Samsung LCD monitors

Factual Questions
1

Many moons ago, when I was shopping for assorted A/V components, one thing I found is that Samsung products seemed to invariably suck, for one reason or another. I thus internalized a general distrust of anything that said “Samsung” on it. Lately, I’ve been checking out LCD monitors, and the Samsungs usually seemed to be the cheapest, sometimes by a couple hundred dollars (for, say, a 17"). I thought to myself, “Sure, no wonder, Samsung sucks.” However, my wife says she has a Samsung LCD at work, and loves it. So I checked out some reviews on the net, and the Samsungs were generally getting rave reviews.

So what’s up? Samsung is now putting out wonderful products for less money than everyone else? Something seems fishy here. Anyone have some insights? Are Samsung LCD monitors really the bee’s knees, or do they fail catastrophically after 3 weeks, or something?
Jeff

2

Samsung LCD monitors seem to be quite good. I’m very tempted by the 191 series.

3

I’ve been meaning to start this very same thread but about Samsung’s flat panel LCD TVs. Do you mind if I coopt your thread?

4

I can only offer anecdotal evidence. Back in '00 I needed a new computer for work, and I needed something good. I was going to do a lot of graphics work for print and the retailer I talked to was raveing about the new CRT from Samsung. It wasn’t my money, and if turned out to not be on par with what I needed, then someone else in the office could adopt it, and I could get the Nokia I first had my eyes on. The reason I went for the Samsung was also that it was a Trinitron™.
Well, raise my rent. Best damned monitor I ever had. Every one in the office was jealous. People visiting stopped and said: “My god, what a great computer screen.”

In '01, I got a new computer for my home, through connections my employer had. I didn’t have a choice, but the deal was too good to pass up. So I ended up with a Compaq and a Compaq 15" TFT. The computer is OK. The screen sucked big time. Even on a cloudy day, I had to have the blinds down to be able to read the Straight Dope. I didn’t even know that the fields between the posts arelight blue, since I had contrast and light set to max.

Finally, I got fed up and went out and bought a Samsung 17" TFT. The problem is, that it’s too bright. I have to set it down to 30%. I now see colors and shades I didn’t know existed. If it’s dark in the room, the screen gives off enough light for me to be able to read a book by it.
And the CRT in the office is still going strong.

A few weeks ago, I finally decided on a new TV. I had money to burn, so I settled on a Panasonic, 32", 100Hz, FlatScreen. t was about $2.000. I got home, unpacked the damned heavy thing, set it up and thought “What the F…?” Sure it was a little better than my 10 year old 20" set, but not a lot. Mainly, it was bigger, bulkier, heavier. But hey. $2.000 is a lot of money.
Hmmm.
Thankfully, the place that sold it has a very generous return policy (30 days, full refund, no questions asked), so I brought it back, got my money and walked to a dealer across the street to check out their sets. Whadyaknow. A Samsung. 32", 100Hz. Not FlatScreen, but it was only ~$1.000. Given my experience with their computer screens, both CRT and TFT, I didn’t hesitate. Bought it, got it home, connected ti and turned it on.
Better picture than the Panasonic.

I don’t know wat those guys in Korea did. From what I understand, they made screens and tv sets for other brands for a long time (as did GoldStar, now known as LGElectronics). Five years ago, I would’ve sneered. Now I look at Samsung before I check other brands.

I guess they just decided to go upmarket (as happened with the cars) and and started working hard to get there.

I know others who have Samsung TFTs and they are very satisfied. Good picture, reliable, inexpensive.

5

Well, color me shocked. And happy. I should snag a monitor, then, before Samsung raises their prices to something representative of their quality.
Jeff

6

Well, they will, you know.
Classic marketing as demonstrated by Japanese auto makers. Go into the market with a cheap product. Get some recognition for the brand. Start making better inexpensive products - people start buying and doing what we do here right now, talking about the product and how we changed our view of it. When it’s enough of a household name - blam! - Camry, which I think is the best selling sedan in the US, no?

7

On a side note, Trinitron™ tubes are manufactured by SONY, so the Samsung CRT you had wasn’t entirely Samsung.

I’ve had very good experiences with 5 or 6 Samsung cell phones. I’ve never seen their LCD displays in person though.

8

Unless it passes beyond the range of the auspices of the Moderati, this thread is likely to end up in IMHO.

I purchased a Samsung 171v flat-panel display a few months ago. I’m surprised by its color and clarity compared to the old Avitron CRT I’ve been using.

9

Another Samsung TFT owner checking in. For the most part, mine’s great. Excellent contrast, brightness and colour. You really can’t beat their quality for the price. I, too, think their low prices are a bid to corner the TFT market and, judging by the reaction here and other places, I think they’re succeeding.

10

Actually, no.

Sony came up with the trinitron concept, but that doesn’t mean they are the only company to make it. In fact, Samsung used to produce quite a lot of the tubes for Sony’s monitors, tvs and computerscreens. I’ve been trying to find links, but have a hard time finding it in English.
This page is not much of a support, but a search for Samsung and Trinitron will give you quite a lot of hits, though none states this outright. Sony is quite proud of the technology and usually puts it on its products. Since it wasn’t anywhere near the screen I had, my feeling is that Samsung didn’t have the rights to market it as Trinitron.

However, as explained here trinitron screens have a feature not present in other screens:

Since those lines were on the monitor I mentioned above, that’s a clear indication that it indeed was Trinitron technology, maybe sold under another name. I have a hard time believing that Sony made the screen for Samsung, which then sold it for half the price Sony charges for their Trinitron screens.

Sony do make monitors for other computerbrands, as this Dell shows.

11

Samsungs happen to be some of the BEST LCD’s on the market. Check out www.envynews.com for some reviews.

12

If this helps…

Purchased a Samsung 42" Plasma tv almost a year ago, Paid £3000.00 (included delivery and set up by Samsung appointed technicians), the equivalent Sony or Panasonic would have probably cost £6-7000.00. It is FANTASTIC! It is loaded with features, picture-in-picture, freeze frame, split screen teletext, 100 page memory, computer monitor input, good quality stereo speakers etc. etc. Everyone who has seen the quality of the picture (especially via satellite) is amazed. Makes watching tv a whole new experience!

On the strength of this purchased a number of Samsung monitors (SyncMaster 171S) for our small network at work about 6 moths ago. Actually could have bought a bit cheaper (sorry - can’t remember the make but not well known), but once again everybody that’s got one loves
it, and certainly would not choose to go back to a CRT monitor!

ok Samsung, - do I get the commission now? :wink:

13

Another user here. Been running a pair of 151s for about a year and a half, 24/7. No problems whatsoever. The twin screen setup is much more readable than the (old but mega expensive) 21" CRT that I used to have.

A client’s office has 15" Sony LCDs, which cost a lot more than the Samsungs, and I find that the Sonys aren’t as good. The Sony displays are worse in terms of brightness and off-angle readability.

This isn’t meant as a comprehensive analysis, just a personal observation.