Introduction

Overall Design

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The LN32C550 features Samsung's Touch of Color design, in this case a red tinge around the edges just before the black fades to transparent. This is probably not to everyone's taste. If you like everything about the C550 except the color, there are plenty of other Samsungs to choose from, though you may be giving up or adding other features. Check out Samsung's series comparison chart for details.

Front

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The front of the Samsung LN32C550 is smooth and relatively attractive, if you don't mind the red tint around the edges (many people might). The bezel is not particularly thin, but that's standard for TVs in this price range. Along the bottom edge, you'll find the onboard controls – touch sensitive areas rather than physical buttons.

Back

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The back of the Samsung LN32C550 houses most of the ports. The power jack is far off on the other side of the TV. Conveniently, Samsung includes a plastic strap for bundling all the cords and tethering them close to the body.

Sides

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The Samsung LN32C550 is thin, but not nearly as thin as the more expensive LED-backlit Samsungs like the C7000 and C8000 series. The right side has some conveniently placed ports for quick-change devices like thumb drives, cameras, and camcorders.

Stand/Mount

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The stand is a large, flat piece of high-gloss plastic. Thankfully, it allows the TV panel to swivel in either direction to access the rear ports or get a better viewing angle in a wide room.

Controls

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A series of touch-sensitive buttons run along the bottom edge of the TV's facade. It's the usual bunch here: power, menu, channel up/down, volume up/down, and source.

Remote Control

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The remote control that comes with the Samsung LN32C550 is pretty basic, and a far cry from the retro-futuristic remote for the C7000 and C8000 series. This remote (the BN59-01041A, to be precise) is easy enough to use, though we wish the d-pad was raised above the surrounding surface like the rest of the buttons. Jump to the Remote Control section for more details.

In the Box

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The Samsung LN32C550 ships with the stand, the remote control, batteries, an instruction manual and some other documents, a power cord, a cable wrangler (really just some plastic to wrap around your AV cables), and a little bit if plastic and some string to anchor your TV to the wall to prevent tip-overs.

Black Level

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The Samsung LN32C550 showed a black level of 0.10 cd/m2 in our lab tests. This is a solid score and, coincidentally, the same score as the cheaper Samsung LN32C350. However, there are several important difference we found between these two models, which we detail head-to-head on the LN32C350 comparison page. Overall, this is a good score. In fact, none of the TVs here were slouches. More on how we test black level.

Peak Brightness

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The Samsung LN32C550 produced a peak brightness of 440.67 cd/m^2, which surpassed the other three TVs we pulled in for comparison. A super-bright white is not something that most TV buyers would concern themselves with, nor should they. Anything higher than 300 cd/m^{2^} or so is adequate (in fact, there's not a huge difference between 300 and 440.67, because the values are logarithmic rather than linear). More on how we test peak brightness.

Contrast

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The Samsung LN32C550 managed a lab-tested contrast ratio of 4407:1, an excellent score that surpasses its peers by quite a bit. More on how we test contrast.

Tunnel Contrast

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The Samsung LN32C550 had a hard time maintaining a perfectly consistent black level, but it wasn't terrible either. The issue is that when some TVs have a lot of white on the screen, the black areas will get brighter. As you can see from the chart below, when the black patch is quite small and surrounded by around 90-95% white, those cd/m^{2^} levels start to shoot up.

As we said, the results aren't terrible, but expect to lose some of those deep shadows in otherwise bright shots. More on how we test tunnel contrast.

White Falloff

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The Samsung LN32C550 had a similarly hard time maintaining consistent white levels when there was a lot of black on the screen. This problem was more visibly evident than its Tunnel Contrast results (detailed above). We could see quite clearly a threshold at which some sort of backlight auto-dimming started to take effect. Sadly, there was no way to turn off this auto-dimming, as is the case with so many Samsung 2010 TVs. More on how we test white falloff.

