Samsung UN55B8000 Does It All In An Ultra-Thin Package
Posted by hdtv buying guide on August 6, 2009 under HDTV Reviews, LED HDTV, Samsung | 
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Think back 10 years ago to the state of technology in your living room. It’s likely the television contained a large, bulky cathode-ray tube. The wider it was, the bigger it was. And forget about trying to lift it by yourself.
Today, a widescreen television requires only a few inches of depth to produce stunning high-definition pictures. If the television is a part of Samsung’s Series 8 LED line, it requires less than two inches.
With two models — 47 and 55 inches — the Series 8 LED models feature edge lighting and a host of connectivity options. The 55-inch model is the UN55B8000 and retails for $3,999.99. It’s currently available on Amazon.com for $3,499.99. It’s still not a cheap date, but a $500 discount is a good start.
LED-backlit televisions are known for their ability to create bright, vibrant images without any hint of motion blur. LED is also more energy efficient than the compact florescent lights used in standard LCD televisions. The edge lighting used by the UN55B8000 allows it to be ultra-thin, since a large field of LEDs isn’t needed to produce the picture.
The panel itself refreshes at 240Hz, meaning the picture on the screen is updated 240 times per second. Early LCD panels were 60Hz, while most of the current mid-range models run at 120Hz. The 240Hz rate means blur-free action in even the most intense scenes.
Along with the high-quality picture, the UN55B8000 offers internet connectivity in the form of informational widgets and direct movie streaming. The television is DLNA compatible, meaning it can access content from PCs and other mobile devices. Have an HD movie stored on your main computer? Watch it on the TV. Want to view photos stored on your laptop? The UN55B8000 is the perfect screen.
With a USB 2.0 input, the UN55B8000 can handle content from a personal media player, a digital camera or a camcorder. That includes music, movies and photos.
Environmentally, the UN55B8000 uses 40 percent less electricity than previous Samsung LCD models. Unlike standard LCDs, there’s no mercury in the UN55B8000, either.
As with any new television, the advanced features of the Samsung UN55B8000 make it a bit on the expensive side. But with more manufacturers adopting LED backlighting and fast-refreshing panels, look for models like the UN55B8000 to come down in price and move up in demand.
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