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Samsung LN52B630 LCD HDTV review: PIP (Picture-in-Picture) and SRS TruSurround HD

Posted to Televisions 2010-07-12

The Samsung LN52B630 is a new 52 inch LCD HDTV from Samsung. It features full HD 1980 x 1080p resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a fast 4ms response time. Other features include a built-in digital tuner, PIP (Picture-in-Picture) and Touch of Color, which accents the black bezel with a highlight of red for a stylish design. The LCD TV incorporates a game mode, two 10W stereo speakers and SRS TruSurround HD, which creates virtual surround sound from two speakers.

The LN52B630 also includes a USB 2.0 port for viewing photos, watching MPEG movies, or listening to MP3 music. There's also a wired Ethernet connection with Samsung's InfoLink, which delivers RSS feeds of news, weather and sports via the Internet. Connectivity options include 4 HDMI inputs, 2 component video inputs, 2 composite video inputs, 1 PC input, 2 USB 2.0 ports, the Ethernet port and 1 optical digital audio output. The unit has a dynamic contrast ratio of 80,000 to 1.

Rating:

4.0 out of 5

Value

Given recently lowered pricing on this unit, it represents an excellent value in a full-featured 52" LCD HDTV. The LN52B630 has all the features you're likely to need for a home theater system or media center TV. The unit is very stylish, and performance is excellent - image quality is better than most of the competition, even in bright lighting and at wide viewing angles. Digital device support is more than you're likely to need, and legacy I/O support is excellent.

Features

The LN52B360 gets high marks for features. The performance specifications are excellent, the unit has all of the connectivity options you're likely to use, and the legacy I/O support is best in class. The USB support, network connectivity and PIP makes this a very versatile set. The built-in sound system produces excellent results and the InfoLink service is a unique feature that should prove quite useful. In addition, the unit includes a well-designed and easy-to-use remote control.

Summary

If you're in the process of building a home theater system or media center, the LN52B630 makes an excellent choice for the centerpiece. And if you just want a large screen HDTV with a minimum of hassle, the built-in sound system is adequate. Users give this set high marks in all categories, and Samsung has a reputation for building some of the best LCD HDTVs on the market. It definitely deserves to be on your short list of sets to look at.

Pros

120Hz refresh rate
4ms response time
80,000 to 1 contrast ratio
Host of connectivity options
Excellent image quality, legacy I/O support

Cons

There are no cons for this product

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Monster Cable MC 500HD-2M : HDMI 500hd 2 Meter Standard Speed HDMI Cable