Samsung LN40A550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV Reviews

• Caution: Known HDMI issue

  
  By AMGH27FMODU8X on 2008-07-23
  I purchased the Samsung LN40A550 40" 1080p LCD HDTV on July 14, 2008. It's my 4th big screen HDTV purchase but my first 1080p box. Agree with other reviews in that it has an absolute beautiful picture at a very good price. There are many features I love about this TV, but here's the problem....
  
  I purchased a Samsung 1080P8 upconverting DVD player with an HDMI (version 1.3) cable. When i watch a DVD, i get a 'searching for signal' message that appears on the screen for about 5 seconds. This happens once every minute or two! I went into full troubleshooting mode by replacing the cable, the DVD player, and everything else i could think of. I tried the DVD player and HDMI cable with my other HDTV sets and it worked great. After calling Samsung technical support and getting to their level 2 support in New Jersey, they acknowledged there is a problem with the HDMI connection with the TV but they do not have a firmware fix for it yet. They suggested i wait for the firmware fix (release date unknown), or return the TV and try another one. I opted to exchange the TV for the same model. I received it today and (unfortunately) it has the same problem. I will now return the TV to Amazon, get a refund, and purchase a different model.
  
  Bottom line, if you don't use or need the HDMI connection, you should be fine with this set. However, if you plan to use HDMI I'd look to a different model until this is fixed.
  
  Update on July 28 - After further troubleshooting, the HDMI problem is with the combination of using a Samsung LN40A550 40" 1080p LCD HDTV with the Samsung 1080P8 upconverting DVD player. Together, they do not work. Separately, the upconverting DVD player works perfectly with other TVs, and the Samsung LN40A550 works fine with another upconverting DVD. I purchased the same brand so i would eliminate this exact problem! Who would think that Samsung has not tested their own product compatibility before they go out the door? Exremely poor quality control - my guess is they have a problem with their 'anynet' software feature, but it still blanks-out with 'anynet' turned off. Purchase the Sony upconverting DVD player with this TV and you'll be OK. However, now I personally don't trust Samsung.
  
  

• OH MY GOD AMAZING TELEVISION

  
  By A2U06GQ7O24DMT on 2008-04-26
  This television is truly something to be admired. I'd say it's also a work of art.
  
  I have a high definition cable box with an HDMI cable to the TV and the HD channels are superb. I mean, the picture is totally 100% crystal clear. I have windows behind me and somehow there is virtually no glare. Yes, the TV looks better when it is dark outside versus light outside but it's perfectly great when it is light outside.
  
  I'm writing this review on my couch. My laptop is connected to the TV via a VGA cable with a wireless keyboard and mouse. Unfortunately my laptop does not have HDMI but I can see very well with the VGA cable. Needless to say, I am going to become much more lazy as a result of this TV.
  
  The 40 inches is great for my viewing pleasure. I'm sure 46 is bigger but I am 100% content with 40 inches. It comes down to price. I did not want to pay more than $1,200 for a TV (that's $100 a month for 12 months using the Amazon Store Card). So this was a no-brainer for me.
  
  If you are in the market for a TV, I highly suggest this one. It is truly a wonderful TV.
  
  The "only" thing that isn't 100% perfect is the sound. The sound is good mind you, but it is not as perfect as the picture. But for the record, I have not played with the equalizer which people report helps the sound.
  
  This is an amazing TV.
  
  UPDATE 6/12/2008: This is still a remarkable television. I don't have any complaints about it at all. Even the sound is perfectly fine. However, you MUST either have a Blu Ray player or an Upconvert player with an HDMI cable to get the full benefit. Everything looks and sounds perfect on this TV.
  
  UPDATE 7/13/2008: The TV is still perfect so just buy it already! I actually bought a 26" 3-series for my bedroom. I don't notice too much of a difference; I am happy with this "worse" TV as I am with my living room TV (this one). Samsung makes an excellent LCD television!
  
  

• Beautiful Picture - Great Service

  
  By A37BIZNNWL21ET on 2008-05-06
  One of my biggest purchases with Amazon and it went as smooth as possible. The picture on this TV is amazing. FiOS HD can be almost too much pretty on one screen with this TV, it's a bit overwhelming at first. Standard def channels are of course a less clear but better than expected. The only issue I have with this TV is the length of time to power on and off. You also have to point the remote just right sometimes or the function won't register. Small issue though, hardly worth docking points off this unit.
  
