Samsung PN50B550 Forget LCD! This plasma is the one!

I did alot of research on Plasmas versus LCD. My main uses were going to be to watch hi-def movies and tv programs. No gaming, no PC use, nothing else. I ended up getting this plasma locally at a national retailer (abbrev. FM) for $899 + tax!

I went all over locally comparing the picture quality of LCDs and plasmas (though plasmas were much harder to find) and I could not believe the difference. True, this really depends on how they configure the settings in the store (if they do at all) but still, I could clear see a difference in clarity and color.

One thing I was worried about was heat and power usage. I have heard plasmas produce alot of heat. Well, yes, mine does get warm to the touch but it's not like it's a heater or anything.

Also, I took into consideration the viewing angle. We have 2 sofas at extreme angles to the tv and the picture still looks awesome! LCDs - forget about it. If you go past 30 degrees off center in either direction, so start to see the colors and contrast fade. This really go to me.

Also, as for image retention. This set does have a pixel shift feature built in. Just make sure it's on with each source! I have read that the first 100 - 200 hours are when plasmas are more susceptible to burn-in. Be aware and take as much precaution as you can.


I would say if you are looking for a good way to display hi-def movies then take a close look at this set. I am not disappointed with anything so far and would highly recommend this set to anyone.

Samsung PN50B550 Superb picture!

This TV doesn't have all the bells and whistles of some of the more expensive sets, but the picture is absolutely stunning! Excellent with cable HD and DVDs. I haven't listened to the speakers, since I have a home theater sound system. Delivery was a bit of a hassle, since the first one I got had a big dent in it, so I refused delivery. But another one arrived in less than a week in great condition.

Samsung PN50B550 WOW!!

Just my quick 2 cents:

The audio (or lack thereof) that other owners have complained is valid - it is not the best (my older Sony LCoS 50" TV has better sound).
But no videophile buys a TV for the sound, and even for regular users - why would you spend over $1000 on a nice TV just to use its attached speakers? You are buying a TV, not the whole home theatre. Don't be cheap, just get a nice audio system along with it.

Easy solution - turn on the surround sound option (SRS), and the audio becomes more than adequate.

Otherwise, this Samsung has the BEST picture of all the TVs I've ever owned, hands down.
Plasmas have come a long way since its 1st generation - it is now able to produce 3 million to 1 contrast ratio (as opposed to 60k:1 for LCDs), and a 600Hz refresh rate (as opposed to 240Hz for the best LCDs).

There is not much more to say - the picture quality is simply stunning.

For this price, you can barely get a 40" 1080p LCD.

If you want to buy the best available technology, don't go for a 240Hz LCD, get a LED TV instead (to me it beats plasma). But for the value, I don't think any other type beats this TV (I got mine at BestBuy for $1100).

Hands down, a MUST BUY!

Samsung PN50B550 Happiness

This was the second HD big screen Samsung I bought in 2 years; the first was a 56" DLP and obviously wonderful enough to seal my decision to stick with Samsung. The deal I got (both times) from Amazon was simply incredible, with their several-hundred-dollar discounts, free shipping & no tax, there was really no second-guessing Amazon. Both were delivered on time by great local distributers, and in perfect condition. The Plasma has an even crisper picture, higher refresh rate, & all the benefits of 2 years worth of newer technology; but they are both exceptional products. As anyone who has purchased a big screen HDTV knows, you talk about it a lot, both before and after the purchase, with seemingly everyone. I've never once heard (first hand) anyone disappointed with Samsung; in fact I believe they are without question the way to go, especially when coupled with the value & reliability of Amazon.

Samsung PN50B550 Great TV for the money!

