Audio Video News

Samsung is making a huge push into the television market. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, the Korean giant offered an amazing array of new displays – including plasma and LCDs in large sizes.

The presence of all those flatscreens might lend the impression that CRTs are dead, but Samsung is breathing new life into the old technology with two new "DynaFlat" progressive scan digital televisions. The two new DynaFlat sets, the 27" TXN2745FP and the 32" TXN3245FP, always present a progressive scan picture regardless of the signal source. By accepting a 480p input, they ensure a noticeably better video from sources such as progressive scan DVD players or a Samsung set-top box (sold separately). Because the screens are totally flat, they present images without the distortion or glare associated with traditional TVs.

Most current DVD players are capable of outputting video at 480p (progressive scan, also known as "standard definition" digital TV, or SDTV). Progressive scan eliminates the flicker found on standard analog sets, basically doubling the resolution of legacy video.

Unfortunately, most TVs can’t display video in this format. DVD players hooked up to legacy sets must output their signals as 480I (interlaced), which has the drawbacks of wavering lines and blurred detail. Samsung hopes to put a serious dent in the market for legacy TVs by offering its new progressive scan units at competitive prices - $599.99 for the 27" DynaFlat TXN2745FP, and $899.99 for the 32" DynaFlat TXN3245FP. Movie lovers will appreciate the fact that Samsung has included a 3:2 pulldown circuit for the best display of film-originated sources.

"Samsung offers progressive scan TV for the same price as the competition's analog flat TVs, and the picture quality speaks for itself," said John Lavoie, Marketing Manager, Visual Display Group, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. "A side-by-side comparison reveals that flicker, buzzing reds, line edge crawl, and other distortions found on interlaced sets are not present on the Samsung progressive scan TV. Samsung's progressive scan DynaFlats offer detail so fine you can read the credits as a movie ends, football yard lines are straight, the score on the big game doesn't flicker, and the edges where two colors meet are well defined. These new progressive scan DynaFlat sets offer a noticeably better viewing experience than regular TVs by combining two of the hottest trends in TV today-digital viewing and a true flat-screen-at very affordable prices." Both of the sets are scheduled to arrive at dealers in April.