LCD TV Reviews

Measurements

Contrast & Resolution

Peak white level

• Full screen: 27.6fL
• 100 IRE window: 27.8fL

Black level: 0.029fL
Peak contrast ratio: 959:1
Overscan

• 480i/p: 3%
• 720p: 3%
• 1080i/p: 0%

Horizontal bandwidth at 1080i

• HDMI/DVI: 37.1MHz
• Component: 37.1MHz

The peak-white and black-level measurements included here were taken with the backlight control turned off. When set to Mega DCR, the black and white levels both dropped, resulting in a peak contrast ratio of 905:1. The OPC setting dropped the black level more and the peak-white level less, resulting in a peak contrast ratio of 1347:1. Still, I preferred the picture with the backlight control turned off.

Outputting 720p from the Samsung BD-P1200 resulted in severe ringing in the overscan pattern. There was no ringing at 480p, but the image was very soft with tons of jaggies. In fact, I couldn't read the text on the screen.

Grayscale & Color Temperature

The Normal color-temp preset was closest to correct, with a slight tendency toward blue.

The single set of RGB controls would not let me calibrate the entire grayscale, which was pretty far off at the high end of the brightness range.

Starting from the Custom color-temp preset, I was able to get the high end closer to correct.

The Normal color-temp preset was deficient in red across the board, and blue was excessive in the lower half of the brightness range.

Because the color profiles were not flat, a single set of RGB controls was unable to dial in the grayscale at all brightness levels.

I was able to better balance red, green, and blue across the brightness range by starting with the Custom preset.

Color temp was a bit high in the Normal mode, coming down to where it should be only at the highest brightness level.

I was unable to flatten the color-temp curve with only one set of RGB controls.

I got closer to ideal color-temp readings after calibrating the Custom mode, though it still wasn't as flat as I'd like.

Color Accuracy

The primary and secondary color points were very close to correct out of the box, which is a good thing, since this TV has no color-management system.