Samsung LE40F86BDX Review

Some of you may already know this, but the Samsung LE40F86BD review is now complete.

You might have noticed that this site was unavailable between 12:30pm and 3:30pm GMT. What happened was that the server was receiving too many requests (after all the F86 is a hotly anticipated television) and promptly crashed. Now that it’s back up, I’ve removed the two Motion Plus videos in the “Picture Quality” section as a precaution… I’ll re-encode them and upload to one of the video sharing sites later, but be prepared for a decrease in video quality which may make the tearing/ sparkles difficult to see.

If the server crashes again, I may have to seriously consider switching webhost or upgrading to a more expensive server. You may also wish to sign up for our VIP Notification List… that way I can inform you if I put up an alternative web URL should the server be unavailable.

39 comments

  1. Great review, I am torn between the Pioneer PXD (ref level test) and the new Sammy. I usually watch SD through sky but looking to go the full hog to HD. Mainly watch movies/sports/US series such as Entourage, Lost, Heros etc. Not sure how the Pioneer handles SD and also it is not 1080p (altho accepts this signal). Answers on a postcard.

    As always loving your sight!

  2. Thanks for the quick review, at the end of the month I will buy me a flat screen of this size. I thinking of this one from Samsung or the Sharp with 100Hz. Leave me for this moment with this question; Your not satisfied in this matter to the Samsung, is the 100 Hz function just comnbined with the movie + or is it also functional with other signals
    ( DVD, Cable or upscaling video’s till 1080 i from my Denon surround amp.) Otherwise, I’am waiting with any suspense for your review from the Sharp duo.
    With kind regards from Holland, Jan

  3. Thanks for all our hard work on the review – I *really* want to buy one of these soon.

    WRT the videos, I grabbed them early on the 11th and have mirrored them on my server at:

    greenhill.mine.nu/hdtvtest/

    Feel free to remove this post if you’re not happy with the copyright implications – just trying to help a brother out :)

    Cheers,

    Rich.

  4. Thanks for that Rich, let me know if your server gets overloaded and I’ll remove the link.

  5. Thank you for another great review.

  6. Sammy F86/1080p/100hz OR Sony Bravia/1080p (no100hz) ,there no fair comparison exept at least average of £300 or so £ sss , think I will wait to see if Sony Bravia produces simlar model as F86 and check the prices then ???Anticipation, comments please??

  7. Posted on the forum yesterday but probably relevant here too;

    “@ Vincent – in a follow on from my previous questions, will you be publishing the settings for your F86 as tested please? I remember this being of great assistance with the M87.”

    Cheers.

  8. Thanks guys. Can’t help but notice that you’ve had serious reservations about this new 100/120hz tech in all the models you’ve reviewed. I’m guessing the processing power isn’t quite there yet. Next year maybe…

    Actually you seemed happiest with Panasonic’s 100hz implementation on the LXD70. What’s their secret I wonder…

  9. Any1 know when the F8\9 series will be released in scandinavia – and norway? =)

  10. Where can you purchase the Samsung 40F86BDX in UK ??ANYONE KNOW ??

  11. Billy: “Where can you purchase the Samsung 40F86?”

    At Play.com or at Amazon.co.uk

  12. Does anyone know whether Samsung will manufacture this model in white?
    Also, is the viewing angle really only 90 degrees or is that just for being able to appreciate the full quality of what it can deliver.

  13. hei guys, can you help me? I want to know which tv is better among LE40F86 and Philips 42pfl9632. Which is better? I need to play with xbox360 with VGA and watch SD television with Sky… PLEASE HELP ME!!

  14. Two of the most anticipated waits of the year are the Sammy F86 and Sony X3000.Since both are similar in nature and Sammy review regarding 100Hz not upto the mark, i guess its worthwhile to wait for the review on X3000 and the price difference ofcourse!

    Checked that Sony X3000 now appears on sony.co.uk site, not in sony.fi site, any ideas on the release dates of X3000 in Finland?

    Pavi

  15. just to echo KeanosMagicHat’s comments

    any chance of getting your calibrated settings posted ? ig gladly contribute to the site if it meant i could get some settings for my new TV. Ive copied the ones posted for the M86, they seem good but i think they could be better

  16. Hiya Vincent, please please publish your settings on this. The reviews here are leading the industry as I see it and having your settings would make my new purchase complete,

    R
    T

  17. Eagerly awaiting F86, currently “awaiting stock”. Oh the pain!
    2 questions you lovely techies you:-

    1) How can we tell if couriers have been naughty and laid the TV down in transit. Is it REALLY a long term problem?

