Check out the Dell Store on CNETSamsung PN50B650
Manufacturer: Samsung Part number: PN50B650
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- Bottom Line:
- Samsung's PNB650 series can't quite match the best plasmas on the market, but it comes close enough to offer a viable alternative.
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CNET editors' review
Samsung PN50B650 price range: $1,109.00 - $1,239.99
- Reviewed by: David Katzmaier
- Reviewed on: 06/12/2009
The good: Reproduces deep black levels; accurate color with superb saturation, properly handles 1080p/24 sources; uses less power than previous 1080p plasmas; extensive feature set with Yahoo widgets, network streaming and built-in content; solid connectivity with four HDMI and one PC input.
The bad: Somewhat expensive; glitch in 1080p/24 mode causes picture setting change; frame's red coloration not for everyone; no S-Video inputs.
The bottom line: Samsung's PNB650 series can't quite match the best plasmas on the market, but it comes close enough to offer a viable alternative.
With the exit of heavy-hitter Pioneer from the plasma racket, just three major makers remain: Panasonic, Samsung, and LG. The latter two offer significantly more models of LCD TVs than of plasma, however, and seemed more focused on LCD technology. Nonetheless Samsung's 2009 plasmas, if the PNB650 series is any indication, are nearly the match of Panasonic's best. The model we tested delivered superb black-level performance--significantly better than past Samsung plasmas--and the company's traditional accurate color. Samsung has also kept up with Panasonic on the feature front and delivers more picture adjustments, although we prefer Panasonic's VieraCast to Samsung's sluggish Yahoo Widgets when it comes to interactive features. Regardless, the superb overall package delivered by the PNB650 series once again poses a difficult decision for plasma HDTV buyers.
Series note: We performed a hands-on evaluation of the 50-inch Samsung PN50B650, but this review also applies to the 58-inch Samsung PN58B650. The two have identical specifications aside from screen size, and should deliver very similar picture quality.
Design
Editors' note: Some of the Design and Features elements are identical between the Samsung PNB650 series and the Samsung LNB750 series we reviewed earlier, so readers of the earlier review may experience some deja vu when reading the same sections below.
Sleek, minimalist looks define the Samsung PNB650 plasma. The company has scaled back the prominence of its "Touch of Color" design, so the hint of red in the frame along the top and bottom is even subtler--and more acceptable in our opinion--than before. It's still there, however, and may bug viewers with sensitive decor tastes. Glossy black is the panel's other major color, edged by Samsung's trademark clear coating on all sides of the frame. The black portion curves slightly along the bottom but the clear edge remains straight, becoming a bit wider in the corners than the middle. We like the overall looks of the panel, albeit not as much as the one-sheet-of-glass design of the smaller Panasonic V10 models.
We appreciated that the see-through stalk that supports the panel above the stand also allows it to swivel to either side. The glass-topped stand matches the panel perfectly, down to the subtle red Touch and clear edging.
Samsung used the same menu system as last year, this time with matching red borders, and we still think it's one of the best in the business. Big, highly legible text is set against transparent backgrounds that occupy almost the whole screen. Getting around is easy, and there's helpful explanatory text along the bottom to describe the different selections.
The remote control is the same as last year's, too, and we're definitely fans--especially since Samsung ditched the rotating scroll wheel. The buttons are big, backlit, and easily differentiated by size and shape, and we liked the dedicated "Tools" key that offers quick access to picture and sound modes, the sleep timer, and the picture-in-picture controls. However, we didn't like the remote's glossy black finish, which picked up more than its share of dulling fingerprints after a few minutes.
Features
Samsung and Panasonic share a lot of features in their plasma TVs, including "600Hz" panels that are said to improve motion resolution to reduce blur. The best thing we can say about this feature is to ignore it; the number was created in response to the 120Hz and 240Hz refresh rates of LCDs. Plasma technology is inherently less subject to blurring than LCD, and in any case it's really hard to see any difference with real material. Like Panasonic, Samsung also includes a mode to properly deal with 1080p/24 sources, although engaging it did cause a strange glitch. See performance for more details.
