- High-definition picture quality with incredible contrast and brightness
- 3-D Y/C digital comb filter for enhanced color and detail
- 178-degree viewing angles ensure optimum enjoyment from multiple vantage points
- Ample HD connections; 3 HDMI, compatible with mp3, WMA, M4A (AAC), JPEG, and more
- Two-year limited warranty
The TCL 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV is more than a television--it's an entertainment system that lets you access your favorite media files. Compatible with multiple file formats--including mp3, WMA, M4A (AAC), JPEG, BMP, and PNG--this LCD television makes it easy to watch a photo slideshow in brilliant color with a customized soundtrack, or play a personalized mix of songs for a party.
This LCD HDTV has output options for headphones, analog audio output, and coaxial digital audio output. It includes inputs for: three HDMI (two rear and one side), two composite (one rear and one side), one rear component video, one rear RF, one rear PC video, one rear PC audio, and a side USB 2.0 port.
The PC video input lets you see your computer's digital media on the big screen, while the USB port allows for quick connection of a digital camera or other USB device. Additionally, you can connect the latest Blu-ray players, DVD players, camcorders, and game consoles using either the two composite video inputs or the three HDMI (version 1.3) inputs. The HDMI inputs provide an uncompressed, all-digital audio/video link for the highest quality connection, and they also support copy-protected HD broadcast content.
Enhanced Picture and Sound Quality
You'll enjoy crisp, vibrant images thanks to this TCL television's brightness capability of 430 cd/m2. The 3-D Y/C digital comb filter also provides enhanced color and picture detail, and the 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution supports 1080p signals for stunning image clarity.
For a fully immersive experience, this HDTV also includes two built-in 8-watt speakers. Additionally, 178-degree viewing angles ensure optimum enjoyment from multiple vantage points--a great feature for large spaces or social gatherings.
Designed with you in mind, this LCD television features a channel labeling option, which allows you to put station call letters (e.g. ABC, HBO, etc.) on the screen along with the channel numbers, so you always know which station you're watching. Additionally, a sleep timer feature lets you set the television to automatically turn off after a preset amount of time has passed.
Who is TCL?
Established in 1981, TCL Corporation is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances. TCL employs more than 50,000 people in over 80 operations, including 18 R&D centers, 20 manufacturing bases, and more than 40 sales offices around the world
TCL Corporation is comprised of four business divisions -- Multimedia, Communications, Home Appliances and Electronics. It also has two affiliated business areas: Real Estate & Investment and Logistics & Services. TCL is one of the world's leading producers of flat panel TVs, DVD players, air conditioners, and GSM, CDMA mobile phones.
The TCL 40-inch 1080p 60-Hz LCD HDTV is backed by a two-year manufacturer's warranty. To view the User's Guide, click here. Or, to find the nearest TCL tech support center near you, please visit TCL's website.
What's in the Box
40-inch 1080p 60-Hz LCD HDTV; stand with screws; remote control with batteries; multi- language instruction booklet; and quick-start guide. Product Weight is 29.7 Lbs without Stand.
Dimensions
Height: 27 in
Width: 38.5 in
Depth: 9 in
Weight: 34.6 lbs
User Reviews
By MadQueen
Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased this TV on sale in Dec. 2011 for under $300. It's an updated model of TCL L40FHDF11TA.
It's put in a master bedroom. I'll rate each category in Amazon's
system of 1 to 5 stars. My ratings are relative to how this TV stacks up
against other TVs in its price range.
SETUP *** (3 stars)
The TV was well-packed in the shipping box (43.5" x 31" x 10.5") with 2 yellow nylon straps holding it together. (If your straps are missing, the shipper might have broken them while carrying and dropped the TV.) For wall mounting, you need a VESA 400x400mm compliant mount such as this, this, or this. I used the glass stand. If you're trying to fit it into a shelf, the dimensions with stand are 38.5" x 27" x 9" (without stand: 38.5" x 24.5" x 4"; note the 4" depth instead of 1.5" for an LED). The power cord doesn't have a power brick attached which is a plus. I'm using a learning universal remote which did find codes for this TV. Try 'RCA' if 'TCL' didn't work for you. I suggest using an universal remote since it's much easier to replace than to replace the original remote if you break it.
