Also, full array local dimming>edge lit local dimming???

 

edge lit local dimming is marketing speak for NOT LOCAL DIMMING like integrated dry sump is marketing speak for wet sump.

Full array is what you want for local dimming. It means that the individually controlled dimming LED elements are behind the screen, which gives you really amazing blacks, because when the backlighting is individually turned off, that area has ZERO light.

 

You were lucky, you grabbed that set before the supplies dried up and Samsung started playing with the crappy edgelit stuff.

Now an NIB 55" 8500's are about 6K.

Next year Samsung is supposed to have a 4th gen replacement for the 8500.

 

I know. You helped me out huge there .

I went through hell to get those TV's too.. waited forever to get them in stock, then got one at BestBuy for a stupid low price by negotiating with the store manager.

 

The one we just bought is Samsung LCD/LED. It's new to the market. 65" for 6k.

 

This could explain why Samsung doesn't have one this year...

LCDs Face LED Backlight Supply Shortage as Shipments More than Double in 2010

 

Yep, and it's edgelit. Problem with local dimming is that it needs more space for the LED elements behind the screen (read, thicker cabinet), so you don't get that sexy super thin look that hte edge lit can give you.

Samsung does not have any local dimming units in 2010.

The 8500 series was the third gen local dimming unit in 2009, followed by the 950A in 2008, and the 81F (which I have) in 2007.

 

This one will be about an inch and a half including mount. Not sure how much thinner you can get!

 

I was curious so I did a search..apparently you can get thinner. We have the 8000 series. This is from avguide.com

"As with last year’s range, this year’s Samsung’s 8000 series represents their nearest-to-the-top range models. On deck is their 9000 series of models, which differ from the 8000 range in terms of thinness (the 8000 units feature a depth of just under one inch, while the 9000 models go even more anorexic with a cabinet depth of about a third of an inch), and the 9000 range comes with a way-cool two-way remote that features a color LCD touchscreen that doubles as a second monitor. But, from a feature and performance standpoint, the 8000 series is the top of the heap, as it features a kind of local dimming function made possible by modulating the brightness of individual LEDs on the top and bottom of the LCD imaging panel. As it turns out, the 9000 doesn't have this feature, which aims to provide the deepest blacks possible."

 

I agree that Samsung is the top of the LED/Consumer product range right now. I have sold just short of a million dollars worth of Samsung (commercial) product this year. But I still think Plasma in the correct room is a better experience and Sam knows how to take a Pana (used to be Pio Elite) and tweak the internals and processor to come up with a complete end user experience that is far and above anything you can buy off the shelf and calibrate.

That said, of all the off the shelf brands I have on hands experience with over the past 18 months or so, Samsung is by far the most constant and reliable product on the market. Most company's like LG, just have commercial options added to a consumer product and call it commercial, Samsung commercial models are built from the ground up as commercial products and have the feature sets we need within the digital signage marketplace. They get it from all aspects, very impressive overall. They also have extremely good customer service.

That said, if I was in the market today for a Acura or Lexus of a display I would buy a Samsung without a second thought. If I were in the market for a Ferrari or Lambo of a display, I would buy Runco. Runco has the best movie experience on the market today bar none (in a light controlled environment).