Samsung rolls out 8 new HDTVs, new 40-inch LED backlit LCD

Samsung's Series 7 / 8 / 9 plasmas and LCDs have broken cover already in Europe or North America, including the slim PAVV Bordeaux 850 (pictured), but Asia gets first crack at the latest iteration of the company's local dimming LED backlighting tech trickling down into the 40-inch LCD size range. Auto Motion Plus 120Hz technology, 1080p, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratios are a must, while also substituting direct YouTube access for the U.S. version's USA Today-powered InfoLink RSS service. No word on the prices the newly expanded Bordeaux line, but we're more interested in how soon the latest in backlighting technology is moving downmarket.

Update: Not first, just new, although that shouldn't sate our appetite for a future LN40A950 one bit. [Thanks to all for pointing that out]

[waiownsyou @ Aug 25th 2008 12:12PM]

Bordeaux? Chardonnay!

[nick @ Aug 25th 2008 12:16PM]

that's probably the prettiest tv ever.
too bad the price will be $132,239,443.00

[Rubicon @ Aug 25th 2008 12:41PM]

What TV, i dont see no TV

[Lowest Ranked @ Aug 25th 2008 12:47PM]

I think its in front of the asian model, but I can't say for sure.

[jupiterthunder @ Aug 25th 2008 6:51PM]

@Rubicon

I love Samsung product announcements.

[Chird @ Aug 25th 2008 12:19PM]

I'm assuming 1,000,000:1 is the Dynamic Contrast Ratio. The actual is prolly like 5:1...or 6:1. 6:1 would be awesome...

[iSmoke,therefore emit death by breathing @ Aug 25th 2008 12:19PM]

yes please.....

[Chird @ Aug 25th 2008 12:21PM]

I'm assuming 1,000,000:1 is the Dynamic Contrast Ratio. The actual is prolly like 5:1...or 6:1. 6:1 would be awesome...

[Chird @ Aug 25th 2008 12:21PM]

Damn double-post...sry

[MadMike @ Aug 25th 2008 12:23PM]

Yum....

What TV?

[bundle @ Aug 25th 2008 12:28PM]

Does anyone know how these LED LCDs compare to the OLED LCDs? I wonder if there would be a noticeable difference if they were placed side by side.

[avester @ Aug 25th 2008 12:34PM]

None at all, they are making the more expensive and harder to make OLEDS just for the kicks.

[drathos @ Aug 25th 2008 1:51PM]

OLED is a display tech trying to compete with LCD. The comparison to be made is CFL vs LED backlit LCD or LCD vs OLED. OLED doesn't require a separate backlight like LCD does.

[TareX @ Aug 25th 2008 12:28PM]

The best birthday gift for a rich 16-yr old prince who works as a PS3-game reviewer. And yes I happen to know one.

Thanks Engadget.

[Lowest Ranked @ Aug 25th 2008 12:48PM]

Not so fast there. I don't believe rich prince's work....

[Tom Myers @ Aug 25th 2008 12:28PM]

local dimming.

does this mean that it turns off the backlighting LED's for the pixels that are dark or black (creating an effectively far deeper black)?

or is that just daft?

[michael @ Aug 25th 2008 4:58PM]

"does this mean that it turns off the backlighting LED's for the pixels that are dark or black (creating an effectively far deeper black)?"

As Khattab mentioned, head over to AVS forum for all you ever wanted to know about the 950 series, and some serious OMG and drooling too.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1057727&page=18
Also look up the 950 series anticipation thread.

Now, in regard to your original question, you are partly correct. The set of LED's are divided into zones kind of like a clump of super-pixels. A zone might be x LED's across by y LED's tall. In previous generation TV's each zone could change its intensity independently. However, they had not yet moved to individual LED pixel intensity changes. Furthermore, even if they could do individual LED intensity differences, these panels have fewer LED's per panel than there are pixels. I don't remember the exact number, but reports are around 1k to 3k LED's per panel. However, the panel resolution is quite a bit higher (1080p).

I'm not really sure how refined the zones are in the 950. One early report was of 64 zones (more is better); however, this report also discussed the ability for zones to dynamically redefine themselves as objects reached zone boundaries. I don't think anyone really understands the number of zones and dynamic redefinition capability well enough at this point in time.

You really need to visit avsforum.com if you really care about this issue.

[John @ Aug 25th 2008 5:39PM]

It's been tested. The LNTxx81 series had this feature, and while you do get a completely black picture when the screen is supposed to be completely black, the benefits are far less when only part of the screen is supposed to be black. If they dropped the price premium they were putting on it, then it could be worth getting, but the 2,000,000:1 ratio is bunk, since that's comparing the aforementioned completely dark screen.

[Dr Zoidberg @ Aug 25th 2008 12:31PM]

DAMN! They're beautiful - the tv's are quite nice too.

[TheGeektoriousBIG @ Aug 25th 2008 12:31PM]

Why yes, I'll take 2 of those. No...the women fool.

[CraigJ @ Aug 25th 2008 12:33PM]

what's up with DLNA, etc? How about just making these things support 802.11, 'cause, you know, it works and a lot of people already have it. I don't want a bunch of different protocols and devices. I want my TV to talk to my computer using standard networking infrastructure.

WiFi or forget it.

[avester @ Aug 25th 2008 12:36PM]

Plug a PC or a Set-Top box to it.

If you pay couple grands for a TV you can pay 400$ for a PC.

[CraigJ @ Aug 25th 2008 1:11PM]

@avester. You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?