Uniformity

Greyscale Gamma

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The greyscale gamma test indicates how well a TV transitions from shadows to highlights. Overall, the Samsung LN32C550 did very well. The slope of the curve, at 2.66, is a bit steep. Ideally, we like to see a curve between 2.1 and 2.2. However, we were quite pleased with the general smoothness of the line. Also, the lower-left corner of the line (which indicates the shadows) moves in a constant upward motion. The cheaper Samsung LN32C350 flatlined in that portion of the greyscale, meaning it could not retrieve any data from those points. The LN32C550, on the other hand, held up just fine. More on how we test greyscale gamma.

Color Temperature

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The Samsung LN32C550 did a good job of maintaining a consistent color temperature, right up until the darkest part of the test, where it started to dip into a bluish hue. Overall, though, we were pleased with the performance. More on how we test color temperature.

RGB Curves

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The Samsung LN32C550 did not excel in our RGB color testing. As you can see from the chart below, each of the channels – red, green, and blue – has extreme amounts of stair-stepping. Normally, we want to see smooth lines. Next, there's the problem of peaking. This is the flattening of the lines in the upper-right edge of the lines, which represents the highlights. It was a problem we could confirm with our own eyes: the Samsung LN32C550 simply can't resolve any more color detail after a certain brightness level. The red and blue channels are particularly egregious. More on how we test RGB curves.

The color strips below are digital recreations of the response for each channel, compared with the results from three similar TVs.

Motion Performance

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Motion Smoothness (6.63)

The Samsung LN32C550 showed a decent performance when it came to motion smoothness. Objects in motion certainly lost some fine detail, but not more than we see on any other LCD display. Unlike more expensive Samsungs, there are no special features that improve motion smoothness. (More on how we test Motion.)

Motion Artifacting (3.5)

While objects in motion showed sufficient smoothness, the screen showed a lot of artifacting. Most notably, vertical lines became diagonal. That's a hard one to ignore, and enough for us to knock a lot of points off. There were no other notable problems that we could see, such as false color trailing or strobing, so it's not all bad. More on how we test motion performance.

3:2 Pulldown & 24fps

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Like nearly every HDTV, the Samsung LN32C550 can process and display native 24fps content, most frequently associated with Blu-Ray discs. In order to get the best possible performance, though, the Samsung's menu provides a few options in a feature called 'Film Mode.' The default setting is Auto 2, and we recommend leaving it there. We didn't notice any difference between Auto 1 and Auto 2, but you definitely don't want to leave it off. More on how we test 3:2 pulldown and 24fps.

Resolution Scaling

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The Samsung LN32C550 is a native 1080p display, but most of the video you'll be watching is of a lower resolution. It's up to the TV's processor to scale those images to fit the screen. Overall, the Samsung LN32C550 does a very good job at that task. More on how we test resolution scaling.

480p

When displaying 480p content, the Samsung LN32C550 had the hardest time scaling. It lost 2% of the top and bottom of the screen, and 3% of the sides, due to overscan. There was also some appearances of Moire patterns in areas of high frequency detail.

720p

With 720p content, there was no overscan loss and very few problems other than minor Moire patterning.

1080i

The 1080i content showed more problems with Moiring than 720p, but there was no overscan loss.

Formats

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The Samsung LN32C550 is a native 1080p display, but has no trouble processing all the other NTSC formats.

Viewing Angle

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The viewing angle on the Samsung LN32C550 was bad, no two ways about it. The screen lost a significant portion of the contrast ratio at only 14 degrees from center in either direction (28 degrees in total). Even for an LCD display, known for narrow viewing angles, it was a weak performance. For reasons unknown, the cheaper Samsung LN32350 produced a much better viewing angle. Hence, cheaper is not always worse.

Reflectance

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The Samsung LN32C550 did not try very hard to stave off reflections. More expensive LCD screens frequently have some sort of light diffusion or refraction that minimizes light annoyance unless it's hitting the screen dead-on. The Samsung LN32C550, along with cheaper LCDs and most plasmas, produces a soft, wide glow when hit with oncoming light.

