Hi,
Less than two weeks ago I purchased a Samsung LE40A789, which I understand, is virtually identical to the 786 sold in UK in terms of features. I was sold out by this LED technology which is said to provide a 2 mill to 1 contrast ratio. The set is quite a chunky, yet is surprisingly flat. However, all these features do not materialize to well when it comes to picture quality. I spent three nights in a row trying to adjust the picture, which seemed to be lacking the depth and warmth I was expecting. It was looking to cold and clinical.To summarize, here are the pluses and minuses I have identified:
On the plus side: no uneven backlighting due to led technology, panel is virtually black when changing sources; very good black levels but not necessarily insightful; excellent motion with blu-ray, good sound, chunky remote control (but piano gloss is fingerprint magnet).
On the minus side: extremely sensitive to viewing angles, picture washes out at the slightest off-axis angle (inadmissible); tough to get an acceptable picture compromise; some incompatibility with Play Station 3 - drop-outs were noticed appearing randomly in spite of changing HDMI cables, power chords, settings; much too smooth of a picture for my liking, using as sources both my Denon upscalling DVD as well as PS3's Blu-Ray;
I read a lot of forum discussions in order to find the proper settings to adjust the picture. The set has numerous settings in addition to the standard ones found on most tv's: you can adjust the white balance, color space, each having multiple adjustments; add 3 levels of black depth, 3 levels of dynamic contrast, HDMI black and you get to the point in which you are just desperate to get a decent picture.
After managing to set-it-up to my liking, I could have accepted to live with the Samsung if it weren't for the off axis problem (really, I don't expect to pay this much money and get a poor picture if I move 20 degrees to the right or left; it is that sensitive), and the blu-ray incompatibility - those drop-outs were appearing every 20 seconds or so.
So, I took it back and got the Sony 40Z4500 instead. I had the opportunity to test it and I think it beats the Samsung hands down, delivering extremely insightful blacks, great sharpness and a natural looking picture overall. Try it with Training Day, Casino Royal, Fifth Element or Planet Earth and you'll see what I mean. Maybe it is not as "fashionable looking", as the Samsung, but it has a superb picture, impressive sound and is a doodle to use. It just seems right.
So there you have it. I guess that this LED technology has definitely potential, but the "tried and tested" route seems the better option for me right now. Please keep in mind that these are my own personal impressions and the real assessment should be done by you, so I advise you to thoroughly test before you invest so much money.
Good shopping,
Mihai