  The menu is wonderful and gives complete control over settings. Each input saves your settings too! The AVS Forums have a great thread concerning settings for each input that should be checked out and tested. A little tweaking got the black levels and skin tone just right.
  
  I haven't tested the VGA input, but my Macbook Pro connected with a DVI-HDMI cable is amazing! My FiOS is connected via HDMI and as I mentioned, quite beautiful. I also have a Wii hooked up via component. The Wii maxes out at 480p but really shines on this TV despite the 1080p native res. Don't be fooled though, the picture is a little fuzzy but through some tweaking you can get a great picture without springing for a separate upconverter.
  
  Shipping was of course through Eagle/CEVA. Make sure to call and verify they've got your info. They didn't have my phone number on record at first so I corrected that. My delivery man was Rick. He was great! He called to setup the appointment, was on time, very delicate with the unit, and very personable. I couldn't be more pleased.
  
  UPDATE: Just wanted to mention the finish of the screen. Originally, I was debating between this model and the older lnt4069fx due to the matte screen. I chose this model for several reasons. First, it was cheaper. Second, I decided 120Hz wasn't worth the extra 400 bucks. Third, the screen isn't glossy but it isn't matte it's more of an in-between, satin-like finish that works great in my TV watching room that has a glass front door to the outside and 2 windows. Glare isn't a problem at all for me even with lamps behind me. It really is great. The ultra gloss on the 600 and 700 models are way to much for my multipurpose room. Hope that helps anyone on the fence that cares about gloss vs. matte finishes.
  
  

• Largely excellent - could do better on some fronts though!

  
  By A11P8ILPN4T6AQ on 2008-05-11
  I was very apprehensive buying a LCD TV on the internet. I was bothered about dead pixels (though I hear these are no longer the kind of problem these used to be), getting an inferior quality/scratched unit etc. etc. And man I am glad the way it all turned out. The shipping may be a slight problem - these freight companies just like the movers are so hard to tame!!!
  
  Features/results I liked:
  1. Color/contrast are outstanding (yes it beats my friend's much more expensive Sony 'x' series)
  2. Back light can be made very bright indeed and the contrast holds up to these high levels just so well
  3. Menus are iconic and rich text based and quite intuitive
  
  Features I didn't:
  1. I find myself fumbling a lot trying to switch between the sources. I wish this was more intelligent. Why can't this TV just identify the active sources and just play them all one by one and let me choose?
  2. Why can't I switch on the TV on with a source preselected? If my home theater can switch on on the Aux mode, why can't this TV be switched on on HDMI1?
  3. There are interdependencies between menu items. If one part of the menu is selected one way, certain other parts would appear disabled! This is outrageous (Strangely this applies to DNIe, one of Samsung's hotly advertised features)
  4. If I use component cable, the non HD channels actually look better than when I use the HDMI cable. Where are all the up-conversion algorithms?
  5. The speakers are OK but by listening to them, I always get the feeling that these manufacturers force you to buy home theaters!
  
  My overall view. Great buy looking at the competition it has!
  
  

• Great TV...but removing the stand is a nightmare!

  
  By AOUFY0OKUF9OX on 2008-06-08
  As another reviewer mentioned (and I didn't take it to heart), if you looking to remove the stand from this TV so that you can wall mount...well, the Samsung technicians must be a group of sadists. It took three of us over an hour to remove the four screws. If you need to remove, make certain you first have a phillips screwdriver with A MAGNETIC HEAD or else you'll be swearing like a longshoreman!
  
  
• Worth the wait.
  By A3D0HMC6RQT0N0 on 2008-04-14
  Very pleased with this TV so far. Setup was easy, plenty of inputs for my needs. No issue at all with the HDMI cables I got from Amazon for about $11. Picture is amazing with no issues with glare. HD pictures are tremendous off my Fios feed, plenty to choose from. Analog pictures are fine, varies from channel to channel-(supposed not really a strength of the Samsung's anyway). TV sounds really good all by itself, haven't hooked it up to the new home theater setup just yet-(waiting to run new wires). All in all a very nice TV worth waiting for. I haven't changed any of the factory settings, I played with the alternate picture settings, but the default settings were fine. I bought it from a box store because they matched the price and it was easy to get home and setup by myself.
  
