3DTV Reviewer – 3DTV Reviews And Buying Guides

Archive for the ‘Samsung 3D’ Category

It was a big day for us at 3DTVReviewer… we finally got to don the 3D glasses and take a peek at Monsters Inc playing on the £2,200 UE46C8000 at the local Sevenoaks shop. The assistant was helpful, knowledgeable and friendly, so a big “thank you” to Sevenoaks.

As for the Samsung 3DTV, well, firstly, it was gorgeous in 2D. The pictures were clear, sharp and colourful with the LED screen working wonders. However, it was the 3D I was interested in, so on went the glasses.

My initial impressions were that the 3D effect was more subtle than I expected. It was more like looking into a box with depth perspective than having objects jump out at you. I imagine that the larger the TV set, the more noticable the 3D effect will be, so saving your pennies for the extra inches could really pay off.

I would’ve preferred to see Avatar on the screen, which I saw at the cinema, to give me some kind of mental comparision because the Monsters vs Aliens seemed to have had 3D imposed on it, rather than being included from the ground up, like Avatar was. In the short time I had viewing the 3D content, I imagined that the CGI animation was retooled for 3D by people saying, “she’s at the front, the house is in the middle, and the sky is at the back”… it was kind of depth-perspective with three or four different layers. I expect that making use of the “z axis” information which is already coded into games, will make for a much more impressive use of 3D. In fact, judging from the early comments, the 3D games appear likely to be the main beneficiary of the 3D technology with realism and immersion benefitting substantially.

So, in summary, my impressions of the 3D movie were good, 3D definitely adds to the movie-watching experience, but I still expect games to be the main driver of 3D adoption… that and the fact that I expect all TV’s to be “3D ready” in the future, so you’ll have the feature available whether you want to use it or not. If you’re not into games, it’s likely that 3D viewing will be a “special event” such as watching a 3D film as a family, or a 3D sporting event. I doubt people will grab their 3D glasses to watch Eastenders or Coronation Street.

Price And Review Of The Samsung UE46C7000

The 46-inch bigger brother to the Samsung UE40C7000, this 46-inch 3DTV from Samsung is currently about £200 more expensive. Both models come with a redemption offer of one free paid of 3D glasses, from Samsung. The current best price we could find for the UE40C7000 is £1,999 including VAT and free delivery from Simply Electricals and Currys.

As with the UE40C7000, the UE46C7000 is a full-HD 1080p television offering super sharp TV pictures for everyday usage as well as the functionality of watching 3DTV.

Manufacturer’s specs: Samsung UE46C7000

46″ Full HD Ultra Slim 3D LED TV Set
•Sky 3D HDTV Ready
•Freeview HD Tuner
•1920 x 1080 Resolution
•200Hz Motion Plus
•2D-to-3D Conversion
•PVR Ready (External Storage)
•Wi-Fi Ready (Dongle Required)
•Internet@TV / Samsung Apps Support
•4 HDMI(v1.4) Inputs

Manufacturer’s Site: Samsung UE46C7000

T3 Review: Samsung UE46C7000

Wired Review: Samsung UE46C7000

WhatHiFi Preview:

Price Info: Samsung UE40C7000

One of the first 3DTV’s to go on sale in the UK, the Samsung UE40C7000, is available to order from John Lewis’ online shop for £1,799! (Update: the Samsung UE40C7000 is also available from 1stAudioVisual for £1,799 and Currys for £1,799. Note, Currys has a current offer… £10 for every goal England scores in the World Cup when you buy a TV over £599… which could net you a sizeable “rebate” on the UE40C7000.)

Their full description of the UE40C7000 reads…

The Samsung UE40C7000 brings the 3D experience to your living room. Its explosive Full HD 3D imagery simply bursts from the screen to put you in the action. To watch in 3D you’ll need a pair of Samsung 3D glasses (available separately) and access to 3D content e.g. a 3D blu-ray player (available separately).

This remarkable Samsung LED TV is less than 3cm thin and yet packs in a whole host of advanced technology. Its slim dimensions are made possible by LED backlighting technology. LED lights use much less energy than standard LCD and offer more precise control of colour, contrast and clarity.

This TV features an integrated Freeview HD tuner which will allow you to watch subscription-free HD broadcasts. To watch Freeview HD broadcasts you’ll need to check that you can receive it in your area. Click here to find out more about Freeview HD.

A Full HD 1080p resolution and the Samsung HyperReal Engine deliver dazzling images with rich colour and vivid details. It’s a great choice for sports and action movies thanks to 200Hz Motion Plus processing which analyses and adjusts every frame so nothing goes by in a blur. The Ultra Clear Panel is also able to reduce reflection and increase contrast for a better picture.

The UE40C7000 sounds great too with SRS Theatre Sound. Its realistic audio envelopes you with rich, stunning surround sound. And with discreetly hidden speakers, it’s all about the big picture.

Using Allshare (powered by DLNA) you’ll be able to transfer videos, music and photos from your compatible PC or mobile device wirelessly and effortlessly. A USB port allows you to directly connect devices and display photos and video. It’s also Personal Video Recorder ready so you can plug in a high speed USB memory drive into the USB port and record your favourite shows in HD.

Another exciting feature is Internet@TV which provides a gateway to a multitude of entertainment ranging from video, music, social networking, news and games content. Simply connect to the internet via Ethernet cable or the Samsung wireless LAN adaptor (available separately).

