Samsung PS51D6900 review

For this review we tested the 51in model in the D6900 range (PS51D6900), but it’s also available in a 59in screen size (PS59D6900). That model has identical specifications except for its dimensions and power usage. We’re confident that image quality will be practically identical across the range.

We’ve seen several Samsung TVs this year, but they’ve all used LCD panels. We’ve got nothing against LCD technology, but when it comes to image quality it’s difficult to beat a plasma set, especially in films. As Samsung’s current mid-range plasma TV, the PS51D6900 is a reasonably priced way to improve the picture quality of your home cinema setup, as well as add new features such as 3D support and SMART TV content.

A 51in diagonal screen size might sound unusual, but you still get a standard 16:9 image that’s large enough to fill most living rooms – it’s just a shame that the sizeable screen bezel is larger than that on Samsung’s LCD models, as the plain black plastic creates quite a severe frame around the onscreen image.

There are a reasonable number of inputs on the back of the set – four HDMI ports, SCART and component video, optical S/PDIF, 3.5mm and stereo phono audio inputs, a common interface slot and two USB ports should be more than enough for most setups. It has integrated Wi-Fi, as well as an Ethernet port, so you won’t need a cable to connect the set to your home network.

The TV has Samsung’s excellent SMART HUB portal, which lets you access catch-up TV from BBC iPlayer, film rentals from LoveFilm and AceTrax, FaceBook and Twitter and a dedicated Samsung Apps store for further downloads. The PS51D6900 is well-equipped to play your own files too, with DLNA media streaming and local playback over USB. We could play almost all our test files, either over the network or from a USB flash drive, with only AVCHD files refusing to play correctly. You can also use an external hard disk to record digital TV – as the set only has one built-in Freeview HD tuner, you won’t be able to watch one channel while recording another, but it’s still handy for anyone that doesn’t have a dedicated PVR box. You’ll have to format the flash drive to a proprietary format before you can use it, so you can’t access the recordings on a PC.

Like all Samsung TVs that support 3D video, the PS51D6900 comes with a single pair of active shutter glasses. We had to turn off the fluorescent lights in our lab before we could start watching our test footage, as with them the 3D image had a distracting flicker. The 3D depth effects were impressive, but like all plasma TVs, images weren’t quite as bright as on an LCD. Even so, the plasma panel showed none of the crosstalk we’ve seen in Samsung’s 3D LCD TVs. The PS51D6900 only includes a single pair of 3D glasses, so you’ll need to buy further pairs when more than one person wants to watch at once (part code SSG-3100GB, £37 from www.amazon.co.uk).

Picture quality was impressive in 2D mode. The TV handled motion incredibly well – its fast 600Hz refresh rate meant the action sequences of Casino Royale looked fluid, even with the optional Film Mode smoothing feature disabled. Colours were accurate, if slightly muted, and there was plenty of contrast, but black levels weren’t quite as pronounced as they were in some of the Panasonic TVs we’ve seen this year such as the TX-P42GT30B. However, using the extensive picture settings menu, we could still adjust the image to the point that films looked excellent.

Going from Blu-ray to broadcast TV, there was a noticeable drop in quality, but the PS51D6900 still managed to avoid some of the more common problems on cheaper TVs. Even lower-bandwidth channels such as BBC News didn’t suffer terribly from compression artefacts, although there was a definite loss of detail. Higher quality channels such as BBC One fared much better, while Freeview HD channels looked great on the 51in screen.

Although it’s not perfect, the PS51D6900 is still one of the best-value plasma TVs available right now. If you don’t mind the plain looks and would like a prettier-than-average user interface, the Samsung is a compelling choice compared to the competition from Panasonic. However, if you value image quality above all else, the more expensive Panasonic Viera GT30 range just has the edge.