LED

Samsung updates A950 series of LED-based LCDs

Update Dec 10, 2008: After a subsequent conversation Samsung's representative did provide a bit more information.

"The newer A950 sets feature a slight enhancement to black level performance which improves the already excellent picture quality of the A950. That said, most of the Samsung A950 sets sold in the market now feature this upgrade. Customers who have already purchased an A950 set can find out if their TV is the enhanced version or not by calling 1-800-SAMSUNG (1-800-726-7864). If customers would like to upgrade their A950 TV, a software upgrade will be provided free of charge in the form of a USB stick. This software upgrade, available within 30 days of request, will enable performance similar to that of upgraded A950 TVs."

Unfortunately, we have not been able to get more information out of Samsung on this issue, and the company still has not provided a clear way to distinguish between products that have the update and those that don't. The best advice we can give for A950 owners concerned about the problem is to contact Samsung and try to get a resolution, and comment here about your experiences.

--David

Samsung has updated the A950 series, the company's flagship line of LED-based LCD HDTVs, by introducing changes that affect picture quality. In accordance, we have updated our review of the 46-inch LN46A950.

While the change will have a minor impact on picture quality, it probably irks current A950 owners to find out that they don't have the most up-to-date version of the television. Here's the relevant section from the review's updated performance section, describing the differences we saw:

To assess the picture quality impact of the changes, we compared our original LN46A950 review sample side-by-side to a new one, and will use the new one in all comparisons involving the A950 going forward. The differences we saw concerned black levels primarily. The company has raised the black level in very dark scenes--those with a very low "average picture level." In those scenes the new model showed improved shadow detail and eliminated some of the worst blooming effects we mention below, while the older model reproduced darker overall black levels--its LEDs appeared to dim more aggressively, while the new ones stayed more illuminated. We didn't notice any differences between the two Samsungs in the vast majority of scenes however, which have higher average picture levels. As a result, we're not modifying the rating for this review.

According to Samsung, all A950 series sets sent to market after September 20, 2008, will feature the upgrade. Of course that means A950 series TVs sent to market before that date, whether still on store shelves or comfortably at home with their new owners, won't have the update.… Read more

Apple unveiled a new Cinema Display, too

The spotlight may have been on MacBooks at Tuesday's Apple press conference, but there was one other product on the stage: Apple's new 24-inch Cinema Display.

Admittedly, a monitor is hardly as exciting as an aluminum MacBook, but I do find myself intrigued. The 24-inch display is Apple's first with LED backlighting, which is not only thinner but also reportedly produces more accurate colors while using less energy than traditional monitors. It incorporates an iSight camera, built-in microphone, and speakers. And it includes a second cable at the rear of the display with branches for a MagSafe … Read more

Inside CNET Labs 17: Terrorize this!

First up, Dong is a little concerned that Eric may be a terrorist. He soon discovers, though, that everyone is a terrorist.

Then, LED vs. CCFL LCD backlights. Which makes your eyes bleed less? Find out!

Could our love affair with the iPhone 3G be over? Possibly. Then why do we still own one? It's a complicated answer that we tackle.

Finally, we tell some stories about our early WoW days. Enjoy the fun!

To subscribe to this podcast, visit us at our main page and click the link on the right. Don't forget to leave us a … Read more

Lenovo's 24-inch LED LCD: So far, so good

When Lenovo announced its ThinkVision L2440x LCD a couple weeks back, I wrote that I was excited about getting it in and testing it. After receiving it last week, I've only completed some preliminary anecdotal testing, but I wanted to write about some quick impressions I got from the monitor.

What I was most excited about was the monitor's LED backlight. LED backlights on LCDs are kind of the new hotness these days. While most LCDs use Cold Cathode Fluorescent Tubes for their backlights, monitors that use LED backlights are known to have better color accuracy and a … Read more

Dell sees the light...emitting diode

Dell announced on Wednesday that within 12 months, all displays in its new laptops will be light-emitting diode (LED)-based.

Dell says that as of December 15, two-thirds of its Latitude E-Family laptops, as well as its Precision line, will be shipped with mercury-free LED backlighting as standard.

LED backlights are known to be mercury-free and very recyclable. Compared to cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) technology, which most LCD displays use today, LED displays are much more energy efficient. Dell says that its 15-inch LED displays consume an average of 43 percent less power at maximum brightness.