Some remote codes gathered for reference:
DirecTV: 11447
Comcast: 11447
Dish Network: 503
AT&T U-Verse: 1000
There might be a problem with the "TV powering on unexpectedly." If your 'SW Version' reads V8-0RSC801-LF1V041, you're OK. Otherwise, download the firmware update at TCL's website onto any FAT-formatted device. (I used my phone.) Remember to wait at least 10 seconds after it says "Completed" before unplugging the USB cord. (I waited 30 seconds to be safe.) I'm guessing this is where some people might have messed up and broke the TV.
PICTURE ***** (5 stars)
The LCD panel is made by Samsung with their logo visible in the back (picture posted). As with most LCD TVs these days, the screen is glossy and not matte, so you do have to watch out for glare. After powering up the TV which took about 15 seconds, I changed the preset picture setting from the default 'ECO' to 'Cinematic'. Cinematic/Movie mode is usually the setting that comes closest to a professional calibration. (If you're interested in doing your own TV calibration, check out the Disney WOW blu-ray, search "AVS HD 709" for a free one, or try my "quick picture calibration" below.) It has 5 zoom modes, with 'No Overscan' being preferred. If it isn't available, choose 'Full' for the least amount of cropping. I watched the TV from an Amazon recommended distance of about 7 to 8 feet. After hooking up my blu-ray player with HDMI (not included) and making sure it's 1080p (by pressing the 'Info' button), I tried watching some dark movies (Batman Begins and The Dark Knight) as a stress test. I didn't notice any obvious picture defects. The viewing angle is very good for an LCD. The contrast is good, with listed 4000:1 contrast ratio. I compared it to my living room LED with 10 million:1 contrast ratio. The LED has slightly better contrast with deeper blacks, though definitely not 2500 times better, so I wouldn't read too much into contrast ratios when shopping for TVs. There are a few nitpicks. There's a slight uniformity problem (light bleed) in the upper corners, noticeable in an all black picture. There's slight motion blurring due to its slightly-slow 8 ms response time (shadow trails) and 60 Hz refresh rate (jerkiness on 24 frames/sec sources). The yellow color is a little off. None of these are major problems; I've seen much worse at this price range, so no stars are deducted.
AUDIO *** (3 stars)
The two 8 watt speakers are passable for a bedroom. It has a nice equalizer menu with presets and 5 manually adjustable bars. It has Dolby Digital sound, but you definitely need to add your own speakers to take advantage of it. You can hook up your speakers via coaxial digital audio out, RCA out (white/red), or headphone out. There's no optical digital audio out (Toslink) and no ARC (audio return channel). I hooked up a Sony bookshelf system via RCA out which did improve the sound dramatically. The headphone out wasn't working on my unit, but I'm ok with it since I don't use headphones.
GAMING ***** (5 stars)
I hooked up my Xbox 360 via HDMI, changed the Xbox 'HDTV settings' to 1080p and 'Reference Levels' to Expanded, and turned off all image processing on the TV using my settings below. I tried a couple games (MW3, BF3, Skyrim, Madden 12, and Forza 4) and didn't notice any input lag. (Results should be similar with PS3 and Wii.) By the way, never hook up your gaming system with yellow composite RCA cables. LCD/LED and plasma TVs can't natively display interlaced video, so they'll need to spend time deinterlacing and therefore create additional input lag.
PC **** (4 stars)
I connected my PC with a VGA cable. I had to change my Windows monitor settings to "unhide modes that this monitor cannot display" in order to get the native resolution of 1920x1080. (This resolution is not supported for the VGA port. It might not work, so you might need to settle for 1280x720 if you have to use VGA. Or connect with DVI or HDMI for 1080p support.) For testing, I opened a Word document set to Times New Roman 6-point font and had no trouble reading it with 'Sharpness' at 0. You can use it as a big monitor as long as you don't expect it to have the clarity of a 22" monitor when viewing within 3'. (It's got the same amount of pixels spread across 3.4 times the area.) When viewed at 5' or more, clarity won't be a problem.
MEDIA *** (3 stars)
The USB port accepts pictures and music but not videos. There's no internet streaming, which I preferred. I have plenty of devices capable of streaming, so I don't want to pay extra for a feature I don't need.
