Tech Review: Samsung PS43F4900 43-inch Widescreen 3D Plasma TV

For the past couple of weeks I have been extremely lucky enough to have the pleasure of testing theSamsung PS43F4900 43-inch Widescreen 3D Plasma TV.

While I have seen 3D movies at the cinema this was the first time I have had the chance to have the 3D experience at home.

My initial response? It is fantastic.

First of all, as it is a 43 inch TV it is a bit of a beast out of the box. Luckily the screen surround is not too wide so the size is pretty much all screen.

As it is a plasma TV, the screen is very black and very shiny. The term Black Mirror was never more appropriate. It does reflect an awful lot which means the positioning of the TV is important. You need to make sure there are not too many lights or windows opposite it to cause reflections that could spoil the viewing experience.

Once that is done the set up was nice and easy. As it comes with Freeview HD there are plenty of channels to mess around with and it is quick and easy to find your way round the various menus and selections to ensure you have the TV set up just how you want it.

I checked out a few different sites and forums to ensure I had the picture set up for the optimal 3D performance.

Before I go into the 3D I will talk about the general picture quality.

Pretty damn good is probably the best way to say it. Clear, crisp, with incredible contrast meaning the black is very black and the picture pops out very well indeed. Obviously, due to the size of the screen, SD images can look pixelated, but that happens on most HD TVs in this day and age.

All HD images whether from Netflix on the Xbox 360 or from a Blu-ray are incredibly sharp and I could not find fault with the picture.

It uses a new filter and panel structure to eliminate layered images and produce clear images from almost every angle. This also eliminates the production of dual images and blurring typically found with glass. Using the latest in subfield motion technology, Samsung Plasma TV flashes a single image up to 600 times a second. The result is smoother images with unprecedented picture quality, no matter how fast the images are moving.

The ConnectShare allows easy connection for USB memory sticks or hard disk drives meaning you can watch any movies or shows you may have with ease.

The Black Optimiser automatically adjusts the brightness and contrast settings. Depending on the lighting conditions, it intelligently optimises brightness and black contrast to ensure you see the best possible picture. That seems to work well in most circumstances, but in bright daylight the reflection can make it difficult to see the image clearly.

The sound quality is equally impressive although at low volume the background noise or music can swamp the dialogue a little.

There are two options when using the 3D capabilities of the TV. Firstly, there is a 3D converter meaning anything can be watched in 3D whether it be a normal TV signal, video game or movie.

This is a great option, but I found it did not often work that well. Obviously SD images and older TV shows work the worst. However, if you are watching a HD image, whether it be a Blu-ray or HD broadcast the 3D image is watchable. Not great, but watchable. There can be some ghosting with some images and the 3D image is never quite as good as you wish it could be, but it does work. Obviously, that side of the technology is still in the early days so this will hopefully improve with each generation of TV.

Using the TV to watch a 3D blu-ray playing on a 3D player is when the magic happens.

If you have only watched a 3D film in a normal cinema and not IMAX, then you have not really had a decent 3D experience. When watching at home on this TV the results were phenomenal.

The main problem I have found about 3D in the cinema is the fact the image is so dull. At home the brightness of the TV image is fantastic. You get a great image in 3D.

My favourite aspect of the technology is the depth you get with a good 3D image. It adds to the whole getting lost in a movie feeling.

What was apparent was that the quality of the 3D image is mainly dependent upon the quality of the 3D blu-ray. Some of the films I watched had some slight ghosting, yet others had none at all. Some films also had a problem with small parallel lines. When on screen it resulted in the kind of effect you see on TV when a person is wearing a suit with a loud pattern.

The best results were with more recent 3D films, especially CG animated movies.

When you have the right film to watch the 3D effect is brilliant. My parents, daughter and friends all thought it was fantastic and made them realise just how good 3D can be.

The active 3D glasses that come with the TV are comfy and, as I wear glasses, they fitted over them with no problem. However, I do plan on looking into other glasses to see whether they could make the 3D image even better.

All in all, I am very impressed with the Samsung PS43F4900 43-inch Widescreen 3D Plasma TV. Before using it I had never wanted to buy a 3D television. Yet using this one has definitely made me change my mind.

A big thanks to Argos for providing the TV and to Nay for sorting it all out.

Specifications