While Panasonic has VieraCast on its higher-end plasmas, Samsung's main interactive capability is supplied by Yahoo widgets. The system gathers Internet-powered information nodules, called "snippets," into a bar along the bottom of the screen. The model we reviewed came with widgets for stocks, weather, news and Flickr photos, plus Yahoo video, sports scores, poker, trivia and Twitter--and more are sure to appear in the near future. For more information, check out our full review of Yahoo widgets. That review was based on our experiences with a Samsung UN46B7000, and our impressions of the system on the PNB650 are mostly the same, including its sluggish response time. Mainly for that reason, we prefer VieraCast to Yahoo Widgets.
Other interactive features on this set abound. Unlike the Panasonic, it can stream videos, photos and music from DLNA-certified devices via the network connection, as well from its USB ports, which can connect to MP3 players, USB thumbdrives, and digital cameras (we didn't test this capability). There's also built-in "content," such as recipes, games, workout guides, and a slide show of high-definition art and photos with music. We went into depth discussing the underwhelming content features last year, which are similar this time around, so if you're interested check out the Interactive section of the 2008 Samsung LN46A750 review.
Like other Samsung sets, the PNB650 series offers numerous picture tweaks, starting with four adjustable picture modes that are all independent per input. One of these modes is called "Eco" but, aside from its slightly lower default light output and consequent power savings, it's no different from the other three.
There are five color temperature presets augmented by the capability to adjust each via a custom white balance menu; three levels of noise reduction, including an automatic setting; a film mode to engage 2:3 pull-down (it also works with 1080i sources) or take advantage of 1080p/24 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 tone" control that affects shadow detail; and a 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 let you move the whole image across the screen horizontally and vertically. As we'd expect from a 1080p TV, one of those modes, called Screen Fit, lets the PNB650 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.
We appreciated the three power-saver modes (not to be confused with the Eco picture mode), which further reduce energy use. Samsung also throws in picture-in-picture, an "E-manual" on a USB stick and even a customer care screen that includes the firmware version for when you need to call the company. We're also big fans of the new-for-2009 capability, unique among HDTVs, to get firmware updates via an online download, rather than making you go to the Web site, as was the case before.
Samsung's "screen burn" menu offers a couple of ways to combat burn-in, aka image retention, and address it should it occur. By default the pixel shift function automatically moves the image slightly around the screen. You can set the bars to either side of 4:3 programs to gray or black (light gray, the default, is the best to help prevent burn-in). And if you do see image retention, a few hours of the scrolling ramp pattern should clear it up. It's worth noting that on our review sample, we did notice more image retention than we saw on the Panasonic and Pioneer plasmas, although as usual it was quite temporary and disappeared quickly during normal viewing. We only noticed it after the screen faded to black after displaying still images, like our PS3 menu. We'd expect the issue to go away after a couple hundred hours of use.
The PNB650 series offers very good connectivity, although it does follow the recent trend of spurning S-Video inputs--not one is to be found on this TV. The back panel sprouts three HDMI ports, two component-video inputs (one of which can be sacrificed for composite-video, if you need it), one VGA-style PC input, one RF input for cable and satellite, the Ethernet port, and one stereo analog and one optical digital audio output. The TV's side panel offers a fourth HDMI, two USB, and one AV input with composite-video.
Performance
The Samsung PNB650 series delivers excellent overall picture quality, surpassing the color accuracy of the superb Panasonic V10 series and also delivering an arguably better picture in a bright room. The Panasonic delivers deeper black levels, however, and a video processing glitch we encountered with the Samsung's 1080p/24 mode also gave us pause.
For our comparison, we lined the Samsung PN50B650 up next to a couple of competing plasmas: the Panasonic TC-P50V10 and TC-P46G10, as well as our reference Pioneer PRO-111FD. We also included a couple of high-end LCDs, namely Samsung's own LN52B750 and the Sony KDL-52XBR9. The large part of our image quality tests were conducted using the "Notorious" Blu-ray Disc.
Black level: Although not quite as deep as the blacks on the Panasonic and especially the Pioneer plasmas, the shade of black produced by the Samsung PNB650 was extremely dark, and beat the level of black on the two LCDs. It's also significantly better than anything we saw on the company's plasmas last year.