  
• Amazing LCD HDTV
  By A2HDCHXYXW05QL on 2008-04-26
  I am a value oriented buyer, so a 1080P Samsung 40" LCD HDTV for $1179 was a pretty good deal. Best Buy, Circuit City and Fry's price was about $1599 to $1699. There was no tax to pay and Amazon offered free white glove delivery. What could be better than that. It took about a week for the TV to arrive. The freight company called to set up a delivery appointment. They showed up, carried the box inside, installed the TV, did the basic set up (connect the HD antenna, the DVD player, scan the HD channels), asked me to inspect the TV and then I signed to accept the delivery. Can't get that kind of service with BB or CC.
  
  Now to the HDTV. I use the default settings. HD channels are crystal clear, it's a pleasure to watch the news and the Lakers games. With a dynamic contrast ratio of 30000:1, the picture is bright. I connect my up converting DVD player, pop in the movie CARS and my son couldn't take his eyes of the screen. I am sure a blu-ray DVD player will give a perfect picture but at $400 I think it is still too expensive.
  
  So far the Samsung LN40A550 is excellent.
  
  
• EXCEPTIONAL LCD. AMAZING CLARITY AND SUPERB DEFINITION
  By A1ML72SVMQYCQU on 2008-05-24
  After owning this HDTV for a month now, I'm a very happy customer. Amazon offers the best price and was able to get $58 in refunds for the 30-day policy. Shipping took 4 days and CEVA did great although since I can't wait, I'm the one who went to the local CEVA warehouse on a Sunday to pick it up.
  
  Out of the box, picture is amazing and sharp. Tweaking it will give you more satisfaction. Joining avsforums is very helpful. Sound is not that great but I tweaked it as well to my liking. NO dead pixels, NO banding, NO flashlight effect, NO problems. After owning a 30" Samsung Dynaflat HDTV, I am more than happy to upgrade. Like I said, this TV offers a sharp picture and image detail is outstanding. Comcast HD looks spectacular especially SciFi HD, Food Network HD and MHD. I love this HDTV and I will be enjoying it for years to come.
  
  
• Awesome picture quality and great price for a 2008 model
  By A1AXTY1G1C409O on 2008-05-03
  I first checked all the HDTVs at a local Best Buy store and I will admit they all looked nice to me. My decision to buy this TV from Amazon.com was influenced by these factors: Samsung brand, 2008 model, great price, no tax, and free white glove shipping.
  
  I have connected my TV to Comcast HD set-top box using HDMI cables. The picture quality on HD channels is stunning and very good on non-HD channels too. Initially I had some apprehensions that perhaps 40" wasn't big enough, but after watching all those vivid, sharp images of people and things up close it doesn't feel small at all! Earlier I had used "component" cables for video connection but HDMI is clearly better. DVDs also look nice. For audio I have a premium audio home theater system (Bose) so I have turned the TV volume to OFF.
  
  My only complaint against this TV is with the extreme difficulty I had in taking off the stand that came with it. The screws at the back somehow got "stuck" and wouldn't come off readily. Samsung customer service representative on the phone didn't have any constructive advice to offer either. I had to tilt the TV, screw back and unscrew several times before the screws came off one by one. In such a high-tech TV they didn't get this simple mechanical thing right. Now I have the TV mounted to a floor mount-stand (Bello) and am loving it.
  
  
• Great Piece
  By A3N082GR1P3M85 on 2008-04-07
  In my shopping for a TV of course I had to swing by the local Best Buy and asked some questions. Not working on commission they generally just answer your questions without pushing you into the bigger or better... They had only good things to say about Samsung and all of their TV's.
  
  And for good reason!
  
  This TV is incredibly clear with everything and fun to play with. I hooked up my wife's laptop just for fun, because it has a video in, and that picture was amazing. I finally got an HD-DVR cable box and it the picture is so incredibly clear.
  
  The sound is even better than the picture quality. I found with many TV's now they will put great effort in the screen, but forget about the speakers... Not with Samsung. These speakers sing incredibly and greatly enhance the picture you are watching.
  
  Everything is very easy to set up, and the control is very comfortable. The options are every user friendly. The only bad thing is that I have not figured out how to get the picture-in-picture to work with my cable box.
  
