Samsung begins shipping new 2008 LCD HDTV line

Samsung Electronics, a worldwide leader in LCD HDTV innovation and sales, continues to bring top-level design and features to a variety of consumers with its new line of LCD HDTV. Building upon the elements found in last year's successful 53/54 Series, the Series 4 450 LCDs offer consumers a multitude of sizes and technical features to choose from, whether looking to enter the world of HD content for the first time or searching for a reliable secondary HDTV for a bedroom, playroom or home office. Series 5 550 provides pitch-perfect performance for all consumers thanks to a bevy of picture enhancement technologies. The ultimate form of "functional art" to consumers with the Series 6 650 and Series 7 750 LCD HDTVs, which feature Samsung's proprietary ToC (Touch of Color) design.

According to Jonas Tanenbaum, vice president LCD Marketing at Samsung Electronics America, "As HD content becomes more available to more consumers, the demand for HDTVs that offer the latest features and high quality at a friendly price increases exponentially. Samsung looks to deliver on each of those fronts by offering consumers HDTVs that can easily become the centerpiece of any living area, employ the latest features and have a proven history of both quality and value. The new Series 4 450 LCDs aim to please as follow up models to the successful 53/54 Series of 2007."

Series 4 450 LCD HDTVs
The latest series of LCD HDTVs from Samsung represents a continuation of classic Samsung design mingling with the latest features and connectivity options. Available in both a sleek piano black (all sizes) and rich pearl white (19 and 22-inch class TVs) finishes, with smoothed corners and hidden bottom speakers, the Series 4 450 LCDs can easily accent the decor of most any environment, from a primary home theater setup to a display for the kitchen countertop. All sizes in the Series 4 lineup display in clear 720p HD resolution, and feature HDMI connectivity, with select models including HDMI connections with CEC (Anynet+) for easy control of multiple home theater devices using a single remote control with no complicated setup.

With dynamic contrast ratios going up to 10,000:1, and swift response times as low as 6 ms (32, 37 and 40-inch sizes), the Series 4 450 LCD is ready to deliver bright, detailed colors and battle motion blurring even with the fastest onscreen movements. For those consumers looking to enjoy their favorite movies, sporting events and video games, Samsung introduces three separate Entertainment enhancement modes (26, 32, 37 and 40-inch class TVs) to optimize both the audio and video processing for an even more immersive experience. Additionally, Series 4 450 LCD includes built-in ATSC / NTSC / Clear QAM tuners, which are able to easily receive free, over-the-air digital and HD programming where available.

The Samsung Series 4 LCDs are available now with the piano black bezel in the following sizes: 18.9-inches, 21.9-inches, 26.0-inches, 31.5-inches, 37.0-inches and 39.9-inches. (Model numbers: LN19A450 @ $429, LN22A450 @ $549, LN26A450 @ $749, LN32A450 @ $899, LN37A450 @ $1,199, LN40A450 @) $1,299. The pearl white models are also available now in the following sizes: 18.9-inches and 21.9-inches. (Model numbers: LN19A451 @ $429, LN22A451 @) $549.

The Series 5 Full HD LCD TV
According to John Revie, senior vice president of Visual Display Marketing at Samsung Electronics, "With our Series 5 550 LCD TVs, Samsung responds to the wants and needs of consumers eager for an HDTV that has their viewing experience in mind. Samsung is committed to continually expanding the performance possibilities of our HDTVs in order to provide the ultimate home entertainment viewing experience."

Samsung's Series 5 550 LCD is the ideal choice for the passionate consumer who demands a crystal clear, vivid HD experience while viewing a wide variety of content, including cinema, sporting events and gaming. Featuring Wide Color Enhancer 2, the Series 5 550 LCD supplies a natural picture quality with enhanced brightness and rich greens, blues, and reds.

Equipped with Samsung's Full HD 1080p resolution, the Series 5 550 LCD features superior clarity with a dynamic contrast ratio up to 30,000:1. The DNIe Engine and Digital Dynamic Contrast also help to bring deeper blacks to the screen by changing the light controlling system from analog to digital.

With consumer convenience in mind, the Series 5 550 LCD comes with the newest in cutting-edge digital connectivity with three HDMI 1.3 inputs (two rear, one side). Samsung's Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) allows for other A/V products to be controlled with the set's remote control without the need for additional setup. The side-mounted USB 2.0 port uses Samsung's Wiselink technology, giving consumers the ability to listen to MP3s or view JPEG images stored on a connected external device.