    2) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE has anyone got any advice of picture settings. I’ll be doing the following:-
    SKYHD – HDMI
    XBOX360 – VGA
    HD-DVD – VGA (xbox 360)

    Thank you kindly.

  18. Just ordered mine – LE40F86BDX for £1059 + 6.99 next day..
    hoping I get a good panel, and have no problems!

    will turn 100hzMotion Plus off though ;)

    for picture settings try the M86 ones on this site – or check avforums

  19. Had a spare moment so I just did a check back to see when your recommended settings were posted for the M86.

    http://hdtvtest.co.uk/news/2007/04/22/samsung-le40m86bd-settings/

    It was one week after the review;

    http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/Samsung-LE40M86BD/

    As time moves on since the completion of the F86 review on the 11th, I was wondering whether the settings will be posted?

    I realise you are under absolutely no obligation to publish these to your readers, but I know it would be a significant help to new owners.

    I will be buying DVE when it’s released on Blu-Ray shortly, but would still love to see your settings published.

    Will this be happening at some point?

  20. LE40F86 BD
    SKY HD – HDMI
    XBox 360 – VGA
    HD DVD – XBox360

    First Impression:-
    OK here’s an update! Got my F86 last night. First impressions, I preferred my 2 year old Toshiba picutre BUT I put this down to “change” and what you’re used to. I’m sure tonight after a tinker it will grow on me, I’m just not used to a non-matt screen. In terms of value for money it looks gorgeous. There’s not alot of hi-res pictures of the TV on the net so here’s some info! The sides of the TV have a clear smoked glass/perspex wall which is the construction for the invisible speakers. This looks smart but adds to the width of course. Also down the right hand side which are touch sensitive buttons for channel up down etc. Simply touch the perspex and there’s a satisfying beep and white led, grrrreat. Also to the pedestal stand is the iconic Samsung blue, this time a ring of silver that lights up blue when on. Simply touch this to turn the TV on!

    Settings:-
    I’ve had a tinker with the settings and used some from AV Forum, I cannot howver find any settings for SkyHD or Xbox360 via VGA. Anyone managed to do this yet?
    Despite this, I found that SkyHD footage of coral reef diving looked gorgeous, but I do see distortion up close, something which on the old Tosh I never had. Maybe this is the jump from 768 to 1080, is it my SkyHD signal not coping with more pixels, or do I still need to tinker? Or was my old Tosh immensley good? PLEASE help, I need to justify my purchase to the Mrs who hasn’t come back from holiday yet. (yes I’m a dead man).

    One thing that will be very contraversial is that I disregarded using Movie mode and used Standard so I could switch DNIe to ON. Everyone online opted to keep this switched off but it made a BIG difference on my picture so I’m keeping it on, it seemed to lose distortion and improve definition. DNIe seemed a much nicer picture on HD. I’m glad really, all this tech and people say turn it all off! It’s a matter of taste of course I advise you to tinker.

    Finally, Xbox 360. I only played Oblivion for 5 minutes but I just didn’t look as nice as my old TV. I know I know, I need to give it a chance and tinker, but once again we lose out with most settings being greyed out on PC Mode. Now I want a f’ing 360 Elite!

    Anyway hope this helps, and I’d love to hear off anyone else who has tested SkyHD / Xbox360 on this set.

  21. hey vincent just a little question

    which one should i get –

    the Samsung LE46F86 or the Samsung PS-50P96FD?

    is this lcd display better than the plasma?

    thanks in advance

  22. Hi i have the samsung LE40F86 and i can say it is Excellent picture is perfect. I can tell you i am very fussy with tvs i have returned so many but not this one.

  23. To be honest I brought an LE40M87 2 months back and is completely satisfied, there are a few grips – motion plus being one, but to be honest it is sharp. I have seen the F86, there is little to compare by, deeper blacks?? Yes, but are you going to huff and puff about that?? and the inputs I currently predominatly use mine with my PS3, so gets around that one. It is great, and a bit of a babe magnet (when I have them around that is… before anyone says – I don’t have it set up in my car like ‘Pimp My Ride’ lol) I think when I move out to my new place next year I will get a model up or the equiv. and keep my current M87 in my bedroom (again)… living the dream lol!!

