Samsung PN50C450 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV (Black)
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Product Description |
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Get a true cinematic experience without going to the cinema with a Samsung plasma HDTV. This Samsung PN50C450, with Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio makes sure every frame is saturated with dense, rich color. Samsung is also ENERGY STAR compliant so you are assured that your 50 -inch plasma HDTV is helping the environment by using less enery while saving you money.
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Product Details |
- Features Mega Dynamic Contrast
- Features Anynet+(HDMI CEC)
- Features a PC Input
- Features ConnectShare Movie
- Features 600Hz Subfield Motion
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Video Reviews |
 No video reviews found for this product.
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Customer Reviews |
 Lots of screen for the price |
| Review Date: March 26, 2010 |
| Reviewer: R. Merz, Michigan |
Samsung PN50C450
I picked up my PN50C450 on Friday March 19th from BestBuy after months of research. In general I don't make purchases from BestBuy. I did the "purchase online / pick up in store" option and was very satisfied (I avoid sales people whenever possible :>). Sorry for the long review but it took me 4-5 months of research to pull the trigger on this TV. Here are my impressions.
Setup
Instructions on the box for removing the TV were clear. After a quick look at the assembly instructions (and sending my kids upstairs to play for 20 minutes) I screwed on the mounting bracket to the base. Just as I read on other reviews these screws did NOT go in easy. Samsung needs to address this as it doesn't instill confidence in the product when the first step in assembly has a minor glitch. Had a bit of a time getting the TV to lineup with the bracket (my issue not the TV). Put in the last 4 screws in the back and those went in much easier. Took a step back and looked at it, "dude that thing is huge" (large smile on my face)
Power On
Now the moment of truth......IS IT GOING TO BUZZ? I powered it on and........not a sound to be heard... totally silent! For a second I thought maybe I didn't power it on but the little "musical tone" went off indicating that it was on. This was my #1 concern with all the things I read about buzzing. Maybe I got lucky, maybe I just can't hear a buzz or maybe it's not as much as an issue as everyone keeps saying? Sure, I stuck my head behind the TV over the next few days and really tried to listen for a buzzing sound. I found if I got on a stool and put my ear really close to the top of the TV (careful it gets hot) I could hear the sound of "electricity" same as my old CRT TV. IN SHORT NO BUZZING.
Connecting Stuff
HDMI: After some research about the whole HDMI controversy (Monster vs cheap cable) Cnet put everything in perspective for me, "it's digital, just get the cheapest cable you can find". Believe it or not BigLots had a gold plated 6' HDMI cable for $12.00 (BestBuy's least expensive was $29.99). So I picked up one HDMI cable, 4 cans of diced tomatoes, yellow mustard and a 6 pack of root beer (God Bless America).
I connected the HDMI to my U-verse box and immediately went to the first HD channel I could find. I then switch to the corresponding SD channel and flipped back and forth several times. It's a big difference between SD and HD (although my kids and my wife didn't seem to care, but they have not yet given into HD madness).
I then connected my Wii with the standard cables it came with. The picture was obviously not HD but that was to be expected with the Wii. PQ was fine for gaming. The new Super Mario Brothers is way more fun (4 player mode) when you have so much digital real-estate to play on. I'm going to pick up a set of component cables just as a few people at AVS forum recommended . Overall the PQ was fine for gaming.
I don't have a Blu-Ray player yet so I did a test with my DVD player. Movies looked good after fussing with the screen size settings. I know Blu-ray DVD up scaling will be a significant improvement.
I also need to pick up an antenna so I can get OTA HD channels. From what I've read the OTA signal is not compressed (like my U-verse signal) so I'm excited to see what kind of results I can get.
TV Viewing and Settings
Right out of the box in "Standard Mode" the picture looked kind of dark and the colors were kind of flat. I then scrolled through to "Movie" mode. That was much better but still the colors were not super impressive. Then I switch to "Dynamic".....who the heck came up with this setting? Very bright and colors looked like a carnival. Unfortunately "dynamic" is the mode for choice for my kids when they play the Wii. I guess that would be the only time you would need this setting?
In order to get the best picture I took the advice of many of you and tweaked the movie mode settings. Thank you [...] users for posting the custom settings. They worked great!! I think I still need to bump down the skin tone setting one more notch but I'm very happy with the way it looks.
There is a lot of talk about Black Lines, Screen Doors, Dither etc..... I don't seem to have any of these issues (maybe ignorance is bliss?). I do get a little pixilation on HD channels sometimes but I think that has more to do with my HD signal being compressed (thanks AT&T).
