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More…The 50-inch Samsung HL-S5087W, a DLP HDTV, won raves in PC World's testing, pleasing our judges enough to collect some of the highest performance marks we've seen in this category. At a street price of $2499 (as of September 8, 2006), this 1080p DLP might be a luxury purchase for some buyers, but its multitude of features and excellent image quality may push you to splurge.
Samsung HL-S5087W
- Spec Navigator
- Screen Specs
- Broadcast Standards & Resolutions
- Dimensions and Weight
- Interface Connections
- Other Features
- Adjustments
- Aesthetics
- Included Hardware
Screen Specs
| Diagonal screen size | 50 inches |
| Display type | DLP |
| Maximum resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Contrast ratio | 10,000:1 |
Dimensions and Weight
| Width | 45.4 inches |
| Depth | 15.6 inches |
| Height | 32.3 inches |
| Weight | 61.8 pounds |
| Wall-Mountable | No |
Interface Connections
| Other Interfaces | USB 1.1D Sub15pin (PC) |
| Input |
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| Output |
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- Lab Tested
- How We Test HDTVs »
Pros
Excellent image quality
Easy-to-use menu with animated icons
Cons
Pricey
Bottom Line
Handsome 1080p DLP showed excellent color and minimal artifacts in tests. Unusually intuitive menu system is easy to master.
Samsung HL-S5087W
HL-S5087W Review, by Roy Santos October 24, 2006
The HL-S5087W averaged a score of Very Good on almost every TV test we threw at it. In high-definition scenes, this 1920-by-1080-resolution model produced realistic skin tones and exhibited good saturation, particularly on objects containing large swaths of color. A red car, for example, was vivid and rich-looking, with a balance that prevented the colors from looking unnatural. Sky and clouds in a wine country scene, a problem for many HDTVs we tested, betrayed very little blockiness here. Green tones were satisfying in the same scene, and trees and grass popped out with appealing color and detail. The TV produced what one panelist called a "pleasing picture" in a George Lopez scene, with a near-absence of shimmer on background curtains and wood grain. Skin tones were well defined, too, as the TV showcased its ability to portray a cast with naturally distinct dark and light skin tones.
In standard definition tests, this HDTV DLP also excelled. A San Francisco Giants baseball scene also demonstrated exemplary consistency in the green turf, and the red-orange background used for scores was pleasingly vivid. A juror detected a slightly "pink cast" here, as well as in the DVD tests, though the effect was not terribly bothersome. The TV set collected high marks for color quality and did a remarkable job of reproducing detail in darker background scenes.
The HL-S5087W's cabinet design is sleek and attractive. A large round power button, located just below the TV's glass in the center, serves as a visual anchor for the imposing 50-inch screen and its glossy black bezel. A stripe of silver steel, angled just above the power button, houses the TV controls for the on-screen display. Samsung even throws in a chamois cloth to clean the glass.
The built-in speakers were above average, but not great. In the last scene of the Seabiscuit DVD, each element-- dialogue, soundtrack, and sound effects--was distinct, so the audio was satisfactory; but the finale didn't sound as powerful as it can with stronger built-in speakers. Still, sound enhancements, such as surround settings and a five-channel equalizer, may suffice to please a lot of viewers. And audiophiles with high-end components can take advantage of the optical audio-out connection for crisp digital sound.
The HL-S5087W's user interface deserves special mention as one of the best-designed menu systems we've seen on a TV. Colorful animated icons appear at the bottom of the screen in a row when you press the Menu button on the remote. The menu system required almost no time to master. Samsung includes only five colors in its individual color controls (red, green, blue, yellow, and pink), but it also offers a convenient "before and after" screen comparison as you adjust the set, making your color decisions faster and more accurate.
Despite its many attractive, high-tech features, the HL-S5087 is easy to navigate, thanks to a thoughtfully implemented on-screen display feature that Samsung calls a Menu Map. It gives you a map of virtually all of the adjustments on the screen, instead of forcing you to scroll through a menu tree. It's a noteworthy touch that we hope to see in other TVs.
The Samsung HL-S5087W's remote is slim and lightweight. It has no backlight--a minor drawback--but its buttons are logically organized and partly color-coded. You can use it to control multiple devices, including DVD players and cable and satellite boxes.
The Samsung HL-S5087W's relatively high price of $2699 (as of September 8, 2006) reflects the fact that it's one of the most future-proof HDTVs available. Among the many features it includes are 1080p resolution and two HDMI inputs. A USB port that Samsung calls Wiselink even lets you display photos directly from your camera and play MP3 files.
Useful and unusual as those features are, the quality of the set's screen and electronics is what ensures a pleasing TV experience, in either standard or high definition. And on that point, the HL-S5087W definitely delivers.
