Samsung PN50C8000 50-Inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV (Black)

Samsung PN50C8000 50-Inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV (Black)

Customer Reviews
Super Sammy!!!, February 2, 2011
By E-man "E-man" (Chicago, IL USA)
Super Sammy....nuff said!!! Wow what a TV. I was back an forth between this and the Panny TC-P50VT25, but I got a really good deal on the Sammy with Bluray player and all 4 Shrek movies. Let me tell you I am not disappointed. In, I am very very very happy I got this TV.

Looks - beautiful silver finish with clear edges for bezel.

Picture Quality - wow, wow, wow!!! I got the Spears and Munsil calibration Bluray disk and now the Sammy shows why it is one of the best plasma TV ever made thus far. There are settings for every detail. I don't think there is a real need for a
Pro setting menu for professional as you can virtually control everything.
The clarity, color, blacks and contrast are excellent!!! You will be amazed at
the picture.

Sound - very good just for TV speakers indeed although I plan to get a surround setup soon.

3D - wow it is very good. The Shrek moves look awesome in 3D. I have not had any crosstalk that some mention. I was able to watch the Sony golf tournament in 3D and it was awesome!!! Lakers in 3D was incredible too. I can't wait for The Masters now.

I really like the remote as well. Sturdy, lighting and good feel in my hand.

I have my settings below. Let me know if they help you or if you have some others. Again this was the done with the Spears and Munsil Bluray (reviewed this as well).

Mode - CAL-DAY
Cell Light - 15-17 (12 at Cal-NIGHT )depending on how much light get in the
room, I use 16 when sunny and 17 when sunny with snow, 15 on cloudy
day
Brightness - 58 (56 for CAL-NIGHT)
Contrast - 88
Color - 50
Sharpness - 40 (I used 40 although calibration directed me to 0 actually)
Tint - 50/50

Advanced
Black Tone - Darker
Dynamic Contrast - Medium
Gamma - 0
Color Space - Native
Edge Enhancement - ON

Picture Options
Color Tone - Cool
Size - 16:9
HDMI Black Level - Normal
other settings are AUTO or OFF

My CAL-NIGHT settings are the same except noted above for cell light and brightness

BAM SUPER SAMMY!!!

Look no further, great TV, January 30, 2011
By G
I bought this TV in November (its now the end of January) and love it.
This is my first plasma (I have a smaller LCD in another room) and it is great.

When I purchased this it was entirely through Amazon and it came with a free bluray and 3D starter kit and free shipping and free return shipping - the free return shipping was the real deal maker for me purchasing this over the net. When the TV arrived it was brought into the house (still boxed) by the Amazon delivery company. After I opened and set it up I noticed that there was a thin black horizontal line all the way across the screen a couple inches from the top of the set (not the 16/9 line, but a defect line). Since it was delivered Thanksgiving week I didn't feel like dealing with it so I called Amazon the day after Thanksgiving. I expected a long wait followed by an unpleasant conversation that I figured would end with me telling them to come get the TV and I'd just return it with the free return shipping option.

After I explained the line defect to the employee, and told her that it was this way from the moment I opened it, I just didn't feel like dealing with it until after Thanksgiving, she said, and here's where I expected the fight to start, "You have two options: 1st I can send the delivery company to come pick it up and issue you a full refund or, 2nd, I can send the delivery company to come pick it up and replace it with another one at the same time. Which would you prefer?" Amazon made the exchange easy and completely painless! I asked for the exchange and the next Tuesday the swap took place - and remember my call was placed on Black Friday. Thank you Amazon!

The TV itself is great. I haven't done any of the tweaking for optimum picture noted in prior reviews, but I love the picture quality. The user interfaces (both the remote and the on-screen) are easy to understand and use. One earlier reviewer noted that there were no controls on the TV itself so the remote always had to be used. There are actually "watermark" type (i.e. very faintly outlined) controls on the lower right of the TV on the clear plastic edge that goes around the set. While not really functional for routine use, it does make it easy to turn the set off after the kids leave it on and I don't feel like looking for the remote just to turn it off.

