Samsung LN-T4032H LCD TV Review
Model: Samsung LN-T4032H, LN-T4042H LCD Television
Description: 40” LCD HDTV
Resolution: 1360 X 768
Dimensions with Stand: 43.3”W X 28.8”H X 13”D
Dimensions without Stand but with Speaker: 43.3”W X 26” H 3.7”D
Includes: Non Detachable Speakers, table top stand, 2 HDMI Inputs, Computer 15 Pin VGA Input
Color: Black lacquer finish surrounds most of the unit and the stand. Matt black speakers and bottom.
Power Consumption: 195 watts
Reviewer: Robert Wiley
Date: December 2007
INTRODUCTION
The Samsung LN-T4032H was introduced in summer of 2007 as a price/value LCD model. The model is manufactured with a Samsung LCD screen (made in Korea) assembled in Tijuana Mexico.
PICTURE QUALITY RATING: 87/100
Test and Optimum Viewing Distance: 10 feet
Calibration: Comes preset to Dynamic picture setting out of the box. Change to the Movie setting then scroll down to Color Tune and change to Warm 1 setting. This gets us to within +475 of D6500K. Then adjust picture settings as follows to further fine tune:
Change DNR to Low, Black Adjust to Off position, Dynamic Contrast to Off position, and Edge enhancement feature to Off position.
| Contrast: | 33 |
| Brightness: | 51 |
| Sharpness: | 27 |
| Color: | 51 |
| Tint: | 48 |
| Backlight: | 7 |
| This calibration will get us to within plus minus 295 of D6500K. | |
Up conversion from 480i and 480p: We tested this LCD TV first with a 480p output of Braveheart. The Samsung LCD’s picture showed up with a good bit of grain and dithering artifacts in 480p on this value oriented Samsung LCD TV. There was deficient Green output throughout the LCDs gray scale and this showed up during the epic battle scenes in the movie. There was a fuzzy non-quality to the up conversion. Red tones were not as vibrant as intended by the original content. Scenes didn’t pop as much as I would have like to have seen - it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. The LCD had average clarity after up converting from a 480p source signal. Color information was not over saturated as with many of the new LCD TVs in the market these days. As a result I felt the content was realistic overall.
720p/1080i/1080p Picture Quality: The Samsung LCD showed much brighter overall with brilliant colors with a 1080i source. Images from X-men’s The Last Stand appeared flat in many cases as the LCD TV lacks a great deal of depth. Samsung LN-T4032H LCD Television does not accept a 1080p signal. As well, it did not sync well with our Blu Ray DVD player even with the lower signal resolutions. Overall though, I again felt the picture quality was a credible, realistic version of the material.
Black Level: Black levels were solid on the Samsung LCD - not extremely rich but decent and better than I expected at this price level.
Dark Shadow Detail: Blacks increase in intensity and dark matter detail decreases significantly when viewing this LCD TV from dead straight in front. Moving to the side slightly 5 to 10 degrees increases dark shadow detail by 20% or more. This The Samsung 4032H performs well in this category compared with other LCD TV screens.
Color Rendition/Color Accuracy: Once calibrated color accuracy was very realistic and not as over saturated as most LCDs.
Viewing Angle/Off Axis Viewing: Contrast/ Black Levels begin to degrade at around 35 degrees from either side to side or top to bottom viewing on this Samsung LCD TV. Of course, this is a poor performance compared with plasma TVs.
Motion Lag: The Samsung LCD was jerky in some situations. Fast motion scenes caused some dithering jittery undesirable effects.
False Contouring/ Mapping: Mapping and banding was very apparent in scenes during the 480p control test. This means that it will also be noticeable with lower end cable or satellite signals. The issue was non-existent with 1080i signals.
Exceptions: Initially the LCD Television would not accept signals from the Blu Ray DVD player. There are some sync problems. We were able to finally get the signal after unplugging and turning the DVD player off.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS RATING: 90/100
Scaling: The P. Size button on the remote controls scaling options which are 16:9, Wide Fit, 4:3. This is not a lot of options and scaling algorithms, though good for this price range product are average overall.
Inputs: This Samsung LCD contains 2 HDMI inputs, 2 Component Inputs, a 15 pin VGA input for computer, and a phono jack output for volume off listening. This is a great input complement for this LCD price range.
Aesthetic Considerations: The high gloss black frame and stand of the Samsung 4032H is attractive. The side mounted non-detachable speakers are matte black finish. Overall the unit is very nice looking, however the gloss bezel does present a lot of light reflection and can detract from the viewing experience.
Remote Control/Menu Funtionality: This LCD television does not have discrete user picture settings. Neither do inputs have distinct memory for each. That said the Samsung has very good functionality for this price tier product. The Source button allows the user to toggle between input sources. The Menu button is small and hidden.
Audio Output: Volume output was excellent, but sound quality has a tinny effect.
Features: The Samsung LN-T4032H has a PIP functionality and a sound option that allows the viewer to switch the sound source.
VALUE RATING: 90
Price Considerations: At $1249.00 the Samsung LN-T4032H is a fair deal in the LCD televisions marketplace. I would prefer a 42” HD 1024 X 768 plasma from a top tier manufacturer which can be had for around the same price. Samsung competes with Sharp, Sony, and LG in the top tier LCD marketplace. The 1366 X 768 HD resolution LCDs sell at a nice discount from the 1080p counterparts that get the purchaser little to nothing extra.
Quality Comparison: Overall quality is solid at this price point. The picture is not stunning but its weaknesses are non-offensive for the most part and more commonly related to LCD TV issues in general. The LCD offers a computer input, some nice extra features like PIP, and very good functionality.
OVERALL RATING: 88.50/100
Rating scale from 70 (denoting poorest quality) to 100 (signifying the very best quality). A rating in the 60s for any particular category of a product review indicates a serious defect which causes the product not to operate properly. Picture quality is double-weighted in the Overall Rating Score calculation.
Review Equipment Used: Sony Blu Ray BDP-S1 High Definition DVD player, Sony DVP-S50 DVD player, JVC HM-DH40000U HD Video Cassette player, Sencore Color Pro 5000, Sencore Auto Cal Pro, Sencore signal generator.
