screen sizes ranging from a compact 19 inches all the way up to a home theater-ready 55 inches, there is surely something here for every HD fan.
For 2011, the collection offers a host of breakthrough technologies. More than 70 percent of Samsung LED TVs will offer "Smart TV," with the Smart Hub menu interface (available on almost all of Samsung's new 40-inch or larger LED TVs), as well as a full web browser on select models. Users will also enjoy linking multiple DLNA devices via AllShare, and easy network setup with Samsung's "One Foot Connection."
Samsung is also expanding the number of 3D-capable TVs in their lineup, providing their customers with more choices than ever when picking out that new display, at new screen sizes. Samsung has made several technology improvements this year, to further enhance the 3D experience. Proprietary 3D Auto Contrast technology delivers premium picture quality while reducing eye fatigue by maximizing the contrast between objects in the foreground and background. Samsung also improved its 2D to 3D upconversion feature by allowing simple customization of the 3D image depth.
The LED D8000, D7000 and D6400 Series feature the proprietary 3D Peak Algorithm, which enhances peak brightness by 20 percent while reducing power consumption by 15 percent in 3D scenes. It automatically adjusts brightness levels in dark scenes to ensure every 3D scene is bright and lifelike. Four new pairs of Bluetooth-enabled 3D glasses are also being introduced to work with the new 3D LED TVs.
Samsung introduced 3D Sound back at CES, and this sound feature comes standard on all 2011 3D LED TVs. 3D Sound takes advantage of Samsung's SMART algorithm, a technology that builds on conventional wide stereo sound. With Samsung 3D Sound, consumers can enjoy both audio and visual "pop-out" based on the synchronization of 3D video and audio.
The LED D8000 makes the most of either 2D or 3D content, with its 240Hz refresh rate, two-millisecond motion picture response time, and improved LED backlight scanning. Beyond the Ultra Clear Panel, this TV is the first to offer Samsung's Micro Dimming Plus technology for more lifelike pictures with deep blacks and pure whites. The LED D7000 also incorporates improved backlight scanning technology and Auto Motion Plus, Samsung's proprietary frame interpolation algorithm, for sharp images and smooth frame transitions without blurring, even for high-speed video motion.
LED TVs were already notoriously energy efficient, but the entire 2011 line complies with the more stringent Energy Star 5.1 guidelines. ("5.1"? Is that just for home theater gear?)
The new ONE Design ultra-thin bezel of the Samsung LED TVs results in an almost borderless form factor. With the ONE Design concept, the size of the bezel on the LED D8000, D7000 and D6400 Series is reduced to the point that the viewer is barely aware it's there, which also helps the displays better blend into their environment. And in an interesting feat of number-crunching, the shrunken outer frame of these Samsung LEDs makes it possible to put a larger TV screen in the space previously occupied by a smaller model. The slimmer-than-last-year Quad Stand also comes with the LED D8000 and D7000 Series. These Series also include a new remote control which features a full QWERTY keyboard on the back.
And for the consumer who wants superior picture quality at an affordable price, the LED D6400 Series TV is a 120Hz set combined with Samsung's unique, world's-fastest double-rate frame transition technology to further reduce the picture frame transition time by 50 percent, enhancing the viewing quality of 3D content.
The top-of-the-line 54.6-inch UN55D8000 and its 45.9-inch counterpart the UN46D8000 have been available since February, at estimated selling prices of $3,599.99 and $2,799.99 respectively. This month brings the same-sized UN55D7000 and UN46D7000, at $3,099.99 and $2,299.99. The 54.6-inch UN55D6400 ($2,399.99) doesn't drop until May, but the 45.9-inch UN46D6400 ($1,599.99) and 40-inch UN40D6400 ($1,299.99) arrive this month, along with the three models of the D6300 Series, at the same three screen sizes: UN55D6300 ($2,299.99), UN46D6300 ($1,499.99) and UN40D6300 ($1,199.99).
The D6000 Series has been offering screen sizes of 54.6 45.9, 40 and 31-and-a-half inches since February, at price points of $2,099.99, $1,299.99, $1,099.99 and $899.99. And this month also brings the more affordable 40-inch UN40D5500 ($899.99), the 31.5-inch UN32D5500 ($699.99) and UN32D4000 ($529.99), the 21.5-inch UN22D5010 and UN22D5000 (each $299.99), and the 18.5-inch UN19D4000 ($249.99).
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