Some other reviewers noted a buzzing/hum when the set was turned on. I haven't experienced it. Neither of the two sets I hooked up had it. BUT, I took someone else's advise and bought a power "cleaner" to connect all my new equipment through. While the reviews on the power cleaners range from "power cleaners are absolutely essential" to "this is complete BS" I figured that I needed a good surge protector anyway and for a couple of bucks more, I would give it a try. Does it really work, I don't know. Do I have the buzz/hum that several people complain about, nope.

The sound on the set is standard TV set quality sound. In other words it isn't anything like what it is run through an entertainment center. But then again, it isn't run through an entertainment center. My family watches all sorts of movies and TV shows with the TV's native sound system and no one has complained once. It is perfectly fine. I think some people expect a theater sound experience, that's not the case. I bought this TV for the theater visual experience, which it delivers!

Overall, the TV is amazing. The 2D picture is beautiful. The 3D picture is also beautiful. The TV's ability to convert native 2D to 3D is neat, but not something I've taken advantage of other than to try out for the novelty of it.

Assuming the set you receive does not have the buzz/hum some users complain about, you will love this set!

Best TV for those who think the design is as important as the quality, January 24, 2011
By L. W. Lu "William" (Los Angeles, CA)
The TV that I bought is PS50C7700 which is the European model for PN50C8000. I originally was looking into the LCD version of this which is the UE40C7700 or 9000s. However, after discussing it with a few TV salesmen and researching on a few TV review sites, I've decided to get he PN50C8000/PL50c7700. I recently moved to the Netherlands, but I had been eyeing the Samsung 3D TVs for a while back when I was still living in Southern California. I have to say I am very satisfy with the purchase.

I have read a few reviewers that prefer Panasonic plasma VT25 over the Samsung LCD 8000 series based of the performance of the 3D movies. Plasma works better with the 3D technology than the LCDs... if you tilt your head wearing the 3D glasses using the LCD TVs, the picture will get dimmer. But it doesn't do that on plasma. Even thought most reviewers are slightly more favorable toward Panasonic, unanimously the reviewers commented that Samsung TVs are far more superior in design while the picture quality of Panasonic TV may be slightly more superior.

So before you buy this TV, make sure you know what a plasma TV entails: break-in period (which is around 100-200 hours I think) where you need to keep the TV in half of the brightness to prevent burn in images and during this period it is very likely the screen will retain images when you watch a lot of static images. Nevertheless, the technology for plasma tvs these days should prevent your plasma tvs from getting any burn-in images. So, don't get the burn-in images and retention images confused. Retention images will go away. Burn in doesn't... and it shouldn't be any problem anymore with the plasma technology these days. On the plus side, this TV (and plasma tvs in general) produces far more superior life-like images and is a lot faster than LCDs.

As far as the buzzing noise goes, it goes with almost any TV, the brighter the screen is the more likely you hear a buzzing noise. I generally watch my TV in a dim room or with very little light, so Samsung PN50C8000 is perfect for me. My TV doesn't make a noticeable buzz noise. My PS3 makes a louder noise than my TV.

The 3D works amazing on this TV. It also has the capability to turn 2D movies and make it into 3D (although it isn't nearly as good as an actual 3D movie). When I bought this TV, there was a special deal. I ended up getting 3 free pairs of 3D glasses and 4 3D movies. How To Train Your Dragon looks awesome in 3D.

The USB plugs work great. I've been using USB flash drives to watch tons of my downloaded movies and tv shows. It is also very easy to update the firmware on this TV because it's connected to the internet. You can do it wirelessly with an additional wireless USB plug, but I just hooked mine up with an ethernet cable.

