Samsung 55-inch D8000 LED TV - Top Notch HD
Jam packed with a long list of features such as Samsung's Smart Hub, 3D capabilities and micro dimming, the new high-end D8000 series promises to deliver the best possible performance. We test out the myriad of functions the TV puts at our disposal too see how much value they add to the overall experience.
The New Centerpiece for a Smart Life
This is the time of the year when new television models hit the retail shelves and after covering the Samsung launch event we had the opportunity to test out the D8000 LED 3D TV from their refreshed lineup. The new TVs are meant to be the center piece of ‘Smart Living’ by virtue of their ability to sync with other popular Samsung products such as the and the , along with being fitted with a whole host of other features that we'll soon touch on.
The new Samsung D8000 TV has stylish good looks. The 55-inch version measures in at 1233mm x 707mm x 30mm without the stand.
With the Samsung D8000’s good looks, we have no qualms making this TV the focal point of our living room. An ultra-slim, 5mm brushed metal aluminum bezel makes the LED screen’s design modern, minimalist and contemporary. A quad stand has been introduced to the design but it has not solved the stability issue generally found with Samsung TVs. Sadly, this model remains wobbly as well and our advice is to not disturb the TV once it's set in place.
The back of the TV houses the essential sockets. Assembly is a relatively easy process. All you need to do is screw in the new quad stand and you are ready to go. Handle with care as the TV is pretty large and the screen is heavy. It's advisable to have another person to assist at this setup stage.
Three USB ports mean that you will be able to connect and dock a whole host of products to your TV at the same time without hassle. Also visible are the four HDMI slots. While the positioning of the jacks is good if you intend to wall mount your TV, they are a bit inaccessible if your screen is placed near a wall.
Breakout cables for the composite and component input ports help the Samsung D8000 achieve its slim profile with less cabling.
Keeping up with the anorexic standards set by today’s models, the D8000 measures in at just 30mm deep. The slim profile is achieved with the help of breakout cables for some of the ports situated at the back. Three USB ports provide evidence of Samsung’s desire to make this TV the hub for your tech lifestyle.
Besides improving its physical design, even the software based user interface has also been cleaned up. The simple, central menu presentation blocks out most of the screen, but ensures full focus is on the menus when it is brought up. With just three levels of nesting, and simple language we found that menu was very user-friendly and even inviting for those who do not usually fiddle with TV settings.
The Smart Hub Experience
One of the primary attractions of the Samsung D8000 and the new models in general is the Smart Hub, a topic that we have touched on previously. The feature offers a wide range of applications and video-on-demand (VOD) services. While testing we found its implementation to be slick and streamlined. The only blemish was the blinking main page of the Smart Hub whenever you returned to it after closing any app. On the whole though, if Singtel and Starhub follow through on their promise to deliver locally tailored content, the Samsung Smart Hub would definitely become a major selling point.
The home page for the Smart Hub lays out all the different sections in an easy to use interface. Content is divided into Applications, Your Video, Social TV and an all purpose display at the bottom. Situated top-center is the Search All function.
To delve a little deeper into the Smart Hub’s functionality, applications like YouTube work similarly to the real deal, providing you with options to browse by genres and categories, search and even flag questionable videos. A social media hub is also part of the Smart Hub parcel and is available for those addicted to Twitter and Facebook. Since a TV is accessible by almost anyone in your household, Samsung solves the problem of protecting your online accounts by introducing a SmartID profile for the TV giving you two layers of protection. Both free and paid video-on-demand and television channels are accessible through the Smart Hub as well.
The navigation bar for the YouTube application is displayed here and should be familiar to all. It offers the same functionality as other versions of the YouTube service. Note that if the video played is encoded at low quality, be prepared for a bad picture - especially on bigger screens.
To round-up the features, the Smart Hub also boasts an in-built browser. This however, falls well short of the experience most people would be used to on notebooks and smartphones. Typing with the remote using a T9 dictionary is a chore, made worse by the unresponsive buttons. Both tabbed and cursor versions of scrolling are choppy. Also take note that a software upgrade was required before the browser could function and you might have to do the same as well.
If you've a Samsung Galaxy Tab or Galaxy S mobile phone, you can get Samsung's Smart TV Remore app to help control your TV. This should help in text entry inputs as well. Unfortunately, we didn't have either of them to try it out in time for this review.
