[deblee]

I have the option to swap my 51d8000 or get a refund
I really like the TV, tbh for the majority of viewing (sports and general TV) I love it, motion is superb and the set is plenty bright enough during the day (the filter imo is very good) but when the lights go down there is a reality check in that the blacks just don't cut it, they are ok and you do get used to it (back lighting helps) but after having an st30 I can't help but think that with the 50 series having even better blacks that I am missing out on the added richness and contrast that would bring
The dilema for me is if I do get a refund or swap out what set can I get that compares for £800?
tbh nothing and if I wait for the Panasonic sets to drop to that sort of level I could be looking at not having a tv for 6 months and even if I do wait & get one I am concerned about the dseb etc, something that I know would annoy me
The Samsung has some minor faults, horizontal lines at top of the screen (only obvious during up/down pans with grey skies) some brightness popping (the fbr's reported are not an issue on my set) but none are a real worry & tbh aside from the slightly poor black level none really cause me concern.
I'm still not sure the silver bezel works tbh as a black bezel seems to frame the screen better IMO & I only get the normal plasma buzz but overall its a really nice TV
What to do

[cooknl]

Originally Posted by Scooby2000

The forum is working on this very thing as part of the picture perfect campaign, hence my request earlier for pictures of menus.

Scooby do you mean there is going to be a special thread dedicated to all the different MENU'S available in the samsung PS??d8000 plasma TV's??
If that is the case all I can say is, WOW, what a great idea.

thx

Rob

[Jacksdad999]

Originally Posted by deblee

I have the option to swap my 51d8000 or get a refund
I really like the TV, tbh for the majority of viewing (sports and general TV) I love it, motion is superb and the set is plenty bright enough during the day (the filter imo is very good) but when the lights go down there is a reality check in that the blacks just don't cut it, they are ok and you do get used to it (back lighting helps) but after having an st30 I can't help but think that with the 50 series having even better blacks that I am missing out on the added richness and contrast that would bring
The dilema for me is if I do get a refund or swap out what set can I get that compares for £800?
tbh nothing and if I wait for the Panasonic sets to drop to that sort of level I could be looking at not having a tv for 6 months and even if I do wait & get one I am concerned about the dseb etc, something that I know would annoy me
The Samsung has some minor faults, horizontal lines at top of the screen (only obvious during up/down pans with grey skies) some brightness popping (the fbr's reported are not an issue on my set) but none are a real worry & tbh aside from the slightly poor black level none really cause me concern.
I'm still not sure the silver bezel works tbh as a black bezel seems to frame the screen better IMO & I only get the normal plasma buzz but overall its a really nice TV
What to do

It sounds to me like you are not entirely convinced that you should change it mate. I, like you, came from a panasonic (gt30) and I agree there is a noticeable reduction in black level quality. However, the main thing for me is the better motion handling and the lack of posterizing on the sammy. It completely spoiled my enjoyment of any film and I decided that I could sacrifice black level for that. Tbh I don't know much about this years panasonic but if the false contouring is anything like last years there is no way I could ever go back. I really struggled to understand how a tv where the image breaks up everytime somebody or the camera moves can win awards just because it has deeper blacks!

[$weetFA]

Well I've just put an order in for i1d pro & chromapure from Ricky at http://www.chromapure.co.uk/

[leedebs]

Originally Posted by Tightasagnats

Just tried the YouTube app again for you.
The 3D worked fine
The 1st search result (dollar bill/knife... says works on EVO3D) doesn't appear to be side by side (in fact none of his seem to be) as shown in the thumbnail preview... 3D kicks straight in without the need to press the '3D' button on the remote.
Then tried another search result (The 'city' Sony one that shows as a SBS thumbnail) and again the 3D kicks straight in.
Did you try out any of the other results? Or have you tried any half SBS content via network/HDD?

strange, what f/w you on?

[Tightasagnats]

Originally Posted by leedebs

strange, what f/w you on?

1024 now. Though it worked on 1023 too (possibly 1018 as well but couldn't swear on it).
Highlights how much use a change log would be on each new FW release.