Always on the forefront of style and design, the Series 5 550 LCD is designed with Samsung's traditional piano black dcor with soft, rounded edges. The sleek, simple design brings a classic, aesthetically pleasing look and feel to any room. And as part of Samsung's commitment to green initiatives, the Series 5 550 LCD is Energy Star compliant. The Series 5 550 LCD HDTV first shipped in April in the following sizes: 31.5-inches, 37.1- inches, 40.0-inches, 46.0-inches, and 52.2-inches screen sizes. (Model numbers LN32A550 @ $1,099, LN37A550 @ $1,399, LN40A550 @ $1,699, LN46A550 @ $1,999, LN52A550 @ $2,799). All Series 5 models will be available in May.

The Series 6 and Series 7
Samsung brings the ultimate form of "functional art" to consumers with the Series 6 650 and Series 7 750 LCD HDTVs featuring Samsung's proprietary ToC (Touch of Color) design. Born from several artistic inspirations, from the craftsmanship behind delicately blown glass to the balanced beauty of a sunset, the ToC design features a hint of red color naturally blended into a semi-transparent piano black bezel, allowing the HDTV to harmonize with any dcor. In addition to boasting an industry-first design the Series 6 and 7 LCD HDTVs deliver a superior 1080p picture with up to a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, featuring crisp detail and vibrant colors supported by Samsung's Auto Motion Plus 120Hz and Ultra Clear Panel technologies. Beyond improving picture quality, the Series 6 and Series 7 LCD HDTVs also give consumers the latest in sophisticated networking with Samsung's InfoLink RSS service powered by USA Today, as well as access to the user's digital media via USB 2.0 with WiseLink. While embodying the art of performance, the Series 6 and Series 7 LCDs are also environmentally-friendly, proudly recognized by the EPA as EnergyStar rated.

Tannebaum continued, "We feel that the Series 6 and 7 LCD HDTVs reflect Samsung's emphasis on continually innovating the design of our LCD lines as well as the performance. By bringing a Touch of Color to the LCD HDTV market with our unique ToC manufacturing process, Samsung continues to find ways to blur the boundary between TV and art. And while we will always seek new ways to push the design envelope, Samsung's continuing focus is on offering the best possible picture and viewing experience for consumers."

Series 6 650 Full HD LCD TV
Touch of Color
Reflecting Samsung's design policy of aggressive innovation, the ToC design featured in the Series 6 650 LCD breaks free from the mold of conventional black, box-like bezels seen across the industry. Samsung is the first manufacturer in the HDTV industry to employ dual-injection technology commonly used in the design of premium automobiles, which embeds color not with paint or dye, but instead with material. By controlling the density of the transparent and opaque material used in the process, the resulting bezel mimics a natural sunset with distinct red and black gradation. Natures inspiration on the ToC bezel is also apparent in the effect that ambient light levels have on the red hues brightness, offering an ambience that is reminiscent of viewing a piece of art. The idea of ToC ultimately stems from Samsung's desire to give consumers a well-designed HDTV that fits into any home not only as an entertainment hub, but as a piece of functional art.

InfoLink
Expanding the possibilities of the HDTV as an entertainment hub in the home, the Series 6 650 LCD features the single-button, on-demand InfoLink RSS service. Powered by content from USA Today, InfoLink instantly displays user-customizable news, sports, weather, stocks and entertainment information onscreen via adjustable overlays. As the ultimate form of luxury and convenience for the always-connected consumer, InfoLink allows users to view their choice of personalized, real-time information with the push of a button, without interrupting what else is being shown onscreen or changing the channel.

Powered by a connection to the Internet via the TV's integrated Ethernet port or optional wireless USB dongle, InfoLink gives consumers the convenience of viewing their choice of real-time news at any time without any need to change the channel. No longer faced with waiting for specific stock quotes or regional weather updates in the long scrolls of tickers, consumers can immediately bring up the information they care about with the click of a button and without leaving their program.

WiseLink
Simply by using the USB 2.0 interface on the Series 6 650 LCD, WiseLink allows consumers to instantly access and sort through MP3 music and JPEG photos stored on a memory stick or on digital devices including camcorders and portable media players. With WiseLink, users can share and enjoy their favorite music and pictures directly on the Series 6 650 LCD, for a "big screen" experience as opposed to huddling around a computer.

