Samsung LN52A550 52" LCD HDTV

[jtvang125]

Update:

Ok, we went with the 580 from BB with the Geeksquad package deal. The TV has already been delivered but still need to schedule GS to come and do their "setup"? Should we even bother having them come out? I'll be going back home this coming Monday so I can pretty much calibrate the set and hook up everything they have. I'm also assuming the extended warranty should still be valid even though we didn't have them set it up.


Getting this for my parents for the holidays. They are helping out with the cost so my initial budget of $1000 now went up to $2000 including an extended warranty. After some searching I found the Samsung for ~$1600 from amazon. I would love to go with the 650 with 120hz but it's alittle out of the budget. My parents probably won't even notice the difference anyways.

So, would they be happy with this set? Any current issues with this model? I'll be making the final decision but just want to keep him in the loop just incase he strongly prefers a different brand.

 

[ManBearPig]

Well, are they really into technology and stuff?

Either way, i think they'll fucking love it. Go for it. Or, get the ln46a650 for 1500 or so with 24mo 0%. Thatd impress them even more. I think AMP is something that people who havent seen before get a huge kick out of.

The 650 i got for our house was amazing for me and especially my technologically retarded parents...planet earth blu ray blew their minds haha.

 

[jtvang125]

Ok, I found a better deal at BB. They're having a special with the 580 (slightly higher model than the 550) with a Geeksquad setup for $1499.99. The setup if $100 but you need to get both to get that price. Getting just the TV will be $1700. So after the warranty and tax the total is $1871.

And just a little wtf to BB. It's on your site but you won't honor it in your store? On the site it said nothing about "prices good on online only".

 

[RKS]

Originally posted by: jtvang125
Ok, I found a better deal at BB. They're having a special with the 580 (slightly higher model than the 550) with a Geeksquad setup for $1499.99. The setup if $100 but you need to get both to get that price. Getting just the TV will be $1700. So after the warranty and tax the total is $1871.

And just a little wtf to BB. It's on your site but you won't honor it in your store? On the site it said nothing about "prices good on online only".

didn't they get into trouble for something similar a few months ago?

 

[krotchy]

The 580 is the 550 with a different model # so that Best Buy doesnt have to pricematch.

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: krotchy
The 580 is the 550 with a different model # so that Best Buy doesnt have to pricematch.

Just make sure that is 100% correct. I've had retail monkeys try to convince me that an older model is actually a newer and better model.

I love my LN52A550. There is a VERY long thread about it over at AVS forums. I don't think anybody's unhappy with it.

I have heard people say the bezel on the A650 is held on by TAPE, which is really a bizarre design decision.

 

[jtvang125]

Originally posted by: tk149

Originally posted by: krotchy
The 580 is the 550 with a different model # so that Best Buy doesnt have to pricematch.

Just make sure that is 100% correct. I've had retail monkeys try to convince me that an older model is actually a newer and better model.

I love my LN52A550. There is a VERY long thread about it over at AVS forums. I don't think anybody's unhappy with it.

I have heard people say the bezel on the A650 is held on by TAPE, which is really a bizarre design decision.

There are 2 slight differences. An owner of a 580 has determine that there's an anti-reflective screen covering which the 550 does not have. There's also a slightly higher dynamic contrast ratio on the 580 at 35,000:1 versus 30,000:1. Whether someone can tell the difference remains to be seen.

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: jtvang125

Originally posted by: tk149

Originally posted by: krotchy
The 580 is the 550 with a different model # so that Best Buy doesnt have to pricematch.

Just make sure that is 100% correct. I've had retail monkeys try to convince me that an older model is actually a newer and better model.

I love my LN52A550. There is a VERY long thread about it over at AVS forums. I don't think anybody's unhappy with it.

I have heard people say the bezel on the A650 is held on by TAPE, which is really a bizarre design decision.

There are 2 slight differences. An owner of a 580 has determine that there's an anti-reflective screen covering which the 550 does not have. There's also a slightly higher dynamic contrast ratio on the 580 at 35,000:1 versus 30,000:1. Whether someone can tell the difference remains to be seen.

Hope these links work. They are people's opinions over at AVS:

Text
550 - matte screen, bottom speakers, 30k:1 contrast
580 - glossy screen, side speakers, 35k:1 contrast

It has the Ultra Clear screen usually only found on the 120hz high-end Sammy LCDs and 35,000:1 contrast ratio

The 580 is basically the Best buy version of the 540. The 580/540 are similar to the 550 except they have a glossy screen, with all the benefits and disadvantages that come with that.

I prefer a matte screen over a glossy screen because my TV room has many external light sources.

There's also discussion about whether the 580 has front-facing speakers, or down-facing speakers like the A550. IMO, the A550's down-facing speakers are its biggest downfall. Everything has a hollow sound until you mess with the on-screen audio settings, and even then it still doesn't sound great.

 

[jtvang125]

update