I even liked the way that Samsung has presented its Internet@TV online services, with an attractive graphical interface that provides easy access to web sites such as YouTube, FaceBook and Google Maps.
The company gets a slap on the wrist for highlighting the BBC iPlayer on its web site, as that particular service isn’t available yet, but I was very pleased to be able to watch films online using my LoveFilm subscription (even if the streaming video wasn’t great quality).
Menu browsing
Happiness levels went sky high when I also discovered that you can timeshift and record – even in HD – onto a USB hard disk (though it spat out my memory stick, declaring that it didn’t provide adequate performance for video recording).
Lovefilm is available, although the streaming quality leaves room for improvement
The 20W speakers produce a nice, detailed sound, and are loud enough for day-to-day use when watching television. However, they’re a little thin on bass so home cinema buffs might want to supplement them with something that can do justice to Hollywood soundtracks.
On-line options
At this point I’d have been happy to just sit back and wallow in the C8000’s lush 2D performance, but the tantalizing ‘3D’ button on the remote control just wouldn’t be ignored. Sadly, the C8000 doesn’t include any 3D glasses – although we were supplied with one pair for testing purposes – so if you want to venture into the third dimension you’ll have to cough up about £150 extra for Samsung’s 3D Starter Kit, which includes two pairs of glasses and a copy of Monsters Vs Aliens on 3D Blu-ray.
COMMENTS
Re: LED=SCAM
@ Mike Brown
Whilst I would agree that TV manufacturers have been / are guilty of milking the various TV format / display technologies over the past few years, it's a step too far to call LED backlighting technology a scam.
Whilst it is true to say that, "LED tv's arnt [sic] LED tvs at all. They have LED backlighting, but still use LCD....." the ASA has said that it does not object to the use of the term (LED TV) but does require it to be clarified in any advertising.
Whilst the panel in this Samsung may not be a hypothetical true LED display, or an OLED display, no one is saying this.
In terms of the technology itself and depending on the type of LED used, this method of backlighting does offer considerable benefits, eg a wider colour gamut, higher dynamic contrast ratios, higher brightness, etc over traditional CCFL backlit TVs.
Since the the main barrier to the wide use of LED backlighting on LCD televisions is cost, your C750 TV may well have been "half the price" and "left your wallet fatter" but to claim it is "just as good" is cleary wishful thinking!
Scam?
@ Mike Brown
Thanks for pointing me in the direction of Ofcom and the ASA regarding "unlimited" broadband and your claim the situation there is similar to LED TV backlighting in being, "a scam".
This is what I found: "The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is currently undertaking a review of the way broadband speeds are advertised, and Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards has called for stricter rules." (27/07/10)
So, not much of a scam there apart from the broadband providers marketing depts trying to get away with as much as they can.
Beauty as they say, is in the eye of the beholder, so if your TV is as good as you say, I'm sure you're also right in that regard.
Scam?
Just because the ASA say its ok dosnt mean its not a scam. Look at ofcom and "unlimited" broadband, and tell me thats not a scam, and very similar to this situation.
And yes, i stand by my claim that my c750 is just as good as this TV, you can believe its "wishful thinking" if you choose.....
Wake me up in 2 years when I consider buying my next TV
I bought an HD TV 18 months ago, so not in the market for a new TV for at least another 2 years.
I enjoy 3D in the cinema but not bothered about it at home.
I also expect by the time I get around to 3D at home that it will just be built in rather than a premium offering so prices should be more acceptable.
Your only half right, and therefore also half wrong...
There are a lot of TV's being advertised as LED which are LCD with LED back-lights. The effect is much better than the old back lights and give much better contrast and blacks.
There are also OLED screens that are made from real RGB LED's on the glass. Unfortunately the ones I saw last year were quite simply - crap. There seemed to only be about 32 (maybe 64) shades for each colour as the intensity can only be altered by the switching frequence.
This has also been used for dodgy adverts claiming 600Mhz refresh, which is rather pointless for a image that only updates 50 or 60 times a second.
The overal effect was like looking at a some badly compressed images with a 256 colour pallet, or like viewing images on a 20year old PC.
