Robot Operator

I was recently looking for the best selling HD TV sets and was really surprised when my research led me to the Samsung LN40C630 LCD HD TV. Firstly I was surprised it was Samsung (big fan as I am) and secondly that it was a 40 Inch set and not something bigger. So, here am I, HD TV expert, and I am surprised at something like that!

I also thought it would be a LED or Plasma, but it was a mid-range LCD that came out on top. So, I had to find out more about this HD TV that everyone across America is buying!

As I was in Vancouver at the time, I went down to the local Future Shop to see what I could find out. Arriving early on a Monday morning hoping the sales staff would have nothing better to do and than give me a demo, the strategy proved good as I quickly found my new best friend Graham the TV salesman. To be fair, I did explain to him I had no intention of buying and would he mind, so a Starbucks Vanilla Latte later Graham was in full flow!

The first thing Graham told me is that Samsung have only just gone to market with the C Series LCD’s. And, he was very quick to point out how much the price has fallen over previous models. release. My guess is that economies of scale have kicked in as far as LCD TV manufacture is concerned…that coupled with the obvious increase in demand and therefore numbers shipping and it’s a classic price reduction situation. So, I guess we have just reached the point where people begin to feel it is a genuinely good buy to invest in HD TV.

That’s fair enough, but I still think any HD TV needs to “wow” the potential buyer to make them part with their hard earner money, even more so in the current economic conditions.

The most important thing I wanted to know about was motion screen blur, a well known flaw in ealy LCD sets. Indeed it was why my first HD set was a Plasma (being a sport fanatic and all). Of course, the old Plasma (now my second set) is suffering the curse of the Plasma – screenburn. Tough choice in the “olden” days!

Anyway, back to the story, Graham explained that because Samsung have made the 630 series with 120 Hz screen refresh and given it full 1080p HD capability that issue has been solved. The 80,000:1 screen contrast also helps keep the picture clean and crisp, even when the action reaches breakneck speed.

I guess with watching sport being a high priority TV pastime for many millions of Americans overcoming this problem at the now lower price means the price objection barrier has been smashed which is why the Samsung LN40C630 is now proving so hugely popular and we are seeing huge sales numbers.

Certainly I love all sports and this was a major issue for me. But what I saw from the LN40C630 LCD TV really changed my view on LCDs.

So, we rigged up a true 1080p source and the picture is crystal clear. And, I am delighted to report completely free of motion blur. We watched a “morning after” replay of a Canucks game in full 1080 HD. Ice Hockey is probably the fastest sport available and the picture was stunning. The action was crisp and clear with the colors bright and vibrant and the blacks deep and dark.

Then we attached it to Blu Ray DVD player to see how the TV performed with HD DVD. Again the Samsung LN40C630 came up trumps. Brilliant, bright, solid colors with deep rich blacks showed off stunning contrasts and a picture that seemed like it was real life in bright sunshine.

Graham (we were now on first name terms) explained this was due to the full 1080p and that contrast ratio. He also told me that early LCDs were only at 10,000:1. Most HD TVs are around 70,000 – 100,000 ratio apparently, and this is what gives the latest sets such highly detailed and crystal clear pictures, no matter how fast and frenetic the action might get.

It’s true better “definition” is available with a LED, but I am convinced (after watching) that this set is now so popular because it gives a truly stunning viewing experience at a VERY reasonable price. It’s also pretty much “immediate” future proof with Graham reckoning it would be “good for at last 5-7 years”. I think that’s reasonable.

The Samsung UN40C630 also comes with reasonable jack pack (4 HDMI, 2 USB, PC Input), better is available, sure, but this is more than adequate for most other than the real geeks needs. Low energy consumption is another side benefit. It also uses Samsungs latest picture technology (wide color enhancer pro). This is designed to give better color luminance across the spectrum resulting in more brilliant colors. I can vouch for this! (Can you tell I borrowed some of the sales puff there!)

The one slight downside on the Samsung LN40C630 40 Inch Led TV is that the sound is not very good in all honesty. With just 2 x 10 watt speakers I guess it’s not surprising. And whilst the brochure says “offers multi channel sound”, well not really. But I think most people buying an HD TV will probably buy at least a basic cinema surround system so it’s not really an issue in my opinion.

The bottom line? This is an outstanding HD TV set in terms of performance, functionality and more importantly price! If you haven’t yet upgraded, this is the middle ground, safe option for your first foray into HD TV. Solid technology offering outstanding picture quality for any sort of viewing. Having seen a demo courtesy of Graham I can now clearly see why the Samsung LN40C630 LCD TV has become Americas most popular HD TV!

By: Derek Armson

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In 1997 Alviso introduced the concept known as TiVo in California. This was a breakthrough in the movie and television industry and many of us will never go back to watching them without it. TiVo features a digital video recorder (DVR) that is accessed through a telephone line and a TV antenna. It is now offered by major satellite cable companies including Direct TV and Dish Network.

The Direct TV HD TiVo System includes several components of a computer. There is a hard disk drive that allows you to record up to 900 hours of TV and movies. The connector allows the information to be transferred through the system and then played when you are ready to view it. You can control of this with the Direct TV HD TiVo remote control. This allows you to watch TV and movies and record other programming at the same time. You can watch it when it fits into your schedule. Viewers love the convenience as well as the fact that the recorded data is just as clear as the original.

The Direct TV HD TiVo system offers some amazing features for you to take advantage of. You can skip commercials on live TV which is something we can all find pleasing. There is a 30 second skip option and the TiVo To Go system that allows you to transfer recorded material to your computer.

There are several good Direct TV HD TiVo options for you to choose from. The R10 can record up to 70 hours of material for about $99. If you want the upgraded version that can record twice as much it will run $199. The ultimate product they offer is the Direct TV R10 with 500 GB of disk space and the capacity for 900 hours of material. It comes with a heft price tag though of $1,099.

Direct TV has been in business since 1994. For the past several years they have been the industry leader for satellite cable services. They continue add new products for their customers to take advantage of. In addition they offer plenty of channels and a low monthly cost for their packages.

By: Caleb Liu

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