50in plasma IDTV Approx price: 2,300

On test

Also Consider >>
PANASONIC TH-50PX600 Quite a bit more expensive and not as good looking but its a stellar performer. Tested: This issue PIONEER PDP-506XDE Stunning performance from this Pioneer 50 incher but its a fair bit more money, and has problems with Sky HDs HDMI connector. Tested (43in): Issue 301 Reviewed: Issue 296
50in plasma TV HD Ready 1,366 x 768 pixels Built-in digital tuner 10,000:1 claimed contrast

Samsung PS50Q7HD

Test Data
TEST Colour: Frequency response: Colour temperature: Contrast ratio: Luminance: Power consumption: READING Good Very good 7,200K 1375:1 18fL
1W (stby) 317W (Use) For a full explanation of test data, please see page 98

Details

FEATURES
Screen size & shape: 50in, 16:9 Tuner: Digital and analogue Sound system: Nicam (2x10W) Resolution (pixels): 1,366x768 HD Ready: Yes Quoted contrast ratio: 10,000:1 Quoted brightness: 1,300cd/m2 Dimensions: 1,277(w) x 860.7(h) x 341(d)mm Weight (with stand): 49.3kg OTHER FEATURES: Freeview 7-day EPG support; CI slot

SOCKETS

2 Scarts (1 RGB); HDMI input; component video input; S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio inputs; stereo audio output; digital audio output; RF jack

CONTACT

www.samsung.co.uk
ou dont have to look far to nd the PS50Q7HDs main appeal; just go to the top of this page and clock its price: just 2,300 for a 50in plasma TV. Remarkable. Especially since this minimal outlay gets you one of the glossiest and most glamorously styled plasma TVs ever. Samsung hasnt even cut back on connections. The PS50Q7HD does only have a single HDMI rather than two, a single component jack, and two Scarts when wed prefer three. But it still earns HD Ready status, sports a PC input and carries some handy digital tuner paraphernalia in the form of a CI slot for adding subscription TV channels and a digital audio output for shipping out Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. The digital tuner indicated by these latter two jacks is further backed up by a seven-day electronic programme guide and a recording event memory. Irritatingly, though, you can only navigate the EPG in maximum two-hour steps, so looking for a programme a week away is seriously tedious. Theres little evidence of these cost-cutting measures in the rest of the PS50Q7HDs features. Samsungs DNIe system is on hand, for instance, with its customary processing tricks for improving black levels, ne detail, motion clarity and colours, plus theres a Smooth Motion Driver
for adding extra frames to the image to make motion smoother. Samsung has even introduced a new FilterBright screen system thats reckoned to eliminate 90 per cent of ambient light reections.

performance

Its nice to report that Samsung has greatly improved colours, which look more vibrant, naturally toned (especially skintones) and subtle. Theres also less sign of the old-school plasma issues of grain, colour striping and dotting. Black levels too have gone from being average to being some of the best around. The pictures also likeably bright, and does a solid job of scaling up standard-denition sources to the native 1,366x768 resolution even avoiding exaggeration of MPEG noise in digital tuner broadcasts. Were a little ambivalent about the PS50Q7HDs Smooth Motion Driver system, though. It does make motion look smoother, but there are unwanted side-effects such as shimmering around edges and occasional juddering and icker when the processing cant keep up with something moving especially fast. We turned SMD off early in our tests and never reactivated it. Other problems include the way some rich colours look too strident,
throwing the image briey off balance. HD pictures dont look quite as crisp as we know they can, and a slightly impoverished audio performance fails to deliver a soundstage big or detailed enough to match the 50in pictures. If the PS50Q7HDs not perfect, you shouldnt expect more for such a reasonable price. If moneys tight, this huge TV actually delivers easily enough features and performance capability for its groundbreaking price point to at least warrant an audition John Archer

Ratings

WHATS GOOD
Price; looks; features count; performance

WHATS BAD

Sound; one HDMI; SMD option awed
Picture Sound Features Ease of use Value

VERDICT

A big improvement over Samsungs last plasma efforts, and remarkably good value
Issue 312 I What Video and High-Denition TV I 051

WHV312.samsung_ps50q 051

17/8/06 07:16:54

TOP 10 PLASMAS / 50IN SAMSUNG
/ Other features: Freeview 7-day EPG support; CI slot / Sockets: 2 Scarts (1 RGB); HDMI input; component video input; S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio inputs; stereo audio outputs; digital audio output; RF jack / Contact 0303 www.samsung.co.uk
Verdict Approx price 2,300

Samsung PS50Q7HD

BLooks, features, performance, price tag EOne HDMI, Smooth Motion Driver, lacklustre audio
Picture Sound Features Ease of use Value
SOME SCREENS WIN us over with a gorgeous design, some with stunning features and impressive picture processing, while some let jaw-dropping images do the talking. But this monster screen from Samsung has an ace up its sleeve likely to entice the most reluctant TV buyer an astonishing price tag.
A whopping 50in of plasma screen for the (relatively) paltry sum of 2,300 is incredible///
A whopping 50in of plasma screen for the (relatively) paltry sum of 2,300 is simply incredible. The black frame boasts so much stylish sophistication that youll want to make this the centrepiece of your living room. And the selection of connections around the back isnt bad, either. While the single HDMI input is a touch disappointing, a component video input, two Scarts, digital audio outputs and CI slots for adding subscription TV channels are not.
The built-in digital tuner is supported by a seven-day Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and a recording event memory. Sadly, the EPG is not the best as it can only be navigated in two-hour steps, which makes planning viewing a week ahead an unnecessarily laborious procedure. There are few other signs of cost cutting, however, and the inclusion of DNIe and its processing trickery for improving black levels, ne detail, motion clarity and colours is a welcome surprise. As does the presence of Samsungs Smooth Motion Driver, which adds extra frames to the image to ensure that tricky motion remains smooth and judder free. Samsungs endless FilterBright screen, too, is a clever system that practically eradicates onscreen, ambient light reections.
bright, while black levels are among the best in the business. Plasmas traditional problems with grain, colour stripping and dot crawl are totally overcome, and MPEG noise is minimal with digital broadcasts. However, the Smooth Driver system ultimately proves unfullling, making images smoother, but adding shimmering, judder and icker as a result. Some rich colours tend to look overly strident and a slightly lacklustre audio system fails to deliver with more visceral action scenes. Despite the obvious frailties, this screen represents tremendous value and youll struggle to nd a better 50in atscreen for the money Z

Full review: Issue 312

Spec check
Screen size & shape: 50in, 16:9 Tuner: Digital and analogue Sound system: Nicam Resolution : 1,366 x 768 HD Ready: Yes Quoted contrast ratio: 10,000:1 Quoted brightness: 1,300cd/m2 Dimensions: 1,277(w) x 860(h) x 341(d)mm Weight (with stand): 49.3kg

Performance

Happily, the PS50Q7HD performs better than wed expect from a 2,300 screen. Colours are vibrant and naturally toned, with skintones subtly impressive. Pictures are

A big improvement over Samsungs last plasma efforts and remarkably good value
Issue 317 / What Video & High-Denition TV / 043

WHV317.rusam50q 043

9/1/07 11:43:42