Samsung PN59D8000
Manufacturer: Samsung Part number: PN59D8000
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- With picture quality that's nearly the equal of the tough competition, as well as best-in-class design and features, the Samsung PND8000 makes a strong case for being the best overall plasma TV of 2011.
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CNET editors' review
Samsung PN59D8000 price range: $1,999.99 - $2,699.99
- Reviewed by: David Katzmaier
- Reviewed on: 06/08/2011
- Released on: 03/15/2011
The good: The Samsung PND8000 series has outstanding overall picture quality, with excellent black-level performance, and the most accurate color of any TV we've ever reviewed. It can handle bright rooms well and exhibits the nearly perfect screen uniformity of plasma, as well as superb 3D picture quality. It includes built-in Wi-Fi and a comprehensive set of picture controls. The Smart Hub Internet portal boasts more apps and streaming services than the competition, along with a functional Web browser, and is easier to use thanks to the included dual-sided Bluetooth keyboard with a screen and QWERTY keyboard. The PND8000's design is one the most attractive of any plasma we've seen.
The bad: The relatively expensive PND8000 cannot produce full shadow detail or proper 1080p/24 cadence without sacrificing some black-level performance. Smart Hub lacks Amazon Instant, its search is next to useless, and its interface can be cluttered and confusing.
The bottom line: With picture quality that's nearly the equal of the tough competition, as well as best-in-class design and features, the Samsung PND8000 makes a strong case for being the best overall plasma TV of 2011.
For the last couple of years it has seemed that our job as TV reviewers comes down to determining which TV is better: the best Panasonic plasma or the best Samsung plasma. In 2011 the vessel bearing the Samsung flag is the PND8000, and while Panasonic's VT30 still deserves the nod for overall picture quality in our book, the Samsung is good enough to match the Panasonic's numeric Performance score of 9. The PND8000's picture quality is superb, and we don't expect any other TV aside from the VT30 to surpass it this year--although the less expensive PND7000 series, which we have yet to review, might equal it. The kicker, and it's a big one, is that the 59-inch Samsung PND8000 we reviewed actually costs less than the 55-inch Panasonic, while delivering a better design and even more features. Unless you're the pickiest of videophiles with the most unlimited of budgets, it's tough to justify the cost of the VT30 over the PND8000.
Editors' note, July 27, 2011: Samsung ran a promotion earlier this year that guaranteed a free pair of 3D glasses with this TV. In July the company canceled that promotion, so we have modified this review to remove references to the free glasses. Individual retailers may offer similar promotions, however. Click here for more details.
Updated September 1, 2011: The reviewed size of this TV is undergoing long-term testing, the results of which don't affect this review but may be interesting nonetheless. Click here for details.
Updated November 7, 2011: Further testing was performed on this TV to evaluate reports of "brightness pops," and we've also addressed reports of screen peeling. Click here for details.
Series information: We performed a hands-on evaluation of the 59-inch Samsung PN59D8000, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have identical specs and according to the manufacturer should provide very similar picture quality. That said, we've heard reports that the smaller 51-inch model may have worse black-level performance than the size we tested, although we won't know for sure until we can evaluate one ourselves.| Models in series (details) | |
| Samsung PN51D8000 | 51 inches |
| Samsung PN59D8000 (reviewed) | 59 inches |
| Samsung PN64D8000 | 64 inches |
Design
| Design highlights | ||||
| Panel depth | 1.5 inches | Bezel width | 1.18 inches | |
| Single-plane face | No | Swivel stand | Yes |
Thinner than its Panasonic and LG counterparts and sporting a new, more compact frame around the screen, the D8000 series gets our vote for the best-looking plasma TV available. That bezel is narrower than any plasma's we've tested, outdoing the Panasonic GT30's by 0.19 inch. The bottom edge of the frame is a bit thicker (2.13 inches), but that does nothing to spoil the PND8000's LED TV-like dimensions.
The panels of the D8000 and D7000 plasmas look basically identical. Samsung's web site says their metallic frames are colored "titanium" and "brushed black," respectively, but in person we couldn't tell any difference. We do like the D7000's stand better however, with its rectangular base and transparent stalk. The D8000's chrome-colored spider stand is a great reason to get this TV wall-mounted.
| Remote control and menus | ||||
| Remote size (LxW) | 6 x 2.4 inches | QWERTY keyboard | Yes | |
| Illuminated keys | 48 | IR device control | No | |
| Menu item explanations | Yes | Onscreen manual | Yes | |
| Other: Back side of Bluetooth remote has screen and QWERTY keypad |
The remote included with Samsung's PND8000 and UND8000 is a flipper. The top side of the wedge-shaped rectangle offers standard TV controls that shoot infrared commands to the TV, while the bottom gets a full QWERTY keypad along with a screen, and works via Bluetooth (which doesn't need line-of-sight).
Unlike our experience with the UND8000, we had no trouble this time around pairing the clicker with the PND8000 (a necessary step to enable Bluetooth). According to Samsung, the pairing issue on the UN was due to a previous pairing performed before the review sample was sent to us; since we purchased our PN review sample directly from a merchant, rather than it being a sample sent by Samsung, its remote was never previously paired. We expect most users won't have any problems pairing.
We liked the clicker more than the QWERTY remotes included with Vizio's current models or Sony's Google TVs, but that's not saying much. The screen is its best feature, allowing you to see what you're typing without having to look up at the TV. Spacing and key action were improvements on the other two. Unlike the flipper found on Boxee, Samsung's can sense what side is "up" and automatically deactivate the "down" side to prevent accidental button presses.
While we appreciated the little thumb touch-cursor control better than Sony's when using the browser, it was still quite difficult to control. The lack of backlighting on the QWERTY side was a major flaw--using the remote in dim to no light ranged from annoying to impossible--and all told we actually liked using our Android phone as a remote best of all (see "Streaming and apps" below).
