Samsung FPT5884 Review

 

The Samsung FPT5884

One of the few HDTVs that survived the onslaught of new releases, the Samsung FPT5884 is a 58-inch plasma TV with full 1080p HD resolution that offers superb viewing even in brightly lit rooms. With advanced features that is clearly ahead of its time, this HDTV compares exceptionally well with plasmas released this year, even with its siblings from Samsung. And as it is likely that its price has been marked down, it’s an excellent choice for those wanting a quality HDTV without breaking the bank. 

Design

Samsung used a thinner frame for the FPT5884 and relocated the speakers to the sides, making the set appear wider and not stout like other TVs with speakers placed below the panel. Chrome strips at the sides hide the speakers, making the FPT5884 sleeker and more eye-pleasing. The swivel stand is the same used in the 5064 model, which allows moving the panel up to 20 degrees on each direction.

The remote of the FPT5884 is an old design with well-spaced buttons, seen in most releases prior to 2008 when Samsung overhauled its remotes. While not fully back lit, the easy-to-operate wand has back lighting for the three often-used buttons: volume, channel and devices. The menu system is user-friendly, with the unit automatically skipping inactive inputs and offering text explanation for each selection.

Screen/picture clarity

Being one of the first Samsung plasmas to offer full HD resolution, the FPT5884 has no problem resolving 1080p, 1080i, 720p, DVD, standard-def TV or PCs, scaling seamlessly to fit the HDTV’s native resolution. It has impressive black levels, shadow details and primary colors, though the greyscale levels could stand some improvement. The high contrast ratio and Natural True Color with 18 bit processing give excellent color accuracy, which is enhanced even more by the bountiful picture adjustments and color temperature controls that allows users to adjust settings for more stunning images.

Equipped with Samsung’s Ultra FilterBright anti-reflective screen, the FPT5884 works well and shows clear, vivid pictures even in bright environments. It also has a number of Screen Burn Protection options that minimize burn-in of static images onscreen. Note though that contouring may be observed in transitions, for example, from bright to dark areas of the screen.

Features

The FPT5884 has three HDMI ports, through which devices can be set-up and controlled by the TV’s remote. It also has the standard input/output ports found in HDTV, including an RGB input for computers and USB port. The HDTV offers an exciting Game-Mode that turns gaming into a rich visual experience, picture-in-picture support, SRS TruSurround XT technology for improved audio outputs, and power saving modes.

In brief, the FPT5884 may not be at par with the top-of-the-line plasmas especially considering that it is released much earlier, but it isn’t far behind either - its features are comparable with newer HDTVs. And the thing is, manufacturers lower prices of inventories upon release of new products, so buyers could snap a really good deal with the full-featured FPT5884.

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