  Very satisfied with this purchase, it is well worth the few dollars and hopefully years of great entertainment.
  
  
  
• Good TV, Amazing Amazon Service
  By AJ4CFTY5ZK8D4 on 2008-07-27
  A few weeks ago I happened to get a new Wii for my son. Little did I know the saga that was about to ensue. While I was waiting for the new Wii to ship, I noticed my old 19 inch standard definition Magnavox tube TV would not have the right connections for the Wii. Realizing an opportunity had been presented to me, I quickly used the fact with my significant other as leverage to get a new HDTV for the entertainment/play room (we already have a older Samsung 30 inch CRT 1080i HDTV in the family room that we are happy with). I was given a budget and told to have at it.
  
  Based on my prior good experience with the brand, I decided to focus on Samsungs. The pictures on all the TVs I looked at were very good (at least in the store). But since I am planning on getting a blu-ray when the prices come down, and I know I am the kind of person who will be bothered by the fact that I got the "lesser" resolution quality of the 720p (even if my eye could not tell the difference), I ruled out the 720p. That left my choice between the Samsung LN40A550 and the Samsung LN40A650. I have to admit it, the Samsung A650 was a pretty good looking TV. I also thought that the dejudder features and the 120hz would come in handy when I was watching sports and movies. That having been said, when I looked at the TVs in the stores side by side, the difference in picture quality on the 40LNA550 and 40LNA650, while slightly noticeable on fast moving action movie sequences, was not worth the $250 to $300 premium (at least to me).
  
  Long story short, I got the LN40A550. Here is my quick summary now that I have had the TV for a few weeks.
  
  AMAZON SERVICE -- Absolutely amazing. The TV was delivered to my house 4 days after I ordered it. A very courteous delivery driver brought the TV to our second floor entertainment room, unboxed it and placed it on our TV stand. The TV worked right out of the box. The price has also dropped by at least $100 since I ordered it, and when I asked Amazon to be credited for the price drop, they credited my account within less than a day. I would absolutely not hesitate to order big items from Amazon in the future.
  
  THE TV -- Great picture (even on sporting events and DVD movies). The sound on the built in speakers is ok, but not great. I do notice a little bit of judder on fast moving panning sequences, but it does not really bother the flow of the scene I am watching. For the price I paid, I am very, very happy with this TV. Now, Time Warner cable on the other hand . . .
  
  
  
  
• Be careful
  By A1ZRVBKWCRTLZH on 2008-06-11
  The TV gives a good picture, but really lousy, muted sound. Mess with the equalizer all you want, but muffled is the word. The lowest price guarantee is a game of wills. The price has dropped twice since I bought it, but the offshore customer rep was a master of the runaround. No refund. His accent was even more muted than the TV. I am still fighting for my $105. Any odds on my getting it? If you are happy, consider yourself lucky. Some of us regret the buy.
  
  
• Superb product, Great price, Late Delivery
  By A3BY1DUI7M13S3 on 2008-05-30
  After extensive research and watching this LCD change price 27 times in 14 days, I bought from Amazon at $368 below list. Delivery from 6AVE was never shown to be in process. Two emails to Amazon were ignored. The product showed up three days late. No white glove delivery service. Very easy to unpack, plug and play. Bottom lines: Great product, great price, poor delivery progress reporting and late delivery.
  
  
• Poor sound quality - had to return
  By A37T8TVUOUCY6O on 2008-07-12
  My boyfriend and I immediately noticed the tinny sound -- i.e., lacking depth. It gets worse as you increase the volume but is noticeable at any normal volume level. I expect decent sound out of the built-in speakers and do not plan to purchase a home theater system. This bugged me so much that I decided to return it and purchase a Sony V-Series TV instead (awaiting delivery).
  
  
• Lame LCD's
  By A2ZNR4FY4LSL3J on 2008-07-13
  I bought my Samsung 40 inch LCD 14 months ago, with warranty policy of only 12 months. Just 6 weeks after the warranty had expired and all of a sudden, my LCD started showing a RED VERTICAL line accross the screen. After contacting the customer service and inspecting my problem they told me that the PANEL needs to be changed which would cost me nearly the price of a brand new LCD. I don't understand how poor in quality these LCD's are when they suddenly break on their own. What makes it even worse is that the local dealer wouldn't bother compensating on what seems to be a manufacturing defect. So, poor quality + lame customer service, I would advice customers to look for LCD's somewhere far far away from Samsung.
  