During "Notorious," for example, the shadows, leather jacket and black clothing in Biggie's apartment all appeared a deep, rich shade of black, which looked quite realistic in our dark room, if not quite as dim as on the Panasonics. In the intro, the black background behind the text was again just slightly lighter on the Samsung plasma, but the difference was subtle. Details in the shadows, like the folds of clothing in the dim light or the shaded side of Biggie's face, seemed a bit more obscured and less natural, although again it would be tough to spot the difference without having the displays side-by-side.
We did encounter one significant black level snafu, however. When we engaged the "Cinema Smooth" mode in the Film Mode menu, which is designed to help preserve the correct frame rate of film with 1080p/24 sources, black levels rose significantly. It was as if the TV had switched to another, uncalibrated picture mode. Switching Film Mode back to Off didn't return the black levels to their correct, calibrated state; to do so we had to stop playback entirely, which sent a normal 1080p/60 source to the TV and disengaged Cinema Smooth. Needless to say this is unusual behavior, and we'll update this review when Samsung has an explanation (and hopefully a fix). In the meantime, we recommend not using Cinema Smooth with our picture settings.
Color accuracy: Here's where the Samsung outdid the Panasonics and nearly matched the Pioneer. Primary and secondary color accuracy was nearly perfect on the PNB650, and while the grayscale varied a bit more than we'd like to see, it was still solid. Accurate color decoding resulted in excellent saturation, for colors that looked a bit more lifelike overall than on the Panasonic V10.
During Biggie's affair with Lil Kim, for example, her skin tones looked natural and not too ruddy, although in the darker shadows under her neck, for example, there was a bit of extra redness compared with our reference Pioneer. The bright orange of the wall and the red of the painting were closer to our reference than the Panasonic, as was the green of the bushes outside Biggie's brownstone. The Samsung's color of black in very dark areas, such as the recording studio before Biggie walks in, appeared just a bit bluer and less true than that of the Panasonic, but the difference was subtle once again.
Video processing: Aside from the black level issues we described above, the PNB650 handled 1080p/24 sources properly when we engaged the Cinema Smooth setting in its Film menu. We tested this option by watching the flyover of the deck of the Intrepid from "I Am Legend," and the planes and indeed the entire frame preserved the correct cadence of film, without the hitching motion characteristic of 2:3 pull-down. When we switched the Cinema Smooth setting off, the hitching returned. We wish this mode automatically engaged the Samsung received a 1080p/24 source, especially since it seems to turn off every time the TV receives a normal 1080p/60 source.
According to Samsung, its plasmas use 600Hz subfield motion technology, which sounds like the 600Hz subfield drive employed by Panasonic on its plasmas, but the two didn't deliver the same results. The Samsung didn't quite match the motion resolution of the Panasonic plasmas or the 240Hz LCDs in our comparisons, delivering between 800 and 900 lines, according to our test. That's still very good, however, and as usual we suspect that even the most blur-sensitive viewers won't notice a difference with regular program material.
As expected, the B650 delivered every line of still resolution when we selected the "Screen Fit" aspect ratio mode, and it deinterlaced both film- and video-based source properly. To pass our film deinterlacing test, the TV had to be in the "Auto1" Film Mode setting; Auto2 is the default when the TV detects 1080i sources.
Bright lighting: Under bright lights the Samsung performed as well as any plasma we've tested aside from the Pioneer, which was roughly its equal. Its main strength was its capability to preserve a darker shade of black, despite ambient lighting, than the Panasonic, whose blacks washed out and became grayer faster than they did on the Samsung. On the flipside, the Samsung did not attenuate reflections, such as bright lights in the room or reflections such as this reviewer's white T-shirt. The Panasonic's reflections were dimmer and thus less distracting than those of the Samsung, but we still liked the Samsung's bright-room image better overall. It's worth noting that the overall best bright-room performance in our lineup was provided by the matte-screened Sony LCD.