The T9 predictive text typing with the remote for the Web-browser is not optimal. Perhaps the Smart TV Remote app coupled with the Samsung Galaxy Tab or the Galaxy S could help this aspect, but we didn't have either of them on hand during our test duration. We'll update this aspect in the future.
The large elongated Samsung remote that accompanied our test unit. Unfortunately we were not given a chance to try out the full QWERTY remote that Samsung has also released.
Calibration and Testing
As always, we ran our usual battery of tests to determine the capabilities of the Samsung D8000. Datacolor's Spyder3TV Home Theater Color Calibration kit helped us ensure proper calibration for the TV, seeing that showroom settings are always harsh with the contrast settings set too high for our liking.
Spyder3TV Report
As mentioned, to maintain a standard across our review units, we calibrated the TV with Datacolor's Spyder3TV Home Theater Color Calibration kit prior to our visual tests. This is to ensure we assess the HDTV based on optimal display settings, and not purely on visual estimation alone. Using the TV's Standard preset, we've also disabled all the necessary 'boosters' such as color and edge enhancement features.
Starting off from this neutral ground, we ran through the diagnostic tests and came to the following calibrated settings as our conclusion: Brightness at 44, Contrast at 98, Color at 56 and Tint at 0. Black and white luminance readings were measured as 0.109 cd/m2 and 356.656 cd/m2 respectively. These figures suggest that the black levels and overall brightness achievable on the Samsung D8000 55-inch TV are pretty good when compared to other equivalent sized TVs we tested not too long ago such as the and the . We'll soon find out in the following pages if these figures do translate to an even more enjoyable TV viewing experience with our movie tests.
A screen capture from our Spyder3TV Testing and Calibration. We ended up with a black luminance of 0.109 cd/m2 and a white luminance of approximately 357 cd/m2. Basic TV Settings displayed above are Brightness set at 44, Contrast at 98, Color at 56 and Tint at 0.
Lastly, we would like to mention that the findings from Spyder3TV are quite impressive because they are extremely close to the out-of-the-box settings we found our unit calibrated to initially. In fact, keeping most features at the middle setting would ensure your Samsung D8000 is ready to perform close to optimal levels as soon as you set it up.
Displaymate
DisplayMate is an application which generates a sequence of test patterns to determine the capabilities of imaging devices, like color and gray-scale accuracies for example. For our tests, we've hooked up the TV to our display test-bed PC using an HDMI connection. To be fair across the board, we have also disabled all visual enhancements on the TV in order to reduce the variables involved.
The Samsung D8000 boasts a 25,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and a real refresh rate of 240 Hz. It is now time to see how these numbers translate to real time performance. Here are some findings based on the relevant and critical test patterns:-
Screen Uniformity
First results were disappointing. On the Screen Uniformity test, we noticed bleeding at the four corners when looking at a black background. With a white and gray background, overall uniformity was splotchy and we could see patches of different brightness.
Dark Gray Scale
The results picked up and the different shades of gray were well defined and clearly delineated from the black background they were presented on. Performance was excellent on the calibrated setting of 44 for brightness and increasing brightness to higher levels made differentiation of the darkest boxes possible as well without overly affecting the rest of the gray scales.
Color Scales
No perceptible change of hue occurs across the color scales. However, there is a greenish tinge to the yellow color as it progressed to the deeper spectrum. The Samsung D8000 makes up lost ground for its performance in our earlier screen uniformity test.
256-Intensity Level Color Ramp
Another thorough test of the TV’s abilities when handling colors was presented by the 256-Intensity Level Color Ramp.
The color ramp here shows how quickly the colors fade to black. The performance for the white row is good while the D8000 falters slightly when reproducing red and blue.
IDTV HQV Tests
IDT's HQV Tests are designed to assess image quality and the handling of digital displays and players through a variety of video signal processing tasks which includes decoding, de-interlacing, motion correction, noise reduction and film cadence detection. We've programmed the Blu-ray player to playback in 1080i in order to stress the TV's video processor. This compels the TV's processor to convert interlaced signals into progressive to accommodate the HDTV's panel. Here are the results we noted on two of the most crucial tests:-
Digital Noise Filtering
The Samsung D8000 has two noise reduction filters, a general feature and one designed to specifically address MPEG Noise. Their performance was commendable and both helped clear up a display that was relatively noise free to begin with. Importantly, the image quality and detail was not degraded to a significant extent when the noise reduction features were engaged.