  
• Great TV. Questionable delivery.
  By A3CVWY7WRZG0AQ on 2008-05-30
  I've had this TV for about 4 weeks now. I'm using it with an HD cable DVR and a Blu-Ray player. We also use it with our Play Station 2. The picture has been great from all sources. The sound quality is excellent.
  
  The delivery from Amazon was a little questionable. When the TV was shipped Amazon sent me an email saying that I would be phoned by the shipper to schedule a delivery. The shipper never contacted me. When the scheduled delivery date passed I asked Amazon for the shipper's phone number. Amazon did not have it (they did confirm that the shipper should call me at the phone number that Amazon had on file, they also confirmed the phone number). So, I used the shipper's phone number from their web site. Sure, enough they did not even have my phone number on file. They said they had sent a post card to me, but I never received it. Anyway, the shipper set a delivery date and told me that I would be called 1 hour before the delivery. They never called me, but luckily my wife was home when they showed up. The end result was to delay the delivery by about a week. The TV was fine when it arrived, just late.
  
  I also have a friend who bought a TV from Amazon and received it via the same shipping company and had a very similar experience.
  
  
  
• What else can be said?
  By ARKEDPIAJ0716 on 2008-05-11
  There's not much detail I can add to what's already been written, so I'll just add one more '5 star' review, and a few brief/random thoughts.
  
  Like several other reviewers here, I did quite a bit of big-box store shopping before ordering this unit. I'm pretty particular about my electronics, so I feel I made the best choice with this model. Sony has some catching up to do now. ;-)
  
  After watching BBC's Planet Earth Series on a standard def TV, and then finally getting to experience it on this TV, I finally understand all the praise over HD. In a word, S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G.
  
  The built in speakers are terrible; very anemic and tinny. In this day and age, most folks are setting up with audio equipment, so, I guess the built-in speakers are for the most part, going to be overlooked.
  
  Another complaint to lodge, but not the fault of the TV: standard def cable picture is awful; blurry and over saturated. Some channels look fine, most are less-than-pleasing. I'm starting to get accustomed to it, but overall, YUK.
  FYI: You can bypass your SD cable box to get over-the-air HD channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc)--just connect the cable directly to the TV. I get about 8 HD channels on Comcast. I also get pay-per-views and on-demand people are watching in my neighborhood on the upper channels. BONUS!
  
  
  
  
  
• A very nice HDTV for the price
  By A1H8JHH9EBCXQ5 on 2008-06-05
  Had this HDTV for a month now and can say it was good purchase. Thank you Amazon for your prompt and courteous delivery! It was my second HDTV purchase from Samsung and I am very happy with the brand. This HDTV I put in the Bedroom. We watch the HDTV approx. 8-10 ft away and a 40" is just about right. Great picture, just hooked-up HD Dish Network and WOW what a picture, and right out of the box! The internal speakers are good if you tweak them a little, but I would plan on connecting the TV to a receiver. Only problem I have noticed (which it isn't after programming the satillite remote to control the TV), that you have to point the TV remote exactly at the TV IR port. But that's a minor annoyance. I highly recommend this HDTV
  
  
• Great tv for the price
  By A1UNJA53KDKWTI on 2008-06-17
  Hello,
  
  I have had my tv since April 25, 2008, and thought is was time to give some input that should be helpful for anyone looking to buy. I am very happy with it and would highly recomend it. Simply, it is the best price vs quality on the market. I use it for Fios HD, PS3 gaming and blu-rays.
  
  First, I bought it online from Amazon when it was at its lowest price (much cheaper than BB or CC with sales or coupons). It was delivered within 5 minutes of when CEVA told me they would be there. The driver brought it in, we opened it up and set it up. Looked good, then signed for it and he was off. CEVA is supposed to help set it up (Amazon white glove service). Remember, never sign for anything until after you see it!!
  
  After about a week I noticed (on solid color scenes) that the screen was ununiform. One area from top to bottom about 3 inches wide was much lighter that the rest of the screen. I had Samsung service come out and they told me "I have never seen anything like this before." Samsung told be they would need to replace the panel (not the tv). I did not want a "rebuilt" tv after just getting it, so I called Amazon. Amazon was happy to send me a replacement and CEVA delivered it and picked up the old set. The new set has no problems.
  
