240hz

Why doesn't my TV say 120Hz/240Hz?

CNET reader Steven U. asks:

I bought a 240 Hz LED LCD, and if I press the "Info" button, all I ever see is 1080p/60. Does this mean I'm only getting 60 Hz? Is there something wrong with my TV? Do I need a special HDMI cable? Your question is a pretty common one, actually.… Read more

LG's high-end passive 3D LED TVs get 240Hz

Update August 16, 2011 We won't be reviewing this TV, but we did review the LG LW5600 series. The two are extremely similar except that the LW6500 has a 240Hz refresh rate--a difference we don't expect to have much impact on picture quality. For more, check out the full review of the LD LW5600 series.

After Vizio, LG is the second TV maker at CES to announce a lineup of TVs equipped with so-called passive 3D compatibility. Passive 3D differs from the active variety found on nearly all current 3D TVs in a number of ways, including the … Read more

Debunked: 'Infinite' contrast ratio, 240Hz, and Sharp's yellow pixel

The cutthroat competition among HDTV-makers inspires constant efforts to one-up the other guy, and the end result are confusing, misleading claims that do little to tell shoppers about true performance and picture quality. At CNET I try to cut through a lot of that "specmanship" in my reviews, and many other critical voices are fighting the good fight too.

"Display Myths Shattered: How Monitor & HDTV Companies Cook Their Specs" collects numerous misleading HDTV and PC monitor specs and debunks them one by one. The author, Raymond Soneira, takes aim at unnecessary--and often harmful to picture … Read more

Sony LED-based LCD TV shows monolithic style

As the first official 2010 HDTV reviewed by CNET, and the first mainstream edge-lit LED-based LCD produced by Sony we've tested, the KDL-NX800 series arrives with plenty of anticipation. However, before you equate "LED" with "awesome picture quality," it's worth reiterating that the backlight technology comes in a bunch of varieties--and not all are created equal. The Sony NX800 performs on a par with other like-equipped LCDs that we've tested, such as the UNB7000 series from Samsung, so people seeking a premium home theater picture might be disappointed.

In other areas, the … Read more

LG SL80 series LCD TV puts style first

A big flat-panel TV can tend to dominate a room, which helps explain why some TV shoppers insist on a television that looks as good as possible when turned off. LG designed its slim-bezel, thin-panel models, the SL80 series reviewed here, and the step-up SL90 series, with those kinds of shoppers in mind. This HDTV definitely puts style first, with its sleek, compact appearance highlighted by a piece of glass that fronts the entire panel. The SL80 lacks the LED lighting and extensive interactive features found on other TVs in its price range, however, and its picture quality fell a … Read more

Samsung LNC750 series boasts 240Hz and Interactive 'apps,' but no LED

Our favorite LCD TV from last year, despite the fact that it didn't include LED backlighting, was the Samsung LNB750 series. The successor to that model, which again represents the company's highest-end non-LED series, is the LNC750.

Judging from the specs, Samsung didn't do much to change this set. It still includes 240Hz processing and the company's glossy screen coating, which it calls "Ultra Clear." The main external difference is the addition of a slick quad-leg stand.

Internally, the company has upped the interactive ante for 2010. The company's interactive feature suite still … Read more

Test pattern exposes more issues with dejudder processing, but does it matter?

We've often complained about the video-like look of dejudder processing circuits like Samsung's Auto Motion Plus (AMP), Sony's MotionFlow, and LG's TruMotion found on those and other companies' 120Hz and 240Hz equipped LCDs. Using a process called Motion Estimation/Motion Compensation (ME/MC), they remove some or all of the judder from 24-frame, film-based sources, producing a look some viewers prefer. For the record, we strongly prefer to leave these modes turned off.

But in addition to that videolike smoothing effect, the processing also causes further image degradation. We've documented numerous such instances, which often appear as halos, trails and other unnatural effects clearly visible in program material, especially during medium to fast movement, such as an actor turning his head quickly during a closeup.

Now a post at HDguru.com by reviewer and industry observer Gary Merson exposes additional artifacts caused by the processing. The artifacts are visible in a video of five LCD TV makers' dejudder-equipped LCD TVs (a sixth plasma TV's wedge lacks the flashing and much of the moire). They appear as unnatural flashes and tears in addition to extensive moire that looks like confused, curving lines. The test pattern in the video originated from a Blu-ray test disc by Spears and Munsil, a copy of which is included with the Oppo BD-P83.

Using a few of the 120Hz and 240Hz HDTVs I have in my lab at the moment, namely the the Samsung UN46B7000 and LN52B750, the Sony KDL-46VE5 and KDL-52XBR9, and LG 47LH50 and 47LH90, I was able to confirm the Guru's results using the Spears and Munsil disc played via a PS3 at 1080p/24. The flashing artifacts were indeed visible with the dejudder circuits turned on, and disappeared when they were turned off (the flashes and extra moire can appear subtle in the video, but in person the difference is much more obvious).… Read more

Refresh rate, motion blur a nonissue on modern LCDs?

I've been testing LCD monitors consistently for the past two years. In that time, I've run various tests designed to evaluate a monitor's response time. I've used games, movies, and the occasional scientific test to confirm if a manufacturer's claimed response time is accurate.

To be perfectly honest, I have a very difficult time seeing motion blur in movies and games. In fact, I'm not sure I've seen it any repeatable evidence of it on a modern monitor during a game or movie.

So it should go without saying that DisplayMate's recent findings on LCD response times come as no big shock to me. The findings come via an article by DisplayMate founder Raymond Soneira.

Here are Soneira's major conclusions based on tests conducted by DisplayMate on LCDs from major manufacturers.

1. A manufacturer's claimed response time specifications are not a scientifically accurate or a meaningful indicator of picture blur.

The motion blur DisplayMate measured on the HDTVs tested was more than 40 milliseconds. According to the article, this is more than a factor of 10 greater than the manufacturer's published specifications.

2. LCD manufacturers have made a big deal about refresh rates in the last couple of years with the jump from 60Hz to 120Hz and now 240Hz. CNET's own David Katzmaier suspected that benefits with the jump to 240Hz were dubious already, but here's more evidence to back it up. … Read more

Local dimming Samsung LED: Best LCD yet?

If you watch football or read CNET, chances are you've noticed ads for Samsung's so-called LED TVs. The company has released three series of these super-thin LED-based LCDs so far this year, the 6000, 7000 and 8000 models, but it's saved the best for last. The fourth series is dubbed UNB8500, but you can remember it best as the king of LCD--for now.

Unlike the other three Samsung models, which use LED elements arranged along the edge of their screens, the company's two 8500 models employ a full array of local dimming LEDs behind the screen, … Read more