Dell estimates that, … Read more

GE brand to grace Internet-ready TVs in 2009

A joint venture between General Electric and Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer Tautung will market LCD TVs next year in the U.S. The new company, called General Displays & Technologies, plans to introduce its first GE-branded models next spring, joining the likes of Westinghouse and Polaroid that leverage well-known brands to appeal to buyers in a crowded, confusing HDTV marketplace.

The GE TVs won't mirror the bare-bones features of those other brands, however, and we presume pricing will be accordingly higher. The most-interesting feature from our perspective is Internet connectivity.

"We are developing advanced, Internet capabilities for content delivery to televisions, without the need for a PC. This includes IPTV through cable, satellite, and advanced fiber-optic television connectivity," said Mike McConnaughey, the new firm's CEO. "The long-term strategy is to allow consumers to customize their viewing experience by downloading widgets and a variety of services directly to their HDTVs."

The company will partner with NBC Universal, a subsidiary of GE, to develop an open platform for content delivery.

Lenovo's new displays waste not

Lenovo announced six new ThinkVision monitors on Wednesday at the Interop 2008 New York, an IT conference and exposition.

17-inch L1700p 19-inch L1940 Wide 19-inch L1940p Wide 24-inch L2240 Wide 24-inch L2240p Wide 24-inch L2440x Wide

According to Lenovo, these monitors use 30 percent to 60 percent less energy than previous ThinkVision models--such as the L171p, L194 Wide, and D221--are EPEAT Gold rated and GreenGuard certified, and include packaging for select models with 65 percent recycled materials.

The ThinkVision L2440x Wide is the flagship of the new lineup and is Lenovo's first 24-inch, low-halogen display that provides up to 225 percent more work area than many 12.1-inch and 13.3-inch ultraportable notebook screens with resolutions of 1,280x800-pixels. The display uses white LED backlighting, which allows it to use only 29 watts of power to operate, according to the EPA Energy Star 4.1 standard it was tested under. To top it off, the display is also mercury and arsenic free.… Read more

LED-backlit LCDs battle for 'best' title

Now that we've published our review of the LED-backlit Samsung LN46A950, we're already receiving e-mails from readers, apparently with money to burn, who're anxious to find out whether it's better than the Sony XBR8 series, another LED-backlit contender that will hit store shelves in October.

Sony and Samsung will also be joined by LG in the backlit-LCD race, despite apparent lack of reader interest in that company's LG 47LG90. Since we haven't reviewed either of those two models yet we don't know how they compare with one another or with the Samsung, but that won't stop us from "spec"ulating with the only information we do have: spec sheets, rumors, and brief eye-time.

First off, it's worth noting that each of the three sets use a technology colloquially called "local dimming," where the individual LEDs behind the screen can be dimmed or turned off as needed. It's this technology that adds some weight to each company's claim of a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio (a nice round number, no?) When part of the screen goes dark and another is bright, standard fluorescent LCD backlights must rely on the LCD panel itself to block out the light and create dark areas. The result is the less-than-stellar black-level performance for which many LCDs have been noted. … Read more

Samsung LN46A950: LED-powered LCD delivers deepest blacks

As anybody who pays attention to the ubiquitous Samsung ads that run in CNET's home theater section can tell you, last year I called the picture quality of the company's LN-T4681F a "breakthrough" for flat-panel LCDs. I didn't resort to such highly descriptive language in my review of its successor, the LN46A950, but that doesn't mean I wasn't impressed. It can produce the deepest shade of black of any flat-panel LCD I've reviewed so far.

The extremely expensive A950 series, which also includes a 55-inch version, earns the right to charge so much because it employs LEDs (light-emitting diodes) to create the light behind the screen, whereas most flat-panel LCDs use florescent lights. The difference is that LEDs can be dimmed or turned off in dark areas of the screen.

Last year I noted that the LED-backlit Samsung, while capable of producing some very deep black levels of its own, suffered from some blooming effects--where especially bright objects on dark backgrounds are surrounded by a dim glow--and worse-than average off-angle performance. So did the company correct these issues in its second generation?

Read the full review of the Samsung LN46A950.… Read more

Hands-on: Duracell's new Daylite LED flashlights

Duracell today introduced a new line of flashlights with superbright LED bulbs. Dubbed "Daylite," the series is comprised of three models: two 80 lumens models (one AA and a more squat AAA model) that will retail for $25 each, and a twice-as-bright $35 model powered by lithium CR123 batteries. (Yes, each model includes Duracell batteries.) The rear end of all three models sports a battery cap reminiscent of Duracell batteries' trademark coppertop design.

Duracell provided CNET with an early sample of the AA model, which I've been using off and on for the past few weeks.… Read more