Full HD 1080p
1080p is the purest form of high definition that a television can display. This leads to a smoother, more film-like image, which will satisfy sports and movie lovers alike. With a 1080p signal, the information that makes up an image is displayed “progressively” or all at once, rather than in an “interlaced” fashion.

LED technology
LCD TVs featuring LED backlighting have greater contrast ratios – blacks appear blacker – leading to a sharper image. They are also slimmer, consume less power than similarly-sized traditional LCDs and are mercury free.

So, if you can’t wait to get your hands on the 40-inch UE40C7000 3D techno-marvel, from Samsung, place your order here, sit back and relax… delivery’s free and it should be just in time for the World Cup!

In an announcement on their Australian website, Samsung have detailed a list of concerns regarding the potential health issues relating to their 3DTV’s.

Samsung mentions fluorescent lighting as a potential concern. Presumably, the flicking of the lights combined with the rapid refresh rates of the TV screens could potentially cause problems for people sensitive to light flicker with the possibility of epiliptic seizures or strokes. Surprisingly, they also say to block direct sunlight when watching 3DTV using the 3D glasses. Why direct sunlight would be a problem, I’m not sure.

The full health guidance is:

3D Viewing Conditions

• To watch in 3D mode, you need to put the 3D Active Glasses on and press the power button on top of the glasses. Fluorescent lighting may cause a flickering effect and direct sunlight may affect the operation of the 3D glasses. Turn off all fluorescent lighting and block sources of direct sunlight before watching in 3D mode.

Photosensitive Seizure Warning and Other Health Risks

• Some viewers may experience an epileptic seizure or stroke when exposed to certain flashing images or lights contained in certain television pictures or video games. If you or any of your family has a history of epilepsy or stroke, please consult with a medical specialist before using the 3D function.
• If you experience any of the following symptoms, immediately stop watching 3D pictures and consult a medical specialist: (1) altered vision; (2) lightheadedness; (3) dizziness; (4) involuntary movements such as eye or muscle twitching; (5) confusion; (6) nausea; (7) loss of awareness; (8) convulsions; (9) cramps; and/or (10) disorientation. Parents should monitor and ask their children about the above symptoms as children and teenagers may be more likely to experience these symptoms than adults.
• Viewing in 3D mode may also cause motion sickness, perceptual after effects, disorientation, eye strain, and decreased postural stability. It is recommended that users take frequent breaks to lessen the likelihood of these effects. If you have any of the above symptoms, immediately discontinue use of this device and do not resume until the symptoms have subsided.
• We do not recommend watching 3D if you are in bad physical condition, need sleep or have been drinking alcohol.
• Watching TV while sitting too close to the screen for an extended period of time may damage your eyesight. The ideal viewing distance should be at least three times the height of the TV screen. It is recommended that the viewer’s eyes are level with the screen.
• Watching TV while wearing 3D Active Glasses for an extended period of time may cause headaches or fatigue. If you experience a headache, fatigue or dizziness, stop watching TV and rest.
• Do not use the 3D Active Glasses for any purpose other than viewing 3D television. Wearing the 3D Active Glasses for any other purpose (as general spectacles, sunglasses, protective goggles, etc.) may physically harm you or weaken your eyesight.

Viewing in 3D mode may cause disorientation for some viewers. DO NOT place your television near open stairwells, cables, balconies or other objects that may cause you to injure yourself.

So, will people really suffer adverse effects from watching 3DTV, or is this an official “legaleze” lawyer-instigated notice from Samsung?

Over at the Telegraph they have reviewed one of the first 3DTV’s to hit the UK, the Samsung UE467000, like the guys at Techradar reviewed the Samsung 40c7000 3DTV a few weeks ago.

Interestingly, the main criticism by the Techradar guys was that the TV was too small to do justice to the 3D effects and that’s exactly what Claire Beaumont and Harry Wallop said in the Telegraph review, despite watching a Blu-Ray 3D disc (using the Samsung BD C6900 Blu Ray 3D player) on a 46-inch UE46c7000 instead of the 40-inch 40c7000 that Techradar reviewed. In fact, Claire went as far as to say that the 3D effect disappeared when she was sat on the sofa… which is a fairly typical viewing position for most families in most living rooms!

Both Claire and Harry noticed flicker effects from the active shutter LCD glasses (Samsung SSG 2100RB), although it seems that this may only occur for a few seconds while they “warm up”. However, the glasses shut off when you’re not wearing them, which means that you’ll see the flicker effect each time you put the glasses back on after putting them down to do something else. One commenter said that this flicker effect may be due to the room lighting and a simple cure would be to turn the room lighting off. Either way, it seems like watching 3D will be more of an “event” which requires forethought such as not being disturbed and switching the lights off… a bit like watching a special TV event at home is already.

Overall both Harry and Claire said they liked the potential but were slightly disappointed by the execution. They only gave the TV 6/10 and 7/10 and expected the technology to be refined further.

My take on this is that 3DTV will be an “optional extra” with fairly slow acceptance until more content becomes available and the technology is improved. However, seeing that both Techradar and the Telegraph reviewers said that the Samsung’s were top-notch 1080p LED TV’s in their own right, there’s little reason NOT to upgrade to a 3DTV when you want to replace your current TV.

Read the Telegraph 3DTV review here.