Digital Noise Filtering capabilities were exceptionally impressive, as can be seen by this picture where the image on the left is cleaned up by the D8000 and compared with the perfect 10 on the right.
Diagonal Filter Test
A rotating bar on a black background is used to test the diagonal filtering capabilities of the TV. The Samsung D8000 showed no tearing or jagged edges and the solid lines point towards a strong ability to reconstruct from an interlaced source.
Film Resolution Loss Test
Most modern TVs have adequate cadence detection, but when subjected to the rigorous test sequence of the HQV they almost always falter. Keeping that in mind, the vertical banding noticed with the SMPTE boxes when testing the Samsung D8000 provide evidence of good telecine conversion properties. For most other TVs, we usually see the boxes toggle between solid white and solid black colors. There is evidence then that this TV will be able to handle 24p (an encoding type found on Blu-ray) playback with a good degree of fidelity and these results made us look forward to our actual film testing on the following page.
HD, SD and 3D Performance
Watching test patterns and colors on the screen let us evaluate singular aspects of the TV. However, it is essential to evaluate the overall experience generated by all the features and hardware. For this purpose, we have a varied selection of HD, SD and 3D material. Please note that performance and artifacts exhibited might not be accurately captured by cameras and hence may not be evident in the pictures below, but we'll do our best to convey our experiences.
HD Tests
Corpse Bride Blu-ray
Tim Burton’s animated film provided the Samsung D8000 a chance to put its capabilities to work. The most impressive aspect of watching this Blu-ray title in our preferred test scene was the excellent black levels observed (which further emphasizes our calibrated findings). Victoria Everglot’s red dress provided a sharp relief with good contrast, clarity, vibrancy and yet we could discern other details in this mostly dark scene. Interestingly, the problems we encountered during our screen uniformity test were not present when examined here.
The dress' texture and detail are preserved and its color and hue reflect the dark surroundings and setting of Corpse Bride.
In addition to its already excellent rendition of dark scenes, the Samsung D8000 has a Black Tone feature which allows users to adjust the darkness of the color according to their own preferences. However, it must be noted that using the feature can cast a slight black tinge over other colors, making them seem muted. For our viewing of Corpse Bride, which relies heavily of shadows and murkiness for ambiance, we found setting this level to "Dark" improved the overall viewing experience without detracting from the vibrancy of the brighter colors.
Black Tone helps you adjust the strength and darkness of the black color on screen. Even with the feature turned off, the Samsung D8000 does an excellent job of rendering the different dark areas while retaining details as evidenced in this scene from Corpse Bride.
Vantage Point Blu-ray
Vantage Point is known to be notoriously unkind to televisions. It is a hard task to reproduce the flushed skin tones of the characters under the Spanish sun, while the movement and panning of certain scenes causes tearing and judders. It seems however that the Samsung D8000 is equipped to deal with these challenges.
In our opinion, the Motion Plus feature on the TV is one of the best movement enhancing options we have encountered. While similar options on other TVs might make panoramic shots flow smoothly, they almost always make human movement look clumsy and jarring. However we experienced blanket smoothness when we set the Motion Plus feature of the Samsung D8000 to "Clear". A perfect example would be the U.S President’s entrance in this movie. The cavalcade glided in to park and the smooth motion was carried on in to the scene where the passengers disembark.
However, the settings still could not help it deal with the infamous scene at 23:20. We could detect minimal tearing, but that may partially be because we were specifically looking for it. On the whole, in our opinion, watching Vantage Point’s story unfold was a visual treat.
Slight tearing was visible around the characters head at 23:20 of Vantage Point.
Another point in favor of the Samsung D8000 was the natural skin tone of the characters in the movie. With the "Flesh Tone" feature, users can adjust the color by increasing or decreasing the red tinge. We didn't feel the need to fiddle with the settings because performance at neutral was close to perfect.
Zoe Saldana looked beautiful as ever thanks in great part to the good color reproduction of the Samsung D8000.