Samsung's new 2011 TV menus have been refreshed and also feel a bit snappier than before. The main column of adjustments, formerly transparent, is now bright opaque blue with rounded edges and good-size text. Each major menu item gets a text explanation and many are accompanied by helpful little illustrations.
Features
| Key TV features | ||||
| Display technology | Plasma | LED backlight | N/A | |
| 3D technology | Active | 3D glasses included | No | |
| Screen finish | Glass | Internet connection | Built-in Wi-Fi | |
| Refresh rate(s) | 60Hz, 96Hz | Dejudder (smooth) processing | No | |
| DLNA-compliant | Photo/Music/Video | USB | Photo/Music/Video | |
| Other: Optional 3D glasses include SSG-3100GB (nonrechargeable, $50), SSG-3300CR (compact, rechargeable, $130), SSG-3300GR (rechargeable, $130), SSG-3700CR (rechargeable, ultralight, $150); optional Skype camera/speakerphone (STC1100, $170); supports USB hard drives |
As Samsung's highest-end plasma TV for 2011, the PND8000 comes equipped with the kitchen sink. The main step-up features compared with the less-expensive PND7000 are the remote described above, the ability to interface with the optional Skype camera, a Web browser, and a performance-related feature called Local Contrast Enhancer (LCE).
A Samsung representative described LCE to us as an enhancement to the dynamic contrast control that automatically optimizes contrast separately for different areas of the picture. We generally leave dynamic contrast disabled to avoid such on-the-fly fluctuations as much as possible, so we don't consider LCE an improvement to picture quality.
Unlike some previous Samsung plasmas, the D8000 is missing dejudder--and we couldn't care less. If you're a fan of its smoothing effect and still want a plasma, however, Panasonic has added the option to its 2011 models.
As we mentioned above Samsung no longer offers free 3D glasses with this TV. Panasonic, on the other hand, does include one pair of glasses with its flagship TC-PVT30 series plasma. Retailers may offer promotions at their discretion, but since Samsung doesn't pack the glasses in with the TV, you'll have to check with the retailer first.
The PND8000 is incompatible with Samsung's 2010 3D glasses. Bluetooth does make the new glasses easier to use, though, since they keep sync much better than the old infrared versions did.
We applaud the inclusion of built-in Wi-Fi on this Samsung (as well as the D7000 and D6500 plasmas), saving the cost and hassle of the $80 USB dongle.
| Streaming and apps | ||||
| Netflix | Yes | YouTube | Yes | |
| Amazon Instant | No | Hulu Plus | Yes | |
| Vudu | Yes | Pandora | Yes | |
| Web browser | Yes | Skype | Optional | |
| Yes | Yes | |||
| Other: Blockbuster, CinemaNow, Vimeo, MLB TV, ESPN Score Center, Napster, Picasa, Google Maps, Google Talk, numerous games, children's story books, exercise guides, etc.; Yahoo Widgets with 43 widgets |
Unlike the UND6400, the PND8000 does include two separate app and widget Interfaces: the main Samsung Apps Smart Hub and, yes, Yahoo Widgets. The latter offers 43 total choices as of press time, ranging from local TV station apps to Twitter to Revision3 to eBay to NASA Live TV. We really wish a single interface could deliver all of the content to one place, but since most of the important apps can now be found in Smart Hub, we doubt most users will even access Yahoo.
Even without Yahoo, Samsung's Smart Hub seems to offer more apps than the competition. The only major missing link so far is Amazon Instant, available on Sony, Panasonic, and LG TVs.
Smart Hub is basically the same as we described on the UND6400 and on Samsung's Blu-ray players, so check out those write-ups for details. We found its interface somewhat crowded and the Search and Your Video functions, while ambitious, disappointing since neither incorporated apps like Netflix and Hulu Plus. On the plus side we liked the ability to customize our favorites area with folders--especially the ability to dump unwanted but unremovable shortcuts, like AllShare and Channel, into a folder.
Samsung's Web browser is superior to the browser in Sony's EX720 or the PS3, but not as good as Google TV's. It's fine for light use and viewing most Web pages, although complex ones (Gmail) and videos caused it to slow down, crash, or lose functionality. We tried loading Hulu.com, for example, and it simply didn't work, but reading a review on CNET was easy enough...although the video played only sound. The little pointer on the remote was a pain to use but better than tabbing around, while response times and load times were slow in general.
Samsung's remote app on our Android phone worked quite well, with excellent response times and most of the functionality we wanted. We liked the easy access to apps and the ability to input text searches using the Swype keyboard, but its best feature is changing context according to what you're doing--hitting the Smart tab, for example, brought up a simplified interface that we actually preferred to Smart Hub on the TV. Sure you have to look at the touch screen, as opposed to feeling your way with the remote buttons, but all told we liked using it better than the QWERTY remote included with the TV.
New apps launched since we reviewed the UND8000 in April include Fandango (unfortunately it lacked features found in the Vizio version, such as local theater showtimes and the ability to purchase tickets directly), Gymbox (workout videos, albeit only 3-minute previews are free), and games including Pac-Man ($4.99), Extreme Hangman, and Speed Racer ($2.99 each).
| Picture settings | ||||
| Adjustable picture modes | 4 | Fine dejudder control | N/A | |
| Color temperature presets | 4 | Fine color temperature control | 10 points | |
| Gamma presets | 7 | Color management system | Yes |
As usual Samsung provides one of the best suites of picture adjustments for both 2D and 3D sources, delivering extras like a 10-point grayscale and superb color management that many TVs lack. There's also a CinemaSmooth setting in the Film Mode menu that engages a 96Hz refresh rate to properly handle 1080p/24 sources at the expense of some black-level performance (see below).
