Should I buy a Samsung UN55B8000?

It is hard to choose a good TV, so here we're giving you all the information you need on the UN55B8000 so you can decide if it is the right TV for you:

What is it?

The Samsung UN55B8000 is the top LED TV sold by Samsung at the moment (apart from the 3D UN55C7000 which is getting bad reviews) and at 55 inches this is a stonker!

It is an edge-lit LED TV which means you get an ultra thin profile, just 1.2 inches thick even at its thickest point, and it is 40% more energy efficient than the normal CCFL backlit LCD TVs, but the price reflects the bragging rights you get from this ultra thin TV as you'll be paying considerably more.

You also get the fancy looks the Samsung's are famous for, with the transparent neck on the swivel stand and the clean lines with the transparent edging, plus the splash of colour from the blue power indicator can be turned off if you don't want anything distracting you from what is on the TV.

>> Click here to buy your Samsung UN55B8000 now

What do I get for my money?

Here is some of the tech you get for you money:

2ms response time:
Motion response time is how your TV reacts to fast moving images on the content you are watching, with a slow response time then you can expect it to be a bit jumpy and juddery when things start to speed up in the film, or in fast-paced sport.

4 - 6ms is considered a good figure, so this is a lot faster than most LCD TVs.

240Hz 'Auto Motion Plus' technology:
This just means that is takes the 60Hz signal which produces 60 interlaced frames per second, and it quadruples the number by using software to add in more frames between each existing one. This helps to smooth the transition between frames in fast moving scenes. You also get dejudder processing which some people love and some people hate, but fortunately on this set you can tweak that setting rather than just having it on or off, to get it to a level that you are comfortable with.

LED backlighting:
Most LCD screens use CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) backlighting which means they have to be heavier and chunkier to fit all that in behind the screen. The new range of LED backlit TVs use little LEDs to do the same job while saving energy and space. This particular TV uses an edge-lit format which means it has the LEDs around the side of the screen and then uses 'light guides' to get the light to where it needs to go.

Using LEDs also means you get a better contrast ratio (5,000,000:1 - dynamic contrast ratio figures don't really mean much so don't be too impressed with the huge number) so you get inky dark blacks and crisp whites coming through.

Audio:
With a TV this big you really need a home theatre system if you want to take full advantage of it. But you get the standard 20W output from 2 x 10W speakers that most other TVs give, then you get a subwoofer too to take care of the bass, which is usually a problem with other TVs as they are fine for voices but lack the bass needed for special effects and music. It also uses SRS TruSurround HD but that, or something similar, is pretty standard on TVs now.

Internet connectivity:
That's right, this set has Yahoo widgets to give you access to some of your favourite sites including eBay, Youtube, Flickr, Twitter, Yahoo News and Weather, RallyCast and USA Today Sports. The widgets are not the fastest in the world, and don't expect to be browsing the internet like on your computer, but they give some good information from the comfort of your couch, and more widgets are released periodically.

You can also get access to Amazon Video on Demand so you can rent or buy items from a huge range of TV shows and films and have them streamed right to you, the prices are apparently a bit steep at the moment, but I am sure they will come down and the price is Amazon's problem not Samsung who just give you access to it.

Ultra Clear Panel/Wide Color Enhancer Pro and Game Mode:
The first two pieces of technology help you get the best picture quality you can and give natural skin tones and enhance the colour. The 'Game Mode' allows you to speed up the image processing time, enhance the colours and enhance the sound in a way that helps you get the most out of the intense colours and action of the latest computer games.

USB and DLNA connectivity:
You get 2 USB slots to plug in various devices and look at photos or listen to MP3s and watch MPEGs through the TV, and you also get DLNA connectivity so you can access other devices in your house via a network connection, but as I understand it then DLNA still has a way to go before it becomes really useful.

>> Click here to buy your Samsung UN55B8000 now

How much does the UN55B8000 cost?

Well you are looking at around $2,199 at the moment on Amazon.com and that is with around 42% off the retail price of $3,799. The introduction of a 3D Samsung TV has probably helped to push the price down, but as I said earlier I'd wait on the 3D TVs as they are brand new and the feedback has not been great, in a few years they'll have worked the kinks out and the price will have come down on them too.

>> Click here to buy your Samsung UN55B8000 now

What do people think of it?

The feedback for this TV has been very good, CNET.com have given it 3.5 stars which means 'very good' and they really like the TV, they think it is a bit pricey and the 240Hz technology doesn't make a really noticeable improvement on the picture, but other than that they like it, and the price has come right down now too so it is not as pricey as when they reviewed it.

On Amazon.com then 82.5% of the reviews are in the 4 or 5 star range, the worst complaints are from a few people who had a defective TV delivered to them and then tried to get it fixed on warranty from Samsung and had to wait for the problem to be fixed. If you buy it through Amazon and it gets delivered with a defect then go back to them not Samsung! Then you get a replacement asap instead of waiting for some engineer!

Also a number of people are complaining about light bleeding from the corners of the TV during dark scenes, but then over 80% of people absolutely love the TV and don't report that problem… so it must be a matter of personal taste as to whether you like LED edge-lit TVs or not.

>> Click here to buy your Samsung UN55B8000 now

UN55B8000 spec:

Size: 55 inch screen with ultra thin profile
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Motion response time: 2ms
Contrast ratio: 5,000,000:1
Audio: 2 x 10W down firing stereo speakers
HDMI ports: 4 (v1.3)
Other ports: 1 component video, 2 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 PC, 1 optical digital audio output
ENERGY STAR® compliant: Yes
Helpful tech: LED backlighting, Auto Motion Plus 240Hz, Ultra Clear Panel, Wide Color Enhancer Pro, DLNA-compatible, V-Chip system, Medi@2.0, Picture-in-Picture, Content Library.