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Samsung LN52A630 LCD TV


Date
: 03/15/09 – 03:37:17 PM

Author
:

Category
: TV

Page 1 : Index

Manufacturer
: Samsung Canada

If you were in the market for an LCD TV after the holiday season, you probably saw the Samsung A630 series on sale at your local brick and mortar store. If you haven't quite decided which one you want, keep reading as I'll take you through the ins and outs of this TV and show you a ton of pictures of how well it works.

The Samsung 6 series is in the middle of the pack, not the cheapest model available but not at the top end of the spectrum. You don't get all the bells and whistles of a top end TV, but Samsung doesn't skimp out on picture performance.

Page 2 : Package & Product Overview

I received the 52A630 direct from Samsung's QA/QC office and there was nothing special to the packaging. The brown box, apart from being well abused, looked like it came directly from the store. The front of the box is a generic print of the bottom of a TV and the features the Series 6 holds. The bottom right gives a clear indication of the TV's size. On the backside we have another reprint of what the features are with this TV: Full HD 1080p resolution, Touch of Color design, 120Hz Auto Motion Plus, Wide Color Enhancer 2 to provide natural and realistic color, WiseLink USB 2.0 to display music and photos on the TV and 3 HDMI connections with one cable for audio and video (HDMI-CEC). Also bundled with the TV is the entertainment mode, a swivel base and Energy Star compliance.

On the side of the box we can clearly see how well used this package has been, but there is also a repeat of the information above. This allows you see what the TV has to offer regardless of how the vendor has organized the TVs.

Cracking the box open, the TV is well protected by expanded Styrofoam on 6 points and covered with a padded plastic bag to prevent screen scratching. Rest assured this monitor won't be easily damaged.

Opening the box up I can pull out the accessories: power cord, screen wipe, cover, manual and remote (not shown).

Of course, the big thing we want to see is the TV so without further ado, here's our first look:

From the first picture, it's hard to pick up any hint that there's a Touch of Color and that's exactly the point. The Touch of Color is very subtle and I found that it is only apparent under specific lighting conditions. The entire bezel has a dark ruby red color to it and the last 1/4′ of the bezel is clear. If you lose the remote control, you can get basic control (Power, Channel Up & Down, Volume Up & Down, Menu and Enter) of the TV using the static sensitive menu on the bottom right. It's pretty hard to find if you don't know where you're looking so read the manual to get an idea of its location. Surprisingly, the position of this control panel changes from family to family. As you can see in the photo above, the red LED indicates the TV is on standby. Using my Kill-A-Watt, it registered a 0 watt power draw in this state.

The back and side of the TV is where all the fun really is. The back holds a Digital Audio Out (optical connection), one PC in (VGA and Audio), one EX-Link, a left and right stereo audio out, left and right stereo audio DVI In for HDMI port 2, 2 sets of component in (left and right audio, Pr, Pb and Y video), two HDMI In ports and an ANT in. Missing from this model is a network connection that you'll find in the higher end models. It's definitely a feature that can be removed to save money without impacting the overall display performance. If you need internet with your TV to keep an eye out on the weather, news and stocks, you can find it with the A650 family reviewed last year.

The side of the TV also holds more inputs. First we have the third HDMI connection followed by WiseLink USB port, S-Video, Video, Left and Right Audio and a 2.5mm headphone jack. There are more than enough inputs and outputs to let the A630 be the center of your entertainment system.

Some other features to highlight on the TV include the back label indicating the model, serial number, and manufacturing date. You'll notice that the label also indicates a power consumption of 290W. We'll see if this claim is true. The side of the TV also has a label giving information on the model, serial number and version.

The TV has a built in power converter so no power brick is required, just plug the power cord into the back of the TV and into your wall. There are also 4 anchor points located on the back to allow you to mount this TV to your wall and two 10W speakers on the back to provide SRS Trusurround XT sound.

The TV sits on a rectangular base which can swivel about 15 degrees. There's no tilt feature due to the size of the panel. If you tried tilting the screen back or forward, you risk having the whole screen collapsing.

Page 3 : Specifications & Features

The product page for the 52A630 can be easily found on Samsung's website. The key specifications include a 52′ screen, 1920×1080 resolution, DNIe+ and Picture in Picture. Samsung also adds that the Auto Motion Plus 120Hz keeps action-packed sports and movies real with the smooth transitions. The TV measures just shy of 1270mm by 838mm by 290mm (length * width * depth). The visible panel has a 52′ diagonal with a length of 115.5cm and a height of 65.5cm.

Here are the key features Samsung is promoting:

The full specifications:

Page 4 : Installation & TV Setting

Installation is remarkably simple with the 52A630. The TV is ready to go right out of the box. With a friend, lift the TV out and position it to its final resting place. After plugging in the power cord and your desired inputs, you're ready to enjoy the 52′ TV.

The BN68-01669C-00L02-0714.pdf]User Manual and Quick Start Guide will ensure that you are able to configure the 52A630 to your liking. I will highlight the key on-screen display settings.

The WiseLink USB 2.0 is now a staple with Samsung monitors. Out of the box, it's incredibly easy to use. Just plug in a USB with either pictures or songs and load up the WiseLink menu. From there, you can either play one or the other or both.