When this review was first posted we wrote that picture settings can't be adjusted in Netflix, but that's incorrect. Calling up the Tools menu and then pressing the main menu button brings up picture adjustments in Netflix. Vudu's picture can also be adjusted, although we didn't try other services.
3D settings are the same as last year, and provide plenty of control as well. You can use the 2D-to-3D conversion system with streaming services and other sources, if you want.
| Connectivity | ||||
| HDMI inputs | 4 | Component video inputs | 1 | |
| Composite video input(s) | 1 | VGA-style PC input(s) | 1 | |
| USB ports | 3 | Ethernet (LAN) port | Yes |
Like other thin TVs, the D8000 is light on analog connections and those it does have require breakout cables (included). We'd like to see a headphone jack, but the third USB port might make up for the lack if you're using the Wi-Fi dongle and you like to stream media via USB.
Performance
Samsung's PND8000 is the best Samsung plasma we've ever tested, and the third-best of all time after the Kuro and the Panasonic VT30. Its black-level performance was very good, with the ability to produce extremely deep blacks, although it failed to resolve full shadow detail--and properly reproduce 1080p/24--when calibrated for those deep blacks. Color after calibration was, simply put, as close to perfect as we've seen on any TV, bright-room and 3D picture quality were excellent, and of course it trounced any LCD in terms of uniformity and off-angle viewing.
The 59-inch version we tested was even a hair quieter (with less audible buzzing) than last year's 50-inch PN50C8000, which itself was quiet enough that we doubt any viewer would find it irksome.
As usual we found Movie to be the most accurate of Samsung's preset picture modes, with very good gamma and color--although it measured a bit too bright for dim rooms (47 fL) with a grayscale that went from too blue in dark areas to too red in brighter ones. Thanks to Samsung's excellent user-menu controls we were able to achieve near-perfect calibration that's as close to reference as anything we've ever seen (check out the chart below). In fact it surpassed the color and gamma accuracy and linearity of our Pioneer Kuro, and we intend to use the D8000 as a reference display for color going forward.
For our evaluation we watched "Tron: Legacy" on Blu-ray and compared the Samsung with the following displays.
| Comparison models (details) | |
| Panasonic TC-P55VT30 | 55-inch plasma |
| Samsung PN50C8000 | 50-inch plasma |
| LG 50PX950 | 50-inch plasma |
| Panasonic TC-P50GT30 | 50-inch plasma |
| Vizio XVT553SV | 55 inch full-array local dimming LED-based LCD |
| Pioneer PRO-111FD (reference) | 50-inch plasma |
Black level: After the Panasonic TC-P55VT30, the Pioneer Kuro, and the Vizio XVT553SV, the Samsung PND8000 delivered the deepest black levels among our comparison models. It's easily the best non-Panasonic/Pioneer plasma we've tested in this category, getting twice as dark as the PN50C7000 and also outclassing the TC-P50GT30. As usual those deep blacks had a positive impact on many aspects of picture quality, creating the vibrant, high-contrast picture that we expect from the very best plasmas.
The black-level difference between the VT30, PND8000, and GT30 was relatively subtle even side by side in a dark room, but watching dark scenes we ended up ranking them first, second, and third place respectively among the non-Kuros. The Samsung's main issue was a lack of subtle details in some deep shadows. In "Tron" at the 12:51 and 13:05 marks, for example, Sam's black vest and the guard's black pants appeared a bit less detailed, respectively, than on our reference displays. We saw similar differences in some other shadowy areas, such as in the jungle from "Avatar" we cited in the VT30 review. The Panasonics in comparison showed full detail, albeit a bit brighter than reference, but overall we liked the look of dark areas better on the VT30.
As usual we could have sacrificed some black level on the D8000 to achieve better shadow detail, but we preferred the look of the deeper blacks. Since our gamma measurements were excellent, and we used the same test patterns and methods to set brightness and other controls affecting shadow detail, we suspect the TV might be performing some sort of on-the-fly adjustment to contrast despite our having disabled the Auto Contrast feature (and presumably LCE; see Key Features above). We can't say definitively one way or the other, however, and we noticed no other ill effects.
We also kept an eye out for "floating blacks"--an artifact in which the level of black changes abruptly enough to notice along with the brightness of the rest of the picture--but we didn't see it in "Tron" or in the close-up scenes from "I Am Legend" (Chapter 3). (Update November 7, 2011: Further testing revealed fluctuations in black level on other select material; click here for details). The D8000 does "turn off" and display a completely black image when the picture content goes dark for long enough, but this never happened during normal-length fade-outs in Movie mode in our experience.
These observations were made (and our calibration was performed) with Film Mode on the PND8000 set to Off, not CinemaSmooth. That's because CS caused a relatively large loss in black level, from 0.0071 to 0.0114 by our measure. The picture also dimmed slightly from 40fL to about 36fL, although of course a tweak to calibration (perhaps at the further expense of black level) could remedy that. See "Video processing" for more details.
Color accuracy: As we mentioned above, color was the PND8000's greatest strength and this plasma is our new reference for color accuracy. Program material bore out the excellent measurement results we achieved in calibration. In Chapter 3 (15:30) of "Tron," for example, the skin tones of Sam and Alan appeared realistic and natural without the slight green tinge of the Panasonics or the generally grayer, less saturated appearance of the LG and PNC8000. In this scene and others, we ended up preferring the color rendition of the PND8000 to that of the Kuro by a nose, although the latter appeared more saturated thanks to its deeper blacks.
The color of near-black areas was superb on the PND8000 as well, easily outdoing the others aside from the VT30, which measured a hair better at 5 percent--although the difference was tough to discern, even in our side-by-side comparison.