  24. Hi.

    Does anyone know if the F86 can decode mpeg4? I can’t find anything about mpeg4 decoding on Samsung’s webpage , but I have read about is on a danish weppage.

    thanks in advance

  25. What is the difference between this and the LE40M87BDX ?

    Are they similar? I cant find a store that sells the LE40F86BD

  26. My cousin had an F86 delivered this evening but with it being a much higher contrast screen than the M87 he had previously (for which you kindly posted settings – M86) we, obviously, cannot use the same values.

    Please could you let us know whether you kept the settings you used for the F86 and, if so, whether you can post them asap please?

  27. I’m beginning to suspect that you have not taken any notes on those precious settings during test and reviews, and now no way of publishing it. : -)

  28. Hi,

    Can you acknowledge whether or not you’ll be posting the settings you used to calibrate this set?

    Kind Regards

  29. I played with an F86 at Currys yesterday and found if I set the ‘Motionplus’ to high there was a rippling of the picture at the bottom of the screen similar to VHS head switching noise. I’ll try to find another F86 to see if the problem is repeatable. The input it was originally set to, emulated a small line of ‘stuck pixels. The line disappeared after changing to the DVB section and Hdmi feed so I don’t know what the cause was, but I’ve never seen that particular fault before. Presumably a fault in the analogue/digital signal chain rather than the display.

  30. As an absolute novice can someone please help me? I am going to buy a new LCD HD TV and had heard that on SD transmissions (which will be the main for next few years) sets with 1366 x 768 perform better than those with 1920 x 1080. Is this true or would you recommend I go for a 1080 set anyhow?

  31. just bought one F86 BDx and the picture is crap.Going in and out of focus all time,on sky even worse,not a patch on my old Hitachi analogue tv.Advise you not to buy one,waste of time and money

  32. hi i would like to know if F86 does have mpeg4 decoding on the dvb-t. also does it hav HD DVB-T ??????

  33. Bought an LE40F86 at xmas but after 3 months its gone faulty, this being certain parts of the picture are red and not what they should be.After about 30 minutes it goes back to a perfect picture, please can anyone help me.

  34. Bought a LE40F86BDX at xmas Keeps getting a faint rolling line running down the screen almost like a ghost sometimes hard to notice but very evident when pausing a dvd the picture quality is great with xbox360 elite. I have sent it back to the shop to get sorted. Has anyone else had same prob I have seen this on some other forums.

  35. Hey Jay,

    I have noticed the same thing on my one as well. Finding it pretty annoying. Would be good to hear how you get along.

    Good luck, Hope it gets sorted.

  36. The faint rolling is probably due to the position of your TV, If its next to a wall, or wall mounted check if you next door neighbour has a tv on the wall to as your probably getting interference.

  37. Jollygreengiant

    The faint rolling is called ‘hum bars’ its a problem with all the latest Samsung sets including the new A series. Some suffer more than others but they all have it to a lesser or greater degree. I bought an F86 partially on the back of Vincents review, when I started using his D65 settings the problem reared its ugly head. What I want to know is why Vincent didnt spot this on his original review and why didn’t he spot it on his latest Samsung A series review. Its a well known problem WORLDWIDE with all recent Samsung sets and Samsung have fobbed people off and have failed to sort it. The problem is not a massive problem on normal viewing but if you have Playstation 3 shop showing on your TV and you use D65 settings, you cant miss it.

    I have been trying to get Samsung to admit their design flaw in the F86 and give me a TV that works, the SAGA is ongoing….

    If you are fussy about picture quality, in my opinion steer clear, and like all reviews, take them with a pinch of salt!

  38. Marcia Staples

    Hi, I ordered the Samsung LE40F86BDX 100HZ and wondered why the picture looks rubbish. Went to register my new TV online only to find 50HZ label on the back. The retailer on ebay swears he has sold me a 100hz. Can any one advise?

  39. Hi,

    I am experiencing these horizontal “hum bars” in the worst way possible…..
    The bars only disappear when I switch the tv off for a week but it comes back after a day again

    thanks in advanceCan anyone tell me what to do about it or if it can be fixed at all?

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