[panman40]

Originally Posted by $weetFA

Well I've just put an order in for i1d pro & chromapure from Ricky at Kalibrate Limited for Home Cinema products, Calibration, DVD Players, 3D Glasses and more....

Great, Let us know how you get on

[$weetFA]

Originally Posted by panman40

Great, Let us know how you get on

Will do, but not very well I'm predicting!!
I'm interested to see how much difference there is between my eye's and the i1.

[jungleguru]

Does anyone know what changes firmware 1015 brought for the 51D8000?

I'm on 1014,
after a bit a mare with the C7000 firmware issues / bricked sets, I'm very sceptical about upgrading the firmware. Rarely notice any brightness pops tbh.

[AlbaJoeReturns]

Originally Posted by jungleguru

Does anyone know what changes firmware 1015 brought for the 51D8000?

I'm on 1014,
after a bit a mare with the C7000 firmware issues / bricked sets, I'm very sceptical about upgrading the firmware. Rarely notice any brightness pops tbh.

You bricked a C7000 ? WOW i never had any issues at all upgrading and downgrading FW

[deblee]

Originally Posted by Jacksdad999

It sounds to me like you are not entirely convinced that you should change it mate. I, like you, came from a panasonic (gt30) and I agree there is a noticeable reduction in black level quality. However, the main thing for me is the better motion handling and the lack of posterizing on the sammy. It completely spoiled my enjoyment of any film and I decided that I could sacrifice black level for that. Tbh I don't know much about this years panasonic but if the false contouring is anything like last years there is no way I could ever go back. I really struggled to understand how a tv where the image breaks up everytime somebody or the camera moves can win awards just because it has deeper blacks!

Your right I am not convinced tbh aside from slightly poorer blacks I like the set
One thing I find odd is that switching between 60hz (0.04cd/m2) to 50hz (0.06cd/m2) the blacks don't seem to get worse even though they are supposed to be around 0.02cd/m2 higher, yet the ST30 lowest mll is around 0.03cd/m2 and side by side watching the same film with 60hz input on the D8000 the blacks on the ST30 look a lot better
So I can see 0.01cd/m2 of difference between 2 different sets but can't see 0.02cd/m2 of difference on the same set
Even switching Cinema Smooth on or off there is no obvious difference
Do any other owners notice 50hz to 60hz black level changes?

[button_sw]

Black levels seem roughly the same to me on 50hz or 60hz (Not enough difference for my eyes!!)

deblee, I hope you stick with the D8000 as I like you came from an St30 and the difference in Black level does take some adjusting too but I now love this TV after 3 weeks of having it. I downgraded the firmware to 1015 but after tinkering for the best part of two weeks realized it was just too bright and the pops were pretty annoying.

I am now running FW1024 and even though the brightness is capped the picture is so much more natural I am really happy, watched an episode of Sherlock last night on BD and it was such a good picture.

Stick with it

[AlbaJoeReturns]

Originally Posted by button_sw

Black levels seem roughly the same to me on 50hz or 60hz (Not enough difference for my eyes!!)

deblee, I hope you stick with the D8000 as I like you came from an St30 and the difference in Black level does take some adjusting too but I now love this TV after 3 weeks of having it. I downgraded the firmware to 1015 but after tinkering for the best part of two weeks realized it was just too bright and the pops were pretty annoying.

I am now running FW1024 and even though the brightness is capped the picture is so much more natural I am really happy, watched an episode of Sherlock last night on BD and it was such a good picture.

Stick with it

I personally think the brightness cap is a misrepresentation of this product. After reading quite a few editorial reviews and all lauding the brightness which has always been an irritation for me with Plasma I bought one of these. When I got it and switched it on i couldnt understand what they were talking about. Then came along the downgrade .... wow ..... now I know what they were talking about and it gave me the final tick in my box. But now I need to either downgrade and get a more suitable brightness ..... or ..... go with their latest firmware caps lose brightness and gain all the smarthub apps that were also a factor in my purchase.

Either way I am expected to lose something which I had based my justification for my initial outlay.

Its bloody ridiculous really.

