A Stylish Remote of Complexity
Even though the provided remote is meant to be used primarily with the Samsung LN52A630 HDTV, it comes with a series of additional buttons near the bottom for AnyLink functionality. In this way, it can act as a universal remote, but only on a very rudimentary basis. The backlit keys are a nice touch, but I found it frustrating that the enter key was only located in the center of the five-way navigator. The “previous channel” button occupies the space where “enter” would normally be located with the digits at the top. More demanding remote control afficianados should definitely look at the Harmony ONE Remote.
USB WiseLink for Music and Photos
I noted earlier that there is a USB port on the left side of the TV. This is for the USB WiseLink function where you can view photos and listen to music stasheed on a USB storage device. Plugging in just about any USB drive, you can enjoy a photo slide show and the embedded software can sift through your photos based on the folder, date stamp, and even the primary color. The built-in MP3 player is equally robust, but it’s no replacement for a proper stereo system.
Photo slideshows can also be accompanied by your chosen musical playlist. USB WiseLink is a bonus feature that you may not find on other 52-inch TVs from Samsung’s competitors. It’s not really a make-or-break point for me, but if you’re debating between two otherwise identical TVs, it could sway your decision toward the Samsung LN52A630.
Benchmarks and Screenshots
To get a more objective look at the capabilities of this HDTV, I used it as an external monitor for my Dell 640m laptop computer. I then ran a series of test patterns through DisplayMate, looking for contrast ratios, absolute blacks, absolute whites, and color reproduction. There was not a single test where I was not impressed. You can see some of these benchmarks below. As you can also see, both the horizontal and vertical viewing angles were very impressive as well.