Review
By Christopher Mancuso
If by the time you're reading this, the software has been updated and all of the apps work properly, you can skip this first part.
Like many other reviewers have already noted, the TV came without any apps installed. This model was shipped out earlier than it was supposed to. I received it as a compensation item from Dell when the original TV they sold me was out of stock. As a result it was sent out early (I suppose Amazon started shipped to early as well), and when it came, none of the apps worked. Samsung support wasn't incredibly knowledgeable of the situation, but after a little research I found that they weren't compatible yet. Anyway, approximately two weeks later, the TV has updated and now has Netflix, Amazon Instant, and YouTube among others. Still no sign of HBO-GO and Hulu Plus, but I trust Samsung to deliver them soon enough. So if that is stopping your from getting the TV, don't let it. This is bound to be Samsung's standard model for 2014, and you can bet all of the standard apps will be there. On to the review of the TV..
Picture:
The picture quality is excellent. I changed it to Dynamic and tweaked only a few items, and it looks great to me. Of course you'll have to form your own opinion. This IS a 60Hz TV. Don't go by the CMR rating, nothing really looks like its being displayed at 120Hz. But if you don't mind that, the picture is quite good. TV shows and sports look very crisp and bright and it fares well in my room which is quite well lit.
Inputs:
This was kind of an issue for me, but something I should have known going in. The inputs are pretty limited, with only 2 HDMI and 1 composite/AV. That means you can't have a composite and AV plugged in at the same time. I needed to buy an HDMI and AV adapter. Also there's no AV audio, only digital optical. So my current 5.1 system is useless. The speakers are sufficient enough while I search for a new surround sound system, but its a minor frustration that I think Samsung should have considered. Again, I don't think the lack of inputs is enough of a reason to dock a whole star (given that all the information is in the description), but its something you should be aware of.
SmartHub:
The SmartHub idea is great, and the structure is very good, but it is quite slow. The TV takes a few minutes to boot up in general. You can't run any apps while its booting, so this can be a bit frustrating. Once you're in the SmartHub, there is some general lag. Switching back and fourth between the suggested shows and the apps can take a while, but generally the features are there. The TV really does learn what you like based on what you use most often and will suggest apps and channels as such. Though there is some lag, I don't use enough apps for this to be substantial, and despite being slow, the features are very good, and more than fit my needs.
All in all, I'm pretty happy with the TV. Setup was easy, its quite sturdy, and the picture is excellent. I docked a star for the lack of the responsiveness of the SmartHub, and lack of inputs. But if you're on the fence, I think its a good buy. Especially now that the apps are starting to come through in software updates.
UPDATE: As of July 15, 2014 HBO GO and Hulu Plus are now available in the app store. I am still very happy with this TV, and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good budget smart tv.
If by the time you're reading this, the software has been updated and all of the apps work properly, you can skip this first part.
Like many other reviewers have already noted, the TV came without any apps installed. This model was shipped out earlier than it was supposed to. I received it as a compensation item from Dell when the original TV they sold me was out of stock. As a result it was sent out early (I suppose Amazon started shipped to early as well), and when it came, none of the apps worked. Samsung support wasn't incredibly knowledgeable of the situation, but after a little research I found that they weren't compatible yet. Anyway, approximately two weeks later, the TV has updated and now has Netflix, Amazon Instant, and YouTube among others. Still no sign of HBO-GO and Hulu Plus, but I trust Samsung to deliver them soon enough. So if that is stopping your from getting the TV, don't let it. This is bound to be Samsung's standard model for 2014, and you can bet all of the standard apps will be there. On to the review of the TV..
Picture:
The picture quality is excellent. I changed it to Dynamic and tweaked only a few items, and it looks great to me. Of course you'll have to form your own opinion. This IS a 60Hz TV. Don't go by the CMR rating, nothing really looks like its being displayed at 120Hz. But if you don't mind that, the picture is quite good. TV shows and sports look very crisp and bright and it fares well in my room which is quite well lit.
Inputs:
This was kind of an issue for me, but something I should have known going in. The inputs are pretty limited, with only 2 HDMI and 1 composite/AV. That means you can't have a composite and AV plugged in at the same time. I needed to buy an HDMI and AV adapter. Also there's no AV audio, only digital optical. So my current 5.1 system is useless. The speakers are sufficient enough while I search for a new surround sound system, but its a minor frustration that I think Samsung should have considered. Again, I don't think the lack of inputs is enough of a reason to dock a whole star (given that all the information is in the description), but its something you should be aware of.
SmartHub:
The SmartHub idea is great, and the structure is very good, but it is quite slow. The TV takes a few minutes to boot up in general. You can't run any apps while its booting, so this can be a bit frustrating. Once you're in the SmartHub, there is some general lag. Switching back and fourth between the suggested shows and the apps can take a while, but generally the features are there. The TV really does learn what you like based on what you use most often and will suggest apps and channels as such. Though there is some lag, I don't use enough apps for this to be substantial, and despite being slow, the features are very good, and more than fit my needs.
All in all, I'm pretty happy with the TV. Setup was easy, its quite sturdy, and the picture is excellent. I docked a star for the lack of the responsiveness of the SmartHub, and lack of inputs. But if you're on the fence, I think its a good buy. Especially now that the apps are starting to come through in software updates.
UPDATE: As of July 15, 2014 HBO GO and Hulu Plus are now available in the app store. I am still very happy with this TV, and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good budget smart tv.
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