Occasionally I can see a bit of image retention on the screen, but it goes away. And it's getting less and less visible as I have this TV longer. I'm very happy with my purchase. It may be the best thing I bought myself in 2010. Blu-ray movies look fantastic on this screen. I highly recommend watching 'The Fall' blu-ray on this TV.

PROS:
chic design
ultra slim, so it looks great on the wall or on top of a tv stand
clear life-like images
great 3D picture quality (better than the LCD counter part)
the 3D glasses are much better than the ones from other brands like panasonic and sony
Excellent black-level performance
accurate color overall
properly handles 1080p/24 sources
excellent bright-room image for a plasma
numerous picture controls and tweaks
great streaming and widget content via well-integrated Apps platform
way more affordable than other 3D TVs

Cons:
break in period
image retention (not a big issue for me)
1080p/24 mode causes a bit loss in black level performance
may not be as vibrant as LED tvs

not completely satisfied, January 23, 2011
By Stephen Graham (Odessa, Texas)
I bought this tv as a package deal. TV, Blue ray player and a 3D starter kit. The TV has an amazing picture quality, and I like the 2d to 3d, but can't tell you anything about the the actual 3d movies because I haven't gotten my Blue ray player yet. I ordered on Jan 9th and now Amazon is telling me it could be the end of February before I receive it. You can buy them anywhere and Amazon can't seem to come up with one....What's the deal. I have never had problems before on my orders. Also trying to connect to the Internet via Samsung Wireless lan adapter, my computer tells me I need to download Samsung drivers. You would think the drivers would come with the TV.

SUPERB IMAGE QUALITY AND BEAUTIFUL DESIGN!, January 22, 2011
By C. Lai "Mandarin" (Los Angeles CA)
Purchase date: Dec.31 2010. Full array of tweaks, apps, widgets, and features: If you are the type of person who like to "play with numerous controls" in order to customize your television experience the way that "you want", this TV will equal paradise to you!... Most users won't use all the features, but it's nice to have them. For example, who will really use 3 sets of " on/off " timers, on top of a sleep timer?... or have a message on your tv screen when you receive a text message on your cel phone? Plasma displays typically offer beyond any doubt the best, most pleasing and realistic picture, from all angles: this TV is no exception! The color accuracy, deep blacks, and image definition are so amazing on this Samsung TV that your favorite pet may want to jump into the tv! Movies on this set are just breathtaking!.

I like its contemporary design, and the TV is a lot thinner than its direct competitor, Panasonic's flagship model. The PN50C8000 remote control is a continuation of the unit's design and is not your regular "Fisher Price" big rubber button remote; so I disagree with CNET's opinion by a mile. I also disagree with CNET's review and ranking when comparing Samsung's flagship model to the Panasonic's. The only advantage noted by CNET was the black level scientifically measured on the Panasonic VT25, which won the contest by a hair over Samsung. However, Panasonic's black level decreases over time according to... Panasonic. Furthermore, Panasonic's tasteless "Ford Escort" inspired design is at the antipodes of the contemporary lines of Samsung's flagship model. Panasonic's app interface looks like a game of Pong straight form the 1980's rather than the nice well organized app screen found on the Samsung, which by the way also offers the greatest number of apps of any tv. The PN50C8000 is not shy about its black... it offers about 5 different levels of black that you can set to your liking... (yes, it does extremely deep blacks) I also have to mention that my model was manufactured at the end of 2010, so it has a darker plasma screen than the same model on display at Best Buy. That is probably why Amazon adds "(BLACK)" at the end of the model's number. This tv also came with the latest software version, so I did not even need to update it! This is also probably why some previous bugs are no longer present...

Plasma TV's consume slightly more energy than same size LED's. but on average, and with normal settings, we're talking about 75-100W more than LED's, so around 200W total, depending on settings and the image being displayed. However, that will certainly not intimidate anyone who wants to add a 800-1000W home theater sound system to complement his/her purchase, or use a 1100W microwave to make popcorn... Give me a break!