RELIABILITY **** (4 stars)
The TCL FHDF11TA series has over 1000 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4 stars, which is probably as good as it gets for a generic brand. I also like the fact that it has a 2 year warranty instead of 1. The only concern is that the warranty is being done by A & D Electronics (the company that TCL has outsourced for its warranty claims) which has an F rating on BBB. The poor rating is a result of, I think, a shortage of personnel. If you're lucky and catch them on a low volume of repairs, you'll get prompt service; otherwise, you might need to be patient and persistent to get your TV repaired. (FYI, their number is 877-470-7766, 9AM-5PM PST, M-F.) If all else fails, try contacting Amazon. Some people did have success even after the 30 day return period. You can also add 1 extra year of warranty by purchasing with Mastercard or AmEx. And if you have Costco membership, you can purchase SquareTrade to add 3 extra years of warranty for a total of 5 for $30 (cheaper than Amazon).
PRICE ***** (5 stars)
Free shipping, free 30 day return (save the box for this), delivered to your door in 2 days for under $300 is hard to beat. Amazon also lets you do a price adjustment if the price drops within 14 days.
OTHER TVS
Here are 2 TVs I considered before settling on the TCL:
LG 32LK330 - This is a good, basic, name-brand 32" LCD TV suitable for a bedroom. It only has 64% of the TCL's viewing area though.
LG 42LK450 - This 42" LCD TV has good all-around performance and is suitable as a primary TV in an apartment, albeit at a price premium.
I'd be careful about getting the LG 42LV4400 LED, despite its attractive specs and price, due to its reliability problem (and hence its low ratings). Until it's resolved, check out the LG 42LK520 instead if you want 120 Hz.
MISC - QUICK PICTURE CALIBRATION
1. Change preset to 'Cinematic'. After checking out some calibration patterns, I find both the default 'Brightness' of 50 and 'Contrast' of 80 to be spot on.
2. Change 'Sharpness' to 0. With a clear HD source, you shouldn't need to artificially boost the sharpness. If words look blurry, you can play around with it.
3. Change 'Noise Reduction' to low. Similar to Sharpness, you don't need much image processing with a clear source.
4. I find the default 'Backlight' of 60 to be suitable for a dimly-lit room. With most lights on, 80 looks about right. If sunlight is present, boost it to 100. Adjust it according to your room lighting and eye comfort level.
5. (optional) For adjusting colors, you normally need to use filters with a calibration disc. I like to do it by eye using my own pictures (preferably scanned studio pictures). We should all be able to pick out the nuances of our own skin tones. Alternatively, play a familiar movie and pause when you have a clear shot of a face, then adjust. I find the default 'Color' of 40 to be satisfactory. If you can't get 'Color' to look right, try changing 'Color Temperature' by 1 and then go back to changing 'Color'.
SETUP *** (3 stars)
The TV was well-packed in the shipping box (43.5" x 31" x 10.5") with 2 yellow nylon straps holding it together. (If your straps are missing, the shipper might have broken them while carrying and dropped the TV.) For wall mounting, you need a VESA 400x400mm compliant mount such as this, this, or this. I used the glass stand. If you're trying to fit it into a shelf, the dimensions with stand are 38.5" x 27" x 9" (without stand: 38.5" x 24.5" x 4"; note the 4" depth instead of 1.5" for an LED). The power cord doesn't have a power brick attached which is a plus. I'm using a learning universal remote which did find codes for this TV. Try 'RCA' if 'TCL' didn't work for you. I suggest using an universal remote since it's much easier to replace than to replace the original remote if you break it.
Some remote codes gathered for reference:
DirecTV: 11447
Comcast: 11447
Dish Network: 503
AT&T U-Verse: 1000
There might be a problem with the "TV powering on unexpectedly." If your 'SW Version' reads V8-0RSC801-LF1V041, you're OK. Otherwise, download the firmware update at TCL's website onto any FAT-formatted device. (I used my phone.) Remember to wait at least 10 seconds after it says "Completed" before unplugging the USB cord. (I waited 30 seconds to be safe.) I'm guessing this is where some people might have messed up and broke the TV.
