-
Introduction
-
01.Tour & Design
-
02.Blacks & Whites
-
03.Color Accuracy
-
04.Motion
-
05.3D
-
06.Viewing Effects
-
07.Calibration
-
08.Connectivity
-
09.Audio & Menus
-
10.Multimedia & Internet
-
11.Power Consumption
-
12.Vs Samsung PN59D8000
-
13.Vs Panasonic TC-P55VT30
-
14.Vs Sony KDL-46HX729
-
15.Conclusion
-
16.Series Comparison
-
17.Photo Gallery
-
18.Ratings & Specs
-
19.Comments
Samsung PN59D7000
Previous: Page 5
3DNext: Page 7
CalibrationViewing Effects
Excellent viewing angle.
Formats (9.50)
The Samsung PN59D7000 has a native resolution of 1080p (1920 × 1080), but supports all standard NTSC formats. In addition, it can display the expanded xvYCC color gamut.
Viewing Angle (11.36)
Plasmas are lauded for their great viewing angles, and the Samsung PN59D7000 shows why. Unlike with the typical LCD display, our spectrophotometer was able to go 66˚ from center before the contrast dropped below 50%. This translates to a total viewing angle of 133˚. In other words, the screen will frustrate you with perspective distortion before you notice a drop in contrast. Additionally, colors don’t shift noticeably as you move to a wider angle. Some LCD technology, particularly of an older variety, has trouble with color shift over a wide angle.
Reflectance (6.50)
Reflectance was one of the weaker points of the Samsung PN59D7000. With a screen that’s highly glossy, it’s difficult to keep it from being very reflective. An LED array we directed towards its surface reflected back each point of light, along with a rainbow ray that shot out vertically. On most television panels, these rays project all the way to the edges of the screen, but these died out fairly quickly. Finally, our light source cast a faint grey glare over a wide portion of the screen, which was not too noticeable, but did cut down on the limited contrast of which this TV is capable.
In all likelihood, a TV of this size isn’t going to be used for a bright room of the house, so its reflectivity should not be a huge issue. Just take care to keep ambient lights away from its screen, and to angle them away to reduce the effect of the glare.
Video Processing (1.50)
Modern TVs always seem to offer a gaggle of video processing modes, some of which can actually be useful, such as Film Mode, which improves 3:2 pulldown. Most, however, have a detrimental effect on the accuracy of the picture.
| Setting | Claimed Function | Our Impression |
|---|---|---|
| Black Tone | Enhances picture depth by adjusting black color depth. | Crushes darker colors into a flat black, reducing shadow detail. |
| Dynamic Contrast | Automatically balances contrast to prevent excessive light-dark difference. | Increases contrast, reducing detail in shadowed and bright areas. |
| Flesh Tone | Adjusts the flesh tone by increasing or decreasing the red component. | Adjust to make people's skin look either red or sickly-pale. |
| Edge Enhancement | Sharpens the outlines of objects. | No discernible difference. |
| Motion Lighting | Reduces power consumption by brightness control adapted motion. | Dims parts of the picture to reduce power consumption. |
| xvYCC | Expands the color space to xvYCC to enhance picture quality. | Video is rarely recorded in the expanded xvYCC color gamut, but this mode oversaturates standard media to fill the wider gamut. |
| Digital Noise Filter | Reduces picture noise to avoid distracting lines and flickering. | An airbrushing effect removes some of the artifacts resulting from video compression. |
| MPEG Noise Filter | Improves video quality by reducing MPEG noise in picture. | Like Digital Noise Filter, but intended for MPEG video compression. |
| Film Mode | Optimizes picture quality for video or film-based programs. | Three settings, Auto1, Auto2, and Cinema Smooth, may reduce flicker associated with 24fps input. Our best results were with Auto1. |
| Other Models in the PNxxD7000 Series | |
|---|---|
| For more information on other models in this series, check our Series Comparison Page. | |
 Samsung PN51D7000 51 in. |
 Samsung PN64D7000 64 in. |
Latest News
& Reviews
-
18-May-2012
Samsung UN46ES6500 3D LED LCD HDTV Review
This TV has the performance and picture quality to match its good looks. Samsung’s robust Smart TV platform is just icing on the cake. Read More...
-
18-May-2012
Samsung's 2012 Smart TV Platform: Explained
Samsung’s 2012 Smart TV Platform revolves primarily around the Smart Hub. The Smart Hub gathers all content the TV is capable of displaying under one roof: live TV, apps, streaming video and music, and personal media. Read More...
Samsung PN59D7000 Manual
Top Rated HD Televisions
-
Also in this series
$2,599.001
Size: 59 in.Samsung PN59D7000
The Samsung PN59D7000 ($2,599 MSRP) is a stunning, high-end plasma TV fashioned by Samsung for 2011. It has 59 inches of great, 1080p picture quality, and as a second-generation plasma, it handles 3D reasonably well. Read full review
$2,599.00All TypesPlasmaOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes -
Also in this series
$1,299.002
Size: 51 in.Samsung PN51D6500
The Samsung PN51D6500 is one of the best deals for a big screen plasma TV. The performance is strong in most regards and the weakness are endemic to plasma TVs, not with this model in particular. Read full review
$1,299.00All TypesPlasmaOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes -
$1,749.993
Size: 47 in.LG 47LM6700
In addition to opinion-changing 3D images, this LG has a newly improved Smart TV menu system, and a remote that makes navigating the ever-expanding sea of content less of an odyssey. . Read full review
$1,749.99All TypesLEDOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes -
$1,500.004
Size: 50 in.LG 50PZ950
This 1080p plasma television with internet and 3D capabilities is purportedly the best LG has to offer in 2011. Read full review
$1,500.00All TypesPlasmaOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes -
$1,299.005
Size: 46 in.Samsung UN46D6000
Everyone wants a Smart TV, but how smart is buying the Samsung UN46D6000 for its $1299 MSRP? With its reasonably good performance in many categories and more internet features than you can shake an e-stick at, that question might be hard to answer if it weren't for this review. Read full review
$1,299.00All TypesLCDOnline Features (with or without)YesWith Online FeaturesNoWithout Online FeaturesYes3D and non-3D TVsYes3D TVsNoNon-3D TVsYes
Features
-
TelevisionInfo.com 2011 Select Awards
After testing dozens of televisions this year, the staff of TVI has made its official selections for the very best televisions of 2011. Read More...
-
3D TV, Not Ready for Prime Time
If you’ve been shopping for a new TV is the last two years, you’ve probably heard a lot of hype about 3D. As with most new technologies, customers are awash in baffling terminology and misinformation. Here’s a simple guide to walk you through the basics. Read More...
-
HDTV Streaming Content Compared
Televisions aren’t just getting their content through the coax cable anymore. Just as the internet has gradually moved towards a video-rich space—YouTube, Hulu, Vimeo, etc.—those same sorts of features are creeping into your TV sets. Like it or not, those 1000+ channels of direct cable are not enough anymore. Read More...
-
Technology Preview: Haier Completely Wireless Television
Imagine a TV with no wires. You’re talking about WiFi, right? No, we mean no wires, at all. Haier, the Chinese company better known as an appliance manufacturer, is showcasing a new technology here at CES that conducts electricity wireless to the TV, as well as streaming content. The TV is pretty far from production at this point, but it’s among the more amazing things we’ve seen at the show. Here’s an in-depth look at the technology and how it might be implemented in future products. Read More...
(add your own)