I've been watching this for almost 20 days now and have only one issue; its already 100 bucks cheaper than I paid for it.
I've heard that the sound is not great on this set. I only use the TV speakers for watching regular TV and not blurays movies since I have a separate surround sound system, but it seems ok to me. I did have to mess with the graphics equalizer a little to get it to sound right, but on the virtual surround sound it is quite impressive.
For a while it looked like the color was running a little too red, but after about 1 week of watching it seemed to cool down a little. I don't know if that's normal or not, but the color and sharpness is just breath taking. I have a 32 inch HDTV in the family room and my wife wasn't too impressed with the bluray movies we watched on that, but she was mezmorized by the images on the 50 inch PN50B550 and so was I.
'Its almost like 3D' she kept saying over and over again. I just smiled. HDTV is really something now, I can't even imagine going to the family room to watch it anymore.
If you got a tight budget, and are eager to experience Hi Def, this is the way to go.

Samsung PN50B550 Outstanding, as expected

This is my first HDTV, but I did spend a good couple months shopping around and studying up on my features, pros/cons, etc... First of all the picture is beautiful, but hey, that's to be expected. I love the ample HDMI ports, and as it turns out, the swivel stand ended up being a pretty awesome feature. Plasma is plasma, and there's no getting around the fact that you're going to have some reflective glare if there is a bright window or light behind you. So, in our livingroom at around 6pm when the sunlight is beaming in the side window, we just swivel that baby a little to the right and viola! No glare. I'm also a gamer and despite the fact that my 360 is an older model that uses component instead of HDMI, it still looks gorgeous. I'm dusting off old games that I haven't played in years and it's a whole new experience! I should also mention that I was concerned about the big plasma TV being hot. Some of the floor models I've seen almost turned me off of plasma because they let out noticible ambient heat. But I haven't noticed that at all with this set. Very happy. Help oth

Samsung PN50B550 worth the wait

This is a great TV. I was torn between buying last years model the pn50a vs this years pn50b. I decided to get the newer one because its supposed to use half the energy. The pn50B is dramatically cooler to the touch, front and back than last years model.

Picture quality is amazing. The colors and clarity from blue ray and HD Comcast programming in my house is better than I have seen on most other HD TV's at the box stores.

There is more glare on the screen than my old HD Sony tube it has replaced.

Overall, I am very very happy with this plasma and highly recommend it.

Samsung PN50B550 Awesome TV

I researched a lot of TVs and narrowed it down to the Panasonic Viera 50" and the Samsung 50" Plasma. I had seen the A550 Samsung for a long time and when I was finally ready to purchase I noticed the B550 had come out. This model is just a beautiful television. The picture is very crisp and sharp. The blacks are nice and rich. My favorite feature is the swivel base. I was debating whether I wanted to invest in a swivel wall mount or not, but I knew I wanted to be able to view it from angles in the kitchen and towards the outside of my house. This was the only TV this size with a swivel base. Since receiving my TV, I've watched movies, basic cable, HD cable, and playedmy Wii on it and I haven't found one issue. I highly recommend this television.

When purchasing a TV like this, I wanted to go online to get a good deal. I also wanted a merchant I trusted because this is such a large purchase. [...] I purchased this TV with no tax and no shipping, which right there saved me about $200. I wouldn't have walked out of best buy for less than $1800 and I got this TV for $1360. I chose basic delivery to keep it free and the guy wheeled it right into my house next to where I was going to keep it. It was delivered within just a few days after ordering. Very fast and reliable shipping!

I would definitely buy this TV again [...] Can't wait for football season!!

Samsung PN50B550 Purchased Today Replaces 36" Toshiba Tube

Finalized the purchase at Fred Meier today after seeing the price and scooting to the library to examine online reviews and prices. The clincher was a price of$899.00, with a $50.00 rebate finishing it at $849.00...it may be low enough my wife won't have a cow, eh? Only gave it 4 stars due to my limited time for setup, regular Dish programming and a Samsung Blueray DVD player (awsome!). Can't wait to see what HD programming does to make this pop!

Samsung PN50B550 Great TV

We have been watching the TV for about 1 month now and are very happy with the color saturation and degree of controls management. In particular, the anti-glare ability of the screen is awesome. Not sure of the value-add of the TOC feature, but it is nice anyhow. The unit is heavy but two people can manage installing on a stand - need three people to install on a mount. We did both. After installing on a mount, I found that viewing was just as good on the stand.