Video Processing

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The Samsung LN32C550 has a number of video processing features, which we've detailed in the charts below.

Calibration

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The Samsung LN32C550's first step in the testing process was calibration. To start, we put the TV in Movie mode. The rest of our settings are listed below. If you don't see a feature specified, assume that we left it in the default position.

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All of our calibration is done in conjunction with the DisplayMate software.

](http://www.displaymate.com/)

Video Modes

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The Samsung LN32C550 has four video modes for one-touch changes that affect a wide swath of picture quality settings.

Ergonomics & Durability

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The remote control that ships with the Samsung LN32C550 is perfectly serviceable, but it's not the best remote we've seen. The buttons are mostly large and comfortable, made of a soft rubber-like material.

The exception is d-pad, which is made of hard plastic. The d-pad buttons are also flush with the surrounding surface, making it unnecessarily hard to use without looking down.

Button Layout & Use

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The buttons are laid out in a manner convenient for most users. There's also a backlight feature that allows you to operate the remote in the dark. Strangely, the backlight is absent from the d-pad used for menu navigation.

Programming & Flexibility

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The remote for the Samsung LN32C550 can used to control other Samsung devices bearing the Anynet+ branding.

Connectivity

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Input Ports (7.5)

The Samsung LN32C550 has a solid selection of ports, spread out between the back and sides. Highlights include 4 HDMIs, 2 component and 2 composite AVs (though one of these is shared), and 2 USBs. There's also an ethernet port, though its purpose is dubious. More details can be found in the Multimedia & Internet section.

Output Ports (2.0)

There are two output ports, an analog audio out and a digital audio out. This is standard for most HDTVs. You'll want both, because you don't know what kind of audio system you'll be connecting to in the future.

Other Connections (4.0)

The Samsung LN32C550 has an ethernet port, despite the fact that it does not connect to any streaming content. For more details, jump ahead to the Multimedia & Internet section.

Media (2.0)

The Samsung LN32C550 has two USB ports, one on the side and one on the back. These allow you to play back photos, video, and music from a thumb drive or a full HDD.

Placement

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The port placement on the Samsung LN32C550 is just fine. There are enough ports on the side for quick-swap devices like camcorders, cameras, and thumb drives. The rear ports are intended for more permanent connections. All are well-labeled and easy to reach, thanks to the swivel port.

Audio Quality

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The built-in speakers on the Samsung LN32C550 are sufficient for basic TV watching or for the undemanding owner. They certainly sound better than a pair of battery operated iPod speakers, if that's your concern. But they in no way stand up to a dedicated surround sound system.

Of course, the TV offers an assortment of settings for the audio, including some presets, an equalizer, and a simulated surround sound effect. These simulated effects never work great. In this case, it seems to suck all the mids and some of the bass out of the mix, though it does sound a bit more 'surround-y.'

Menu Interface

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The menu interface on the Samsung LN32C550 is the same as on nearly all Samsung HDTVs, and equally clean, simple, and efficient. It's hard to beat this menu system. The main submenus are lined along a vertical axis. Some of the items have pop-out sub-submenus, but the aptly placed 'Return' button on the remote always assures you safe passage back to the previous screen.

Instruction Manual

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The instruction manual that comes with the Samsung LN32C550 is informative of all the TV's features. It features an index and a glossary, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding what you need. Our only complaint is that the features' descriptions seems a bit brief. You can find the Samsung LN32C550's manual online here.

Internet Features

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The Samsung LN32C550 does not have any streaming content features, despite the inclusion of an ethernet port and a WiFi option (via a separately purchased USB dongle). The ports are used instead for the 'Allshare' network, Samsung's branded term for DLNA home theater networking. DLNA has a lot of ardent supporters, but remains a sort of 'featureless feature' on many TVs because the of the relative difficulty of creating a functional, error-free home network. Samsung can charge more for its inclusion, but you'll probably never use it.