Standard-definition: The PNB650 evinced generally solid standard-definition picture quality. According to our tests, the display handled every line of a DVD source and the shots of grass and steps from the detail test looked good. The set eliminated jaggies from video-based sources well, and its noise reduction cleaned up the lowest-quality shots of skies and sunset with aplomb. Finally the set passed 2:3 pull-down test by eliminating moire from the stands behind the racecar.
PC: Samsung's PNB650 series delivered excellent performance with HDMI sources from computers, resolving every line of a 1,920x1,080-pixel image with no overscan or edge enhancement. The image did appear very slightly softer via VGA but the set still resolved every line, according to DisplayMate tests.
| TEST | RESULT | SCORE |
| Before color temp (20/80) | 6664/6673 | Good |
| After color temp | 6442/6449 | Good |
| Before grayscale variation | 145 | Good |
| After grayscale variation | 101 | Average |
| Color of red (x/y) | 0.646/0.329 | Good |
| Color of green | 0.296/0.605 | Good |
| Color of blue | 0.149/0.06 | Good |
| Overscan | 0.0% | Good |
| Defeatable edge enhancement | Y | Good |
| 480i 2:3 pull-down, 24 fps | Pass | Good |
| 1080i video resolution | Pass | Good |
| 1080i film resolution | Pass | Good |
Power consumption: Judging from the PN50B650 we tested, Samsung "cheats" on its 2009 plasmas to qualify for Energy Star 3.0 by setting the default Standard picture mode to a relatively low light output (just 26 footlamberts). Panasonic does the same thing, of course, and in fact the 50-inch versions of both company's plasmas consume nearly identical amounts of power.
After calibration to equalize light output (see the annual energy cost chart), the PN50B650 compared well with late-model 1080p 50-inch models, used less power than last years model, and, as expected, significantly more than a typical 52-inch LCD.
 Juice box |
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| Samsung PN50B650 | Picture settings | ||
| Default | Calibrated | Power Save | |
| Picture on (watts) | 252.04 | 290.46 | 150.99 |
| Picture on (watts/sq. inch) | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.14 |
| Standby (watts) | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.18 |
| Cost per year | $54.44 | $62.71 | $32.67 |
| Score (considering size) | Good | ||
| Score (overall) | Fair | ||
User reviews
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Blows away the Pansonic in side by side comparison
by pastorjdh on May 12, 2009
Pros: Super blacks, bright whites, fantastic vivid colors without overdoing them. Closest to natural of all the sets with vibrant colors at Best Buy
Cons: Lost some minor detail in the darkest scenes because the blacks were so deep. It was a little hotter than the Panasonics and I could tell it would generate quite a bit of heat in a living room.
Summary: After looking at multiple TV's over and over and over again, for over a month now and reading somewhere close to 50 or more hours online, I would say ...
Summary: After looking at multiple TV's over and over and over again, for over a month now and reading somewhere close to 50 or more hours online, I would say this Samsung really seals the deal with me. I want the 58" model and hope it will drop a few hundred after it hits the stores and websites in a few weeks. I was at Best Buy tonight for about an hour and a half staring at this 50" model (PN50B650) alongside a new Panasonic S1 series. I could not believe my eyes because of how everyone online rants and raves about the Panasonic. The Panasonic's blacks were mediocre at best and the entire screen turned gray, not black, in between scenes. I changed both TV's to their standard picture settings and compared them for a long time. Samsung blew the Pansonic away in almost every area. The Samsung's blacks looked every bit as black as the Pioneer Kuro sets and the whites were just as bright and colors more vibrant then either it or the Panasonics. Also the sharpness or clarity of the Samsung was far superior to the Panasonic. The flesh tones were slightly better on the Panasonic due to its washed out look but what a price to pay for good skin tones. After being addicted to this site for weeks I am beginning to wonder what incentives these guys have to so highly rate the gray screen Panasonics. High quality? yes I am sure. Superior picture or even close to superior blacks? Not even close! And yes I am aware of the stores lights and how they effect the picture. I can clearly see what the super bright LCD's will look like at home because I have one and realized after getting it home that the brightest settings are very unnatural and eye straining. Now I can readily see the unrealistic colors and skin tones when I look at the LCD's at the stores. I will be watching very closely to see what Cnet has to say about these new Samsungs. I hope they will view them side by side with the new Panasonic S1 or G10 series and give the people an honest comparison. Anyone else who has had time to view these TV's side by side please tell us what you think.