Video processing: While the PND8000 has the ability to handle 1080p/24 sources with proper cadence thanks to its CinemaSmooth mode (hence the "Pass" in the Geek Box below), we didn't take advantage of it. That's because engaging CS caused black levels to worsen as noted above. We asked a Samsung rep about this black-level rise and he mentioned that it was due to the need to cycle the phosphors more quickly to achieve the 96Hz refresh rate required.
In our test clip of the flyover of the Intrepid from "I Am Legend," the difference between CinemaSmooth and Off was subtle but obvious. In the former mode the movement of objects in the frame has a regular cadence, smooth but not too smooth, that we associate with film. In the latter the cadence stuttered slightly with a sort of hitching motion characteristic of 2:3 pull-down. Such differences won't be as apparent in most scenes, but sticklers who want to see the true motion of film at all times will engage CS to the detriment of black levels on this TV. The Panasonic plasmas handle film cadence without black-level loss, although each also necessitates a minor trade-off to achieve it.
As with previous Samsungs the default Auto2 Film Mode setting for 1080i sources didn't result in proper deinterlacing; we had to switch to Auto 1 to get the PND8000 to pass that Geek Box test.
Bright lighting: Compared with the VT30 the D8000's screen was a bit less reflective, doing a better job of dimming ambient highlights when we turned on the lights. While it did a worse job of preserving black levels under bright lights, it was still very good in that area (and better than any of the other plasmas in the room). We ended up slightly preferring the bright-room picture of the Samsung, but the two were very close.
PC: The PND8000 handled a full-resolution PC signal at 1,920x1,080 pixels, but we noticed some softness and interference in high-frequency test patterns and text. Still, its VGA performance was among the best we've seen for plasma TVs.
3D: The PND8000 is a very good 3D performer. It outperformed the two Panasonics at reducing crosstalk; only the UND8000 LED (which replaced the Vizio in our lineup for 3D tests) was better.
We're able to cite a few examples from "Tron." The word "1989" appearing in the intro (1:28) and the white pattern on Quorra's chest in the mirror (1:04:00) were both instances where the PND8000 showed fainter crosstalk images than the VT30 (the UND8000 was better than either). The two plasmas were basically the same in most other scenes we compared, such as the uniform sequence in Chapter 5 and the beginning of the meal scene in Chapter 9, and very close overall.
Between Movie mode on the Samsung PND8000 and THX mode on the VT30 we preferred the look of the Panasonic. It had better color accuracy to our eye, and skin tones and color looked a bit oversaturated on the Samsung. The Samsung's Movie did look a bit brighter and punchier, but it also seemed a bit too crisp and somewhat edge-enhanced, and had a bluish color palette. We assume the difference could be narrowed in calibration, but we don't calibrate for 3D at the moment.
Power consumption: Don't expect your PN59D8000 to score any points with your environmentally conscious friends. Its post-calibration watts/square inch matches the 55-inch Panasonic VT30, although by that measure the D8000 does improve upon the 2010 C8000. The relatively miserly Panasonic ST30 is the best of the plasma bunch, and as usual you'll get significantly better power savings from LED.
The default Standard mode of the D8000 (25.21fL) isn't nearly as dim as that of the VT30 (just 3.4), although if you engage the light sensor in a completely dark room the D8000's brightness drops to 7.36. The D8000's relatively brighter default picture is why the VT30's default (133 watts) uses so much less power. Both TVs qualify for the current iteration of Energy Star, for what it's worth, but we doubt the D8000 will qualify for Energy Star 5.3 when it goes into effect this September.
| Test | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Black luminance (0%) | 0.0071 | Good |
| Avg. gamma | 2.1905 | Good |
| Near-black x/y (5%) | 0.3312/0.3358 | Average |
| Dark gray x/y (20%) | 0.3123/0.3288 | Good |
| Bright gray x/y (70%) | 0.3128/0.3293 | Good |
| Before avg. color temp. | 6375 | Average |
| After avg. color temp. | 6496 | Good |
| Red lum. error (de94_L) | 0.0894 | Good |
| Green lum. error (de94_L) | 1.4164 | Good |
| Blue lum. error (de94_L) | 0.5251 | Good |
| Cyan hue x/y | 0.2277/0.3308 | Good |
| Magenta hue x/y | 0.3181/0.1529 | Good |
| Yellow hue x/y | 0.418/0.5087 | Good |
| 1080p/24 Cadence (IAL) | Pass | Good |
| 1080i De-interlacing (film) | Pass | Good |
| Motion resolution (max) | 800 | Average |
| Motion resolution (dejudder off) | 800 | Average |
| PC input resolution (VGA) | 1920x1080 | Good |
 Juice box |
|||
| PN59D8000 | Picture settings | ||
| Default | Calibrated | Power save | |
| Picture on (watts) | 229.91 | 330.88 | 159.82 |
| Picture on (watts/sq. inch) | 0.15 | 0.22 | 0.11 |
| Standby (watts) | 0.16 | 0.16 | 0.16 |
| Cost per year | $50.53 | $72.66 | $35.16 |
| Score (considering size) | Poor | ||
| Score (overall) | Poor | ||
Samsung PN59D8000 CNET review calibration results
(Read more about how we test TVs.)
User reviews
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Samsung PN59D8000 - Great TV!
by AA-Miller on December 7, 2011
Pros: Picture quality is stunnin
Sound quality is "average"
Setup was easy and fairly simple
Anti-glareCons: I really cannot find anything I'd complain about on the TV
Summary: After doing alot of research between this and the comparable Panasonic plasma, decided on Samsung. I couldn't be happier! The picture quality is stunning and lives up to Samsung'...
