It's an amazing TV and is probably the best value in its price class, especially in the Amazon price. The screen is crisp and bright even in daylight. I have a small picture of the tuning tool available free of charge to all THX-certified DVD and am impressed by the image quality and color clarity. The first HD feed off I was in the animated film Flushed Away on HBO. I would not normally see that something like, but I was completely blown away by the picture and was still stuck together. I can not believe how well the HD feeds look like.

This replaces a 32 "Sony Trinitron WEGA KV-32FS100 tube TV, had an excellent image for a non-HD set. I was worried that if you do not regularly 4:3 HD broadcasts the image would be smaller than it was on my Sony (I refuse to watch broadcasts stretched 4:3 to 16:9) and that the picture would look worse. It turns out that the Centre sends the 4:3 image size is about 33 " , But the TV-tube Sony had a slightly better picture for non-HD content (a common theme for LCD TVs).

Other considerations:

* 40 "looks much bigger at home, when it was still in business. Trust me.

* Use HDMI cable for the best picture quality. I ordered $ 10 HDMI cable (6 feet) here at Amazon and have no problems with HD feeds or xbox360 play in 1080p. Buy the cable here, do not pay more than $ 10 each, and certainly not one of the big blue store where the cheapest 6 foot cable is $ 60. Yes, disturbances can cause problems even for a digital signal, but at 6 feet give me a break. You will not need a gas injection, diamond-encrusted, NASA-certified cable.

* My cable provider charged me an extra $ 8/month to get a group of around 10 HD channels such as ESPN, Discovery, TNT, etc. At least the major networks' HD channels were not charged extra. Check If your provider to see if the payment is for certain extra HD channels.

* The built-in speakers are nothing special, but then again so are most built-in TV speakers.

* Amazon comes again. Unschlagbaren price with free shipping. I ordered it on a Sunday and Thursday has received, not bad for the free supply (only granted, it went from Reno to southern California). The delivery guys even offered to the device for free, but I declined. I do not know whether the standard operating system for CEVA, but it is well worth tipping them if you do not want to set it up themselves.

Product descriptions

Samsung's 550-series is a perfect way to step up to full HD resolution 1080p. A quick 5 ms response rate produces smooth-motion scenes for sports and action movies, and a dynamic contrast ratio of 30000:1 provides for deep blacks and sharp lines (15000:1 in 32-inch and 37-inch models) . Superb connectivity and networking with a USB port and 3 HDMI ports with 1.3 Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) means that these HDTVs play well with all your other electronics. Easy to enjoy MPEG and JPEG files stored on external devices, by entering through a side entrance mounted USB 2.0, turn off the LCD into a comprehensive view of the gallery at home, or close your MP3 player for a dynamic audio Experience. lifestyleKey Features

* New - 30000:1 dynamic contrast ratio: 15000:1 from about 2007 models (15000 in 32-inch and 37-inch models) (More)

* New - Fast 5ms response time: 8ms of over 2007 models, thanks to a new high-liquid crystal -- * Full HD 1080p (More)

* 178-degree viewing angle from all four axes with Super Patterned Vertical Alignment (More)

* 3 HDMI 1.3 ports: Simplay compliant (More)

* USB 2.0 port: devices directly to your HDTV - view JPEG images or MPEG movies, or simply listen to your MP3 player through your HDTV audio system or home theater system

* DNIe Digital Natural Image engine improves the image by improving the contrast, detail, and white balance (More)

* Hidden speakers with SRS TruSurround XT audio (More)

* Wide Color Enhancer technology and Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) offer a wider range of color (More)

* Picture-in-Picture (PIP) enables convenient simultaneous viewing of TV programs and video or PC sources

* V-chip system allows blocking of rated TV and film programs by the parent company to contain objectionable content.

* Trilingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French.

* Variable sleep timer to the TV off in different time intervals.

* Car wall mount compatible: 3-dimensional operation via TV remote control, no external IR receiver.

* Incl. Swivel

* 1 year parts and labour 1 year warranty (90 days parts and labour for commercial use), with in-house service, supported by Samsung toll-free support

Step Up Features

* Series 6: 50000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, Automotion Plus 120Hz image interpolation for smoother movement, 4ms response time, transparent and opaque color (TOC) bezel, free panel, Ethernet connection with the Infoline free RSS feeds, 4 HDMI 1.3 ports, sports and game modes, compatible with Samsung's Home Media adapters for digital playback and navigation of the Internet and multimedia PC

* Series 7: internal flash memory (1 GB) pre-loaded with interactive content such as cooking recipes, children's entertainment, HD artwork and much more, integrated woofer for an enhanced audio experience, DLNA compatible for greater interoperability with electronics, Computers and mobile devices from many different manufacturers