Samsung is a world leader in the production of high definition television products. They have had to compete with huge, successful television manufacturers like Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba and Motorola. Samsung’s products have gone from basic introduction models to highly successful engineering marvels that are as good, if not better than their larger competitors.

Samsung manufactures several different model lines, all with different features. They offer a model line called the series 600 that is perfect for first time HDTV buyers since its easy to use and yet has all the features and quality of much higher priced competitors.

The main difference between the sets within the 600 series is the screen size. The features and the quality of the image are the same among all the series 600 HDTVs.

The Samsung LN46A650 is the 46 inch screen size model in the 600 series. What makes it unique in the HDTV marketplace are the standard features that Samsung has incorporated into the model line.

The Samsung 46 LCD HDTV is the perfect HDTV for most rooms as it allows viewing from almost any angle and the image quality is magnificent.
Here is a list of features that we will also explain below:

• 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
• 178 degree viewing angle
• Auto Motion Plus 120 Hz image interpolation technology
• 4 millisecond pixel response time
• 120 Hz refresh rate

Samsung describes their molding process which creates the outer shell of the HDTV a Touch of Color. The frame is created using the same process that’s used in the automotive industry. It utilizes Samsung’s unique transparent and opaque color molding process and creates a clean, smooth black finish with just a hint of translucent red color that is visually appealing and attractive in almost every type of decor.

The Ultra clear LCD panel they use is partly responsible for producing the incredibly clear and vibrant picture quality. What this refers to is that Samsung has replaced the light diffusing plastic face of traditional LCD HDTVs with a natural black panel that has a clear anti-glare shield. It reduces the light that’s reflected externally and creates an image clarity that highlights black and darkened areas, creates richer, truer colors and a brighter overall picture. The blacks don’t appear grayish. This panel also allows you to see the screen from angles other than simply directly in front of it.

They also have what they call Wide Color Enhancer that enhances the color spectrum and delivers truer colors, so that greens, blues and reds do not appear washed out or faded, but vibrant and realistic.

What they call Auto Motion Plus 120 Hz image interpolation actually doubles the frame display rate from 60 to 120 frames a second and doesn’t repeat the same image to make more frames. It calculates what the middle frame would be between two frames and inserts that frame in between the two successive frames. This means that you can view fast action scenes without any degradation of high definition image quality.

50000:1 dynamic contrast ratio refers to the increase in the sets capability of creating realistic contrast and brightness levels. It aids in the picture quality by creating whiter whites, blacker blacks and almost an infinite subtlety of gradations in between.

120 Hz refers to the number of frames that refresh per second. The higher the number, the smoother and more defined the movement becomes.
Also important to know is the pixel response time rate. For the Samsung LN46A650 HDTV, the pixel response rate is a blazing fast 4 milliseconds. (Traditional HDTVs are usually around 8 millisecond response time).

Finally, they have made the television with a viewing angle of 178 degrees. That means that you can view the set with perfect picture clarity while standing up, off to the side and directly in front. You do not lose any picture quality when viewing at an awkward angle.

Guys, you may want to cover your eyes for this bit of information. The plasma TV was not developed by men wanting a better viewing experience for their favorite sports. There, the truth has been let out of the bag, so to speak. Walk into any electronics or television store and you will see LCD and plasma television screens, but the first plasma screen television was invented to be used as a computer monitor.

It all began in 1964 at the University of Illinois. At this time, computer monitors were simple televisions. You have to realize that the televisions at this time were cathode ray tubes.

Panasonic Plasma
They had to continuously refresh themselves in order to display correctly. That was a big problem when using a television as a computer monitor. Sure it was okay for watching tv shows, but the resolution for computers was terrible. By the end of the year the first plasma monitor was in operation.

Today’s plasma tv’s has millions of cells that comprise the color and resolution of the screen. That initial plasma monitor was only one cell. However, it was still a step in the right direction. There was a set back, though. Liquid crystal displays became the more acceptable method and plasma technology was put on hold. Fast forward a few years and Panasonic 42 plasma tv sets became widely popular.