I stand corrected, somewhat. Sorry for commenting as a ?user?. But, the G10 is identical to the S1 besides the internet features and the THX certified picture mode so there could not be a drastic difference in PQ. I do realize that Panasonic's standard setting is not the best and I did try different settings on it as well including its dynamic setting and none of its settings came close to the Samsung's picture quality. Certainly Panasonic would look much different in a dark room and if that is all I was going to use it for then I would consider it further. I would love to see both of these sets professionally calibrated but I don't believe calibration will change the tv's into different tv's, it would simply improve upon what is already there. Calibrated or not I am convinced that in any lighted environment the Panasonic's will look washed out compared to the Samsungs and the new Samsung B, 6 series and above, are better all around sets.
Updated on May 18, 2009
Updated on May 18, 2009It boils down to old saying, to each his own. I ended my review with a question of what others see when they look at the sets side by side. I hope Cnet does so soon.8 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This is a Top Quality Plama TV
by Johnny-DK on October 8, 2009
Pros: Great contrast to display vivid dark scenes in movies, the TV speaker also produces great sound quality. Perfect TV for gaming and movie. I recommend you to check out http://www.squidoo.com/best-hdtv for information on best TV to buy this year.
Cons: Samsung plasma still can't beat the Pioneer Plasma TV in terms of picture quality. But overall the Samsung Plasma TV is still outstanding.
Summary: I highly recommend this TV for people who like to watch high quality movies.
Summary: I highly recommend this TV for people who like to watch high quality movies.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fantasic Plasma TV
by av8ferg on June 28, 2009
Pros: Beautiful bright display. Colors are amazing. This TV brings together so many great features. Samsung hit the mark. Easy interface to all functions. The USB conection to photos, music and videos is really nice.
Cons: Slightly more TV glare than I expected. Using the supplied TV stand makes the TV lean slightly forward. I wish the remote had the capability to program other devices (DVD, Cable etc..)
Summary: I spent over 6 months looking at just about every Plasma on the market. I'm a research freak when it comes to spending my hard earned money. I don'...
Summary: I spent over 6 months looking at just about every Plasma on the market. I'm a research freak when it comes to spending my hard earned money. I don't beleive in the statement "You get what you pay for", I prefer "You get what you don't pay for". Which means you can get screwed by just buying the most expensive product, be a smart consumer and do your research. Pay for the things you need and want. 6 months ago I was dead set on the Pioneer Kuro 5020, it was the king from everything I saw. The price was a little more than I wanted to pay, but the TV was beautiful. My neighbor has one and to me the picture wasn't very bright in a bright room. In a dark room the picture was fantastic. The TV also got very hot. When the company pulled out of the plasma TV market that made a statement to me. Why would I buy a product from a company that pulled out of the business. I was then convinced that he Panasonic was the was to go. Nice TV's overall and the 09's are even sweeter. I wanted the V10 or G10 but after beeing the Samsung B650 next to them I wasn't convinced anymore that the Panasonics were hands down better. Everytime I went to look at the TV's the Samsung always looked slightly brighter and with more intense colors. I watched on both TV's (G10 and B650) a scene from the movie Transformers and the G10 just had some minor blurr/grainy issues that I didn't see on the Samsung B650. This is personally preference, you have to go make the choice for yourself. The battle came down to the G10 or B650. The B650 is a way more stylish TV, it has great features and is user friendly. I wasn't sure about the "Touch of Color" of the Samsung but once in my living room it really looks regal. I love it now. The pictures are almost the same between both TV's. Both are awesome no doubt. As for the V10 was it REALLY worth $450 more? Not for me, I'd rather have the $450 for something else. Also as for Panasonic customer service, well I called 4 months ago to order the 50" Z850U from Panasonic because they had a great sale. After dealing with the sales associate on the phone and her attitude I wan't sure about what future service might be like. It really drew me away a bit, she didn't know the product at all and only cared about selling one now. I believe that either the G10 or B650 will make most buyers happy. The bottom line is which is right for you. For me it was the colors, the TV design/style, the USB feature, and the friendly menu system. This is my first Samsung product and so far I'm very satsfied. I paid $1599 for mine. An okay deal, the G10 was on sale for $110 less. Tough choice overall but I'm very happy with my selection.