If you have multiple inputs connected, you can switch between them with the remote control. The AnyNet feature also allows you to control other AnyNet enabled devices with the one remote control. For example, I can control my Samsung BD-P1500 with my A630 remote.

Page 5 : Power Consumption

I've recently started monitoring my power consumption and I'll be incorporating these into my reviews. Power readings were done using my P3 Kill-A-Watt. On standby, the TV draws 0 watts. While watching CBC in HD, the average consumption was 241W. This is 21W over the 55A950 that I reviewed early and in my respects, the difference can be attributed to the A950 using an LED backlit screen instead of the LCD we have here. Both monitors were set to 1920×1080 and had their default configuration.

Page 6 : Remote Control

Samsung made one notable change to the remote control that I really liked. Instead of having the rotating disc/wheel to navigate the menu, they replaced it with 4 buttons: up, down, left and right. The wheel was often erratic and something that kept bothering me every time I used it. With the four buttons, it's functional and very easy to use.

The body of the remote is curved nicely and holds well in my hand. One qualm I had with the remote control is the location of the enter button. I can be impatient at times and I don't like waiting a few seconds before the TV automatically changes channel. Instead, I like to key in the channel I want to go to and hit the enter button. However, the enter button is located in the middle of the control wheel – too far for most hands to reach. I would like to see a second enter button closer to the key pad for the impatient few like me!

The TV comes with 2 triple A batteries for the remote. I like how the battery cover is tethered to the remote. This prevents accidental loss.

The remote still comes with a light feature which is extremely sensitive. The slightest nudge would cause all the keys to glow a soft orange. This is very handy at night if you don't know where the remote is. Slightly nudge where you think it might be and it'll light up. Don't forget that with each nudge you use a tiny bit of power.

Page 7 : Display Performance

To thoroughly test out the 52A630, I sat myself in front of the TV for hours upon hours. Yup, I have a really tough job here! I tested out several different inputs: Over the Air digital TV via the ATSC Tuner, my regular non-digital cable TV, input from my PC via HDMI and HDMI from the Blu-Ray player.

The picture display is pretty good. Whether you're watching a movie in HD or some TV shows broadcast in HD, you will not be disappointed. The colors are indeed brighter and clearer but not to the point where it's better than the A650 and definitely not nearly as good as the A950. However, when you consider the price of the A950, I would expect it to be far superior. When considering a TV purchase, it's absolutely imperative that you judge all reviews with a grain of salt. There's really no way for you to tell whether or not the TV is worth your investment by a few pictures. Do yourself a favour and visit your local brick and mortar store and stand in front of the TV for twenty minutes. Find the remote and play with the settings. To help minimize your time spent in store, let me show you a few pictures and videos of a 52A630.

We'll start off with the viewing angle. Samsung claims the TV is good for 178/178 and you'll probably never be sitting and watching TV in an angle where the TV's limitations come into effect. If you are, do yourself a favour and find a new seat if you're sitting at 178 degrees from the TV!

I was expecting the colors to get washed away as I increased my viewing angle but they were sharp and clear as you can see in the photo above. Even the sliver of trees and the reflection of the red rocks can be seen at the far edge of the TV.

The TV offers four pre-programmed viewing modes:

Pictures from ‘The Recruit’:

Pictures of TV shows in HD:

Scenary from my Europe Trip using WiseLink USB 2.0:

Browsing the internet:

Video Games:

One qualm that has plagued Samsung is the ghosting effect visible on non-HDMI or HD signals. One perfect example is my Mario Kart Wii. The pictures are taken at 1/60th of a second and we can clearly see parts of the game skipping across the frame.

Page 8 : Display Performance – Videos

To add a little extra to the review, I've captured videos of the TV in use.

The Mummy Returns

The original source was a Blu-Ray disc. The video was captured using Samsung's HMX20C @ 1920×1080 (1080p). The video was uploaded to YouTube where the original file was compressed to 1280×720.

Toronto Raptors vs. Utah Jazz

The original source was an HD signal over-the-air (OTA). The video was captured using Samsung's HMX20C @ 1920×1080 (1080p). The video was uploaded to YouTube where the original file was compressed to 1280×720.

Page 9 : Conclusion

Whether or not the economic recession is here or if your current 27′ CRT TV just died on you like mine you may be in the market for an affordable TV that offers a little more than just the basics. The Samsung A630 is just that. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the 750, 850 or 950 series but it doesn't cut any corners on the basics to keep the prices down.

Priced under 2K, this TV will provide you with great colour and contrast. You will have more than enough video inputs for your home entertainment setup including quick side connections for when friends and family come over and have a few pictures and videos to share. The simple design makes it easy to blend in with any decor allowing you to sit back, relax and fully enjoy the magnificent display put on by Samsung. While the TV suffers from ghosting on low definition inputs, it's not something that should turn you off when considering your next budget friendly LCD TV.

Advantages

• Great color and contrast
  
  
• Simple and beautiful look
• Very affordable large screen TV

Disadvantages

• Ghosting on non-HD input

Thank you Samsung for making this review possible.