PICTURE ***** (5 stars)
The LCD panel is made by Samsung with their logo visible in the back (picture posted). As with most LCD TVs these days, the screen is glossy and not matte, so you do have to watch out for glare. After powering up the TV which took about 15 seconds, I changed the preset picture setting from the default 'ECO' to 'Cinematic'. Cinematic/Movie mode is usually the setting that comes closest to a professional calibration. (If you're interested in doing your own TV calibration, check out the Disney WOW blu-ray, search "AVS HD 709" for a free one, or try my "quick picture calibration" below.) It has 5 zoom modes, with 'No Overscan' being preferred. If it isn't available, choose 'Full' for the least amount of cropping. I watched the TV from an Amazon recommended distance of about 7 to 8 feet. After hooking up my blu-ray player with HDMI (not included) and making sure it's 1080p (by pressing the 'Info' button), I tried watching some dark movies (Batman Begins and The Dark Knight) as a stress test. I didn't notice any obvious picture defects. The viewing angle is very good for an LCD. The contrast is good, with listed 4000:1 contrast ratio. I compared it to my living room LED with 10 million:1 contrast ratio. The LED has slightly better contrast with deeper blacks, though definitely not 2500 times better, so I wouldn't read too much into contrast ratios when shopping for TVs. There are a few nitpicks. There's a slight uniformity problem (light bleed) in the upper corners, noticeable in an all black picture. There's slight motion blurring due to its slightly-slow 8 ms response time (shadow trails) and 60 Hz refresh rate (jerkiness on 24 frames/sec sources). The yellow color is a little off. None of these are major problems; I've seen much worse at this price range, so no stars are deducted.
AUDIO *** (3 stars)
The two 8 watt speakers are passable for a bedroom. It has a nice equalizer menu with presets and 5 manually adjustable bars. It has Dolby Digital sound, but you definitely need to add your own speakers to take advantage of it. You can hook up your speakers via coaxial digital audio out, RCA out (white/red), or headphone out. There's no optical digital audio out (Toslink) and no ARC (audio return channel). I hooked up a Sony bookshelf system via RCA out which did improve the sound dramatically. The headphone out wasn't working on my unit, but I'm ok with it since I don't use headphones.
GAMING ***** (5 stars)
I hooked up my Xbox 360 via HDMI, changed the Xbox 'HDTV settings' to 1080p and 'Reference Levels' to Expanded, and turned off all image processing on the TV using my settings below. I tried a couple games (MW3, BF3, Skyrim, Madden 12, and Forza 4) and didn't notice any input lag. (Results should be similar with PS3 and Wii.) By the way, never hook up your gaming system with yellow composite RCA cables. LCD/LED and plasma TVs can't natively display interlaced video, so they'll need to spend time deinterlacing and therefore create additional input lag.
PC **** (4 stars)
I connected my PC with a VGA cable. I had to change my Windows monitor settings to "unhide modes that this monitor cannot display" in order to get the native resolution of 1920x1080. (This resolution is not supported for the VGA port. It might not work, so you might need to settle for 1280x720 if you have to use VGA. Or connect with DVI or HDMI for 1080p support.) For testing, I opened a Word document set to Times New Roman 6-point font and had no trouble reading it with 'Sharpness' at 0. You can use it as a big monitor as long as you don't expect it to have the clarity of a 22" monitor when viewing within 3'. (It's got the same amount of pixels spread across 3.4 times the area.) When viewed at 5' or more, clarity won't be a problem.
MEDIA *** (3 stars)
The USB port accepts pictures and music but not videos. There's no internet streaming, which I preferred. I have plenty of devices capable of streaming, so I don't want to pay extra for a feature I don't need.
RELIABILITY **** (4 stars)
The TCL FHDF11TA series has over 1000 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4 stars, which is probably as good as it gets for a generic brand. I also like the fact that it has a 2 year warranty instead of 1. The only concern is that the warranty is being done by A & D Electronics (the company that TCL has outsourced for its warranty claims) which has an F rating on BBB. The poor rating is a result of, I think, a shortage of personnel. If you're lucky and catch them on a low volume of repairs, you'll get prompt service; otherwise, you might need to be patient and persistent to get your TV repaired. (FYI, their number is 877-470-7766, 9AM-5PM PST, M-F.) If all else fails, try contacting Amazon. Some people did have success even after the 30 day return period. You can also add 1 extra year of warranty by purchasing with Mastercard or AmEx. And if you have Costco membership, you can purchase SquareTrade to add 3 extra years of warranty for a total of 5 for $30 (cheaper than Amazon).
PRICE ***** (5 stars)
Free shipping, free 30 day return (save the box for this), delivered to your door in 2 days for under $300 is hard to beat. Amazon also lets you do a price adjustment if the price drops within 14 days.
OTHER TVS
Here are 2 TVs I considered before settling on the TCL:
LG 32LK330 - This is a good, basic, name-brand 32" LCD TV suitable for a bedroom. It only has 64% of the TCL's viewing area though.
