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Intro About Samsung PND6500 Smart TV
The Samsung PND6500 series includes 2 models: The PN51D6500 & the PN519D6500 which are identical except the screen size – 51″ & 59″ respectively.
The Samsung Plasma PN51D6500 is a stunning 51-inch, 3D compatible, high-definition plasma television that offers crisp 1080p resolution and a highly immersive viewing experience for a relatively affordable price.
Its other great features include its ultra fast pixel response time of 0.001 ms, 600Hz subfield motion technology, narrow bezel, 1.5-inch depth, Touch of Color design, Cinema Smooth processing and Smart TV with Samsung Apps Internet suite (Picasa, Vudu, YouTube, Facebook, Pandora, Flickr, CinemaNow) together with universal search.
The PN51D6500 is the smaller model in the PND6500 series, with its sibling being the similarly featured 59-inch PN59D6500. With a 16:9 aspect ratio, and a 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, the PN51D6500 provides one of the most impressive displays available on the market within its price range. Since, this series creates a great entry-point for 3D Plasma HDTVs, a crystal-clear image can be attained.
Samsung Plasma D series: D6500 vs. D7000
Is it really the D6500 a more affordable option? Or, is it worth saving some pocket change by not getting the D700?
The D6500, is Samsung “more affordable” alternative to the D7000. It features most of the ‘premium’ features while getting rid of some not so essential characteristics to lessen the load on costumer’s pockets.
Let’s breakdown some of the features they do (and don’t) share:
| D6500 | D7000 | |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Plasma +1 | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic Contrast Ratio | 5,000,000:1 | 15,000,000:1 |
| HD Support | Yes | Yes |
| 3D Technology | Yes | Yes |
| Real Black Filter | No | Yes |
| Samsung Apps | Yes | Yes |
| 600Hz Subfield Motion | Yes | Yes |
Most people (even Samsung) don’t realize that the subtle differences do more for the bang of their bucks than they think.
So, let’s get it on!
- Dynamic Contrast Ratio (DCR): At first glance it seems there is a huge gap from 15M:1 to 5M:1, the reality is different. The DCR is a measure on how well a display is “capable” of distinguishing between the blackest black and the whitest white, so the TV displays richer blacks and whites. Meanwhile, in theory the bigger this values the better, right? Well, not really. There’s a point of diminishing returns when this value is in the order of millions. So, this may or not be a loss in picture quality, particularly for the untrained eye.
- Real Black Filter: Samsung’s fancy name for an ‘anti-glare’ filter that reduces the onscreen glare caused by ambient light, which consequently produces better blacks. Although, it may not sounds like a great addition; anecdotally, people have reported a real ‘improvement’ on bright ambience reflections which in turn improves the blacks quality and contrast.
- Bezel design: where the D7000 rocks brushed-titanium, the D6500 uses standard heavy-duty black brushed-plastic.
- Speaker’s placement: the D6500 has the speakers placed at the bottom, instead to the sides.
- Two missing features for the D6500: Wide Color Enhancer, which provides better hues and BD Wise™ that, displays the best possible resolution when playing Blue-ray discs.
The Price Story
All in all, being that the price gap between these two is quite large (The Samsung PN51D7000 sells for $1,899.99 and the Samsung PN51D6500 sells for $1,299.88 – these are the current prices at Amazon); we should make a balance with the pro’s and con’s, then compare them to our budget.
If you’re going to use your flat on a room or ambient with very to none light, get the D6500; on the contrary, if there’s relatively high or moderate brightness in the room (this is where ‘Real Black Filter’ shines and the ‘DCR’ helps a bit) you should go for the D7000. In my opinion this is the most important aspect when choosing between these two. For really bright rooms or nasty light reflections you may want to consider a LED-LCD TV for a pretty steep price difference though.
All the other extra details are pretty trivial and shouldn’t influence your decision. Albeit, if the stipulated price drop for the D7000 it’s true (maybe to around or less than $200 price difference), I wouldn’t mind shedding some bucks for the ‘extra’ features. Plus, who could resist not paying a bit more for a fancy, yet luxurious, brushed 1”-thick titanium bezel? I know I couldn’t.
3D Thrills at an Affordable Price
The PN51D6500 is one of the most economic options to consider when shopping for a 3D compatible HD plasma. Simply connect an external 3D player (sold separately) and wirelessly sync a pair of Samsung Active 3D glasses (also sold separately), and you’ll be enjoying DVDs, Blue-Ray movies, video games, and even some live broadcast programs three-dimensionally. When you’ve had enough of the jaw-dropping in-your-face action, you can revert the PN51D6500 back to a normal HDTV with the click of a button.
Maximized Viewing Area with Plasma +1
To increase the viewing area of their plasma televisions Samsung has introduced the Plasma +1 feature, which reduces the size of the outer frame by an entire inch, giving you more ‘bang for your buck’. In addition to maximizing viewing space, the new Plasma +1 outer bezel gives the PN51D6500 plasma a much less bulky and more aesthetically pleasing appearance, while also slightly decreasing the weight (only 49.4 pounds without a stand, 59.7 pounds with a stand).
Superb Streaming Offers Vivid Visuals
Since the PN51D6500 is equipped with Samsung’s powerful 600 Hz Subfield Motion Technology it is able to flash every frame up to 600 times per second, creating incredibly vivid lifelike motions. You’ll be able to enjoy fast-paced movie scenes and watch your favorite sports in high definition without missing a single moment of the action. To complement this the PN51D6500 features a .001ms response time, which completely eliminates motion blur. Individuals that enjoy watching hockey, action movies, and fast-moving aerial high-definition nature shots will most likely find this enhanced streaming most useful.
Serious Surround Sound Puts You in the Heart of the Action
With SRS TheaterSound surround sound technology and 10W x 2 RMS sound output the PN51D6500 provides crisp and clear audio that will make you feel as if you are sitting in your own personal Cinema. Even if you do not have a powerful sound system, the built-in bottom speakers provide incredible audio directly out-of-the-box.
Enjoy Interactive Multimedia with Built-in Wi-Fi, SmartTV and Allshare DNLA Technology
The Samsung PN51D6500′s built-in Wi-Fi receiver allows you to stream data directly from your wireless network with no additional hardware needed. After establishing a connection to the Internet you can enjoy interactive content using integrated Samsung applications that provide direct connectivity to Netflix, Blockbuster, ESPN, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and even social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. You can also stream content wirelessly from digital devices that are equipped with AllShare DLNA technology (i.e. – computers, cameras, and smartphones).
Comprehensive Compatibility and Connectivity
The comprehensive compatibility of the PN51D6500 is facilitated by four HDMI inputs, one PC input (D-sub), two USB 2.0 ports, and one component input, all of which let you fully utilize the functionality of the television.
How Does the Samsung Plasma PN51D6500 Compare to Similar Plasmas?
Although the PN51D6500 is slightly larger than its predecessor and incorporates the new plasma +1 bezel, which gives the display a more spacious appearance than its competitors, the bezel is not quite as narrow as those found on the 2011 LED televisions. This year’s edition is similar to the 2010 C7000, however the new PN51D6500 includes a revamped version of the Samsung taps Internet suite, which is now referred to as Smart-TV.
Conclusion
Overall, the Samsung Plasma PN51D6500 provides unparalleled performance and functionality for a price that is virtually unbeatable. In addition to providing all of the aforementioned features for only $1299, the PN51D6500 is Energy Star compliant, which means your carbon footprint will be smaller, and so will your utility bill! If you are looking for an economic entry-level plasma that is 3D compatible, this product may be the ideal solution.
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