[Spart @ Aug 25th 2008 1:28PM]

Actually they offer a Wireless adapter for the InfoLink supporting TV's. the Model of the adapter is WIS-08BG and the UPc is 036725229020. I agree that it should come integrated into the TV for the price but the picture quality makes the Samsung's worth it as is. I work at Best Buy and the Samsungs are ALWAYS the ones that catch peoples eyes as having the best picture quality and smooth motions. I am personally saving up for a LN46a650 or 750. Hell I might even go for the 850 series.

[CraigJ @ Aug 25th 2008 2:13PM]

The point that I was tring to make is that these manufactures keep coming up with new ways to connect stuff together. Linksticks, DLNA, Zigbee, etc.

WiFi works just fine for whole house, high bandwidth coverage, and bluetooth is fine for shorter range, lower bandwidth. I don't want all these new, different, seemingly unsupported by most manufacturers protocols. If you want to provide wireless networking with your devices, use WiFi and/or Bluetooth or don't bother.

[Vidikron (FU) @ Aug 25th 2008 4:55PM]

Isn't DNLA just a protocol for media/file sharing? In other words, even if the TV did have WiFi it would still need some sort of protocol for file sharing.

[getStringFromObj() @ Aug 25th 2008 4:58PM]

I like how people add "I work at Best Buy" to their posts; wearing that magic blue shirt and khaki's must make you an authority on electronics huh? If you have to mention you work at Best Buy, you don't even know what you don't know.

[John @ Aug 25th 2008 5:42PM]

802.11 and DLNA are not comparable technologies. That's like comparing a coax cable to a token ring lan. 802.11 is the IEEE wifi spec. DLNA is a protocol for sharing media over a network; it's another layer on top of the network protocol. You can run DLNA over cables or wireless. if they made them "support 802.11", then they would still need DLNA or a similar protocol. It's good to know that you can mix buzzwords together, but all the same...

[tech-e @ Aug 25th 2008 12:36PM]

For the Author of this post:

the new samy 9 series have 2,000,000:1 contrast. When engadget posted about the 55" and 46: they said 1,000,000:1 but if you check samsung.com you will see that the 9 series is actuall 2,0000,0000:1 which is a lot more than whats posted. please correct if needed. thanks.

[JM @ Aug 25th 2008 9:32PM]

To be honest no one really knows what contrast will be. It's not like Samsung hasn't had wrong information on their site before.
Personally I believe it will have 2M simply because a lot of the new LED sets coming out like the Phillips has 2M and Samsung is all about measuring status with the highest contrast ratio.

One thing that is mentioned about the 40" 9 series... No word on US model. The PAL version will have 40" from what we know but still no confirmation about 40" 9 series that I've seen (haven't check AVS, just got home and checking feeds).

I've put together a chart for everyone to see the differences. I haven't changed to 2M just because not confirmed but might make change tonight. http://www.john-michaeldelvalle.com/2008/07/25/samsung-2008-lcd-comparison-chart/

[John @ Aug 25th 2008 10:45PM]

Samsung also says that the LN-T4081F weighs about 20 pounds. That's a 40" TV if you aren't familiar with how Samsung does their model numbers.

[JM @ Aug 26th 2008 12:00AM]

Yeah I don't see a 40" 9 series coming to the US. Sucks but sometimes thats how it works out.
Same thing going on with Sony, no 40" XBR 8.

It's like all the lower tier brands paid the two power houses to only make their high end model in 46" and 55"

[tech-e @ Aug 25th 2008 12:47PM]

one too many zeros in that last sentence. it should only be 2,000,0000:1. not 2,0000,000:1

[Lowest Ranked @ Aug 25th 2008 12:50PM]

So I still don't see any real numbers here.....

[Jon @ Aug 25th 2008 12:44PM]

Uhhhh, wouldn't the LNT4081F have been the first 40" Samsung with LED backlighting and local dimming?

[brandon @ Aug 25th 2008 1:00PM]

See, thats what I was thinking too...

[tech-e @ Aug 25th 2008 12:50PM]

this post is filled with all manner of errors

[Das Boot @ Aug 25th 2008 1:22PM]

you're face is an error.

[Das Boot is gay @ Aug 25th 2008 2:02PM]

epic fail das boot!

[one2gamble @ Aug 25th 2008 1:01PM]

Has Sammy fixed AMP yet?

[Khattab @ Aug 25th 2008 1:29PM]

First Review of the a950 series, incl. pictures and great videos:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1057727

[tech-e @ Aug 25th 2008 2:07PM]

typing was never a strong point. sry 2,000,000:1

[jaedekdee @ Aug 25th 2008 3:10PM]

umm.. might wanna fix the link on " Samsung's Series 7"

[HalfJoey @ Aug 25th 2008 3:48PM]

Will these make the current Samsung lines go down? I'm hoping to pick up a 46A650 this holiday season.

[John @ Aug 25th 2008 5:47PM]

it's possible, but the LNxxA650s have 120hz processing, so it's unlikely that they'll be dropping them that much as long as they still sell 60hz panels. If you're trying to find bargains, the LNTxx71 series is pretty comparable, although despite them being older it's tough to find them for cheaper than the 650s. I got my 40" for less than 1100, and it works fine for me though.

[rfc @ Aug 25th 2008 5:27PM]

2,000,000:1? Dynamic contrast figures are getting silly, I think companies, especially Samsung, are just picking numbers out the air for them

[navstar @ Aug 25th 2008 7:26PM]

Please don't ever quote contrast ratios... evar! We all know they are useless and you look like you are regurgitating a press release.

[techieguru16 @ Aug 25th 2008 6:38PM]

I personally think that Samsung has the best TV's.....can't wait till I can afford one. :)

[linuxamp @ Aug 25th 2008 11:51PM]

This photographer should be fired. You can barely see those girls.