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Introduction
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01.Tour & Design
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02.Blacks & Whites
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03.Color Accuracy
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04.Motion
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05.Viewing Effects
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06.Calibration
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07.Remote Control
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08.Connectivity
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09.Audio & Menus
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10.Formats & Media
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11.Power Consumption
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12.Vs Panasonic TC P50U1
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13.Vs LG 47LH90
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14.Vs Sony KDL 52XBR9
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15.Conclusion
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16.Series Comparison
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17.Ratings & Specs
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18.Comments
Samsung UN46B8500
Previous: Page 4
MotionNext: Page 6
Calibration
Viewing Effects Summary
Editorial Note: This is a review of the Samsung UN46B8500. Test results are for this model, but should indicate the general performance of other sizes in the UNxxB8500 series. The UNxxB8500 series includes the following models: UN46B8500 and UN55B8500. Read here for more details on series differences.
• Poor viewing angle
• Highly reflective screen
• Lots of processing features
• Testing done using DisplayMate Software
Viewing Angle (2.48)
The viewing angle of the Samsung UN46B8500 is quite narrow, only 37 degrees. If you're trying to buy a TV for a wide room, this is not the best choice. Granted, most LCD televisions are not great performers when it comes to viewing angle, while plasmas exceed (see the Panasonic TC-P50U1 below for proof), but the UN46B8500 is the weakest in this bunch of comparisons.
| Viewing Angle | |||||||
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| Compare the Samsung UN46B8500 to other HDTVs | |||||||
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| Panasonic TC-P50U1 50 inches |
LG 47LH90 47 inches |
Sony KDL-52XBR9 52 inches |
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Reflectance (4.0)
The Samsung UN46B8500, sadly, has a highly reflective screen. If you happen to be watching a dark scene, and there's a bright light shining on you, it's possible to see every detail of your clothing. It's uncannily like a mirror. There's also a problem if a light is pointing towards the screen. Like most TVs, the Samsung attempts to divert the reflection. As a result, long trails shoot off from the center of the reflection point in perfect, geometric patterns. In short... it's distracting.
If the show or movie you're watching happens to be brighter, this will not be as much of a problem. If you're watching a show in all white (like a polar bear documentary) you may never even notice the reflection problems. But that seems unlikely to us.
Video Processing (8.0)
There are a boatload of special processing features on the Samsung UN46B8500. A few are useful, while others make the picture look terrible. If in doubt, leave a feature off. The TV's performance is quite good all on its own.
| Setting | Claimed Function | Our Impression |
| Black Tone | Enhances the picture depth by adjusting the black color density. | Makes the picture dark. |
| Dynamic Contrast | Automatically controls the contrast level to avoid excessive level differences while maintaining optimal picture contrast. | On the 'Low' setting, you might see some minor improvement, but other settings make it too contrasty. |
| Flesh Tone | Adjusts the flesh tone to be more or less red. | Flesh tone detection is not great, so it can turn the whole picture red or green. |
| Edge Enhancement | Sharpens and edge detail. | Little noticeable effect |
| LED Motion Plus | Enhances motion in fast moving scenes. | It's supposed to dim the LCDs, thus allowing for faster cycling and less motion blur. In our experience, we only saw the brightness dim, but no motion enhancement |
| Digital NR | Reduces the noise of the picture to avoid distracting flickering. | Little improvement on MPEG noise |
| Auto Motion Pro 240Hz | Enhances motion in fast moving scenes. | There are lots of presets and a customizable setting. We recommend that you leave it off. When the feature is too strong, your content will look too smooth and video-like, rather than film. Also creates unexpected artifacting. |
| Smart LED | Controls the LED backlight to maximize picture clarity. | This is term Samsung uses for the local dimming feature. Read the Black & Whites section of this review for an overview. |
| Other Models in the UNxxB8500 Series | |||
| This is a review of the Samsung UN46B8500. The other sizes of HDTVs in this series should be similar in terms of performance and usability. For details about any differences, click on the image to jump to the Series Comparison page. | |||
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| Panasonic UN46B8500 46 inches |
Panasonic UN55B8500 55 inches |
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Shop for the Samsung UN46B8500
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