It would have been far more beneficial to the average TV owner if the Samsung LN32C550 had included access to streaming content like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon on Demand, and more. (Read this special article for more details about streaming content packages.) Streaming content requires no more computer expertise than plugging in the ethernet cable, as opposed to Allshare, which seems to occupy a lot of message board space with confused users. Also, Allshare is PC-compatible only. Sorry, Mac users.

Local Media Playback

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The Samsung LN32C550 offers photo playback via the USB ports, which can read either USB thumb drives or hard drives. There are plenty of options for creating slideshows, including transition type, speed, zoom, and background music. Go ahead, throw a party and bore your guests with endless slideshows of your pets in costume.

The Samsung LN32C550 can also play music clips and video clips from USB thumb drives and hard drives. Unfortunately, the TV's menu behaves like most TVs. First you have to choose the media type – photo, video, or music – and then go looking through folders for content. All non-conforming content is blocked out. If TV manufacturers really want to start bridging the gap between computers and TVs, this would be a great place to start.

Other Media

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The Samsung LN32C550 does not have any other media features.

Power Consumption

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The Samsung LN32C550 is quite a modest little energy eater, requiring only $12.41 per year or so to operate (with the backlight set for adequate brightness).

You can see from the chart below how the Samsung LN32C550 stacks up to the competition. None are particularly expensive to operate.

Value Comparison

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The Samsung LN32C350 runs about two hundred dollars cheaper than the Samsung LN32C550. There are several key differences: the LN32C350 is limited to 720p, has fewer ports, and lacks the LN32C550's ethernet port for connecting to an Allshare home entertainment network. If this last feature leaves you cold, you're probably in the majority. Strangely, the Samsung LN32C350 had superior performance in some key areas, including RGB color response and viewing angle. All in all, the Samsung LN32C350 may be the wiser bet, if you can sacrifice the reduced resolution.

Blacks & Whites

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The Samsung LN32C350 was nearly on par with the Samsung LN32C550 in terms of black and white performance. The black levels were identical, but the LN32C550 produced a brighter white, which contributed to an expanded contrast ratio.

Color Accuracy

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Both the Samsung LN32C550 and the Samsung LN32C350 did s good job maintaining a consistent color temperature. As you can see from the charts below, they both drift when the signal gets dark, but it opposite directions. The RGB color curve test, however, proved to be in theLN32C350's favor. The LN32C550's performance was not smooth enough and the colors peaked too early.

Motion

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Neither the Samsung LN32C550 nor the Samsung LN32C350 dealt well with motion performance. It maintained a decent level of fine detail, but vertical lines became diagonal when in motion. That's no good.

Viewing Effects

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The Samsung LN32C550 has a terrible viewing angle, only 14 degrees from center. For whatever reason, the cheaper Samsung LN32C350 showed a vastly superior viewing of 30 degrees. There are a few possible explanations for the discrepancy, the most likely being simple differences in components.

Connectivity

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The Samsung LN32C550 has several more ports, including two additional HDMIs, an additional composite and component AV, and an ethernet jack for connection to a DLNA 'Allshare' home network.

Value Comparison

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The LG 32LD350 runs a lot cheaper, definitely a point in its favor. It also performed better in some of the key testing areas, including RGB curves and motion performance. However, it's limited to a 720p resolution and the contrast ratio is not as strong as the Samsung LN32C550. The LG also lacks all the fancy connectivity options that Samsung offers. It's a definite trade-off, so know what your needs are in a TV before you buy.

Blacks & Whites

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The Samsung LN32C550 produced deeper blacks and brighter making for a much larger contrast ratio. The LG is not necessarily bad, it's just not as good.

Color Accuracy

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The LG 32LD350 hardly wavered in its color temperature maintenance, while the Samsung LN32C550 had a short spike at in the darkest portion. The LG showed a much larger lead in the RGB color curve test, in which the LN32C550 had a very hard time.

