Samsung UE-32B6000 Review

32in LCD

Picture
Sound
Features
Usability
Value

An excellent Standard Definition performer although LED technology needs some refinement.

Rating:

90%

Reviewed: 15 December 2009

Stunning black levels

Auto dimming produces minor inconsistencies

Design

If flat panel TV's sold on their looks alone, Samsung's entire range of ultra slim LED back lit LCD TV's would, in our opinion, feature at or near the top of most people's wish lists.

With no requirement for the traditional bulky fluorescent tube found on the majority of LCD TV's, Samsung's Edge based implementation of LED backlighting comes with an incredibly slim profile.

Add Samsung's glossy rose red finish to the mix and the B6000 presents a stunning piece of audio visual kit.

Features

With a range of competitively priced screens, Samsung have been instrumental in bringing affordable LED TV's to a broader consumer base. Their original entrants into the LED TV market, the F96, A786 and A956 series, introduced a more sophisticated 'LED Array' implementation of LED backlighting. With their more affordable 'Edge' based 6000, 7000 and 8000 series, Samsung are aiming to make LED based LCD TV's mainstream.

LCD TV's have traditionally required an 'always on' backlight to illuminate the display, a system which makes it difficult to achieve high contrast ratios. LED technology is designed primarily to achieve higher contrast but comes with the added benefit of a much wider colour palette, lower power consumption and a far less bulky profile with the backlight removed.

Screen: 32in 16:9

Tuner: Digital

Sound System: Nicam

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Contrast Ratio: 3,000,000:1

Other Features: 100Hz processing (IFC), edge-based LED lighting, HDML level adjust.

Sockets: 4 HDMI, 2 SCART, 1 USB 2.0, Component Video, Composite Video, PC input, CAM slot, SD card slot.

Rather than the 'local dimming' LED technology of their earlier models, and as a concession to affordability, the 6000 series uses 'edge based' LEDs. While 'local dimming' employs 'banks' of LED's which can be dimmed individually the 6000 series uses white LEDs which are mounted along the edges of the screen to illuminate an array of reflective plates which direct the light forward and out of the screen.

Samsung are actually claiming that edge-mounted LED's can produce better contrast than locally dimmed LED's if set up correctly (by using darker diffusing mechanisms) and will actually react faster to changes in picture brightness.

If you would like to find out more about LED technology you might like to read our LED TV guide

Guilty in the past of removing some of the features found on larger screen sizes within a particular line, most manufacturers now extend the full complement of features down through to their 32in screens.

It is nice to find that Samsung have seen fit to retain all of the important features found on larger models on their UE-32B6000. There are four HDMIs, although you will find just the one USB port rather than the two found on the 7000 and 8000 series. Unlike the 7000 and 8000 series you won't find an Ethernet connection.

The absence of an Ethernet indicates that the B6000 lacks the interactive features of Samsung's higher end Edge based LED TV's. There is no DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), which makes it easier to integrate the TV as part of a home network or the internet connectivity option represented by Samsung's 'Internet@TV' concept. Finally, Samsung's Content Library which contains a wide range of pre-loaded material such as photo screensavers, recipes, children's stories and songs along with some basic games is available only on the 7000 and 8000 series.

With an innovative mix of high and low reflection layers, Samsung's 'Ultra Clear Panel' works to improve contrast ratio and black levels whatever the lighting conditions, actively adjusting its responses depending on ambient conditions. 'Ultra Clear Panel' is Samsung's evolution of their 'Super Clear Panel' technology found on previous LCD and Plasma screens.

Samsung's take on 100Hz processing, 'Motion Plus' inserts extra frames (up from 50 frames per second to 100fps) to produce a smoother viewing experience by eliminating on-screen 'flicker' (the noticeable transition of picture 'frames' with faster on-screen action). Three pre-sets are available increasing in strength from 'Clear' to 'Standard' and finally 'Smooth'. There is also a 'Custom' option which allows the user to tweak settings.

Performance

Once again we are impressed with Samsung's implementation of LED backlighting technology and its ability to produce an accomplished Black Level performance. What we are looking for in this respect is a screen's ability to present detail across darker scenes and a good depth of black (not necessarily pure black, but something that goes beyond what the human eye perceives as 'grey').

The 32B6000 was able to produce the kind of detail across darker scenes which only the better flat panel screens can match. The actual depth of black went beyond any hint of on screen 'greyness', placing it within a select group of leading LCD TV's.

There is a qualification however, regarding the 32B6000's black level ability. As with the 40in equivalent, the 'Auto Dimming' feature (which works in conjunction with Edge based LED lighting) seemed to introduce some minor inconsistencies within darker scenes. In these situations, the deep blacks seem to come at the expense of that rich graduated detail across darker scenes you get from the likes of Pioneer's 'Kuro' range of plasmas.

Demonstrating once again the effectiveness of Samsung's picture processing circuitry, Standard Definition (SD) performance was well above average. A very small amount of on screen 'noise' became visible at times, but is barely visible.

Even with a poorer quality Freeview source, the 32B6000 demonstrated an SD picture composure that very few LCD TV's can match. Particularly impressive was the screen's ability to handle fast on screen action. Unlike many LCD TV's, not falling prey to the negative effects of edge enhancement (the artificial enhancement of edge contrast) the Samsung is one of the best screens for wide screen long shots of fast sporting action. The only minor issue was a very small amount of 'smearing' with the fastest on screen action.

While the UE32B6000 generates an impressive High Definition (HD) picture, the 'auto dimming' feature prevents it from demonstrating an exceptional performance in this respect. While there are occasions when we can see the Full HD (1920 x 1080) screen producing the kind of pin sharp detail we have become accustomed to, there were also occasions when brightness ever so slightly compromised picture quality.

While you have to be looking hard to see the negative effect 'auto dimming' has on HD performance, there is always that general feeling that HD pictures are not quite as dynamic as the best. While HD pictures impressed, unlike the top end Full HD screens from the likes of Panasonic, they did not leave us in awe.

Reflecting once again the abilities of Samsung's suite of picture processing technologies, the 32B6000 delivers a stunning colour performance which produces its hues with a vibrancy that few flat panel TV's can match. The only reservation we have is that this vibrancy may appear a little over saturated at times, but what is not in doubt is the Samsung's ability to deliver every nuance of colour variation which on the whole has the subtlety to make even tricky areas such as facial skin tones appear wholly realistic.

Like the vast majority of flat panel TV's, acoustics reflect a lack of raw sonic power which struggles with more demanding soundtracks but is more than adequate for day to day use. This problem is compounded by the requirement for even slimmer speakers for the svelte like frame.

Conclusion

In many respects, the UE-32B6000 is an appealing flat panel TV. It looks fabulous and is a good all round performer, especially with a Standard Definition source. LED technology in its present incarnation produces a few niggling annoyances however; Enough to put you off? In our opinion no, but if you are not as seduced by looks as us and you are planning to watch a lot of High Definition then maybe ...

Samsung UE-32B6000

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