Samsung's Gorgeous LED Backlit HDTVs; Drool

More than anything else, CES has televisions--gorgeous televisions. Although some of the wow-factor has dropped off a bit over the years as now HDTVs can be bought in Wal-Mart, Samsung still pulled the covers off of something we now lust for in our living rooms.

Samsung announced just before the show that it would have on display a family of LED backlit LCD HDTVs. The line will be composed of the "Luxia" 8000, 7000 and 6000 series, running from most feature-rich down. The 8000 series sets itself apart with a 240 Hz refresh, while the other two are 120 Hz.

The entire line features LED backlighting, which is now slowly becoming common on premium computer displays. LED backlighting consumes less power than traditional Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFL) while giving off better contrast ratios as well as an instant on response.

The 8000 and 7000 also have an Ethernet port for “Internet@TV - Content Service,” developed with Yahoo!, for on-screen updates of stocks, weather, sports scores and more. Users will also be able to browse Flickr and YouTube right from the TV.

The new LED sets will come in 55-inch and 46-inch diagonals, with the 7000 and 6000 line also getting a 40-inch to make things a bit more affordable. Pricing has not yet been announced.

“Samsung has proven LED technology is a viable choice for consumers desiring the best picture possible from an LCD television. Samsung’s latest LED televisions redefine the standards for viewing quality, energy-efficiency and home entertainment décor,” said Jonas Tanenbaum, Vice President of LCD HDTV Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “Samsung stays committed to developing technology and products that go beyond current expectations of value, quality and innovation. And, we are excited to be a part of this exciting point in TV evolution.”

Best of all, these HDTV’s are sleek and slim at around an inch thick. Look for them within the 1H 2009 time frame.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
  • wiyosaya
    Now if only Samsung would drop the glossy screen so that lights don't reflect and interfere with the picture, they might have TVs actually worth what they are charging for them. Glossy screens sell displays in the showroom, but are terrible in rooms where light of any kind reflects off the screen. Glossy screens really do nothing for picture fidelity.
    Reply
  • Pei-chen
    Wow, any price info on the 55" 8000?
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  • grieve
    Um yah... these make me want a new TV.

    240Hz ?!! it seems like only a month ago 120Hz was released.
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  • Paul702
    I saw these there and i did drool! LOL, then asked when i would i could buy one... he said they were prototypes:p
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  • deltatux
    price please, this will sit well in my mind, just hope it's not like the shocker I got when I heard PS3's original pricing...
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  • bustapr
    Where do the inputs go? The whole thing looks too skinny for ani cable to fit.
    Reply
  • jimmy_kohli
    Old news, yet nice to get a perspective of the "old days"! So now, we have full array LED backlit models like LG 55LM9600, a whole new TV category in OLED TVs (LG OLED TV will be the first commercially available model), and still more revolutionary 4K and even 8K HD standards. TV makers are indeed busy in developing new technologies faster than customers can adopt them!
    Reply