  I decided on the 550 because I do not feel the 120hz 650 model is worth the extra $500. Also, the room is very bright during the day and I did not want the glare that the 650 would give. However, if I had a dark room and the extra cash, I would have picked the 650 for the much higher contrast ratio and the option to use the 120hz.
  
  My setup is a 40A550, PS3, Fios HD, my laptop, and an Onkyo TX-SR506 with Infinity speakers for surround sound. The Fios and the PS3 are connected to the tv using [...] HDMI cables and optical cables (for surround sound) run to the Onkyo from the PS3 and FIOS. I tweaked the settings on the tv using combinations of some posts of I found online and what i felt looked natural.
  
  The speakers on the tv are just ok, but what I would expect from a flat tv. I generally use the Onkyo for surround sound.
  
  If I would rate this tv, I would give it 4 stars out of 5 stars because of its poor PIP setup. The PIP will only work with analog through the RF connection. The channel cannot be changed without going into the menu screen. And since analog is going to be turned off by Feb. 09, is will be useless unless you buy a digital to analog converter box. So, I got a digital converter box and use that remote to change the PIP. What a short sighted design flaw on an otherwise good tv.
  
  Also, Fios in my area of NJ has turned off analog now to make room for more HD, and is planning a major expansion of its HD channels soon. I have about 30 now (plus PPV and on demand) with promises of 150 HD channels by the end of the year. If you can get FIOS, I highly recommend it. The picture quality is amazing and the internet is super fast. Even the regular tvs look much much better.
  
  Remember the picture on any tv is only as good as its source.
  
  
  
  
  
  Samsung LN40A550 40-inch 1080p LCD HDTV
  
  
• CEVA Pain
  By A2L2D2SRWLOZS3 on 2008-07-11
  After reading all the horrid shipping reviews, I was hesitant to order it and have it shipped via CEVA/EGL, but Amazon had the best price, so I decided to go for it. Had issues setting up a time with CEVA, and their online tracker just says nonsense. After 2 weeks it finally arrived...with the right side smashed and the bottom frame hanging loose. Refused delivery with CEVA and they reluctantly took it back. Amazon customer service has been helpful but it still doesn't change the fact that it will now take over a month for me to get this by the time the next one arrives. Hopefully it will be in one piece.
  
  
• Delay
  By ATQJZRBF3UWDD on 2008-07-23
  I also got a Email that said they will contact me in a few day before the schedule, but they nevey called me. I sent some question to the customer serveice but haven't got an answer. I track my order has arrival in my local office for 2 day but they still don't contact, I'm very hurry now. It's so disappoint with my purchase on Amazon!
  
  
• Great HD, Poor SD
  By A1QVP6QG2PFJTO on 2008-08-29
  This is a really nice TV, especially since right now the price is just over $1k.
  Pros: Great HD picture - this includes HD television stations (for me output from a digital HD cable box at 1080i through an HDMI cable) and Blu-Ray. Standard DVDs upconverted to 1080p then sent through HDMI look pretty darn good - some pixelation and color variations here and there, but mostly looking good (also depends on how new the DVD is - newer looks better). The picture is near perfect. That's all that needs to be said there. Set-up is fast, the TV is not that heavy, and the swivel stand is great. Menus are fairly straight forward, although in my opinion there are too many menu options - great if you are a perfectionist and really know what you are doing when it comes to fine-tuning the color. I think there a good amount of inputs. Nintendo Wii through component cables looks fine.
  Cons: Would be nice if there was a digital coax audio out - there is only an optical out, and it doesn't pump out 5.1 sound (i.e., you go from 7.1 or 5.1 to 2.1 if you run the sound through your TV to your audio system). Standard definition (non-HD) programming looks fairly bad. I bought a cable line power booster, set the HD cable box to output only 480i when on standard channels, set the sharpness to 0, and turned digital noise reduction off. This helped quite a bit, but it still is noticeably bad. There is a lot of pixelation, some channels are passable some are awful. That is my biggest complaint for this TV.
  Final note - viewing distance means a lot. I sit about 6-7 feet away, and can see pixelation. If I step back another 2 feet, the image is much better. So, if you sit 6 feet away, I would go for the 37" instead.
  