As far as the buzzing goes, I only heard a low buzzing sound for a very short time. After turning the TV slightly on its stand, it then stopped and I never heard it again. There is however a note in the user manual that a buzz may be heard at over 6500ft of altitude (if you live at that elevation). In any case, one should definitely use a power surge with line conditioner to control possible interference, especially with any TV in this size and price range! Samsung also includes a "ferrite" that one can attach / clip to the power cord to control/avoid interference. I did not personally experience any image retention so far, under normal, responsible but "not over-paranoid" viewing conditions. If you do watch CNN for hours however, I suspect that it would be wiser to purchase a LED TV's instead. Samsung warns users about static images being displayed for long periods on this type of screen (not covered by the warranty) causing what is called "burned in" images. But, guess what, there is also 2 separate functions on this TV in order to prevent this from happening; a swipe that can be run for a few minutes to "erase" image retention, and a pixel rotating function which is "on" by default.

Hope this has been helpful. It's all a matter of common sense, and taste of course. The user manual is a free download from Samsung's website if one wants to go over all the specs before buying. At about $1600 on Amazon (MSRP: $2,299) including a blu-ray player, 3D movies, and 2 pairs of 3D glasses, it's a real deal! You should get it!

A more technical review, January 20, 2011
By Francisco Diaz "Frank1911" (Mexico city)
I just bought this TV. I had Sony Bravia KDL 46EX700, the picture was amazing but only when sitting infront of it, so i left it go. Now, comparing this two tvs, despite the fact that they are different technologies, i mean LED and Plasma i most say:

Picture quality for samsung seems to be poor next to Sony Bravia (slight lack of texture, darker look, poor or excesive picture edge handling ).
It handles 96Hz refresh top, it can be good since there is a notticeable improvement in faster scenes, but it is a bit annoying since it is not as smooth as expected.
It tooks a lot of screen adjustements to get the most of it. so you have to be familiar with technical tv stuff.
3D quality seems to me a little bit weak next to some other tvs from samsung and lg, but it is good at the end of the day.
Acces to some RC functions are quite complicated such as PIP, power saving settings, etc.
Picture quality limited to specific input devices (my ps3 doesn't looks as good as my samsung BDplayer does, and there no way to match the quality of the 2 devices.
No quality loss due to angle of vision.
Realistic colors.
Marks on screen wich are inherent to plasma.
High energy consumption.

Breathtaking picture...but an increasing buzzing noise, January 17, 2011
By CML
I logged 8 hours of watching HD football the day after I got this. I had adjusted the picture settings to match the online expert recommendations, and come game time I was staring at pure reality. I've never seen picture quality of this caliber (...but I haven't seen a Kuro).

Around the 7th hour, I noticed the buzzing noise. I had been on the lookout because other reviews discussed this potential problem. When I began watching the games I thought I was in the clear because I couldn't hear a buzz for hours even when I muted the TV. But then it began, and it continued to get louder and louder until I went to bed. It was easily heard over the TV at a regular volume. My drunken, couch-sleeping friend woke up for a water and without being prompted about the buzz said, "Is that your TV?"

On the second day of TV watching, it only took 2 hours for the buzzing to return, but I didn't have the TV running long enough to hear how loud it would climb to again.

On the third day, I contacted Amazon for a return. I want this make/model -- the picture quality is head and shoulders above the Vizio XVT553SV 55" I recently returned to Amazon due to off-angle viewing haziness, and it sounded better, too. This is the best TV I've ever seen, and I'll keep trying until I get one without a buzz.

This thing is awesome, January 11, 2011
By GoCougs
I would recommend this over the led anyday. The picture is a lot better. 2d to 3d capabilities make me like it more than the more expensive panasonic vt series.

Awesome TV, January 10, 2011
By A Customer
This is an awesome TV and I would highly recomend you consider this tv when decideing on a flat panel tv. For the money you can't get a LED/LCD with the same performance and picture quality as this Sansung PN50C8000.

