Although recognized and widely used throughout Europe, the Koreans are rather stingy with their Scart socket implementation: Even their prototypes provided for just 2 interfaces; and of those, just one supports RGB - for the cleanest signals. Neither provides support for the popular S-Video found on video recorders and DVD players - a paltry offering. With just two HDMI contacts, nobody today is going to be really impressed, particularly as support for the latest 1.3 version is missing - which could have been really useful to take advantage of the richer color palette the set has to offer.

Standard connectivity: the analog cable-TV receiver. The Samsung can display pictures from two independent sources either as picture-in-picture or side-by-side. However, since the set has only one receiver input channel, the second picture source has to come from an external player. Samsung viewers can use their television's remote controller to operate the key functions of many DVD players, video recorders or other external receivers even if they are from another manufacturer.

The manufacturers were obviously more generous when it comes to multimedia: through what Samsung call "WiseLink", the set can read CompactFlash, SD or MMC cards, and even support Sony's Memory Stick Pro or XD. Other memory devices can always be interfaced through the integrated USB port. Whatever the selected storage medium, the Samsung can playback digital photographs in JPEG format and MP3 formatted music. Even holiday snaps can be faithfully reproduced on photo paper via a suitable photo printer connected to the "PictBridge" - thereby doing away with the PC.

Screen Menu and Remote Control:
The screen menu of the LE-40 M 91 B is optically appealing and navigation is straight forward. In a couple of places however, there are some peculiarities in labeling - the sense of which can only be learned by referring to the exemplary user's manual.

The remote controller is ergonomic with the most commonly used buttons for program selection and volume being easily accessible and suitably proportioned. Many of the other buttons are somewhat small and densely packed in. Annoying: The picture format button which is often required on a 16:9 television, is hidden in the bottom right of the third row of buttons - easily overlooked, and is labeled only "P.Size".

Too much of a good thing: When viewing cable TV, edge sharpening is to excess while the finer details are lost forever. The effect, when viewing from far away (some four meters) comes across as being vivid and three dimensional, but is far from being a faithful reproduction.

Electronic motion prediction of the LE-40 M 91 actually complements the 100 Hz technology by supposedly abolishing the blurred edge characteristics of more basic LCD flat-panel TVs. Here, generated images are inserted between individually sampled frames to create smoother motion effects. However, some side effects are present - stock exchange tickers are considerably and noticeably sharper and smoother, but fast camera panning leaves behind patterned image blocks which disappear when the 100 Hz system is deactivated.

If the film material source is a DVD player or external digital TV receiver, then the Samsung begins to really show itself: Pictures are rendered less aggressively as those from the integrated receiver, and they are rich and closer to the original film impression. Noise is barely noticeable while accurate levels of sharpness and detail rendition are preserved. Because of the neutrality of the set's residual lighting, scenes shot in bleak settings, such as in the dungeon scene of "Lord of the Rings", come across clearly and well defined.

If using the HDMI interface for 576p signals instead of the Scart RGB socket, then the set's ability to render fine details and portray panning motion increases noticeably. Screen flicker is only apparent in challenging sequences such as the camera panning across the dream beach in the film "Six Days, Seven Nights", or the rollercoaster ride in the film "Space Cowboys". Quite remarkable at a maximum 440 cd/m², the extreme intensity of the Samsung makes it one of the brightest LCD flat-panel televisions.

The worse is yet to come: Of all things, the weakness of the LE-40 M 91 B is in its ability to display color - and the problems start with the inconsistency between inputs: With the default setting of "Movie" and the color setting on "Warm 2", a near perfect white point (6,400 Kelvin) can be created with input from the Scart RBG interface. With a color setting of "Warm 1" applied to all other inputs, the color temperature is a little too cool at 7,000 Kelvin. In other words: the user has to readjust the set depending on the choice of signal input. Apart from the Scart RGB input, all deviate from the ideal (6,500 Kelvin) towards the blue end of the spectrum.

In addition, blends are not consistent: The sky tones of content played back through the Scart RGB interface have a green cast and are pale. Even skin tones are accompanied with a light green cast - other Samsung LCD flat-panel televisions with a traditional backlight have a considerably more natural color spectrum. With a complete white screen as in the opening of chapter 18 of the "Lord of the Rings" film, parts of the screen have either a red or green cast depending on the viewing angle - a very annoying effect.

Test material and HD clips from HDTV demonstration disks are reproduced faithfully. Even though the resolution of the display is WXGA (1366 x 768 pixels), HD material is interpreted impressively, and clearly illustrates the advantages when compared with PAL and even more so when compared with NTSC. This applies to both 720p and 1080i sources.

The Samsung is not perfect: In the Blu-ray film "Swordfish", artifacts from the scaling process make themselves visible - diagonal ceiling panels, for example, appear disjointed. The automatic color space sensing works a little better in HD mode compared with PAL but strongly limits the color spectrum. A real shame: The Samsung does not accept 1080p signals, regardless whether the video refresh rate is 24, 50, or 60 Hz.

Computer Operation:
The LE-40 M 91 B accepts 1360 x 768 pixels through the analog VGA interface. But, since the screen resolution itself is 1366 x 768, thin black strips remain on the left and right hand sides - other than that, the Samsung set works well as a computer monitor. Owners of suitably equipped PCs can save the cost for a DVI-HDMI converter as the LE-40 M 91 B can anyway not interpret them.

Sound Quality:
The acoustics suit the enclosure: rather flat. Newscasters are understandable, but music lacks bass and sounds artificial. Altogether, the acoustics from the indirectly radiating horn loudspeakers are acceptable - but nothing more than that - and the TV hums lightly.

Mode: Movie

Brightness: 50

Contrast: 98

Color: 45

Sharpness: 20

Color Tone: Warm 1

Energy Saving: Medium

Color Space: Auto

Digital NR: Off

LCD 100 Hz: Off

* applied to realistic playback from HD-DVD/Blu-ray material through the HDMI interface in a darkened environment. Manufacturing and HDMI playback device deviations could necessitate slight adjustment.

Stylish: The rotating pedestal is practical but the black glossy finish is a matter of taste.

Deficit and surplus: Two Scart sockets and two HDMI interfaces are only standard. A convenient extra is however the variety of memory cards that can be read.

Densely packed: Several of the remote controller's buttons are difficult to operate. Not all the buttons are ideally located.

The range of colors accessible by this LED TV is incredible - but makes no sense when playing back DVD or Blu-ray material. The white point is pitched a little too much on the cool side.