  
• DO NOT ORDER FROM 3RD PARTY VENDOR
  By A3VNJ1UTDZO36O on 2008-09-16
  I've ordered from amazon.com for about 3 years. I am a prime member. I ordered this TV because of the other users ratings on this web site. This TV has pixilation problems. When there is fast motion, you can see the pixels for a brief period less than 1 second. I have a plasma TV with the same Fios connection with no such problems. If you are not a videophile this will not bother your. If you however pay attention to it like I do, this will drive you nuts. I tried to return the product to 6th avenue electronics (3rd party vendor), and they will not take it back because TV is larger than 37 inches. They claim this was in the fine print when I ordered. Their rep. told me all LCD's pixelate with fast motion! Come on, I thought this technology had improved. I don't care about it being bright, next time I'm going back to plasma. Amazon.com rep. was from overseas and was useless. I'm done with ordering electronics through amazon. I'm very disappointed.
  
  
• Samsung and Amazon.com Provided a Five Star Experience
  By AKQF5VK09GM5X on 2008-09-09
  I used a variety of sources to determine which 40" LCD Television would best meet our needs and our budget. Prior to the research, I was focused on an adequately satisfying viewing experience in a very reliable television. A previous purchase had not satisfied both goals. I had bought a "no-name" product for which no local service was available. When it failed (two years), I packaged and shipped the product to a repair facility where it was repaired well and with a reasonably short turnaround. Still, I didn't want that grief again.
  
  Nor did I wish to gamble again on the offerings of the local Sam's Club shelves that appeared to be "earlier versions" in every case. I was going to indulge myself in a current model of a name brand television.
  
  Consumer Reports gave its highest 40" LCD rating to the Samsung LN40A550, and the purchasers' ratings at Amazon.com and other Internet vendors were entirely positive. My son-in-law's experience with high dollar electronics buys from Amazon.com was the clencher in my decision to spend a thousand plus dollars over the Net. I'm glad I did. My cost savings over any local source (Best Buy, Sears, etc.) exceeded $250. My total cost with an HDMI cable was around $1140.
  
  Just as promised in all the reviews, the LN40A550 was quick and simple to set up. The picture is razor sharp, and the colors are true to life. There is little or no need to make color or contrast corrections from channel to channel. Some of the reviewers had bashed the A550's sound system. I find it to be okay, but, if sound quality had been a very high priority, I heard sweeter sounds from a comparable (and pricier) Sony unit.
  
  I can't find enough superlatives to describe my satisfaction with Amazon.com on this purchase. I paid no shipping or handling costs, and the TV was delivered to my living room in three days after my on-line order. The delivery was made by a well-groomed, articulate employee of a respected shipping firm. That employee unboxed and unwrapped the TV and even offered to haul away the box and shipping materials. I should have availed myself of that offer because Samsung currently is offering one year of in-home service on this model.
  
  My wife and I have satisfactorily dealt with Amazon.com many times on little items. We have never been disappointed with their service. We are extremely pleased with this recent major purchase. I vouch that anyone who buys the Samsung LN40A550 from Amazon.com can look forward to an experience that is "all good."
  
  Larry Epstein - Memphis,TN
  
  
• Best Bang for Buck
  By A2T5CQ64DZ7HJM on 2008-04-28
  I'm not going to say much; every other review here is pretty clear on the awesomness of the A550
  
  The reason I got this TV was because for $1,070, I got a 40" 1080p 30,000 to 1 contrast ratio and 5 ms response time. it's a pretty high end TV for such a great price. The setup of the connector ports are nice too; everything is easy to access and no need to read the instruction manual to setup. Just take it out of the box (the stand is already attached), plug it in and turn it on. The remote is nice too, but two main issues. I had to point it directly to the lower right corner of the TV to change channels. Also, the glossy plastic is a fingerprint magnet.
  The speakers aren't all that either. The speakers are on the bottom of the TV and also point down. The voices come out not natural (I think is because I am still waiting for my TV stand; right now the TV is on the floor so the sound is bouncing off hardwood)I will be getting speakers for it.
  