Glare: I have the TV in a corner of our room that has a window flanking the left of the TV and a sliding glass door facing from the other room. Sure you get some glare in the middle of the day but if you just draw the curtains (and I'm not talking about black-out shades, just normal curtains) its fine. At certain angles at night I can see a lamp or kitchen light reflecting on the screen. I've found that most lights have these things called switches which allow you to turn them on/off. That seems to solve the problem :>)
Image Burn/retention: This was another major concern I had prior to purchasing plasma in general. I've come to the conclusion that as long as you don't spend 5 hours straight playing COD4 with the brightness up to 100, image burn is not an issue. I'd say our family is average when it comes to TV use. We've played the Wii and watched movies/TV and over the last week I have never seen any indication of image burn (and trust me I've been looking for it). And NO I didn't run any break in DVD's either.
Sound: With the way people complain about the sound I thought it was going to be like listening to the TV via a tin can and string. Do the speakers compare to a separate surround sound system running from a receiver....NO. Are you going to hear chest thumping bass when you watch a movie...NO. Relax people, the sound on the TV is just fine. All of my u-verse TV viewing is done exclusively via the TV speakers right now. I watched a concert the other night and I thought it sounded great. The Wii and DVD are currently running through my receiver and 5 speakers and yes it sounds better through that. But that is to be expected.
General PQ: The real test was last Sunday night when Discovery showed their LIFE series. The whole family sat down to watch our new Plasma. It was ideal viewing with a pitch black room (it felt just like a movie theater) I actually heard one of my kids gasp because it looked so real. My youngest wasn't too happy with all the HD close ups of bugs and kept his hands over his eyes because it looked too real. I personally couldn't believe how clear the picture was. I'm finding out that not all HD channels are the same. Some have great HD and some are so/so. That's more of the fault of u-verse and the compression they use on their HD channels. But after watching that I was sold!!!! I know that Blu-ray is going to be even better than this experience. 720P: When I was in BestBuy this TV was right next to a 1080P TV and you could see a little bit more details when you were 2-3' away. But at 8-9' (my TV viewing) I couldn't see the difference. NON ISSUE FOR ME. But how are the Blacks you ask?: wouldn't you know that the blacks look......well.....black (not grey). Very happy.
Gripes: I use my u-verse remote to watch TV. I only use the Samsung remote to switch inputs or change the screen setting. The Samsung remote is about as responsive as molasses in January. I'm not sure where they put the stupid sensor for the TV but it must be under the base. Switching from SD to HD shows and visa/versa and dealing with the different screen formats is a pain. HD looks great in 16:9 but then the SD shows are not full screen so you have to flip "fit to screen" to fix that. All of this screen gymnastics is getting old. I wish there was a setting to say, "hello TV...just fill the screen for me to give me the best possible picture". Swivel would be nice as it takes 2 people to "swivel" the TV manually. Since I don't have the component cables for my Wii I have to swap the DVD and Wii between the 1 in-put that supports them. I wish it had 1 more set of composite connections on the side. For now that's about it.
Conclusion: So far I love this TV. The only issue now is competing for screen time between the Kids/wife. I'm glad I got the 50" as I know I would not have been happy with the 42". For the price I don't think you can go wrong with this TV.
Update 6/10/10: I've had the TV for almost 3 months now and I am still enjoying it very much. For the most part I think it's "broken in" now. I did have to tweak some of my initial setting from when I got it. I did purchase a component cable for my Wii and it looks much better with the new cable. I really didn't have any issues with IR. Once in a while when my kids would go on a Wii binge you could see some IR but running the scrolling feature for a few min took care of that quick. I don't have a blu-ray player yet but the HD quality for AT&T U-verse is pretty good. Still no buzzing (never had an issue with mine). I did hook up a usb flash drive to it to view some pictures I put on it. Wow! it does a great job displaying pictures.
I'll report back when I get a Blu-ray player (maybe fathers day???). |
great tv for the money
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| Review Date: March 4, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Jason K, Gilbert, AZ |
I got this tv on sale the day after it arrived in stores for only $720 and I could not be happier with it. The picture is fantastic right out of the box. As with all plasmas, make sure you take the break in period seriously by turning down the contrast and brightness a bit for the first 100-200 hours. I've also been running the anti-burn in scrolling feature for about an hour a night when I go to bed and have yet to notice any sort of image retention although I haven't played any video games on it yet.