Well after owning this TV for 3 weeks I decided to return it. I still like the TV but decided I don't like plasma technology. I believe this is one of the best plasmas for the money. I don't like plasma as much as LCD, several reasons. Plasma TV's run hot, you can feel the heat walking by and Image retention is annoying. My son would watch the Disney channel and later you could see the Mickey Mouse ears in the lower right hand corner during dark scenes. I would eventually go away but I found it disappointing. I decided to go with LCD. I heard about motion blurr and was hesitant but my new Samasung LN52A850 seems great. I like it much better than the plasma, and the picture quality is the same in my eyes. It was more money but it is on sale now at BB and thought it was a good deal. Samsung makes a great TV.
Updated on Jul 19, 20093 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Top Choice for the Money!
by ctboater on July 10, 2009
Pros: Amazing Picture in Dim and Brighter Rooms
True motion handling for blu-rays (no judder or flicker)
Extensive picture options
Perfect for gaming (no phosphorus trails!)
Quiet, Attractive Set/like the red, and outstanding PQCons: May have slightly lighter blacks then the Panny's/Kuros on paper (doesnt bother me at all)
Not as cheap as the same sized Panasonic (but I prefered this picture)
Plasmas are heavy!
Remote is garbageSummary: First off, my main uses for the TV are HD content (movies) and gaming. Standard def cable channels were secondary to me (but still look good). That being said, like ...
Summary: First off, my main uses for the TV are HD content (movies) and gaming. Standard def cable channels were secondary to me (but still look good). That being said, like most people on this forum, as well as the rest of the internet, I was stuck between the Panasonic G10 series and the Sammy B650. Went to a couple of stores with a PS3, to test each out. Immediately the Samsungs caught my eye for a slightly sharper and more vibrant picture (kindof reminiscent of an LCD). Both pictures were nice, but the overall PQ nod in both bright lighting, and dim lighting (good for me since I dont often watch tv in perfect darkness) went to the Samsung set.
Next i tried out a little Call of Duty, and while neither sets had ghosting (lcd problem) or noticeable input lag, I did see green phosphorus trails on the panasonic unit. Another mark for the Samsung.
Overall, im glad I went home with the B650 in the end. (good price on it too!) If your not looking for the absolute best blacks or flawless colors but instead want an all around beautiful set, you cant go wrong here! Friends still say "wow" when they see it.
Daytime PQ - 5/5
Nighttime PQ - 4.5/5
Motion Handling/Movies - 4.5/5
Gaming - 5/5
Style - 4/5
Controls - 3/51 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The people Flesh tones are amazing unlike Panasonic
by Qgojc on July 1, 2009
Pros: To many great features to name
Cons: None that i can think of
Summary: Blows all Panasonic TV's out the water even the weak G10, this TV color accuracy is so amazing, with its deep blacks and whites it produces. I had a ...
Summary: Blows all Panasonic TV's out the water even the weak G10, this TV color accuracy is so amazing, with its deep blacks and whites it produces. I had a Panasonic and was disappointed in its inaccurate flesh tone and washed out deep blacks, that I sold it to get this samsung B650. Panasonic is still a good company for mediocre people but my vizio TV i had looked ten times better than that Panasonic model. Samsung has the best plasma out this year, sorry Panasonic
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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our first flat panel
by the_iceman on November 5, 2009
Pros: 50" size is perfect, lower price than comparable sized LCD TVs. Samsung quality. Nice picture quality. Four v1.3 HDMIs, usb input
Cons: the screen is tinted pink/rose.
remote isn't universal and is relatively long & big. Still eats a bit more power than other TVs its size. The top rear corners kick off some heat. No SD card input. Lacks 2 tuner PIP.Summary: I don't mind that they chose to give the frame a "touch of color" with the red tint, but I wish they didnt need to tint the screen itself. ...