Pioneer Plasma
Where would the world be without technology constantly pushing it forward? Sure a plasma TV did not put man on the moon or allow for cell cloning, but it was a huge development at the time and has greatly affected the economy. Three years ago a plasma television 42 inch wide was considered only for the rich and famous. Today, many consumers can now afford to own one of the Panasonic plasma tv technological marvels.

Thank you scientists at the University of Illinois for bringing men and women everywhere the ability to watch games on a plasma TV. Where would technology be if necessity had not demanded you devise a new computer monitor? Time can only tell what new marvels scientists will come up with next in their quest for the bigger, better and more colorful boob tube.

OK, in a nut shell:

• LCD - It stands for Liquid Crystal Display and without getting too technical it is  the type of TV, the other is Plasma
• HDTV - High Definition TV
• HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface is a type of cable to connect electronics to HDTVs

Keep in mind, not all LCD’s are HD. Check the box, owner manual or the TV itself, if it’s HD it will say it somewhere.

If you are using cable or satellite, your good to go but if you are on an antenna or rabbit ears, you’ll need to buy a digital converter box by February of 2009.

If you’re one of the Flintstones, you may still be using an old-fashioned curved-screen television. It’s time to switch up to one of the new DLP TV, don’t you think?

All types of flat panel televisions - from LCD display televisions to plasma TVs and projector units, are superior to old screens in a variety of ways. They don’t lose definition when seen from the edges, making those least-desired seats in your living room perfectly acceptable. They also have significantly better resolution than old-style televisions. You may still be able to make out the pixels when you sit close, but because high def television sets use digital technology instead of less-accurate analog, they have a much superior picture, either in still frames or motion. And they are designed to work well with all the latest technology, from blu-ray to HDTV.

Up until recently, flat-screen sets have been on the expensive side, and a lot of people who needed a new set were waiting until the prices came down a little. Well - it’s time. Small LCD TVs cost what an old-fashioned television would cost, if you could still find them, and even the large screens are often under a thousand dollars.

Before you buy, though, you need to understand a little bit about these new technologies.

LCD TVs use a liquid crystal display (LCD). Watches using this technology in monochrome have been around for decades, but only in the last ten years have researchers figured out how to create good-quality color liquid crystal that is reliable and long-lasting. An LCD TV has a nice thin appearance, and is basically a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between transparent layers, with a backlight behind everything. The light shines through the liquid crystals, which have been polarized to show up in the different colors for your display - and there’s your television. LCD TVs, when kept dim, use very little electricity, making them great for a darkened TV room. And they are among the cheapest flat-screen televisions you can buy.

LCD TVs do have a couple of drawbacks: first, older models are subject to “ghosting”, where a dim image of a previously-displayed picture can be seen through the new picture; for this reason, it’s wiser to buy LCD TVs new. They may also not be the best choice for a fast-paced game, as they often have a lag time that can mess you up. Blacks aren’t always as sharp and dark as you might like, another reason to view in a darkened room. And if you mistreat it, you can wind up with “dead” pixels, where nothing will display because that segment of LCD has been destroyed. In most new LCD TVs, though, these problems are minimal or nonexistent.

Plasma TVs are also flat-screen televisions, but work very differently from LCD TVs and have a very different set of strengths and weaknesses. While you can lay an LCD TV on its back - carefully - without ruining it, a plasma television can be destroyed if it is laid flat. That’s because instead of liquid crystals, it uses an inert gas sandwiched between two pieces of glass to create its display. Seals more easily come loose when the plasma TV is laid flat, allowing the gas to escape right then or over time.

Provided you care for it well and mount it properly, your plasma TV will function well for years. Unlike LCD TVs, plasma TVs display blacks very well (one selling point) and most will also work great for fast-refreshing games. Plasma TVs are often advertised as having the most realistic, highest-resolution, best-contrast display of all televisions, and this is probably true in almost every situation. Drawbacks include the expense - plasma TVs are not economical to make in small sizes, so you’ll have to buy a large one - and the relative fragility of these televisions.