Motion

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The LG 32LD350 showed a better motion performance, overall. The Samsung LN32C550 had a hard time with vertical lines, which became diagonal when in motion.

Viewing Effects

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The LG 32LD350 did not have a fantastic viewing angle – about 19 degrees from center – but it was better than the 14 degree performance from the Samsung LN32C550.

Connectivity

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Connectivity is the one area where the Samsung LN32C550 has a clear advantage, with more HDMIs and other inputs, as well as a digital audio out (strangely lacking on the LG), and an ethernet port for connecting to a DLNA home theater system.

Value Comparison

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The Sony BX300 series is an entry level line of HDTVs. As such, the resolution is limited to 720p, while the Samsung LN32C550 is 1080p. The 32BX300 is, however, much cheaper than the Samsung, which can't be underestimated as an incentive. It also managed better performance in some areas. However, the Samsung offers a more robust selection of connectivity options, including an ethernet jack for DLNA-supported home theater systems.

Blacks & Whites

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The Sony KDL-32BX300 did not quite match up with the Samsung LN32C550. The blacks were not quite as black and the whites were not as bright. However, a contrast ratio of 3050:1 is still quite good.

Color Accuracy

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The Sony had a harder time maintaining a consistent color temperature, as you can see from the charts below. However, the RGB color curve performance was better, with smoother curves and less peaking than the Samsung.

Motion

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The Sony KDL-32BX300 showed a slight advantage in the motion performance tests, due to the Samsung's tendency to render vertical lines as diagonal when in motion.

Viewing Effects

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The Sony KDL-32BX300 has a viewing angle of about 18 degrees before it loses a lot of contrast ratio. That's not a very good performance, but it's better than the 14 degrees from the Samsung N32C550, which is really bad.

Connectivity

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The Samsung LN32C550 has a far better array of ports than the Sony KDL-32BX300. If you're more interested in a Sony but wanted expanded connectivity, check out the EX700 series, like the Sony KDL-32EX700.

Conclusion

The Samsung LN32C550 had its problems to be sure. The viewing angle was terrible and the RGB color curve test indicated that it chokes when the colors get to bright (a phenomenon called peaking). However, the black levels looked great and the contrast ratio ranked among our best.

The C550 series has a few features that try to set it apart. There's a red-tinge around the whole edging, which Samsung calls 'Touch of Color.' There's also the inclusion of an ethernet port and the option for WiFi. Don't get your hopes up, though; it doesn't offer any streaming content. Instead, the ports are only for connecting to a DLNA home entertainment system. Seeing as though most people have no idea how to set up a multimedia home network, the simpler streaming content would have been welcome.

Overall, the Samsung LN32C550 is a mediocre TV. The connectivity options make it desirable for high-end AV fans, but that crowd may feel the performance comes up short. Check out the cheaper C350 and C450 series if you're on the fence. They lack the DLNA features, but cost a lot less.

Model Series Comparison

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There are four models in the mid-line C550 series. While they lack high-end features like internet connectivity, all are attractively designed and should have roughly similar performance results to the LN32C550 we've tested here. You can anticipate some minor variations in brightness and screen uniformity, because as the screen size increases so too do the number of CCFL bulbs that make up the backlighting. Color response, motion performance, and viewing angle should be nearly identical.

Photo Gallery

{{photo_gallery "Front Tour Image", "Back Tour Image", "Sides Tour Image", "Stand Photo", "Controls Photo", "Remote Control Photo", "Connectivity Tour Image 1", "Connectivity Tour Image 2", "Connectivity Extra Photo", "Menu Main Photo", "Menu 2 Photo", "Internet Features 1 Photo", "Internet Features 2 Photo", "Internet Features 3 Photo", "Local Media Playback 1 Photo", "Local Media Playback 2 Photo"}}

Ratings & Specs

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