Ultra Clear Panel and Wide Color Enhancer 2
Taking picture clarity and crispness to a new level, Samsung's Ultra Clear Panel is designed to improve contrast ratios and produce deep black levels. Able to perform in any lighting condition with its combination of high and low reflection layers, the Ultra Clear Panel and high performance of the screen ensure that pictures are always deep and detailed. To keep the colors perfected by nature vibrant and pure onscreen, Samsungs Wide Color Enhancer 2 technology gets the most out of the expanded color range used in HDTV broadcasting. By strengthening the reds, greens, and blues, depth and intensity are added to images that may appear weak on another display, allowing consumers to appreciate the look originally intended by the shows producer, movies director, or games developer.

Auto Motion Plus 120Hz
Reducing motion judder and image blurring that can occur when watching movies and fast-action sports, Samsung's Auto Motion Plus 120Hz technology featured in the Series 6 650 LCD, estimates and inserts an extra frame between frames to create a smoother viewing experience. The extra frame makes images flow seamlessly, allowing even the fastest action scenes to be presented with precision and clarity.

EnergyStar Rated
Aligned with Samsung's efforts to combine technological advancement with environmental awareness, Samsung's Series 6 650 LCDs feature a unique "EnergySaving Mode" that ensures the HDTV is compliant with the EPAs EnergyStar' rating system. By adjusting the HDTVs backlight brightness with a Low, Medium or High selection, power consumption is decreased up to 70 percent compared to similar 2007 models.

Because of the unique "Touch of Color" manufacturing process that uses dual-injection technology to infuse a hint of red color into the TVs bezel without the use of paint spray, no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are emitted when producing the Series 6 650 LCD. This process results in a reduction of CO2 emissions during production. Additionally, by utilizing new engineering techniques, Samsung is able to reduce the overall material weight of the Series 6 650 by ten percent versus similar Samsung 2007 models, reducing the amount of materials needed in production and the recycling of the HDTV years after purchase.

The Series 6 Full HD LCD TVs first shipped in March of 2008 in the following sizes: 19.0-inches, 22.0-inches, 31.5-inches, 39.9-inches, 45.9-inches and 52.2-inches (Model numbers: LN19A650 @ $479, LN22A650 @ $649, LN32A650 @ $1,299, LN40A650 @ $2,299, LN46A650 @ $2,899, and LN52A650 @ $3,199).

Series 7 750 Full HD LCD TV
In addition to the innovative Touch of Color design, InfoLink RSS feature and overall superior picture quality found in the Series 6 650, Samsung's Series 7 750 features internal flash memory loaded with premium content to enjoy right out of the box, including high resolution artwork, cooking recipes, exercise routines, children's programming, and games. With the Series 7 750 LCD, Samsung offers the ultimate interactive HDTV that can be a central part of any home and used by any member of the family.

The Series 7 750 LCD also includes enhanced networking and multimedia management with Wiselink Pro. With the ability to play MPEG4 and DiVX video files as well as MP3 music and JPEG photos, consumers can access content from external devices by connecting to the side-mount USB 2.0 port. With Wiselink Pro the Series 7 750 becomes an ideal entertainment hub for consumers who utilize online movie-downloading services and seek to enjoy the widescreen viewing experience unavailable on the traditional PC. Additionally, the Series 7 750 LCD is DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compliant allowing consumers to easily share content with other DLNA certified products.

Continuing in Samsung's commitment to provide a higher level of convenience to consumers of the Series 7 750 LCD, the Wheel-Key Remote that comes with the HDTV is enabled with a touch-sensitive feature that immediately illuminates the remote when picked up. Providing a small, but significant convenience, this touch-sensitive remote is ideal for navigating your HDTV and home theater when viewing a movie in a dark setting. The Series 7 750 LCD HDTVs will be available in May of 2008 in the following sizes: 39.9-inches, 45.9-inches and 52.0-inches (Model numbers LN40A750 @ $2,599, LN46A750 @ $3,199 and LN52A750 @ $3,499 ).

Wireless LinkStick Accessory
For added convenience, the Samsung Wireless LinkStick allows consumers to access the InfoLink RSS feature on their Series 7 750 or Series 6 650 LCD HDTV wirelessly. While a connection to the Internet via an appropriate modem or router is still required, consumers will no longer need to run an Ethernet cable directly to their HDTV. For customers who purchase a Series 6 650 LCD prior to May 2008, a firmware update will be available for download to enable compatibility with the accessory. The Wireless LinkStick (WIS-08BGX/XAA) is available now at an estimated selling price of $34.99.

Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is reportedly the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com.