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Samsung LE40C650

Review Samsung’s set is a sleek, good looking design, and out of the box the HD picture quality was stunning. Setup even ends with a handy reminder for the less technically savvy to connect set-tops and suchlike using HDMI for HD pictures.

Samsung LE40C650

However, the SD picture quality wasn’t as good, until the settings were tweaked, and though there’s a good range of options, the menu system makes accessing them fiddly – and you can’t even view the built-in test patterns without turning off digital text first.

The remote takes some getting used to. It’s backlit, and you’ll probably need that as each row of buttons is a single flat panel, so finding them by touch is not easy.

Samsung LE40C650

More online services than you can shake a stick at – including film rental

Samsung has really beefed up its Internet@TV service. From being a bit of a damp squib, it’s now much better, with many more options, including LoveFilm, Google Maps, Twitter and the ubiquitous YouTube. Finding things there is simpler, thanks to predictive text entry.

Network media playback is much better with this set too. It still has one of the best ranges of file compatibility – though it didn’t like the audio on my WMV HD clips – and the interface is improved as well.

Samsung LE40C650

A clear EPG; it lacks frills, but does the job it needs to

It’s a great set, marred only a little by the remote and the - thankfully turn-offable - startup melody.

Verdict

Best-in-class connectivity options and media playback make this a great choice for anyone who wants to go beyond just watching TV. ®

Samsung LE40C650
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Samsung LE40C650

Samsung LE40C650

A TV with a sleek design that packs in plenty of extras.
Price: £1000 RRP

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