Summary: After doing alot of research between this and the comparable Panasonic plasma, decided on Samsung. I couldn't be happier! The picture quality is stunning and lives up to Samsung's reputation with the blackest "blacks" and a rich full color with nothing really overly saturated. Have watched a few pre-season NFL games in high def and I am one happy sports fan. None of the fast-motion blurring of quality problems with the lower herz LCDs. Pristine NFL experience! The sound quality is "average", but I run everything through my home theater system anyways. I highly recommend using the fiber optic sound cable to your system though.
Considering picture quality, I did tweak some of the settings for my personal taste. Overall, setup was easy and fairly simple. It recognized my wireless router quickly. The setup for that was simple and once I entered the security info, that was it. It did take about 20 minutes to download the latest updates for the TV itself.
It's easy to access all of the various inputs on the back. The swivel stand it came with works pretty well for this.
I also love the dual remote control that has a full QWERTY interface on the back. Very convenient! Everything lights up when you use it so you can see everything in a dimly lit environment. The remote really worked well with my fat fingers...easy to use and pretty intuitive.
The one thing that impressed me was the anti-glare. I'll put this TV up against ANY LED/LCD out there in this regard. I still prefer to black out the windows for prime movie enjoyment, but at other times, I've never noticed glare from any lights, in particular the lamp beside my recliner.
Overall, I really cannot find anything I'd complain about on the TV. Some people have mentioned the SmartTV menu navigation on Samsung, but I didn't find it all difficult or cumbersome to use. I'm using several different apps including Pandora.
For the price however, it would be nice if Samsung included at least two pair of 3D glasses with purchase since it is a 3D TV. A bit silly to have to buy those separately. The 3D picture quality though is pretty good with the two movies I've watched on it. The glasses though themselves are abit of a pain as they reflect some ambient light on the inside....annoying. These are the cheaper Samsung glasses. I am researching to see if the higher-end glasses eliminate this. In the meantime, I'm trying to engineer a solution with the current pair I have. ( Before you will buy this Samsung TV, I suggest you have to check for best price before you decide at: droppingprices.info/pn59d8000/ )
Overall, I am highly pleased with my purchase and highly recommend this TV.9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Brightness fluctations alot
by Icemaaan on September 29, 2011
Pros: Nice 3d, colors.
Cons: Fluctations brightness alot:( if they fix i would rate 5 star.
Summary: Alot of ppl have brightness pop on d series plasma.
I have it on My d8000 alot too.
Check this out over many hundreds have fluctations brightness:
http://www.avsforum....Summary: Alot of ppl have brightness pop on d series plasma.
I have it on My d8000 alot too.
Check this out over many hundreds have fluctations brightness:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1328762&page=10
Panasonic had this issue too, but they fixed it with fw upgrade.
Samsung must do this too or they will loose alot customers.5 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Dont recomend at all! Brightness pops
by MetalSluger on October 2, 2011
Pros: HD picture
Cons: brightness pops happen in bright scenes with a lot of white or bright colors!
Summary: called samsung funny is that Samsung acting like I dont know what Im talking about. Will never buy another Samsung product.
Summary: called samsung funny is that Samsung acting like I dont know what Im talking about. Will never buy another Samsung product.
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great 2D, spectacular 3D, great price...
by jponline77 on October 7, 2011
Pros: Excellent picture quality
- deep blacks
- Vibrant colors
- High resolution and texture
Spectacular 3D
- Nearly zero crosstalk in normal movies if setup properly
- Excellent 3D resolution
- Excellent 3D color
- Great price
- great priCons: Typical Plasma issues:
- Low brightness not ideal for bright rooms but not an issue for medium to low light rooms
- Should be cautious about burn in (don't connect to a computer 24/7 as I read someone did)
Room for improvement in gray scale inSummary: Overall this TV has excellent picture quality and spectacular 3D.
Picture quality
What stands out first with the picture quality is the deep blacks. These are really noticeable when compared ...Summary: Overall this TV has excellent picture quality and spectacular 3D.
I would like to note on the "POP" issue. There were 3 reviews within 4 days on this issue all with half star ratings. No previous or professional reviews (and I've read a lot) mention this issue. Take them with a grain of salt. I haven't witnessed this issue at all on my TV but that's a sample of one. If this was as bad of an issue as these reviewers indicate then I would think at least one professional would pick this up.
Picture quality
What stands out first with the picture quality is the deep blacks. These are really noticeable when compared to my previous generation high end LCD TV. The deep blacks allow very realistic details in shadows and dark scenes. As well, they really cause the colors to punch out in bright scenes. The color on this TV is vibrant and real. The movies seem to come to life when watching them.
3D quality is superb
I purchased this TV for it's ability to do 3D and this TV really does a great job. It seems almost like the TV was optimized around 3D because the picture quality seems to actually get better in 3D. I did not noice a loss in detail. Crosstalk is not visible in all but the rarest of moments. I've looked at a lot of 3D TVs when looking for a TV and always noticed crosstalk. This TV, however, it appears very rarely. When looking for specifically for it, I could see it in 1 scene in all of Tron. If I wasn't looking I wouldn't have noticed.
Now, I should note that I kept the "cell light" setting at it's default for 3D. The temptation is to increase the cell light to get the brightness up. This, unfortunately, leads to increased crosstalk. Those who complain about crosstalk with this TV have probably done just that.
I personally would like a bit more depth to the 3D in this TV. When I was comparing the VT30 to this one I noticed that. However, for many, this lack of what could be called extreme depth is actually easier on the eyes. Now that I've had some time with the TV I have come accustom to the depth and now feel very comfortable with it.
The smartTV feature is good but not worth extra money. I suggest paying $100 and getting an appleTV for these features. This will also give you access to your iTunes music as well.