There's a lot of chatter about these Samsung plasmas having an annoying buzzing sound coming from them but I have yet to notice it. Maybe I just got lucky with mine but it runs very quietly. |
My First HD
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| Review Date: March 6, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Patrick Gaughan, Mishawaka, IN United States |
| So this is my very first HD TV and let me say that now I know what all the fuss is about. The picture is gorgeous, comparing it to a CRT is like comparing Jessica Alba to, well, a rock. This picture is so much better that it cannot be compared to CRT picture quality. The TV itself was easy to install on the stand, and once it was set up and hooked up, I found the menus to be easily navigable. Personally, I tried to use my electronic expertise to go at it without the manual, that didn't work. Thankfully the manual had an easy to find fix for my stupidity. On top of a great picture, the actual hardware is pretty. I say that if you are thinking about this TV or the 1080 model, save the extra dough and get this one. The other 360 lines of resolution won't make that much of a difference until you go higher than 50 inches. I know this because, though I am new to the HD world, I studied and read up more about this tech than I did for the SAT, ASVAB, and Pre-calculus combined. |
Great picture quality and value
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| Review Date: March 17, 2010 |
| Reviewer: videotape, California |
Just picked up the PN50C450 from sears yesterday to replace a 50" Sony RPTV.
My initial impressions:
1. PQ is very good overall. Warm2 looks better to me than the standard mode
2. Noticed horizontal black lines after every two row of pixels across the entire screen. The lines can be seen clearly from one feet away but are not noticeable at >3ft distances. I won't be concerned with this too much unless someone convinces me otherwise :-)
3. No vertical banding.
4. No IR issues so far
5. The glossy finish is very reflective. Even the faintest sources of light showup on the screen. This may be a problem in brighter rooms.
6. No buzzing, checked at different volume levels/muted sitting right next to the display.
7. The USB input is neat but seems like the processing is too slow. Takes forever to start a slideshow or display a picture fullscreen.
Overall, I'm fairly happy with the TV for the price. |
Great picture, dead pixel, free & prompt upgrade as replacement
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| Review Date: March 30, 2010 |
| Reviewer: J. Herron, Raleigh, NC |
After much research, I finally decided on this Samsung plasma which had a fantastic picture. Unfortunately, the screen had one tiny speck near the left center with a grouping of 3-4 dead pixels. The customer service ultimately replaced the defective model and had been superior, timely and very friendly. Samsung replaced my defective TV with an upgraded model at no charge to me. Inventory of this particular model was limited in light of release in Feb 2010, hence, the upgraded model.
Normally, I would not rate a brand new, and yet, defective product with 5 stars. However, due to the overall quality of the tv with the exception of the dead pixel grouping, and to the extremely professional customer service, I felt 5 stars is appropriate. To top it off, the value with regards to bang-for-your-buck is outstanding. |
SO FAR...SO GOOD
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| Review Date: April 8, 2010 |
| Reviewer: pupfloyd, BOYNTON BEACH, FL, US |
Purchased from Amazon..delivery on time, driver installed stand and powered the TV and worked perfectly. Picture is incredible(really do not need 1080p as the human eye is not that responsive unless you are a Blu_Ray devotee)sound is OK(no hum or buzz).. try playing through an external surround sound system if you are a movie buff.
For the price I paid ($711) who needs LCD or LED or 1080p...plasma still rules, in my opinion! If you want to pay more for the hype of LED, etc. that is your choice!
One bad point-The IR detector for the remote is in the lower right side of the TV frame and is not open to my custom wall cabinet. This is an individual problem but beware if you intend to have a cabinet around the set.
Thank you, Amazon!
PS-If you get the 3 year warranty from Amazon, be aware that the first year, although covered by Samsung, is also covered by this company. So, in essence, it is really a 2-year contract but for the price, worth it! |
Could not be happier with my purchase.....
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| Review Date: March 23, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Myroso, Spartanburg, SC |
From the time I ordered this item until the time my item arrived. There were no issues what so ever. It was very easy to configure as far as the picture and sound. I am not a TV fanatic so therefore I just enjoy coming home to view a fairly decent picture. I've had this tv for about a week now and I am not experiencing any problems (Knock on wood). My main concern before purchasing this tv was the detail in picture quality, year of model and brand. I have been doing research for months now. Come to find out that the PN50C450N was a newer 2010 model that just came out. I said to myself "Well let me try this and see how everything turns out".