Amazon did a great job of shipping the product without damage and providing a great discount at the time of purchase.

Samsung PN50B550 Lives up to my expectations

First the bad.
Like the other review, my first tv was delivered with a broken screen. Thankfully, the delivery guys were there and I didn't have to lug the thing around, they did. Follow-up with Amazon was good and the replacement was delivered in 5 days (weekend included).

Now the good.
The picture is incredible. I sit approx. 10 feet away from the screen and the picture is great. I don't have HD cable, so watching normal cable can be pretty ugly, but I'm getting used to it. Network HD channels are nice and clear. Blu-rays, equals the best I've seen. This tv replaced a 42" Philips (720p). I wasn't sold on the 1080p being that much better than to 720p, but now that I have a 1080p, no comparison. I can't say enough about the picture. Also, PS3 on this unit blows my mind.

Of lesser importance, the remote is also nice for a guy with big hands. The bigger buttons has cut down on the number of my mistakes.

I want to give this tv a fifth star, but I'm still a little mad about the broken screen on delivery. But seriously, anyone looking for a great tv for a great price should seriously consider this tv.

Samsung PN50B550 Great TV for the price!

I received this TV last week and so far it has been AWESOME! I would have given it 5 stars but the sound quality is a little muffled. It doesn't bother us much since we plan on hooking up a surround sound system but if you are using the TV's speakers exclusively, you may want to reconsider. Picture quality is amazing...best I've seen and I did a TON of research before deciding on this model. I was back and forth between plasma and LCD and I'm so glad I went plasma. We have the TV in a bright room and the new filters seem to work great. Not much glare at all. Definitely no more glare than the 36 Sony Wega tube TV this Samsung replaced. If you are not picky about the sound, this is a great choice. After a week, we are not disappointed!

Samsung PN50B550 Review

From the Manufacturer
Manufacturer's Review
The PN50B550 plasma HDTV is perfect for action-packed sports and movies. It uses new e-panel technology which reduces blurring and produces crisp, clear images. And 1080p high definition brings out the brilliance and clarity in everything you see. Plus its unique Touch of Color design turns it into a beautiful work of art. Enjoy a more realistic, thrilling movie night at home with this Samsung plasma HDTV.

Samsung PN50B550 Features

Features

• 50-inch high definition TV with 1080p resolution
• Four HDMI, two component, and one composite video input; two 15W bottom speakers and SRS TruSurround HD for a rich surround-sound experience
• Samsung E-panel technology like Ultra FilterBright Plus, 600Hz Subfield Motion, .001 response time, and a Mega dynamic contrast ratio
• Anynet+ (CEC standard) technology makes system control of compatible A/V devices like a Blu-ray player or HTIB system a one-touch operation
• One-year parts and labor warranty

Samsung PN50B550 Product Details

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14 in Television
• Color: Black
• Brand: Samsung
• Model: PN50B550
• Dimensions: 30.20" h x 2.90" w x 48.80" l, 73.60 pounds
• Display size: 50

Samsung PN50B550 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

Product Description

Samsung¿s new PN50B550 plasma flat panel HDTV redefines our commitment to design, performance, and cost of ownership. Its 50 inches of 1080p Full HD picture performance makes it the perfect living room centerpiece. The attractive Touch of ColorTM design adds a subtle clear-to-charcoal gray accent to the set¿s bezel. Enjoy brilliant, film-like images in Full HD resolution. Samsung¿s breakthrough mega dynamic contrast ratio offers a more accurate color tonal range, deeper blacks and shadow details. The new E-Panel technology featuring our innovative FiterBrightTM technology reduces glare in brighter rooms and delivers a better picture while using less energy. Add 4 advanced HDMI inputs that feature Samsung¿s Anynet+ (CEC standard) technology making system control of compatible A/V devices like a Blu-ray player or HTIB system a one-touch operation. Experience Full 1080p performance on Samsung¿s new B550 series plasma HDTVs that are easy on the environment and easy on the wallet.