There are a few things that purchasers of this TV should know before they buy this TV. The setup of the TV is critical to get the most performance out of it. While the default settings are great by any standard, there is more setup that needs to be done. If you don't know what to do, I would suggest getting a basic HDTV setup DVD or blu ray to walk you through the process. As well, read the CNET review as well as others to know what the settings do and which make sense for your application.
Other issues that have been mentioned online such as peeling have not appeared on my TV. Even if it did, it's a simple call to Samsung repair service to get it fixed and there is even a simple quick do-it-yourself method to permanently fix you can find online.
While you get the deep blacks of a plasma, one should be aware of the negatives of plasma. The brightness is not great for bright rooms and be aware of burn-in. However, under normal lighting this TV looks great. It's best to watch 3D and feature films in a darker room for best effect. Be aware too of burn-in. If you plan on hooking this up to a PC 90% of the time then Plasma is probably not your best choice. However, for normal use with a variety of content this TV will not have any issues with burn-in.
Overall, this is a spectacular TV and I am very happy with my purchase. Samsung has put out a great product and 3D is really something that literally adds a new dimension to watching a movie.
Updated on Oct 7, 20111 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great TV. New to HDTV Space...
by richhayn on September 12, 2011
Pros: Great color quality. Black levels are good as well. I have the TV on an entertainment center using the included stand and it still looks good. The set itself looks sleak. HDMI ports are easily accessible. and is loaded with features.
Cons: The online SMART TV aspect of the TV is "neat", but it is a bit clunky. I have found myself using my Apple TV much more than I have the SMART TV option. Part of the reason for this is that my receiver does not have ARC so I don't have my setup with an au
Summary: I have had the TV for about three weeks. I have not experienced any screen peeling or cracking at all. The video quality is great and I have been very ...
Summary: I have had the TV for about three weeks. I have not experienced any screen peeling or cracking at all. The video quality is great and I have been very happy with this product. I also purchased a Samsung DVD player that was instantly recognized as such by the TV when they were hooked up.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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LCD to Plasma convert. Best TV I've owned yet.
by mustangjoey on April 19, 2011
Pros: Very, very good picture. Black colors are very dark, inky for my first time. 24fps, 1080P full HD is what it does best. 3D is better than what I was expecting. Apps are cool and launch pretty quickly.Off angle viewing is good, better than my older LCD. Go
Cons: Pricey. Qwerty keyboard remote is funky, a little awkward. Browser needs improvement. 3D requires glasses, wish they didn't. 3D content is limited. Plasma uses more power than LCD.
Summary: I have owned my PN59D8000 for about two weeks now. So far it's been excellent to good. First the excellent; the picture. This is what it's all about ...
Summary: I have owned my PN59D8000 for about two weeks now. So far it's been excellent to good. First the excellent; the picture. This is what it's all about to me, what's the point of getting a new TV if it doesn't produce a great picture. The PN59D8000 makes a great picture. I'm no David Katzmaier, I haven't seen hundreds of TV's, but I do know what I like when I see it and I think this TV makes a very good, to great picture. I have watched standard def, 1080 I/P HD and high def 3D. The standard def is good, better than my older 52" A650 Samsung LCD in several ways, but no matter how you cut it, it's still standard def. The HD is what it's all about, it's excellent, with blacks so dark and inky, the best I've seen so far. The contrast and detail is excellent. 3D is cool, different, awkward. At first, I tried watching some ESPN 3D NBA (Directv) during the daytime in a well lit room & I really noticed the flashing, pulsing of the 3D glass lenses off screen of the TV from the sides. To me this was a little nauseating, but during night or with the curtains closed in a dark or darker room, the effect was very good and comfortable. The 3D depth and detail was excellent, better than what I was expecting actually. The Good; the browser and qwerty keyboard is a little of a let down, but still good. I have a Home Theater PC with a nice hand held qwerty remote, at first I thought that setup was only OK, but compared to the Samsung qwerty remote/browser, the Windows 7/IE9/Firefox browser is really much better. The Samsung browser is good, to get online and putz around, but the remote needs a touch-pad/trackball big time. The Samsung commercial showing the couple just breezing through web pages is a little unreal. Maybe with more practice and understanding I could be more proficient. The other TV's that I was considering were the new upcoming 2011 Panasonic plasma's. The 2010 Panasonic VT plasmas are very good as well, but at this moment the 2011 VT model is not out yet and appear to be too expensive for my budget. So there it is, a LCD owner converting to Plasma, because of the picture, because of the picture. Enjoy.
Still very happy with my tv. However, after a few months of owning my D8000 I just noticed two very slight thin stress cracks about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in length on the very bottom edge of the clear plexi glass/plastic, actually on the beveled edge. Looks like two clear hairs running across the bottom edge against the darker edge. They definitely were not there for several weeks in the beginning. My last Samsung had gotten these as well. My bad I think. It may be because of the way I stood it up on it's bottom edge on the carpet while getting ready to place the tv on the wall. Not a performance problem in any way at this point except cosmetically noticeable if you get within 2-3 feet and look closely. Word of caution: don't stand your tv up on it's edges at all.
Updated on Jun 20, 20113 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Simply outstanding performance in the right hands.
by stylz on June 10, 2011
Pros: Incredible picture before and after calibration, Slick design and frame, Feature packed, Easy to use. Much less expensive than its nearest competition.
Cons: Web browser slower than using a laptop. Breakout dongles for analog connections, Apps interface is nice but still a bit sluggish compared to using a laptop.
Summary: After studying this model and the Panny VT30 for the past 3 months, I have finally been able to make a sound choice to recommend to my clients who have ...