Fantastic picture. No buyer's remorse., December 30, 2010
By Daniel Cohen (New York, NY)
This is my very first Amazon review. I feel that strongly about this purchase that I wanted to share my experience.

Some background. This is an upgrade from a Sony 34" CRT HDTV. I had that set for 6 years and it had a terrific picture. I've always maintained that a good hi-def tube set still looks better than any current Flat-Panel display. I still feel that way, but it was time to upgrade to a bigger (50+), more modern set. My living room (NYC apartment) is 10 feet wide, so the viewing distance is about 9 to 9.5 feet (taking into account the couch and the fact that I'm not wall mounting the set).

I had already excluded LCD due to price (at 50" and above), screen refresh rate, viewing angle, and a more "film-like" quality that I believe plasmas tend to have. I was fixated on Panasonic, as they are known for their plasma sets with excellent black levels, and I have several friends and family members who own a Panasonic plasma. I've always been impressed by the picture quality and a minimal "digital" look to their images.

My first purchase was a 58" plasma, the Panasonic TC-P58S2, and I got a great deal on it (1099 + tax). After setting it up, the first problem I noticed (and the ultimate reason for returning it) was that at a viewing distance of 9 feet, it was too easy to see grain and picture noise in the display, particularly with HD cable signals. Blu-ray movies looked fantastic at any distance, but overall, I felt this set was too large. Amazon guidelines indicate that 9 feet is acceptable for a 58" set, but I feel that if you are going to get a set this large at this distance, it really needs to be top of the line (and the TC-P58S2 is a highly rated set) or you are going to notice noise in the picture. From a distance of 12 feet or more, that noise blurs away perfectly (as it should) and you see a excellent picture.

I returned the set and decided that if I was going to go smaller to 50", I should get a set that is rated at the top of its class. I am happy to report that the PN50C8000 is simply the best television I've ever seen at this size. I really can't undersell the quality of the picture on this set. Everything I watch looks fantastic. HD Cable broadcasts look terrific with no discernible grain. Blu-Rays looks stunning. 3D Blu-Rays look as good as I've seen on any 3D digitally-projected theater screen. The best way I can describe the picture quality is that it's truly film-like in appearance. The colors look fantastic and properly calibrated right out of the box (mostly using "Movie" mode for all viewing). The level of detail I can see on blu-ray movies still stuns me; It's almost unreal how sharp it is. This is what buying a set of this calibur is all about.

A quick note about the intangibles. The aesthetic of the set is far superior to any Panasonic. It's very thin (1.4") and it looks beautiful. The bezel is classy, stylish, and properly subtle as to not draw your eye's attention while watching the screen. The swivel base is definitely appreciated as well. I haven't used any calibration tools yet, but I'm glad this set has a plethora of tweaking options. I've turned off ALL the image processing features, which from everything I've read online, make the picture worse. Make sure to turn off the "dejudder" option in particular. I'm amazed Samsung keeps this on as a default out of the box. The 3D upscaling isn't really worth using, but true 3D blu-rays are a joy to watch.

I'm sure some of you are concerned about buzz. All plasmas buzz, but I'm happy to report that the amount of buzz on this set is no more than I've heard with any other, and it's virtually inaudible at 9 feet away with normal sound levels. I was definitely worried about a buzz issue, as it's the kind of thing that would bother me if I could hear it even a little bit. In this case, the buzz is low enough that I never even think about it.

The other possible concern is image retention. There is some image retention you will see after leaving a paused image on the screen for more then 15 minutes, but it quickly goes away after a few minutes of watching a moving picture.

I am thrilled with this purchase. It's a beautiful set in all ways with a truly stunning, film-quality, super crisp picture. I have not had a single moment of regret about buying this model.

That's about it. Feel free to ask a question in the comments section.