LED TV review of a Samsung HDTV

Ok, first the bad news. The new HD LED TVs are great and you’ll want to get your hands on one if you look closely at the picture. So if you’re considering looking at LED technology, I’d suggest staying away from the big box stores if you intend to exercise some restraint. They look so good!

But there are also some caveats about the latest technology on the market, which of course is 3D HDTV. Now, I’m not going to lie to you here. 3D is really cool technology and it looks amazing, but after hearing some of my colleagues complain about headaches and dizziness, I started looking a little deeper. Turns out there are a few caveats you might want to know about.

I’m not too obsessed with this because I plan on getting a 3D TV and using it for regular Blu Ray discs, not Blu Ray 3D. I plan to see how many reports of impaired vision and accidents from watching 3D TV first, just to be sure. keep reading…

These warnings are published in the Samsung documentation and accompany your 3D HDTV when you unpack its unit.

3D HD LED TV Warnings – Samsung LED TV Review Report Warning Labels:

• “Children and adolescents may be more susceptible to health problems associated with 3D viewing and should be closely supervised when viewing these images,” Samsung said on its website.

• “Some viewers may experience a seizure or stroke when exposed to certain images or flashing lights contained in certain television or video game images.

• “If you suffer from or have a family history of epilepsy or stroke, please consult a medical specialist before using the 3D function,” says Samsung.

• However, it is not just those who are already aware that they may have problems who are at risk.

• “Even those with no personal or family history of epilepsy or stroke may have an undiagnosed condition that can cause photosensitive epileptic seizures,” Samsung said.

• “Pregnant women, the elderly, people with serious medical conditions, people who are sleep deprived or under the influence of alcohol should avoid using the 3D functionality of the unit.

• “Watching 3D television can also cause dizziness, perceptual aftereffects, disorientation, eyestrain, and decreased postural stability.”

• Samsung is recommending that viewers take frequent breaks from watching 3D TV to lessen the potential effects.

• “If your eyes show signs of fatigue or dryness or you experience any of the above symptoms, immediately discontinue use of this device and do not use it again for at least thirty minutes after symptoms have resolved”

Maybe I’m just psychotic, but frankly I’m not really worried about these warnings. I don’t plan on watching 3D TV all day, every day. I only want to use it when I watch a movie once or twice a week at most. My total TV exposure is maybe 2 hours every 2 weeks. I guess if you were planning on watching the news in 3D, you may (or could) experience more serious issues.

Like everything else, including watching TV… ALL things in moderation folks! You shouldn’t be drinking liters of alcohol in one sitting and you probably shouldn’t be watching 6 hours of TV every day either.

As Americans, we often don’t know when to quit. It is estimated that the average teenager watches 4 hours of television every day. What a total waste of time… You can raise your children however you want, but you are personally responsible for their ability to contribute something useful to society. Sitting in front of the TV 4 hours a day or even 1 hour in my opinion is ridiculous. We need to find something to occupy our minds and entertain our children.

I think the above warnings are probably being issued to Americans. (yes, I’m an American) Now, I love Americans, I love this country, and I love what it was founded on. So when Samsung puts a warning on their HDTV boxes about excessive use of 3D HDTV, I wonder who the warning was intended for. And I think the finger is pointing at us.

Why should you get a 3D HDTV anyway?

Emerging technology indicates that the field of technology will continue to move at a very fast pace. Even if you’ve never used the 3D technology available on the TV you bought, if you buy a 3D TV, you have the capability. The prices are a bit higher, but if you’re planning on spending a couple thousand bucks on a game, what’s a few hundred bucks more?

And when you’re ready to upgrade to a 3D Blu Ray player, you won’t have to buy a new TV. So for me it makes sense to plan ahead.

My LED HDTV picks: Highest-quality TVs at the top, going down to budget TVs at the bottom; These are non-3D HDTV selections:

Samsung UN55B8500 $4000: – Sets the bar high for all HDTVs to beat. The money stops here. Impressive everything! The big Samsung has local dimming on the LEDs and amazing color. Phenomenal HDTV set! (It is not cheap!)

LG 55LH90 around $1800 online – This set is much less expensive than the Samsung UN55B8500 model and almost as good. This is my favorite HDTV of this bunch and for the price, you can’t go wrong here! But if you have a lot of money, go for the Samsung above. The big LG is very hard to beat at this price.

Samsung UN46B8000 $2000 online: (Amazon) offers incredible black levels and performance. A good price for this unit.

Samsung LN46B750 $1350 online: (Amazon) This set is not an LED but a typical LCD. However, you may have a hard time realizing it. This is a great conventional backlit model and it is worth every penny.

Samsung LN40B650 $1000 online and it’s a good value set that beats most sets in this price range. This little Samsung is very hard to beat at this price.

LG 37LH30 $700-$750 Online: This budget 37-inch HDTV isn’t picture perfect due to uneven screen brightness and black levels, but it works very well within price constraints.

Vizio VO320E $500 Online: Budget 32-inch screen is an excellent Vizio LCD TV with good overall picture quality. Used with a decent blu ray player, it provides a convincing HD picture on a budget.

Vizio VA19L around $200: The budget 19-inch screen has a great picture and would work well for a kitchen, bedroom, or patio set.

These are all normal 2D HDTVs. The 3D sets are being tested now and we’ll have the results soon. If you’re looking for a 2D set in the market, one of the HDTVs above should work just fine for you.

The HDTV scene is changing so fast that it’s hard to keep up with all the developments. I have always felt that a purchase should be made when the technology matures a bit. I plan to buy a 3D HDTV, but I’ll probably wait a bit. If you must get a set and you’re not worried about 3D, the sets listed above come highly recommended not only by me but all over the web.

As always enjoy your entertainment!