Summary: After studying this model and the Panny VT30 for the past 3 months, I have finally been able to make a sound choice to recommend to my clients who have been hounding me about these two before they even hit the market. In fact I liked the D8000 so much that I just got myself a 51" set for personal use. To be clear I spend 4 days a week going out and doing instals and calibration on all kinds of av gear including overpriced "ultra high end" tv's.That being said, 90 percent of the people who purchase their Tv will use it in a living room or in a room that is not totally dark or a room with windows and glass doors. because of this, The small difference in blacks between the 2 sets is trumped by the really accurate color reproduction and the slightly more punchier picture in the Samsung. In my time in the field I found that the Samsung did a much better job vs the 1 glass panel of the vt30. Couple that with the superb performance of the D8000 after calibration and the fact that the D8000 is anywhere from 500 to 1000 less for the larger size tv's makes it easy to recommend the Samsung over any other sets so far this year. The main complaint that I have with the set is the Apps and Web browser function seems a bit slow for my taste. This could be attributed to me being used to connecting my laptop and using that instead of the tv. All in All, This is a great TV that manages to inch ahead of its worthy competitors in a market where even mid-range sets blow away what most people have in there homes.
I'm confused...You said that the standard def is excellent, and that the HD is only good when compared to a 50"pioneer? You mean this tv only looks good when you compare it to one of the best TV's ever made?
Updated on Jun 11, 20114 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Think Twice...this TV is unwatchable - POP's
by Tarbaby-ATL on October 4, 2011
Pros: Great Specs
Cons: POP's - Google it...Unless you enjoy watching a disco party, this set will drive you crazy.
Summary: To date, Samsung has made a decision to sweep the issue under the rug. You can google the problem and you will see that it is happening a lot. Until ...
Summary: To date, Samsung has made a decision to sweep the issue under the rug. You can google the problem and you will see that it is happening a lot. Until Samsung steps up and admits/corrects the problem in their "Flagship" TV, I would steer clear.
SAMSUNG!!!! Get with it, your issue is going to sink your "Flagship" TV and is ruining your Brand!!! Do the right thing, take ownership of the issue and solve it! You will actually win customers instead of lose them.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great tv, if the screen didn't bubble/peel.
by gehrig4nyy on September 2, 2011
Pros: Picture and apps are great. Remote control is good, would be great if it were back lit.
Cons: Screen started peeling/bubbling within 15 days from purchase.
Summary: I really loved everything about this TV, but when the screen started to bubble/peel after only approxiamtely 2 weeks of use I became extremely disappointed. Then when PC Richards ...
Summary: I really loved everything about this TV, but when the screen started to bubble/peel after only approxiamtely 2 weeks of use I became extremely disappointed. Then when PC Richards told me they would only take the tv back if Samsung authorized it I became depressed. When I contacted Samsung they told me they wouldn't take the tv back and I had to contact their local warranty rep to inspect the tv. At this point I became enraged! The rep told me the only fix was to order a new screen for my 2 week old tv. So I called Samsung, again, and told them to fix a two week old tv was unacceptable. After many transfers and many "please hold"'s they agreed to authorize the return back to PC Richards. So now my dilemma now is do I swap it for another PN59D8000 or go with a Panasonic? Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result???
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Faulty engineering/manufacturing. Blk lvl ltns ovr time
by vihdeeohphiuhl on August 19, 2011
Pros: Black level when brand new; Color saturation when new
Cons: Cons: Screen (anti reflective/real black filter) peels away on almost every single panel manufactured; Black level lightens (worsens) as it ages; Color saturation/accuracy worsens at it ages.
Summary: In spite of the fact that I had to exchange this television three times within the first two weeks after initially purchasing it -- I go into detail about why ...
Summary: In spite of the fact that I had to exchange this television three times within the first two weeks after initially purchasing it -- I go into detail about why I had to exchange it multiple times below --I originally wrote a glowing review for it. The sad fact of the matter is that I didn't wait long enough to write my review. I just had a junk out exchange approved by Best Buy. They picked up my fourth and last D8000 today. These D8000 sets all experience the screen peeling -- more information below -- issue. They all experience their black level becoming much lighter and worse as the panel ages. And as a result of their black level worsening (becoming lighter) the color saturation suffers a great deal.
Obviously, the screen peeling issue is the biggest problem. Faulty engineering or manufacturing has led to practically every single D8000 (and D7000) panel in existence experiencing the peeling issue. This is completely unacceptable. If you have just purchased this television new, please check in the top right, top left, and on the entire top edge of your panel. If you see any bubbling, peeling, or anything similar, and you are within the timeframe for returns being allowed, you probably want to return this and buy a different television.
I'm hoping that most of the users on best buy will click on the comments and see this, because I am going to talk about what is obviously the most important information to be aware of before purchasing this set. I was overzealous, and wrote my review before I had to chance to see if this television experienced problems over time. I've never owned a Samsung that had it's performance deteriorate over time, so I didn't think I had any reason to believe the performance of this TV would. I was gravely mistaken.
Please go to avsforum online and look at all of the threads regarding the infamous "screen peeling" issue. You can just search for the model number, it will take you to over a thousand posts, with dozens of pictures of 64" and 59" D8000 panels peeling away. (The 59" and 64" D7000 models are also experiencing the same problem). Right now, you're saying to yourself, "A plasma panel is glass, it can't peel away." You're right, it's not technically the screen that's peeling away. The A/R shield/Real Black filter is manufactured right into the glass panel. It is this -- anti reflective filer/real black filter -- part of the panel that is peeling away on what is believed to be about 90% of all D8000 (and D7000) panels.
