Order Samsung UN55B7000 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV

UPDATED BELOW 9/23/09...

I have had this TV for about 2 weeks now and could not be more pleased! My A/V setup was in place when it arrived and all I had to do was connect the HDMI to start watching television. I am running HD cable (HDMI), Wii (Component), Blu Ray (HDMI), and a camera (HDMI) all through the Denon AVR-1910. Only the HDMI out from the Denon to the TV is needed as it switches and upconverts all video.
So after I plugged it in, cable channels started appearing...except for 2 HD channels - just got a black screen. I spent 45 minutes adjusting resolution ins/outs on the cable box, receiver, and TV to no avail. Finally, I rebooted the cable box, and there they were. Yes, I should have tried that first. Anyway, everything has been running without issue.

I must say, this picture is flat out gorgeous. I spent a lot of time researching TV's and checking them out in the stores; LG, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, LCD, LED, etc... but I always came back to this Samsung LED line of sets. I had read reviews talking about "searchlights" in the corners, and conversely, dark spots in the corners. The former issue I never really saw firsthand. The dark spots though, I did notice in the stores. It seemed more prevalent on the 8000 series, and in some cases I didn't see them at all. When it came down to it though, I found the overall picture so stunning that the dark areas didn't affect me (it was REALLY subtle). I was also suspicious that the sets in the stores that are constantly turned on may have something to do with it. I am pleased to say that I don't see any artifacts on my new set. The picture brightness is very uniform throughout. Couldn't be happier! If you've seen these TV's firsthand you know the thinness of the set is beyond compare. Mine is on a stand, but on the wall it would look amazing (too bad speakers aren't this thin).

As far as the picture goes, if you are pushing an HD signal to it...WOW! The picture is so vivid, bright, and detailed some scenes truly start to look 3-dimensional. Not sure what effect I'm really seeing but that's what it looks like. We had friends over and the kids were watching Kung Fu Panda in HD. All the guys were standing there behind the kids mumbling about the amazing picture. Standard def pictures look fine as well, certainly better than my old DLP. But make no mistake, the payoff is in the HD content.

So I find myself tweaking the picture each day....2 notches lower on the color, 1 higher on the gamma, 1 more for backlight, etc... it's pretty much at the point where all channels look fabulous and I don't need to adjust anything else. I'd say, expect to do that on any TV you get. I tried a cnet configuration that they recommend for dark room viewing and I hated it! Immediately switched back to my personal settings. The great thing is that the accurate colors and different configurable settings on this TV provide the flexibility that makes it nearly impossible NOT to get a perfect picture! BUT everyone's TV room, own eyes, and preferences are a little different. Because there are so many setting combinations, finding the perfect configuration for you will just take a little time - don't expect to have it straight out of the box. As far as contrast goes, awesome! In a scene of Iron Man (Blu Ray), when Tony Stark crashed his own companies party, Jeff Bridges is wearing a tux with a white scarf. I could see the ever-so-slightest off-color herringbone pattern in the scarf next to the black jacket - and it wasn't a close up. (Not kidding, it was kind of neat!)....so just based on that scene, I'd say the contrast and sharpness are top notch.

The 120hz motion effect is great as well. If you haven't yet, go see a demonstration in the store - you really need to see it to understand the hype. It is definitely pretty cool, but I have added some blur and judder back into my settings because it kind of freaked my wife out a little bit. Incredibly smooth, but definitely not how you'd see a movie in the theater. Many scenes end up looking fake, or like you're standing there watching a play on stage. Just know that it's completely adjustable or can be shut off entirely. Again, your personal preference will dictate the settings.

I'm also happy to say that the Denon upconverts the Wii video nicely and it pops out on the Samsung in full-screen looking great. I imagine PS3 or XBOX games with HD output look as good as Blu Ray. I also got the wireless adapter and hooked up to my Windows Media Center to browse pics and movies. Works great - no issues there.

The only oddity that I have seen is the fluctuating back light during dark scenes. Other reviews point this out as well. If a scene goes really dark, like rolling the first credits after the movie, yes, the entire screen will dim. Switch back to a bright scene and the brightness pops back on. When it happens it's noticeable, but it doesn't happen often. I only see it in an extreme contrast change as described above. In my opinion this is a small price to pay when 99.9% of the experience is breathtaking.

Overall, this set delivers an incredible picture that is hard to beat. I read a lot of professional reviews and they always find a few negative things to focus on, like "the moiré on the fence in the 16th fight scene when the guy drops his gun was noticeable." Huh? They also say 240hz is better than 120hz. Yes, if your name is UNIVAC and you are analyzing a test pattern. Real people can't even sense some of these things! I stopped paying too much attention to these after a while. Stand in front of these sets, adjust the pictures, and you will figure out what looks good! For me, this was it - I absolutely recommend this television!

UPDATE: 9/23/09 - Fluctuating Backlight Fixed! Just want to say that this TV still impresses me every time I watch it. As to the fluctuating backlight issue... I found a post that explained how to go into the service menu and turn this off. It's called CE Dimming and can be set to on or off in both Standard and Movie modes. I turned it off in the Standard mode and it worked without issue. You do need to go in and readjust your picture settings since it resets them, so write them down beforehand. Otherwise, it worked fine and now I have to say the picture is 100% solid. Here are the instructions: With the TV off, push Mute, 1, 8, 2, Power. Scroll to "Advanced", press 0000 - don't hit enter. Scroll (down arrow) to CE Dimming and hit Enter. Select Movie or Standard, and hit the left or right arrow to switch it off. Done, hit power. Turn on the TV like you normally would and Auto-dimming is now off!Get more detail about Samsung UN55B7000 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV.