Digital Trends

Samsung HL-T5689S

November 19th, 2007 | by Dennis Barker

Features and Design

The Samsung HL-T5689S is a 56-inch slim-depth widescreen (16x9)1080p high-definition rear projection TV that features LED illumination instead of the standard UHP or arc lamp. And, because LED illumination is employed, it also eliminates the much-maligned color wheel, which some people find objectionable because it contributes to the so-called “rainbow effect.” This set is also part of Samsung’s new slim line of HD rear projection DLP TVs offering a depth of only 14-inches, which is far slimmer than comparable 56-inch rear projection HDTVs.

The Samsung HL-T54689S boasts a sleek piano black cabinet design that is 3.0 inches less in height and 2.0 inches less in depth and width than the previous Samsung LED DLP. The depth of the cabinets is as low as 13.4 inches (on the 50-inch model), and they are light enough to mount to a wall. Their revolutionary thin bezel allows the sets to fit in spaces that a flat screen TV of an equivalent screen size will not fit into. Additionally, reportedly, the slim cabinet design utilized in large-screen sized sets also consumes less energy than their flat panel counterparts. It utilizes an ultra-thin bezel or frame that provides more screen than many other models. This TV is energy star-rated.

Key features include a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 @ 60, and include three tuners: ATSC (over-the-air HD), Clear QAM (Cable HD), and NTSC (standard analog TV). Picture image enhancements include Samsung’s proprietary DNIe (Digital Natural Image engine) that helps makes the projected images among the sharpest and clearest available, and the Cinema Smooth light engine that fully utilizes the DLP light engine. Audio is rated at 10-watts per channel and the set features SRS TruSurround XT that will enhance standard audio signals. Although, like all sets of this caliber, it cries out to be attached to a quality audio system for the best possible sound. For this review, we employed Onkyo’s new TX-SR875, which is part of a new breed of A/V Receiver that includes HDMI v 1.3 switching and processing, and Infinity’s impressive Cascade speakers. 

Connections include 3 HDMI (on the side), 2 component, 2 S-Video, and 2 composite video. Other inputs/outputs include a PC input, 1 digital optical output, and RS-232C control. A relatively simplified 55-button remote is included. By pressing the light button, the channel up/down and volume up/down light up. Further, the set is Bluetooth-enabled so that you can utilize wireless headphones that include Bluetooth technology.

Image Courtesy of Samsung

This set is also 3D-Ready, which means that through the attachment of an optional small set-top box, it will allow the HL-T5689S to project 3D images for specialized software through 3D glasses. The 3D option was not evaluated for this review, although, to fully realize this option, you’ll also need specialized 3D software. We received a demo at C.E.D.I.A. by TI, and it was pretty cool!

Phlatlight Technology

The focal point of this new breed of DLP HDTV is the use of Luminus Devices’ PhlatLight technology. Luminus' PhlatLight LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology is setting a new standard in HDTV performance and reliability. This innovative illumination technology is a revolutionary light source that lasts the entire lifetime of the TV (over 60,000 hours) and delivers a consistent picture without fading, saving consumers lamp replacement costs and inconvenience over the life of the set.

The HL-T5689S is illuminated using a single PhlatLight PT120 chipset, which was specifically designed and optimized for use with the Texas Instruments xHD5 1080p DLP chipset. The PhlatLight PT120 is a three-color system that includes a red, green and blue LED. Each LED is a single, large area monolithic chip that can sustain extremely high power and fast pulsing. The PT120's red, green and blue LEDs combine to produce pure, accurate sequential colored light and cycle at 2.9 KHz, 48 times faster than traditional television frame rates, creating a smooth, stable color and superior motion quality. The red, green and blue LEDs in the PT120 chipset combine to produce more than 1,500 white lumens under normal operating conditions, which is enough brightness to illuminate rear projection TVs up to 62 inches with a single RGB chipset. This new Samsung model also offers a contrast ratio of 10,000:1.

The PhlatLight PT120 projection chipset provides the following benefits: a wider color gamut (RED 625 nm, GREEN 525 nm, and BLUE 462 nm typical dominant wavelengths) that exceeds the NTSC standards; instant turn-on; mercury-free, RoHS compliant environmentally-friendly technology; fast switching properties that enable electronic control of color points and light intensity on a frame by frame basis; and reliability with median lifetimes greater than 60,000 hours. PhlatLight provides uniform brightness over the entire LED surface, high light extraction efficiency, and can direct more light to individual areas of the screen.