Samsung PN50A650 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

Samsung makes so many different varieties of flat-panel HDTVs,
sometimes it's difficult to keep up. This particular plasma, the
50-inch href="http://plasmatvexperience.com/samsung-pn50a650-50-inch-1080p-plasma-hdtv/">PN50A650,
was released in the spring of 2008 right around the same time as the
slightly less expensive PN50A550, which we reviewed way back then. We
really like both of these displays, and both exhibit the same
fundamentals: good but not great black levels and highly accurate
color. The more expensive version adds more color of its own, in the
form of the company's trademark reddish-tinted frame, and if you
appreciate the styling, the PN50A650 proves a worthy entrant in the
tight 50-inch plasma race.
Design
The biggest differentiator between the href="http://plasmatvexperience.com/samsung-pn50a650-50-inch-1080p-plasma-hdtv/">PN50A550
we reviewed earlier this year and the PN50A650 is Touch of Color,
Samsung's name for the reddish tinge of the television's frame. This TV
isn't available in any other color, so if red doesn't work for your
room, tough luck. The Touch is subtle enough in person, however, that
most viewers probably won't find it objectionable, and if you've grown
tired of the parade of glossy black HDTV cabinets, it might be for you.
For us, we prefer the standard black of models like the A550, although
the A650's other design elements, including a slick clear coating over
the frame, hidden speakers and nicely rounded corners, combine for an
attractive look.
We really liked the narrow pedestal of the included swivel stand, which
lends the TV another dose of attractiveness. The frame around the
screen is a bit thicker than on some 50-inch plasmas, and brings the
HDTV's overall dimensions to 48.8 inches wide by 32.9 inches high by
12.6 inches deep including stand. Remove the stand and the panel by
itself measures 48.8 by 30.2 by 3.8 inches.
Samsung redesigned its remotes for 2008, and for the most part we
prefer the new clicker. The buttons are larger and every one is
backlit, and we like the dedicated "Tools" menu that offers quick
access to picture and sound modes, the sleep timer and the
picture-in-picture controls. We don't like the glossy black finish,
however, which became a grimy fingerprint magnet after a few minutes.
Samsung PN50A650
Samsung's menu system makeover adds improved graphics and a couple new
controls, including Cell Light, which controls pixel brightness.
The redesign extends to the menu system, which is blessed with big,
highly legible text set against transparent backgrounds that occupy
almost the whole screen. Getting around is easy, there's helpful
explanatory text along the bottom, and we dig the context-sensitive
menu that pop ups occasionally to provide more options. Overall, it's
one of the best-designed and most attractive menu systems we've seen on
any HDTV, and it really makes setup a breeze--except the confusing
picture mode arrangement (see below).
Features
The Samsung PN50A650 has one of the more complete feature sets
available today among plasma TVs. A native resolution of 1,920x1,080
(aka 1080p) distinguishes it from a few of the less-expensive 50-inch
plasmas out there, but in 2008 this feature is just about standard. Not
that it matters; even at 50 inches it's nearly impossible to appreciate
the difference between 1080p and lesser resolutions (see Performance).
Samsung added a few more picture tweaks to its already large selection,
but we'll start with the basics. The PN0A650 has three adjustable
picture modes that are each independent per input. That's great, but in
addition there are three more picture presets, called "Entertainment
Modes," that cannot be adjusted and are accessible via a separate key
on the remote and the setup menu. This arrangement is unnecessarily
confusing on a TV with a zillion settings anyway; we'd prefer to have
all of the picture modes, both adjustable and nonadjustable, be
accessible together from a single key on the remote and one area of the
Picture menu. Also, if you're in Entertainment mode, you're prevented
from making picture adjustments, or even selecting one of the
adjustable picture modes, until you actively cancel an Entertainment
mode by navigating to the setup menu (which the onscreen instructions
suggest) or toggling the mode to "Off" using the remote. That's an
awkward hitch in an otherwise smooth menu design.
href="http://plasmatvexperience.com/samsung-pn50a650-50-inch-1080p-plasma-hdtv/">Samsung
PN50A650
As always, we appreciated the presence of detailed white balance
controls.
In addition to the standard picture controls, there's an additional one
called Cell Light that affects overall light output. It seems
superfluous to add yet another control, especially since Contrast can
serve the same purpose and unlike the backlight control on an LCD, Cell
Light does not affect black level performance. Others include five
color temperature presets along with the ability to fine-tune color
using the white balance menu; three varieties of noise reduction,
including an automatic setting; a film mode to engage 2:3 pulldown (it
also works with 1080i sources); a seven-position gamma control that
affects the TV's progression from dark to light; a dynamic contrast
control that adjusts the picture on the fly; a "black adjust" control
that affects shadow detail; and a new color space control that lets you
tweak the Samsung's color gamut.
You can choose from four aspect ratio modes for HD sources, two of
which allow you to move the whole image across the screen horizontally
and/or vertically. As we'd expect from a 1080p TV, one of those modes,
called Just Scan, lets the PN50A650 scale 1080i and 1080p sources
directly to the panel's pixels with no overscan--the best option unless
you see interference along the edge of the screen, as can be the case
with some channels or programs. There are also four modes available
with standard-def sources.
Like all plasmas, the PN50A650 can be subject to burn-in under certain
conditions, so Samsung includes a rash of features designed to address
that issue. There's an adjustable pixel shift, which moves the image
slowly and imperceptibly around the screen; a choice between light and
dark sidebars for 4:3 programs (light is better for preventing
burn-in); and a pair of settings, one that scrolls gray bars across the
screen and one that simply fills it with a white field, available to
address burn-in in the unlikely event that it does occur.
We appreciated the three power-saver modes, which did cut down on the
PN50A650's prodigious energy consumption (see the Juice Box). As far as
conveniences, Samsung throws in picture-in-picture, a USB port that can
connect to thumb drives to play back digital photos and MP3 music, and
compatibility with the company's Digital Media Adapter.
Samsung PN50A650
Three HDMI and a PC input highlight the Samsung PN50A650's rear-panel
jack pack.
Samsung's A650 series' connectivity suite is a step up from the
company's less-expensive models like the PN50A550. The biggest upgrade
comes from the third back-panel HDMI input, while a fourth can be found
in a recessed bay along the panel's left side. There's also a pair of
component-video inputs; an AV input with S-Video and composite video; a
single RF input for cable and antenna; and a VGA-style RGB input for
computers (1,920x1,080 maximum resolution). That recessed bay to the
side offers an additional AV input with S-Video and composite video, a
headphone jack, and the aforementioned USB port.



If you are looking for helpful advice in choosing a href="http://plasmatvexperience.com/samsung-pn50a650-50-inch-1080p-plasma-hdtv/">widescreen
plasma tv, please visit wour website, href="http://plasmatvexperience.com/plasma-tv-articles/can-i-get-a-cheap-plasma-tv/">Plasma
Tv  Experience. Read articles, reviews and browse
our online href="http://plasmatvexperience.com/samsung-pn50a650-50-inch-1080p-plasma-hdtv/">plasma
tv store.We can help at href="http://plasmatvexperience.com">PlasmaTvExperience.com