LG 42LK450 - This 42" LCD TV has good all-around performance and is suitable as a primary TV in an apartment, albeit at a price premium.
I'd be careful about getting the LG 42LV4400 LED, despite its attractive specs and price, due to its reliability problem (and hence its low ratings). Until it's resolved, check out the LG 42LK520 instead if you want 120 Hz.
MISC - QUICK PICTURE CALIBRATION
1. Change preset to 'Cinematic'. After checking out some calibration patterns, I find both the default 'Brightness' of 50 and 'Contrast' of 80 to be spot on.
2. Change 'Sharpness' to 0. With a clear HD source, you shouldn't need to artificially boost the sharpness. If words look blurry, you can play around with it.
3. Change 'Noise Reduction' to low. Similar to Sharpness, you don't need much image processing with a clear source.
4. I find the default 'Backlight' of 60 to be suitable for a dimly-lit room. With most lights on, 80 looks about right. If sunlight is present, boost it to 100. Adjust it according to your room lighting and eye comfort level.
5. (optional) For adjusting colors, you normally need to use filters with a calibration disc. I like to do it by eye using my own pictures (preferably scanned studio pictures). We should all be able to pick out the nuances of our own skin tones. Alternatively, play a familiar movie and pause when you have a clear shot of a face, then adjust. I find the default 'Color' of 40 to be satisfactory. If you can't get 'Color' to look right, try changing 'Color Temperature' by 1 and then go back to changing 'Color'.
Hi all:
I got this on the special for $259. I missed out on the back Friday deal for $199.
Let me start out by going over some of the negatives I read online:
1) Shipping. I saw lots of people complain about broken tv's etc. While not directly related to the TV it does affect people's decision on if they are going to be buy a TV online.
This was shipped FedEx with Super Save shipping (free). I may have just lucked out by I live in Philidelpha and the shipping place was 130 miles from where I live. I got this from FedEx the next day! Everything was in excellent shape. The FedEx guy even helped me in the door with it although I am sure he didnt have to.
2) Dead pixels. I saw numerous people say they had dead pixels. I know this can be a problem for any LCD set... I have read about this problem on sets costing $1000.00 more. You would assume the number of sets with dead pixles for those higher price sets will be lower... I have no idea, but my set arrived with zero dead pixels.
3) Stand was hard to put on or the screws were missing or the screws would not go all the way in. To be honest I was worried about this one. Set came with glass bottom stand. Suprised it wasn't cheap plastic. My wife held it until I got the first screws in. We had zero problems. The stand is solid as my $1500.00 Sony. I had zero problems.
4) TV sometimes shuts off. I have not had the set long enough but will give an update later. I did flash the TV which took all of 5 min and was very simple. This is supposed to fix that problem.
5) Light bleeds at corners. Poor picture quality, etc. I will state 1000% for the record I am not a video expert. I bought my Sony based on the reviews from the "people that know" video. I am happy with my Sony. It is 3 years old so the tech is old but it does pretty much everything I need. I did pay $1500.00 dollars for it though and it is only a 40 inch. What 3 years can do with technology...
This set to me is every bit as good any maybe better than the Sony as far as picture quality. I have tried Blue Ray, xbox via the HDMI port and composite, componet with Wii. No problems what so ever. I even stream video from Netflix via xbox and its perfect in my opinion.
6) Sound. Absolutely in line with every other TV I have ever seen. Sure its not movie quality sound. But I personally have not bought a TV set that is. That's why you spend another 2-50k on a sound system.
I have not tried anything using the USB yet except the firmware upgrade so can't comment on that.
I used the settings for calabrating the video on AVS forum for other TCL LED LCD and worked flawlessly.
I was hesitating on buying this set but at the price I got it plus Amazon's great support I couldnt pass it up. I honestly would paid more and been happy though. How many things today can you say that about?
As for longevity. Not sure yet. TCL has the 2 year warranty with mixed results I guess, but they have plenty of repair centers close to me. What TV gives you 2 years warrarnty for parts and labor any more?
No 3D, it is just LCD tech without LED, but it is just fine for everything I need. It is also Energy Star compliant and if the sticker is even close to true it is light in the electricy cost department.
I recommend with six stars if I could. I will come back and update in a few months.
I got this on the special for $259. I missed out on the back Friday deal for $199.
Let me start out by going over some of the negatives I read online:
1) Shipping. I saw lots of people complain about broken tv's etc. While not directly related to the TV it does affect people's decision on if they are going to be buy a TV online.
