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General discussion

Samsung LN52A550

Nov 2, 2008 12:18AM PDT

Lcd keeps turning on and off....I tried disconnecting it from the surge protector and connecting it back and it stil wont work. Tried a different outlet and it is still not working properly. I did notice however that when i connect the TV to the surge protector some little red light comes on that says "grounded." I dont know what else to try? Help!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!

Discussion is locked

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Firmware update?
Nov 2, 2008 1:55AM PDT
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LN52A550
Nov 2, 2008 3:55AM PST

I bought the TV about four months ago. What if i dont have a thumb drive? Is there any other way?

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Firmware Updates
Nov 3, 2008 5:02AM PST

Player4lifeov,

At this time, the thumb drive is the way the televisions can perform a firmware update.

Fortuantely, if you don't have one and would like us to send you one, you can call our tech support service and I believe that can be arranged. I'm not sure how fast it will get to you, however. The drives themselves are not very expensive. Whichever way works best for you is the best solution.

Keep me posted!

--HDTech

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LN52A550
Nov 3, 2008 5:40AM PST

So i finally figured out what was wrong with my LCD. I had a defective HD/DVR cable box that was messing with the TV somehow. I switched out the one i had for a regular HD box and everything went back to normal(thank god). I also figured out a way to install the new firmware on my LCD. Thanks for the help! I do need help calibrating my tv though Wink

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I was wrong!
Nov 6, 2008 10:08AM PST

Still having the same problem and I already updated the firmware. I spoke to a samsung representative and they told me it might be the board where all the inputs go into! Ever heard of this issue?

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Firmware first
Nov 6, 2008 11:10AM PST

It could be the board. And without looking at it or working on it, it's hard to say.

Did you ask for a firmware update drive, or try that first?

--HDTech

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Pardon me....
Nov 6, 2008 11:14AM PST

Whoops! I just saw that you tried the firmware already.

In that case, I'd suggest having a service tech take a look and perhaps replace the board. Did you set up a service when you called?

--HDTech

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LN52A550
Nov 6, 2008 10:16PM PST

Yes I spoke to a technician and they told me they would send out the board. Once I receive the board they're suppose to send someone out to get this issue fixed. I'm kinda disappointed that this LCD is having trouble.

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I can appreciate that
Nov 7, 2008 2:29AM PST

I'm sorry to hear about your trouble. It's a little inconvenient, but hopefully we can get this resolved as soon as possible.

--HDTech

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LN52A550
Nov 17, 2008 4:47AM PST

so the technician came out last week and they replaced the board where all the inputs go. He said it was defective. The LCD works fine now!

On another note, does this tv have the 24p capability? If so, how does it work? Or what does it do?

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24fps
Nov 18, 2008 6:03AM PST

Here's the quick answer: 24fps is an option for some Blu-Ray films, and your television will play them. But for your benefit, let me explain the technology so you know how this works out for you.

Movies were originally filmed (and still are today in many cases) in the 24fps, that is, Frames Per Second.

How that relates to televisions is that up until recently, televisions would show the picture at 60Hz. While the A550 series can show 30fps and 60fps equally, 24 frames requres some interpolation.

120Hz (which the LNxxA550 model doesn't have) is applicable in some situations because it allows all of the available signals (24,30,60hz) to divide equally into 120.

60Hz x 2 = 120
30Hz x 4 = 120
24Hz x 5 = 120

A televisoin with 60Hz gives you an equation like this:

60Hz x 1 = 60
30Hz x 2 = 60
24Hz x 2.5 = 60

That last one at 24Hz... which is how movies are filmed, is where the differences are. Many films, including Blu-Ray movies, are filmed with the traditional 24-frames-per-second technology which allows you a true film-like experience. With that 2.5 in there, the signal has to interpolate (in crude laymans terms, "combine") film cells together so that the picture can be output while avoiding the eventual motion blur. That's my quick and dirty explanation.

That said, you can still view 24 frame content, and it will still be really good, but the picture will require processing to play that content, and the television will automatically do that. For the videophile, true-cinema-fan and movie-conisseuer, 120Hz is the buzzword for that reason. For most people, 60Hz will provide a picture that satisfies the 24fps movie signals.

You have a great TV that will process those signals for you and deliver a good picture as a result.

Hope that helps.

--HDTech

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Why would ANY TV perform 3:2 pulldown to begin with?
Dec 17, 2008 2:41PM PST

Dear HDTech,

You seem to be very knowledgeable, which I am thankful for. So I pose you this question:

I sincerely hope NO 120Hz TV actually does a 3:2 pulldown of 24fps material and, instead, just multiplies the 24fps by 5 to get 120. 3:2 pulldown, or telecine, is used to ENCODE 24fps film material to 60fps video. No TV should even be CAPABLE of performing telecine.

Which brings me to my next question:

Do 60Hz TVs actually accept 24fps signals (which, as I understand, did not even exist until 24p capable Blu-Ray players came about... correct me if I'm wrong, but all other players to date don't output 24fps material, do they?)?

If so, WHY? Why even bother putting a chip on a 60Hz TV that does the telecine process so that it can accept at 24fps signal? Because it'll just take it right back to the 60Hz video signal! No 60Hz TV should even have a chip in there to perform telecine; they should just accept the 60Hz output that all players are capable of, right? It's pointless for a Blu-Ray player to output 24fps to a 60Hz TV which will then take it right back to the 60Hz signal that the Blu-Ray player should be capable of generating ANYWAY for NON-120Hz TVs that do not accept 24fps.

This is all so confusing and I don't understand why the industry had to make things this confusing!

Thanks for your help in advance.
Rishi