Summary: I don't mind that they chose to give the frame a "touch of color" with the red tint, but I wish they didnt need to tint the screen itself. This doesnt really effect the colors when watching TV but you can definitely notice it during the day in the reflections. Daytime viewing can be difficult if you don't darken the room. I got a great deal on this set, sub 1K tag w/ free delivery so I cant complain too much. I expect the TV to last me 10-15 years until I decide to jump into a more affordable LED backlit LCD or possibly OLED.
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I love this tv!!!
by jtp_96 on October 25, 2009
Pros: Great Price, Great Picture, NO BUZZING, Lots of ports for connectivity
Cons: Haven't tried watching a Blu-Ray movie on it yet so I don't know if the Cinema Smooth issue got fixed with the update I just got. Other then that possible issue there are none.
Summary: I compared this tv side by side with the TC-P50G10 and there was no doubt the Samsung was superior. It was less expensive, delivered better colors, and I thought it'...
Summary: I compared this tv side by side with the TC-P50G10 and there was no doubt the Samsung was superior. It was less expensive, delivered better colors, and I thought it's black were darker. I'll admit I was concerned with all the talk about buzzing, but I haven't heard a thing. Save yourselves some money, skip over the skinny 850's and the Panisonics and buy a 650 you won't be sorry.
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Samsung sucks! TV doesn't work w/ std DVRs and Blu-Rays
by eddiegcs on October 24, 2009
Pros: Price is right but price-value sucks.
Cons: - Crappy manual.
- Worthless FAQ and Troubleshooting guides at their Web site.
- Terrible customer service - emailed them - 3 days later no response.
- "mode not supported" error but no explanation of what this error means or how to fix it. -
Great Value!!!!
by MoneySpender on October 9, 2009
Pros: Excellent PQ, Affordable
Cons: Slight glare. Sounds is just ok.
Summary: After looking for months for a 50"+ tv i went plasma and chose the Samsung PN50B650. Picture quality is outstanding. Great for sports and gaming. Lots of display options allow ...
Summary: After looking for months for a 50"+ tv i went plasma and chose the Samsung PN50B650. Picture quality is outstanding. Great for sports and gaming. Lots of display options allow you to set it up for different lighting scenarios.
There can be a slight glare during some scenes but it's not to bad. The sound is ok. I use 5.1 so it's not a problem. I don't hear any buzz coming from mine like i read in other reviews. I havent seen any burn-in or image retention watching ESPN networks for hours upon hours.
For the price this TV is outstanding. Picked up at Best Buy for a little over $1000. It was as cheap as the PN50B550 that day. -
Nice Picture, Annoying Buzz!
by Consumer121 on October 1, 2009
Pros: This Tv does produce some nice colors but the buzz is too much.
Cons: Can hear buzz with volume up from 15 feet away.
Summary: How Samsung can release a TV that buzzes this loudly, which is documented on forums all over the net is unreal. Should have bought the panny.
Summary: How Samsung can release a TV that buzzes this loudly, which is documented on forums all over the net is unreal. Should have bought the panny.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Samsung
- Part number: PN50B650
- Description: Inspired by designs from the automotive and fashion industries, Samsung's molding process eliminates the need for glue or screws to construct the television cabinets. The result is an LCD HDTV with a clean, smooth finish infused with a hint of a translucent color. The Ultra Clear Panel was developed by Samsung to further reduce glare in difficult lighting conditions and enable optimum picture viewing. A layer of organic particles in the panel reduces reflection even more than the original super clear panel to provide remarkably improved clarity. Technological enhancement to the image rendering continues with the company's Wide Color Enhancer 2 and DNIe Pro, which is the generation of Samsung's Digital Natural Image Engine. DNIe Pro eliminates noise while also boosting contrasts and sharpening edges on fast moving, Full HD images. With Samsung's Wide Color Enhancer 2, images are saturated with vivid, natural color due to the expanded range of color expression. The crystal design also incorporates Samsung's recently developed down-firing speakers, which replaces older duct-style speakers to produce a more balanced sound dynamic in a wider frequency range that will thrill movie and game lovers.