I've personally had three of them with the screen peeling problem. The first one I received back when I initially purchased this television had the screen peeling away on the top edge a little to the left of the middle of the panel. I figured it was just an anomaly or a fluke, and that it was nothing to worry about. The second one I received was made with such shoddy engineering/manufacturing that the best buy delivery guys couldn't even assemble to the stand. They tried everything they could, and the best they could do was to strip out the screws trying. When they placed it on my entertainment unit, it was wobbling to the point that it was clearly going to fall off. They wouldn't even leave it at my house. They brought out a new one, and low and behold, after two days, the top left corner was peeling away. I exchanged it for my fourth set, and that one was okay for two months. Best Buy finally approved a junk out exchange on Monday of this week, and my shiny new 65" VT30 arrived today. I'm going to hold off on posting a review until I have given it at least a month to see if it has any issues.
This problem typically manifests itself on the upper edges of the panel. Look at the top right, and top left corners, or all along the top edge of your panel if you have a 59" or 64" D8000 or D7000 Samsung plasma this year. Chances are, you are going to see the screen (anti reflective/real black filter) peeling away. Almost every single panel is doing this. I've spent hours on the phone with Samsung, as well as hours on the phone with Samsung repair technicians. I even spoke with a friend that owned a D8000 that had received 5 replacement panels, with all of them having the screen peeling issue.
On top of the screen peeling issue, these D8000 panels also have black levels that lighten (worsen) over time. If you want additional information, just check out cnet's review of the D7000. In that review, just go to the performance details, and look at their spreadsheet of 2011 plasma aging, and how it is affecting the black level performance of the plasma's they are testing. The black level of the D8000 has became essentially twice as light as it was when they first tested it for their initial review. They haven't had time to test the D7000 again, but they say that they expect the black level of the D7000 will also become much lighter as the panel ages. On the flip side, the Panasonic plasma's are actually experiencing black level improvement as their panels age.
The D8000 also experiences a worsening of color accuracy/saturation as the panel ages. I witnessed the colors drifting and changing so much over the course of time that I owned my last D8000 that I had to do a completely new calibration after about a month.5 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Samsung
- Part number: PN59D8000
- Description: Only a television like the 59-inch Samsung PN59D8000 Plasma TV can deliver larger-than-life entertainment. A special Samsung Plasma plus one design means there's even more screen space compared to similarly sized models - so you can enjoy the most picture. Stay captivated with Samsung Smart TV - a web-enabled gateway to the best of the Internet, plus Samsung apps, and the ability to search either online or on your TV for content. Take viewing even further with the power of 3D: all your favorite 3D movie titles and TV programming in an immersive experience you have to see to believe.
General
- Product type Plasma TV
- Diagonal size 59 in
- Color Titanium black
Video
- Technology 3D
- 3D Technology Yes
- Resolution 1920 x 1080
- Display format 1080p
- Refresh rate 600 Hz
- Pixel response time 0.001 ms
- Progressive Scan Progressive scanning (line doubling)
- Widescreen Widescreen
- Dynamic contrast ratio 25000000:1
- HDCP compatible Yes
TV Tuner
- TV tuner presence Yes
- HDTV Tuner Yes
- Secondary audio program (SAP) Yes
Audio
- Speaker(s) 2 x Right/left channel speaker - Built-in - 15 Watt
- Surround mode Yes
- Sound effects SRS TheaterSound
- Total output power 30 Watt
Network & Internet Multimedia
- Connectivity Wireless
- Connectivity protocols Built-in Wi-Fi
- Internet streaming services Skype ,
Smart Hub ,
Samsung Smart TV Convenience Features
- Additional features Auto Volume Leveller (AVL)
- Additional features Touch of Color (ToC)
- Closed captioning Yes
- Parental channel lock Yes
- V-chip control Yes
Connectivity
- Input/Output connections 4 x HDMI input (19 pin HDMI Type A),
2 x Component video input (RCA phono x 3) - Rear,
1 x VGA input (15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15)) - Rear,
1 x Audio line-in (Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm) - Rear,
2 x USB 2.0 (4 pin USB Type A),
2 x Audio input (RCA phono x 2) - Rear - Video interface HDMI,
Component - HDMI ports qty 4
- PC interface VGA (HD-15)
Remote Control
- Type Remote control - Infrared
Power
- Power device Power supply
- Power consumption stand by / sleep 1 Watt
Stands & Mounts
- Stand included Included
- Stand design Tabletop
- Stand features Swivel
Dimensions & Weight
- Dimensions (WxDxH) 54.3 in x 1.5 in x 32.6 in - Without stand
- Weight 67.5 lbs
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & support 1 year warranty
- Service & support details Limited warranty - Parts and labor - 1 year
Dimensions & Weight (Shipping)
- Width (Shipping) 58.7 in
- Depth (Shipping) 16.9 in
- Height (Shipping) 37.8 in
- Weight (Shipping) 95.2 lbs
Sustainability
- CNET Labs: Operational power consumption 229.91 Watt
- CNET Labs: Calibrated power consumption 330.88 Watt
- CNET Labs: Power Save Mode power consumption 159.82 Watt
- CNET Labs: Power consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.16 Watt
- CNET Labs: Estimated Annual Energy Cost 100.55 US Dollars
- ENERGY STAR Qualified Yes
- Greenpeace policy rating (Nov 2011) 4.1
Product series
-
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: Plasma TV,
51 in,
3D Compatible,
1080p,
600 Hz,
Wi-Fi,
Samsung SmartTV,
EPA Energy Star -
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: Plasma TV,
59 in,
3D Compatible,
1080p,
600 Hz,
Wi-Fi,
Skype,
Smart Hub,
Samsung Smart TV,
EPA Energy Star -
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: Plasma TV,
64 in,
3D Compatible,
1080p,
600 Hz,
Wi-Fi,
Samsung SmartTV,
EPA Energy Star
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Samsung products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Samsung
- Address:
105 Challenger Road, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 - Phone: 1-800-726-7864
- Fax: 1-973-601-6001
