Samsung UN48J5200...

[vick1000]

Yes, it's an older model. Yes Rtings review says it sucks. yes, it's only 1080p. But they must have changed the panel, because it does not suck.

I was going to pick up another crappy TV from Walmart to replace the Sanyo I was using, due to a weird blotch like "stain" that developed in the middle of the screen. It is/was a good cheap monitor, so I was just going to grab another one. When right next to it was this Samsung. And looking from the angle as I aproached them, I could tell it was not shifting contrast like a VA panel, so I was immediatly curious.

When I saw it was a Samsung, I had to go check from angles over and over, and could not believe ther was NO contrast shift, if anything the dark colors were darker from off angles. I was highly confused, because the blacks were insanely dark, and I did not think Samsung used any other type panel in their TVs.

Well I dropped the $428 on it, thinking I would be taking it back, but willing to try it.

It is without a doubt the best TV I have ever sen for PC use. Once I got it setup properly, it is stupid clear, and calibrates like a PC monitor. I can see no contrast shift at all, definetly not like the Rtings video, clearly not the same panel. It has a slight IPS type glow from the right side, like other IPS. But the blacks are too dark for it to be an IPS. I am confused right now, but very happy to see this. I want to open it up and check the panel, but I don't want to void the warranty either.

It does 4:4:4 perfectly, and calibrates perfectly, you just have to use HDMI2 and set the input label to PC/DVI.

The only negatives are the size (IMO a little too big), only two HDMI, and it is only a 60hz panel with typical response time. It also uses PWM, but I am not sensitive to the cycle rate it is using.

I went to Best Buy to get a cable, and they had one on the wall there, and it appeared the same as mine, no contrast shift at all. So maybe there was a panel change and more like mine out there.

If you get the chance, check out your WM or BB for it before it goes EOL, hopefully they are all the same as the two at my local WM.

 

[igluk]

A few Samsung TVs with IPS-type panels use BOE panels, yours has HV480FH2-600

 

[Ocellaris]

For me, 1080P @ 48 inches would be too much, the pixels would be wwwaaayyy too big for PC use.

Much happier with a 40 inch 4K TV that was cheaper than $428 to use for my PC.

 

[vick1000]

A few Samsung TVs with IPS-type panels use BOE panels, yours has HV480FH2-600

Ah, that explains it. The black level is insane for an IPS type, and the glow is pretty low too. Great info there.

For me, 1080P @ 48 inches would be too much, the pixels would be wwwaaayyy too big for PC use.

Much happier with a 40 inch 4K TV that was cheaper than $428 to use for my PC.

I would love a 4k if there were not so many issues with the tech. I would have to change a lot to use one, and I thnk there are still lots od reports of bad 4k TVs out there, for PC use anyway. The 1080p resolution does not bother me too much, I just move my desk back some more (TV is wall mounted), and my vision is not the greatest anymore either, so there is some natural anti-alaising going on

My main focus is to find a display with good color and viewing angles first, then good blacks and response second, the rest is gravy. But it's hard to find good blacks without sacraficing viewng angle (contrast shift), but this panel does it right. If they can do this in 4k, I'll be all over it, but I have not seen one yet.