This was shipped FedEx with Super Save shipping (free). I may have just lucked out by I live in Philidelpha and the shipping place was 130 miles from where I live. I got this from FedEx the next day! Everything was in excellent shape. The FedEx guy even helped me in the door with it although I am sure he didnt have to.
2) Dead pixels. I saw numerous people say they had dead pixels. I know this can be a problem for any LCD set... I have read about this problem on sets costing $1000.00 more. You would assume the number of sets with dead pixles for those higher price sets will be lower... I have no idea, but my set arrived with zero dead pixels.
3) Stand was hard to put on or the screws were missing or the screws would not go all the way in. To be honest I was worried about this one. Set came with glass bottom stand. Suprised it wasn't cheap plastic. My wife held it until I got the first screws in. We had zero problems. The stand is solid as my $1500.00 Sony. I had zero problems.
4) TV sometimes shuts off. I have not had the set long enough but will give an update later. I did flash the TV which took all of 5 min and was very simple. This is supposed to fix that problem.
5) Light bleeds at corners. Poor picture quality, etc. I will state 1000% for the record I am not a video expert. I bought my Sony based on the reviews from the "people that know" video. I am happy with my Sony. It is 3 years old so the tech is old but it does pretty much everything I need. I did pay $1500.00 dollars for it though and it is only a 40 inch. What 3 years can do with technology...
This set to me is every bit as good any maybe better than the Sony as far as picture quality. I have tried Blue Ray, xbox via the HDMI port and composite, componet with Wii. No problems what so ever. I even stream video from Netflix via xbox and its perfect in my opinion.
6) Sound. Absolutely in line with every other TV I have ever seen. Sure its not movie quality sound. But I personally have not bought a TV set that is. That's why you spend another 2-50k on a sound system.
I have not tried anything using the USB yet except the firmware upgrade so can't comment on that.
I used the settings for calabrating the video on AVS forum for other TCL LED LCD and worked flawlessly.
I was hesitating on buying this set but at the price I got it plus Amazon's great support I couldnt pass it up. I honestly would paid more and been happy though. How many things today can you say that about?
As for longevity. Not sure yet. TCL has the 2 year warranty with mixed results I guess, but they have plenty of repair centers close to me. What TV gives you 2 years warrarnty for parts and labor any more?
No 3D, it is just LCD tech without LED, but it is just fine for everything I need. It is also Energy Star compliant and if the sticker is even close to true it is light in the electricy cost department.
I recommend with six stars if I could. I will come back and update in a few months.
Since I don't run or work in an Electronics Store like Best Buy, it is hard for me to give an objective review of this set's picture quality. It's like the people that give good reviews on their new tires for their car. If your old tires or TV were on their last legs, pretty much anything new is going to seem pretty good.
It is a fairly unknown brand and with many consumers obsessed with what brands they own, you won't find this brand in your local Best Buy or Costco, yet. But the fact it has a 2-year warranty is saying something as most sets have only a 1-yr warranty, especially in the sub $400 40" category.
Amazon must have just listed this as when I bought it the new 12A model had only 3 reviews. I found a link for the 12A manual to try to determine the differences with the 11A. It showed a back input panel with one less component input, but the digital audio out is SPDIF instead of coaxial. There were some other differences too, but I'm not going to try to list them all. Looked like nothing major. Unfortunately both manuals don't list detailed specifications. TCL doesn't even list the 12A on their website yet and when I called it was because they hadn't updated the site yet.
When the 12A arrived, I was disappointed to find the input panel is identical to the 11A and the manual matches so the TV may be identical to the 11A, I'm not sure. The link to the manual on Amazon appears to also confirm this so either Amazon updated the manual or I downloaded some BETA 12A manual from some other site. I've seen some mentions of something different about the remote and fixing other 'issues' but no one seems to be able to elaborate. We need someone familiar with the specs or that has owned the 11A and 12A to confirm any changes.
Note, as of 11/17/2011 that you have to intall the updated firmware or your TV will probably turn on by itself once a day even though the Auto Power On in the Time Setup is turned off. This is a minor inconvenience and bugs in electronics software are quite common. (Less inconvenient than sending the set back!)
