babyeddy7's Full Review: Samsung HL-M507W 50 in. HDTV DLP TV
Update
Several salespeople have told me that the light source of DLP televisions burns out in about a year, so it wouldn't be smart to buy this.
The problem with DLP
DLP (Digital light processing) is a technology developed by Texas Instruments that employs a semiconductor and 1.3 million microscopic mirrors to create an image. I know this sounds more sophisticated than traditional CRT and projection monitors, but don’t be too astounded; DLP’s benefits are minimal.
Digital light processing does not improve picture clarity in any way; that depends almost exclusively on the video source. So if DLP doesn’t improve picture clarity, why does it cost so much more than a CRT screen of the same size? A: The technology is proprietary; it is sold by Texas Instruments to television manufacturers, and since it costs the manufacturers more money, they ask for more money. B: Only two companies took the bait of integrating DLP in their TVs. C: The semiconductor and microscopic mirrors cost a hell of a lot of money. D: Even in DLP’s nascent stages, the TV making industry was skeptical.
But remember I said there was a benefit of DLP? That lies in coloration. Texas Instruments developed the technology in order to produce a broader selection of color. Even so, the change is subtle. Bored at Circuit City, I decided to look at some new TVs. This DLP Samsung was sitting next to a 51” Hitachi projection. Both were nearly equal in size- 50-51 inches widescreen, so I thought this would be fair to test them- even though the Hitachi was $1300 less. While the color on the Samsung was more accurate than the Hitachi, I was nonplussed to see that Hitachi had better clarity. Then I adjusted the Hitachi’s color temperature to warm, and the color of both displays was almost identical. I have no special love for Hitachi, but if I were to choose from the Hitachi or the Samsung, I would pick the former. That way I would have an extra $1300 to buy an HD receiver and a horde of other things.
DLP is simply not worth it. Any expert will tell you that inventing a whole new technology for the sole sake of superior coloration is stupid and costly. It would be much smarter to add an extra color cannon (emerald) to the conventional trio of red, green, and blue. Hell, that would probably look better than DLP and cost a lot less.
With DLP costing so much more, you might as well get plasma, so you can hang it on a wall. Gateway makes a plasma screen for $2800; that’s $700 less than this TV. I know the brand isn’t too renowned, but I would feel more comfortable trusting Gateway than Samsung. Keep in mind that this TV costs more than most 65-inch screens, but is only 50 inches.
First impressions HLM507W
After reading about Texas Instruments’ DLP technology a couple years ago, I was eager to see if the advertisements proved true. I remember seeing a not-too-astounding Mitsubishi DLP TV for $15,000. 15 grand! The picture quality was horrible- I could actually see the blocks comprising the image. What a disconcerting experience. Recently I saw this Samsung, and although I still wasn’t impressed, it definitely wasn’t as bad as the first encounter.
Read my experience above.
Positives
Anti-glare screens are welcome in any home, especially when your family room has plenty of windows. Of course not all glare can be terminated, but you’ll still appreciate this feature. This television has better anti-glare than projections.
Thanks to the more than one million microscopic mirrors of the DLP system, this TV has some of the most accurate blacks, whites, and everything in between. Grayscale images buttress the accuracy of color images, and this TV is great at both. Switching the color temperature of a projection television to warm will create a picture very similar to DLP imaging.
The viewing angle of this television surpasses that of projection TVs. However, they cannot match flat panel displays, LCD and plasma.
Negatives
Read the above section labeled The problem with DLP for this television’s major flaw.
Samsung is undoubtedly profit-conscious- I just don’t see value in their products. Everything looks dandy on the outside, but who knows how good the quality of the internal components is? Samsung was daring enough to make a flagrantly cheap remote for all to see. Imagine what the quality is of things you can’t see.
Don’t get me wrong; Samsung knows how to make wireless phones- quality is up there with Motorola. But if you buy anything else from Samsung, watch out! Samsung A/V equipment is notorious for average and below average ratings. It is a young brand, and consumers have not had the chance to see the long-term quality of Samsung products; made in the U.S.A., Japan, or Germany sounds more reassuring than made in Korea.
There is a durability problem that stands out with this television: some of the mirrors fail to function over time. This is unavoidable because DLP uses mirrors that move thousands of times per second. I noted that the display model had more than 15 defective pixels- pixels incapable of changing color. This observation makes me question the display’s long-term quality.
Totally imitative style. This looks strikingly similar to Sony’s floating screen design with the black screen housing. Hmm. Samsung’s design came afterward, too. That’s peculiar. I will never support imitative companies; copycats will never have my money.
It seems no one can equip a good TV with good speakers. The 30-watt pair on this Samsung provides decent sound, but I would definitely get a home theater system in excess of 600 watts.
The remote on this TV is more unsightly than a 90 year-old man in a Speedo and is as cheap as a Hyundai. Unfortunately, the user has to point directly at the television in order for the remote to be effective. I would recommend getting a universal remote commander.
Conclusion
Previous reviewers praised this television’s picture quality, but failed to mention that HDTV looks good on any TV. If you’re impressed, make sure you compare it to others. Remember that DLP offers nothing in the picture clarity sector, only color. And that advantage isn’t worth the price of this TV.
Another reviewer recommended this television for games and use as a computer monitor. While I agree with the latter, gamers will tell you that widescreen is a no-no; games are best suited for regular televisions with 4:3 aspect ratio. Also remember that burn-in is not a negative thing; it’s a white area on your television only noticeable when you turn it off, and it does not affect picture quality. There is a reason DLP hasn’t sold well: the subtle color advantage doesn’t justify the price.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.