I then went to Target this past weekend to purchase some BLU RAY disc for my PS3 and I can say the picture is awesome with or without 1080p. I was sitting down watching Disney Cars with my son. I tell you the colors and detail of those characters were amazing. I brought about 4 disc and the clarity on all of them was awesome. Good Luck on your thoughts and decision on buying this wonderful product. I can not complain at all. |
Great TV
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| Review Date: March 17, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Barbie 1, Colorado Springs CO |
Just bought this a couple days ago and have to say WOW!! Was able to get it at BestBuy which had it for the same discount price on here but just had to pay the extra sales tax but the instant gratification to not have to wait for shipping.
Very easy setup!! Great colors and great blacks!! Dont even have the HD box yet and it still looks great...no "buzzing" sound as others have had so feel very lucky I guess!! Sound on it is ok and is adjustable which is very nice...easy setup if I wanted to change the settings but so far just wanted to leave it alone until suggested "break in" period is over...connected a PS3 to this thru HDMI and played Final Fantasy XIII and was blown away!! Don't see any difference with 720 and 1080...heat on this wasnt as bad as I thought it would be either!! Don't see any reason to pay 2-3 times as much either for a TV....very very happy with purchase!!
Forgot to add that I had a lot of problems putting the stand together...the screws just did not want to fit...look at the reviews on the 42 inch of this model and several people had the same problem...minor irritation though in my opinion... |
Awesome
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| Review Date: May 10, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Breann Delord, TX USA |
| The picture quality is great. One thing I learned from a previous Plasma screen owner that I would love to share with others who are wanting to purchase a plasma screen, is when you unpack your plasma or pack it up if you are moving. Make sure you keep the plasma screen tv vertical the entire time. Cause if you lean it to much it will destroy the picture quality, because of the water crystals or whatever makes up the plasma if you tilt it to much your picture will become distorted and all different colors. So keep it vertical and you're good to go. I am in love with my new plasma screen hd tv, I got it at a great price with free shipping, so I suggest it to anyone that is interested in buying one. |
Great 50" HDTV for a SUPER Price
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| Review Date: May 20, 2010 |
| Reviewer: T. Swanson, Phoenix, Az. |
| I looked at this set together with a 1080p Samsung and a 1080p Panasonic set side by side at BEST BUY. From about 3-4 feet away there is not a significant difference in the picture quality. I personally liked the picture quality of the Samsung the best. For the extra money, in my opinion, it is just not worth the extra dollars to buy the 1080P set unless your playing games at a distance of 2-3 feet from the set. This TV has an outstanding picture with just 720p and it isonly $180 more than the 42" model--a great deal!. After reading all of the reviews I was cautious about buying this set because of the issues of glare, buzzing, screw problems, etc.I do not notice any buzzing sound. With respect to all the glare people complain about, I have this set beside a South facing window with Plantation shutters open allowing light in the room, in Phoenix, AZ and the glare is about the same as on any other TV set I have owned. From straight on I do not even notice any glare. As for the screw issue, the screws supplied are self threading screws and these always require more force to insert, and this is done for a reason, to make sure that the TV display is stable/secure and minimize the potential of damage. You need to make sure that you install the display as the instructions specify, and I was able to put the display into the stand all by myself--but I too recommend two people working together to lower the display onto the stand. With a plasma it is important to keep the display vertical. I wonder if some people having difficulty putting the set on the stand are trying to do this with the display in a position other than vertical? When I put the display in the stand from the vertical position, the screw holes were perfectly aligned/ The screws are at first hard to screw in and then as the hole is tapped to the threading of the screw, it becomes easier--this is normal. The keys on the remote actually seem bigger than some of my other remotes and makes me wonder why people have complained about it--maybe it is time to get reading glasses? The only negative issue I have with my set is that the remote sensor does not work well when the remote is pointed directly (level) from straight ahead at the TV set and seems to work best when it is pointed about 20-30 degrees above or below horizontal or from the sides--STRANGE? I think I have addressed the majority of complaints and fully recommend this TV set. I bought mine from Paul's stores got a shipping notice a few hours after I placed the order, the next day I got a telephone call from AIT, the shipper who specializes in TV delivery, that the TV set was in Phoenix and they set up an appointment to deliver it the following day (about 62 hours after I ordered the set and this was using the free shipping option). Everything so far has been a smooth and professional transaction. Now I feel prepared to watch the NBA playoffs! |
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