Samsung LN-R408D 40-inch LCD HDTV Page 3

TEST BENCH FOR WEB Al Griffin

Color temperature (Warm2 mode before/after calibration): Low window (40-IRE): 6,253/6,503 K High window (80-IRE): 6,438/6,543 K Brightness (100-IRE window before/after calibration): 38.7/37.8 ftL

The Samsung LN-R408D's Warm 2 color-temperature mode measured fairly close to the 6,500-K standard, but the set showed a strong shift toward green at the low end of its grayscale - an anomaly that could only be corrected via service-menu calibration. After calibration, grayscale tracking was ±200 K from 30 to 100 IRE, which is average performance. (Calibration needs to be performed by a qualified technician, so discuss it with your dealer before purchase, or contact the Imaging Science Foundation at imagingscience.com or 561-997-9073.)

Color-decoder error measured +10 red / -10 green via the set's HDMI input and +10 red / -15 green via the component-video input, causing skin tones to look too "flushed" after I adjusted the TV's color according to color-bars test patterns. Decreasing the color level helped remove the reddish cast but also affected the overall saturation of other colors.

Overscan was about 4% for the HDMI inputs and 3 to 4% for component-video inputs - an average amount. Screen uniformity was very good, with pictures appearing evenly bright at off-center viewing positions, although a slight pinkish tint could be seen on full-field white test patterns. The set failed to resolve every line in a 720p-format multiburst pattern via its HDMI and component-video inputs. Although it features 2:3 pulldown processing for standard (480i) programs, I saw numerous instances of stairstep artifacts, or "jaggies," when watching movies. For this reason, you'll want to use a good progressive-scan DVD player with this TV.

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