Bottom line is the set looks good, and I have a 57" Panasonic Viera Plasma in the Family Room to compare to. This is in Natural mode on the color. Have not got my calibration disc out for further tweaking and this is with all the dynamic setting on. The last setting is a little weird though since it changes the backlight depending on the scene. When you are fast forwarding a DVR recording it is strange to watch the color of the red progress bar go darker, then lighter, then darker as you flip fast through the scenes but the transition is fairly seamless when watching at normal speed. I think these dynamic settings are great for watching in a dark bedroom. Easier on the eyes.
Out of the box the speakers, as with most all sets, sound flat and terrible especially if you are use to listening to a TV through a Home Theater System. I've seen complaints about audio on all brands of sets. What do you expect from a pair of 8W rear-firing speakers!? But if you really tweak the EQ it will sound much better. Try setting EQ to personal and turn 100Hz 90% up, 500Hz 60% up, 1K Hz to 50%, 5K (or is it 3K?) to 30% and 10K to 60%. It's a matter of personal preference but this seems to sound the best to me. It will vary depending on room size and TV position too. In the bedroom I don't need 5.1 sound with a subwoofer (will wake the kids up anyway.) But I'm probably going to get a pair of high-quality self-powered bookshelf/PC speakers since this set is not as wide as my old one and I have room on the dresser for them now. But in my opinion, the sound, when set correctly, is adequate for a bedroom where you don't want to shake the kids walls next door.
So why didn't I give this set 5 stars? Firmware update inconvenience and the 4:3 content looks too stretched. On my old 2-ton Philips 42" Plasma, I liked how it changed aspect ratio from 16:9 wide to 4:3 stretch automatically based on the signal. With this set, if you switch to 4:3, it looks really stretched. But this is no longer a big issue since nowadays 90% of what we watch in the bedroom is 16:9 wide screen (Blu-Ray, DVD or HDTV channels) now that most every channel has an HD version. I also take a little off because the case of this TV feels a bit cheap/plasticky compared to my old Plasma but that's nit picking.
I did panic for a second that there were terrible artifacts when watching the Seahawks game. I went downstairs to the Panasonic Plasma and realized it wasn't the LCD but 90% the really crappy/heavy compression that CBS Sports (HD) via Comcast was using. Looked terrible on both sets! Shame on CBS! Also note that I saw some reviews complaining that the TV was only registering 720P from the cable box. This is because you need to go into the setup menu on the cable box (press menu button at the same time or right after turning the box on or off) and set the output to 1080i. (My Philips was 720P so the cable box was still on 720P and I had to change it.)
With a 2-year warranty, it has to be quality components or this manufacturer is going to be inundated with repair requests in 12-24 months and that gives me peace of mind I will probably be replacing this set later rather than sooner if I would have got the Walmart special sets selling for close to $300 or less. My personal opinion is you are getting the quality of a Toshiba or Samsung here for a great price and longer warranty. Just some people won't be able to get past the strange brand. Some will opt to save $100 on the Walmart special only to have to replace their TV probably a couple years ealier (pay now or pay later.) If you are concerned about having a more widely known brand, get a Toshiba 40ExxxU for close to the same price.
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PROS:
-3 HDMI inputs
-2 Component inputs (Wii, etc)
-Samsung-made panel (shine a flashlight in the holes in the back -- the stickers says Samsung)
-Good, wide viewing angles
-Great HD picture
-Good remote, easy to adjust picture aspect ratio and turn on sleep!
CONS:
-There is some flashlighting, which is to be expected of a cheap TV. Samsung obviously keeps the best ones for their $500+ TVs! On my TV it is very minimal on the top corners.
-Okay SD quality
The out of box picture settings leave lots to be desired, but after the following:
Brightness: 55
Contrast: 65
Sharpness: 70
Expert Settings:
Backlight - 60
Advanced Settings:
Light Sensor, Dynamic Backlight, SABC - OFF
Noise Reduction - Low
The TV gives a pretty good, natural picture. Bonus turning the backlight down will help it last longer. NOTE: As you turn the backlight down, the color temp will go down (it will get redder), so if you go below 60, you'll have to adjust the color and tint settings.
The sound out of the box is tinny, but after the following sound settings:
100Hz - 85
300Hz - 70
1Khz - 50
3Khz - 60
10Khz - 50
It sounds a lot better! I'm still adjusting, but these are a good starting point. I left surround off, it just makes it sound funny. Auto volume control can be turned on if you enjoy it.
Overall, I would definitely buy this TV at the sub-300 price point. It is a great deal!
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