Both plasma and LCD TVs usually need good wall mounts. The last thing you want to do with your high-def TVs is install them, only to have them fall down a couple of weeks later! Quality wall mounts for HDTVs should include very good hardware, preferably made by the same manufacturer that produced the television, and excellent directions so you can easily put it up yourself. If you are at all worried that you will not install it right, it may be wise to have someone install it for you.

DLP TVs are the third major set of television displays in use today. These are also called rear-projection televisions, and while they are significantly cheaper than either LCD or plasma TVs, they also are larger and bulkier (though not as bulky as projection TVs were in the past) and have a somewhat less impressive display. Still, for most uses DLP TVs do fine, and because the light source in a DLP TV is usually replaceable by the consumer, they have a much, much longer lifespan.

Very similar to DLP TVs are projector units. These gadgets are often small enough to carry by hand, but can project a movie-screen-size picture if they have a high enough resolution. Similar in appearance to an old-fashioned slide projector, projector units are a great choice for a small area, for someone who needs a portable large television, or for someone who wants a television without having an obvious television.

Your Home Theater

Plasma TVs, LCD TVs, DLP TVs, and projector units are all high-def TVs, as long as they have the appropriate tuner. Once you have them set up, you need to think about other components of your home theater. After all, what’s a large-screen television if you have to sit in your old uncomfortable couch to watch it?

Your first thoughts should be for electronics to enhance your viewing experience: good surround-sound speakers for a great theater experience, and universal remote controls to sit in comfort as you control everything in your environment yourself.

Once you have your electronics in line, go for the last thing on your list: theatre furniture. Your home experience, with comfortable chairs that don’t fold up when you stand up, can be superior to one at the local movie house. Look for spacious, durable seats that can handle spills as well as roomy cup holders and somewhere to put snacks, remotes, and anything else you habitually keep close while you’re watching your favorite flicks.

Creative Living Room Enhancements

Start with your living room, the destination for most high-def televisions. Wall mounts for Plasma Televisions and LCD TVs are expensive to install and often difficult to place exactly right; because you need studs in strategic places, you may find that some homes are not suited to them at all.

So instead of a wall mount, which can be unstable even in the best of situations, install a special space just for your LCD TV: a cavity in the wall designed to hold your television in exactly the right place for perfect viewing. You’ll have to tear out some drywall to do this right, which is a great excuse for your next step: wiring your living room for surround sound. In non-custom setups, cabling for good surround sound must be run across the floor, creating a hazard for humans and equipment alike. If, however, you install good wiring from your wall mount or cavity over to the perfect spots for your surround sound stations, you conceal your wiring completely, make a more secure environment, and add some real value to your home.

Don’t Forget the Bathroom

When I was a kid, I always thought the ultimate in luxury was having a television in the bathroom. This is more feasible today than ever. Run cabling into your bathroom to the blank wall that is ideal for your high-def TV, then install your wall mount. If you have a properly-designed bathroom, you may find the acoustics great not just for shower singing but for natural surround sound; otherwise, you should consider the same solution you used for the living room.

As a final touch, put a mirror screen over your bathroom high-def TV. This clever screen disguises your LCD or plasma TV as a useful mirror, but when you turn it on, the screen is as clear as if nothing were there at all.

The Media Room Addition

The ultimate home value enhancement today is the dedicated media room. With perfect acoustics (often including wall carpeting) and full wiring as well as ideally-situated wall outlets and LCD Televisions screen friendly lighting, this room is a perfect add-on or renovation.

If you’re considering major home renovations in the near future and you love your high-def TV, consider one of these enhancements for your home. You might be surprised at how much value they can add to your home - and even when they don’t add straight value, they can ensure your home sells faster, if you should choose to move in the future.