General
- Product type Plasma TV
- Diagonal Size 50 in - Widescreen
- Dimensions & Weight Details Panel with stand - 48.4 in x 11.4 in x 32.2 in x 84.2 lbs, Panel without stand - 48.4 in x 2.9 in x 29.8 in x 73.2 lbs
Display
- Technology Plasma (PDP)
- Resolution 1920 x 1080
- Display Format 1080p (FullHD)
- Analog Video Signal Composite video
- V-Chip Control Yes
- Additional Features Ultra FilterBright anti-glare technology, CinemaSmooth technology, Medi@2.0, USB 2.0, ToC design, Internet TV
TV Tuner
- Digital TV Tuner QAM, ATSC
- Multi-channel Preview Picture-in-picture (PIP)
Video Features
- Video Interface HDMI, Component, Composite
- HDTV Ready Yes
Audio System
- Speaker(s) 2 x Right/left channel speaker - Built-in - 10 Watt
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Surround Mode Yes
- Sound Effects SRS TruSurround HD
- Audio Controls Balance, Bass, Treble
- Output Power / Total 20 Watt
- Additional Features On-screen display
Connections
- Connector Type 3 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear, 1 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Side, 2 x Component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Side, 2 x USB ( 4 pin USB Type A ) - Side, 1 x Ethernet ( RJ-45 ) - Rear, 2 x Audio line-in ( RCA phono x 2 ) - Rear, 1 x VGA input ( 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ) - Rear
- PC Interface VGA (HD-15)
Network & Internet Multimedia
- Functionality Digital photo playback, Digital video playback
- Connectivity Wired
- Connectivity Protocols USB
Memory Card Reader
- USB Port Yes
Remote Control
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
Power
- Power Device Power supply
- Compliant Standards EPA Energy Star
Miscellaneous
- HDCP Compatible Yes
Dimensions & Weight (Shipping)
- Width (Shipping) 59.8 in
- Depth (Shipping) 11.4 in
- Height (Shipping) 34.4 in
- Weight (Shipping) 99.2 lbs
Sustainability
- CNET Labs: Operational power consumption 252.04 Watt
- CNET Labs: Calibrated power consumption 290.46 Watt
- CNET Labs: Power Save Mode power consumption 150.99 Watt
- CNET Labs: Power consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.18 Watt
- CNET Labs: Estimated Annual Energy Cost 54.44 US Dollars
- EPA Energy Star Compliant Yes
- Greenpeace policy rating (Sept 2009) 6.9
Product series
-
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: Plasma TV, 58 in, 1920 x 1080, Platinum black
-
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: Plasma TV, 50 in, 1920 x 1080
Accessories
- dreamGEAR Dreamline video / audio cable - HDMI - 6 ft (33543214)29.99
- XtremeMac XtremeHD video / audio cable - HDMI - 6.6 ft (32416821)9.12 - 19.95
- ViewSonic ViewMate Cable Collection - video / audio cable - 6.6 ft (31482671)32.00
- ViewSonic ViewMate Cable Collection - video / audio cable - 10 ft (31482685)34.00
- VIZIO VMAX1000 - video / audio cable - HDMI - 6 ft (33397373)29.99
- ADCOM GFR-700 (31966032)1266.10 - 1588.00
- Adcom GFR-700HD (32082704)1836.39 - 2899.99
- Denon AVR-1707 (31987322)156.99
- Denon AVR-1907 (31987323)
- Denon AVR-1910 (black) (33650441)485.50 - 549.99
- URC Universal Remote Professional Line MX-810 (32912039)260.00 - 399.95
- URC Universal Remote Control MX-900 (32552106)439.99 - 449.95
- URC Professional Line MX-850 - universal remote control (32092938)409.99
- URC Professional Line MX-450 - universal remote control (33639921)239.95 - 249.95
- URC Home Theater Master MX-3000 - universal remote control (31337842)989.95 - 999.98
Manufacturer info
- Samsung
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Samsung products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.samsungusa.com/
- Address:
105 Challenger Road, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 - Phone: 1-800-726-7864
- Fax: 1-973-601-6001
