Samsung UNEH6000

Seen from the front, the UNEH6000 looks much like any newer LED TV: a very thin frame around the image and everything in glossy black. Extra adornments are almost nonexistent and I like it that way. Too bad the stand doesn't swivel.

Seen from the side, however, the set's "full-array" heritage is obvious. Its panel measures 3.7 inches deep -- compared with 1.9 inches for the edge-lit UNES6500 , for example. I say, "Who cares," although some TV buyers do value thinness, apparently.

The EH6000 gets the older, transparent Samsung menu, which I actually prefer to the newer rounded, blue, opaque version. It's easy enough to navigate and I appreciated the explanations accompanying menu terms. The onscreen user manual and help section found on higher-end Samsungs goes missing, although there is a basic "HD Connection Guide."

The pipsqueak remote tries to pack too many similarly sized and shaped keys onto its truncated surface, but at least there's full backlighting. I'd trade it in for decent spacing between the buttons, however.

Features
Samsung's full-array backlight system uses fewer LEDs than full-array systems on higher-end local-dimming TVs, and fewer even than edge-lit models. The paucity of actual LEDs allows Samsung and other makers of new full-array sets like the EH6000 to charge less than for other kinds of LED TVs. Check out my primer on LED backlights for more and Samsung's full 2012 TV lineup to see which model uses which technology.

The UNEH6000's biggest step-up feature over the UNEH5000 series is a 120Hz refresh rate, which joins backlight scanning to earn the company's "Clear Motion Rate" of 240. Don't be misled, though: this is a 120Hz panel, not 240Hz. As a 120Hz set, the EH600 also gets Samsung's dejudder processing .

This otherwise basic set skips extras like Smart TV and 3D. There's no Ethernet connection for DLNA access to files on a network, although the TV will play back photo, video, and music files via its USB port.

Picture settings: The UNEH6000 offers ample control for a midlevel TV, getting a two-point grayscale system, five gamma choices, and the ability to adjust dejudder. I didn't really miss having a 10-point grayscale adjustment since the two-pointer worked very well, but I would have liked it to have Samsung's great color management system.

Connectivity: Samsung really cut corners here, giving the EH6000 a mere two HDMI inputs. That covers a cable box and a game console, for example -- if you want to connect more stuff like a Roku or a PC via HDMI, you may have to buy an external switch.