  What I definately notice on the A550 over my old Philips HD tv is the contrast ratio. The 30,000 to 1 contrast on the Samsung made a huge difference in Call of Duty 4. I can see dark corners much more clearer now. Oks, I said enough, just buy the TV, the only reason I didn't get the series 6 or 7 was that the cost for 120hz is not worth it. (maybe when the price drops on that one) although the 50,000 to 1 contrast ratio is very tempting.
  
  
• Awesome TV for the Price!!!!
  By A22WN378YCTZX0 on 2008-05-02
  Got this TV delivered yesterday via the 'White Glove' service and have been amazed at the picture. VERY easy to set up w/ my digital cable via HDMI cable and have been VERY pleased with the performance so far using the factory settings. I used component connections for my older DVD-R and it displayed a very nice, crisp picture despite only being a 480p source.
  
  The only complaint I have with it is that the stand does not raise the LCD up enough (~3/4 of an inch) to clear the digital cable box and DVD player on the antique piece of furniture we chose to place it on. I would recommend this set to anyone.
  
  
• Fantastic 40" LCD TV
  By A235PE3XWBYQUV on 2008-06-04
  After researching several other brands, we decided to go in for a 40" Samsung LCD. It had superior picture quality over others and was at a much better price point ($$/inch) than Sony Bravia, which was the only other TV that came close in terms of quality.
  
  Some of the reviews at Amazon are really great, please read them before you buy. Without going in to much details, THIS IS SIMPLY ONE OF THE BEST HDTVs out there!!
  
  One thing we had a hard time deciding was between this model, the LN40A550 (60 Hz frame rate), and LN-T4069F (120 Hz frame rate). While at the store, we saw noticeable difference between them. The LN-T4069F had smoother image transitions due to its higher frame rate and a nicer picture rendering. But we decided to go in for LN40A550 (about ~$400 cheaper, a better contrast ratio, and moreover we hadn't seen any user reviews for this newer model). But it's something to consider if you are in the market, especially if they drop the prices.
  
  
• bang for the buck!
  By A195K38ZUNML3O on 2008-06-28
  I am not a tv guru, however picture is excellent, and works seemslessly with a samsung dvd player. four stars because speakers are very poor. not everyone wants to hook up a full surrond sound system and reciever. this is for the basement and i didnt want to go crazy.Now i am forced to do something for sound, or else sit there with the volume turned up at least 35-40 %. come on samsung, put in a better quality speaker, and ill pay the extra $.
  
  
• Great TV - easy delivery
  By A2072B6U9TMB7D on 2008-04-28
  What a great tv. It has all the specs you'd want and as of my purchase date, Amazon offered the best deal on the net when considering base price, free white glove delivery, and no tax. The delivery was surprisingly smooth. Shipping firm called to schedule an appt. called when they were 20 minutes out, and arrived exactly as promised.
  
  A very neat feature is the embedded QAM tuner. I was able to plug the coax directly into my tv, no boxes or antennas, and get everything I wanted. The TV takes the role of cable box and displays program/channel info. I suppose this depends on your provider though.
  
  Only slight negative is the wiselink interface - its not very friendly if your intent is to connect your IPOD for photos/music/slideshows.
  
  
• Absolutely stunning picture, crappy sound
  By A3URJ4DZCAC95Q on 2008-07-31
  I ordered this tv from amazon 9 days ago and received it 4 days later. I share the sentiments of most of the reviewers here; the picture on this tv is amazing...it really is. In fact, I was tempted to rate this tv five stars because of how great it looks. However, I feel a product only deserves 5 stars if it is darn near perfect for what you pay.
  Many reviews here talk about the sound on this tv being an issue and you should believe them. The sound on this tv sucks. You absolutely must use this tv with an external receiver and speakers. The tv basically sounds like it has two small speakers deep inside that face backwards. You will find that the TV may be loud enough for everybody in your house to hear it through the walls, but everything you hear from it while sitting in front of it is muddled and difficult to hear and unfortunately raising the volume just makes the lack of clarity louder, it doesn't make it any clearer.
  I wholeheartedly recommend this tv to anybody who already plans on using it with an external receiver and speakers, because if you are able to get around the terrible sound (which you can with an AV receiver) then you will find that this tv is everything that you are looking for at this price. Besides if given the option between a great display with sub-par audio and a mediocre display with great audio, I would take the better display because you can't get around a crappy display.
  
  

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