Roy Santos
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PCWorld Lab Results
- Rating Breakdown
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80
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90
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94
- See Complete Lab Results »
Performance
| Brightness and Contrast | Very Good |
| Color Quality | Very Good |
| Detail | Good |
| DVD Image Quality | Very Good |
| High-Definition Image Quality | Very Good |
| Image Quality Under Bright Lighting | Very Good |
| Interface Tested | HDMI |
| Overall Quality | Very Good |
| Standard-TV Image Quality | Very Good |
User Reviews
Average User Reviews for Samsung HL-S5087W
1 Review Add your own »
- Latest User Reviews 1 review
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Reviewed by: Calm12
Duration of ownership: 2 Months
Strengths: Great clear picture.
Weaknesses: Loud "ping" sound when picture comes on or goes off. I wish there was a way to disenable this feature. I prefer no sound when the picture comes on or is turned off since I live in an apartment.
Overall: This is a great set and can be turned from side to side in the stand, if needed. I highly recommend this brand.
Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
User Reviews From Around the Web
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Reviewed by: BWilson07
Strengths: Beautiful picture
Weaknesses: No problems at all
Overall: Compared this set with Sony, Panasonic, JVC, and virtually every other brand out there...Nothing comes close to Samsung when it comes to HD picture quality. This set is worth every penny!
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Reviewed by: Review_Guy
Strengths: Yes, great image quality.For internal speakers, they're good.
Weaknesses: Samsung (read below)
Overall: Samsung puts out a great quality picture/image, but if you're unlucky enough to get a problem (in my case, three tuners that don't produce what they're suppose to do), Samsung will "deaf ear" you.I am due a replacement, still under factory warranty, but Samsung is ignoring me. When I call, they say they will, but after more than five phone calls to Samsung on this issue, and they say: "we'll call you" and don't, then you do the math!Look at another brand's customer reviews and make your purchase on those other brand's comments/posts.
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Reviewed by: TUVSNEU
Strengths: HD Channels, Blu-Ray, Bright PictureRelatively quiet set
Weaknesses: Some SD broadcasts look pretty poor.
Overall: This set looks great. The HD channels look incredible with bright clear colors and amazing clarity. The sports I have watched look amazing, HD movies look great and the HD-network shows rock. Blu-Ray looks amazing on this set as well. I watched the demo at a local store and this was the TV set they used to demo it. My non-HD DVD looks excellent on this set. The only two knocks on this set are:1. No Picture in Picture2. Standard Definition looks pretty poor on some channels, it is obvious this set was designed to maximize current and future technologies and not to bring out old analogue 480 broadcasts.Overall this set is great for:1.People who enjoy HD-Sports2.People who intend to use it for games3.People who will utilize future 1080p format movies
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Reviewed by: Davin_Felth
Strengths: The most clear and bright picture available.
Weaknesses: No Picture-in-picture
Overall: Picture Quality: I can only describe the picture quality as WONDERFUL! When comparing the TVs in the store and looking at the same video being displayed on each set, the Samsung had a clearer and brighter picture than anything else. It even had a slightly better picture than the more expensive Sony sitting right next to it. The default picture settings are good, but once you fine-tune the settings yourself the colors look spectacular. DVD playback looks great and I'm not even using an up-converting DVD player. DLP really is the leader for picture quality. No screen-door effect that is visible on LCD and Plasma screens. No need to worry about burn-in when playing your video games. With a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, blacks look VERY black. This is the format anyone serious about picture quality needs to look at.Sound Quality: I've only used the set's speakers a couple times, but the sound quality that it put out was very good for a TV. Anyone buying a HD TV should have a surround sound system anyways, so most people will never hear this TV's speakers.Features: The only thing lacking that would be nice is Picture in Picture. Most of the time, I never notice that it's not there though. There are plenty of inputs though. The Component and HDMI Inputs (2 of each!) do accept 1080p inputs, so you will be able to take advantage of the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players to their full potential.Cost-Benefit: Just look at the cost of this versus other 1080p sets! The Samsung HL-S5087W is a great TV for anyone that wants a great quality picture to watch DVDs, HD TV, or play video games on. This set is easily the best value on the market.July 14th:I have had a Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player hooked up to this TV for a couple weeks. The picture quality from HD Movies is absolutely spectacular. It looks like the people are actually standing there, you can see every little detail. If you're looking at getting a HD DVD player, this TV will take full advantage of the format.
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Reviewed by: mcally
Strengths: Picture quality is spectacular
Weaknesses: None
Overall: I have had this TV for a couple of days and the picture is just awesome. The all black sleek design looks great. I think for the money it is a no brainer to pick this unit over the Sony 50 inch 1080 TV. I have Directv HD and I am using HDMI cables. The cables are expensive but the picture is just spectacular. The hidden speaker design really gives the TV a sleek look. I did not like the huge speakers on each side of the Sony.
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