SD Tests
X-Men: The Last Stand (DVD)
Since standard definition content is still in abundance, it is important to test any TV with lower definition materials to ascertain its overall performance. The D8000 being one of the higher end models, it was disappointing to see tearing and smearing when we played X-Men: The Last Stand DVD. While "Motion Plus" made the wide, swooping camera angles look breathtaking as Cyclops meandered around road bends, artifacts could clearly be seen on the close-up shots. On the bright side, the noise reduction features came to the fore and greatly helped clean mosquito buzz and other movie grain while still retaining a high degree of detail. Overall, we felt the TV could have done better in the playback of low definition content.
SD Test results were a mixed bag. While the D8000's noise filtering cleaned up the picture and the Motion Plus made dynamic sequences look better, artifacts could clearly be seen on tighter angles such as this one.
3D Tests
Monsters vs Aliens Blu-ray
Unfortunately, 3D performance was a big letdown and is the Samsung D8000’s biggest weakness (as has been noted in their previous 3D TVs like the and the ). When watching the 3D edition of Monsters vs Aliens, we experienced blurry images along with a high degree of cross-talk. Ghosting was also present. In addition, the 2D to 3D conversion feature was weak and generated a shallow depth of field. These results are surprising considering 3D is poised to be an integral part of televisions for the foreseeable future. It is doubly shocking if we take into account the stellar performance of the D8000 for most of our other tests.
The 3D effect is provided with the help of active shutter glasses. We found them to be bulky but not extremely cumbersome. Since the technology necessitates the use of electronic circuitry on the glasses, the size is something that is difficult to cut back on. An annoying feature was the oversight to provide feedback with respect to actuation on the glasses. You can press the power button but the glasses do not provide any indication that they have been switched on, which can leave first time users wondering if the glasses are functioning or not.
The active shutter glasses work on the principles of stereoscopy, with the left and the right lens switching between dark and transparent alternatively within a matter of milliseconds to provide a full HD 1080p 3D experience.
The power button is situated on the right shoulder of the glasses. Normally, we would have expected some indication that the glasses have been switched on but this simple aspect is missing on the active shutter glasses that came with the Samsung D8000. You would have to view some 3D content to figure out if the glasses are indeed working,
Final Thoughts
With testing complete we can now give you our final assessment of the Samsung D8000. On the whole, it impressed us with its excellent display. Boasting 240Hz refresh rate and 25,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, we were glad to find out that unlike some TVs where the specs are just brochure stats, this TV had the performance to back it up. Colors are represented very well and the micro dimming ensures that the details and interplay between light and shadow comes to the fore. The TV also performs surprisingly well when handling blacks (and dark shades in general), which is always a huge plus in our eyes.
The new Samsung D8000 sitting proudly in our lab in all its 55-inch glory.
Advanced settings in the menu seem to be very well thought out and address almost all problems that a viewer might encounter. Simple naming and a easily navigable menu means that almost anyone can fiddle around and tweak the settings according to their liking. However, without significant calibration you can still expect high performance from the Samsung D8000 out of the box.
The Smart Hub is an added attraction which boosts the overall functionality of the TV. The applications we had the chance to test out were well executed and ran smoothly. We expect this feature to grow and become a staple for almost all TV models in the future. One area of improvement is the built-in browser which needs to be brought up to meet the usability standards set by other platforms such as notebooks and smartphones. It will take time, but we know it's a possibility if the engineers put their minds to it.
However, if you intend to watch 3D content, the Samsung D8000 might not be the TV for you. Movies produced in 3D, such as Monsters and Aliens suffered from ghosting and cross-talk which significantly degraded the viewing experience. 2D to 3D conversion fared no better with the effects lacking depth.
The Samsung D8000 is an excellent TV for those who love to view content in high definition. Its excellent cadence detection and micro dimming capabilities means that it will play content encoded in 24p well while also delivering a realistic color palate.
It seems as if the Samsung D8000 performs half of the tasks expected admirably while falling short in other departments. For a high-end model and specially if we take its S$6499 price tag into account for the huge 55-inch real estate, we expected much better performance across the board. If you just want a TV with excellent HD playback capability and 3D support being a bonus, then we would recommend this TV to you in a heartbeat. However, if you want a model that is more versatile, has good 3D capabilities and handles standard definition content like DVDs well, you might have to continue your search or check out some .
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