[deblee]

Originally Posted by button_sw

Black levels seem roughly the same to me on 50hz or 60hz (Not enough difference for my eyes!!)

deblee, I hope you stick with the D8000 as I like you came from an St30 and the difference in Black level does take some adjusting too but I now love this TV after 3 weeks of having it. I downgraded the firmware to 1015 but after tinkering for the best part of two weeks realized it was just too bright and the pops were pretty annoying.

I am now running FW1024 and even though the brightness is capped the picture is so much more natural I am really happy, watched an episode of Sherlock last night on BD and it was such a good picture.

Stick with it

Thanks may well do

[panman40]

Originally Posted by $weetFA

Will do, but not very well I'm predicting!!
I'm interested to see how much difference there is between my eye's and the i1.

LOL, If you get into any trouble you know where to come... Not me , Just kidding , I still need help myself but if theres owt you want to know and i cant answer i can point you in a good direction .

Good luck

[panman40]

Originally Posted by deblee

Your right I am not convinced tbh aside from slightly poorer blacks I like the set
One thing I find odd is that switching between 60hz (0.04cd/m2) to 50hz (0.06cd/m2) the blacks don't seem to get worse even though they are supposed to be around 0.02cd/m2 higher, yet the ST30 lowest mll is around 0.03cd/m2 and side by side watching the same film with 60hz input on the D8000 the blacks on the ST30 look a lot better
So I can see 0.01cd/m2 of difference between 2 different sets but can't see 0.02cd/m2 of difference on the same set
Even switching Cinema Smooth on or off there is no obvious difference
Do any other owners notice 50hz to 60hz black level changes?

I think if your pretty obsessed with ultimate Black levels you should get a Panasonic, But there is a definate difference in blacks on a D6900 with CS on/Off, maybe its different for the d8

[deblee]

Originally Posted by panman40

I think if your pretty obsessed with ultimate Black levels you should get a Panasonic, But there is a definate difference in blacks on a D6900 with CS on/Off, maybe its different for the d8

I'm not obsessed but because I had a Panasonic before & know what the blacks are like its hard not to miss them trouble is I don't want to go through the ropes of swapping sets to get one free of dse or tbh after having a set that has no dfc or posterisation that I can see or no 50hz bug I'm not sure I could go back anyway
I checked again and tbh there is a slight difference with cs on/off but its not night and day, odd that the Panasonic blacks seem a lot better even when the measured results only show small increments

[Scooby2000]

Originally Posted by deblee

I'm not obsessed but because I had a Panasonic before & know what the blacks are like its hard not to miss them trouble is I don't want to go through the ropes of swapping sets to get one free of dse or tbh after having a set that has no dfc or posterisation that I can see or no 50hz bug I'm not sure I could go back anyway
I checked again and tbh there is a slight difference with cs on/off but its not night and day, odd that the Panasonic blacks seem a lot better even when the measured results only show small increments

I feel the pain, in the same position going from GT30 to D6900. I must say though, its nice all not having all that DFC, also this sets bigger and I got it for half the money get a lamp with a low watthage daylight bulb behind the set, helps a lot.

[cooknl]

Originally Posted by Scooby2000

. get a lamp with a low watthage daylight bulb behind the set, helps a lot.

I did just that and yep it helps quite a bit.

Rob

[deblee]

Originally Posted by Scooby2000

I feel the pain, in the same position going from GT30 to D6900. I must say though, its nice all not having all that DFC, also this sets bigger and I got it for half the money get a lamp with a low watthage daylight bulb behind the set, helps a lot.

Things is I paid about the same, yeh backlighting helps but as I had that with the Panny anyway it only shows how much better that was cos when the scene fades to black its very black and you cannot see the bezel, on the Samsung you can make out the bezel quite clearly
Agree the lack of dfc and the 50hz is a nice bonus, watching footie is sooo much better

[button_sw]

What does everyone have there Cell light on? It's still a bit alien to me to have the ability to adjust "Backlight/Cell" so to speak. I currently have it on 15 with Contrast on 84 but should I just leave Cell light on 20 and adjust contrast to suit?

