Samsung PS50P96 Review

50in Plasma

Picture
Sound
Features
Usability
Value

Superb HD pictures are compromised by average SD performance.

HD Ready:

yes

Resolution:

1920 x 1080

Rating:

86%

Reviewed: 13 August 2007

Design

With hidden full-length slim line speakers either side of the screen, the PS50P96 has a neat albeit slightly elongated appearance. At 50in and with a shiny black finish this new plasma from Samsung certainly won't go unnoticed, but its stylish and compact design ensures that its impact is a pleasing one.

Worth mentioning are just visible (from the front) metal strips which run either length of the panel and extend in a concave fashion behind the screen. They have a practical purpose, which is to deflect sound from the hidden speakers towards the front of the screen.

Features

The most notable feature of the PS50P96 is Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, screen which can potentially display all of the detail from a 1080 line source (such as Sky 1080i signals) without having to scale the picture to fit.

Screen: 50in 16:9

Tuner: Digital

Sound System: Nicam

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Contrast Ratio: 15,000:1

Brightness: 1000cd/m2

Other Features: Ultra FilterBright, DNIe, Movie Plus, Anti Burn-in Technology, Silhouette Editor.

Sockets: 3 HDMI (1.3), 2 SCART, Component Video, Composite Video, S-Video, PC input.

The PS50P96 also has the ability to present the highest quality format from High Definition (Blu-ray or HD DVD) playback with a 1080p capable player.

We now expect three HDMI inputs from higher end panels and the PS50P96 doesn't disappoint with 2 at the back and 1 at the side at the latest 1.3 configuration. Also present are composite, Component and S-video connection along with a PC input.

Samsungs trusty Digital Natural Image Engine (DNIe) forms the picture processing heart of the PS50P96. The technology focuses on improving black levels, improving colour saturations and tone.

DNIe has four main feature areas, Motion Optimizer, Contrast Enhancer, Detail enhancer and Colour Optimizer, and has a track record of producing impressive results on previous Samsung screens.

The Movie Plus Mode has been designed to reduce 'film judder' inherent on most films. By adding interpolated frames between each actual frame, a smoother frame transition is achieved.

Performance

High Definition (HD) performance is where the PS50P96 excels. Blu-ray playback is absolutely pristine with a level of sharpness and detail that is a match for any flat panel on the market. Colours have a depth and level of realism which enables some of the most realistic skin tone reproduction we have seen.

Black levels can't quite match the peerless 'Kuro' range from Pioneer, but they come close, and shadow detailing actually matches the Pioneers for subtlety of graduation across darker scenes.

Not so long ago we would have marvelled at the PS50P96's motion handling capabilities, but things have moved on rapidly in recent times. The Samsung is a good performer in this respect, but a hint of motion smearing with HD is enough to relegate it to one of the chasing pack.

Sky HD loses some of the precise detailing and pin sharp pictures we experience with blu-ray playback, with just a hint of noise, but we are still witnessing excellent performance in this respect.

The shortcomings of the PS50P96 are revealed with terrestrial Freeview, which at its worst reveals noticeable smearing with the fastest motion action. To be fair to Samsung, there are very few 50in screens out there, Plasma or LCD which can claim to excel in this respect, but the PS50P96 cannot match more accomplished rivals from Panasonic and Pioneer when it comes to Standard Definition performance.

With better quality SD sources such as Sky (1080i) we noticed a marked improvement, with the conversion of source to display obviously benefiting from a transfer without any scaling to fit a lower resolution screen.

Conclusion

Retailing for around £1500 and sporting some impressive high end features, Samsung have produced a compelling package. While this set cannot match the best 50in Plasma's out there, it comes close, especially if you focus on HD. As the centrepiece of a medium range home cinema system the PS50P96 warrants serious consideration.