[ST458]

Originally Posted by button_sw

What does everyone have there Cell light on? It's still a bit alien to me to have the ability to adjust "Backlight/Cell" so to speak. I currently have it on 15 with Contrast on 84 but should I just leave Cell light on 20 and adjust contrast to suit?

I have f/w 1015 with backlight on 12 and contrast on 65. White saturation is too high else.

[zoyd]

Originally Posted by button_sw

What does everyone have there Cell light on? It's still a bit alien to me to have the ability to adjust "Backlight/Cell" so to speak. I currently have it on 15 with Contrast on 84 but should I just leave Cell light on 20 and adjust contrast to suit?

Yes, cell light should be at 20. Anything lower reduces the peak white achievable when the ABL is active

[storri]

New firmware 1025.1 out - supposedly fixes ITV Player on our PSxxD8000
(note: this link is for the LED set page but we share a common firmware file - it has just been posted on that page on the Samsung site first...)
Support for UE46D8000YS

Edit: ITV Player now confirmed as working with 1025.1

[m11nch]

Just used avs709 and calibrated my ps64 here are the results

Movie mode
Cell light 20
Contrast 85
Brightness 75
Sharpness 15
Colour 50
Tint g52 r48

Black tone darkest
Dynamic contrast high
Gamma -1
Colour space auto
Flesh tone 0
Edge enhancement off
Motion lighting off

Coulour tone warm 2
Digital noise filter auto
Mpeg noise filter auto
Hdmi black level low
Film mode cinema smooth

As I am still a noob is there anything wrong with my settings ?

[deblee]

Originally Posted by storri

New firmware 1025.1 out - supposedly fixes ITV Player on our PSxxD8000
(note: this link is for the LED set page but we share a common firmware file - it has just been posted on that page on the Samsung site first...)
Support for UE46D8000YS

Edit: ITV Player now confirmed as working with 1025.1

Anyone willing to try this?
After upgrading to 1024 I am quite happy with the set, tbh rather strangely the blacks seem a bit better as well, they were a tad bright on the earlier f/w
1024 set does not get hot, no IR, picture seems bright enough and more stable, less "noise" if you know what I mean, also with the earlier f/w the highlights seemed overblown

[deblee]

One puzzling thing regarding this set is 3d pop
eg the chainsaw kid one is amazing and really pops, the chainsaw & the drill are right up to my face, however the one everyone raves about is the potato cod and tbh on my set the fish only pops out a few feet from the screen, on my st30 it was way better and this seemed to be right in your face.
I remember pausing the scene and sticking my legs "under" the fish and was amazed by it, now with the d8000 I cannot do it and tbh it really lacks pop.
Has anyone else noticed this or do you all still think the potato cod clip really pops still?

edit someone has posted on another thread that his Samsung glasses had zero pop on the potato cod demo but the Panasonic ones were superb
Surely it can't be the glasses as the pop I get on the chainsaw one is superb?

[ST458]

Originally Posted by m11nch

Just used avs709 and calibrated my ps64 here are the results

Movie mode
Cell light 20
Contrast 85
Brightness 75
Sharpness 15
Colour 50
Tint g52 r48

Black tone darkest
Dynamic contrast high
Gamma -1
Colour space auto
Flesh tone 0
Edge enhancement off
Motion lighting off

Coulour tone warm 2
Digital noise filter auto
Mpeg noise filter auto
Hdmi black level low
Film mode cinema smooth

As I am still a noob is there anything wrong with my settings ?

There is nothing wrong at all as all settings are subjective The above settings will not be accurate however as black tone crushes the blacks and destroys some shadow detail. Blacks are no blacker but the first few shades in the greyscale will be black. Check out the expert pattern 1 in advanced menu to see what I mean. There should be clear steps in brightness from dark to light

[m11nch]

I see what you mean it does just take out the last shades of grey.
But to me the Brightness is not right perhaps I'm use to a non calibrated screen but it looks a little washed out but I have followed The disc instructions to the letter.
What are other peeps settings just out of curiosity

[deblee]

What colour space you all using for hdmi to skyhd?
Originally I used custom or native but found colour a bit oversaturated, auto seems much better and skin tones are excellent
Odd that reviewers on this range of 2011 sets use different colour spaces?