REVIEW: Samsung 2494HM Part 16

The following examples will show how strongly AV mode intervenes in the colours and also the scaling of negative effects on real image content, i.e. not just synthetic test images. The scene selected shows a sepia coloured cloudy sky. Apart from the artificially inserted film grain, transitions are even in width.

Without AV mode, the sky is displayed with fine colour gradients and soft transitions. The detail excerpt of the top left corner (right picture) does not.

Once AV mode is active, the tide turns completely. The contrasts are artificially increased, which means that details in the sky are reduced drastically. The sepia colouring is almost completely lost and very pronounced noise arises. In the enlarged detail of the sky, a large, vertically aligned structure or striped pattern can be seen. Within this stripe, the noise is even stronger than in the rest of the image.

In AV mode, fine contrasts are lost, the colours collapse, the image becomes coarsely grained in general and displays a pattern of vertical lines, similarly to a Moiré pattern in synthetic test images.

The HDMI black value can only be adjusted if the display is connected via the same port and allows for a different interpretation of the colour values. Normally, it should limit the colour value range, which ranges from 0 to 255, to 16 to 235 so that the sixteen darkest hues are changed to black. The black and white levels are displayed correctly accordingly.

Left: In the setting "Normal", the colours are applied within the range 0 to 255 as usual. The brightness of the coarsely divided colour gradients are even up to the last field; Right: In the setting "Low", the distances between the outermost gradients shrink noticeably together. Here, colour values are lost.

Naturally, it is also possible to play back DVDs on the Samsung 24-inch model. Scaling is always to full screen and is good because of the good interpolation characteristics of the monitors in accordance with the resolution of a DVD. That which is show here especially for DVD playback also applies to general film content and of course also to HD content.

Regardless whether fast camera panning or hectic snow flurries are shown, the fast 5 ms panel is fast enough for clean playback. Here, no negative effects are visible from the aggressive overdrive process we mentioned before. Thus, there are no negative effects for film playback.

For a TN panel, the resolution quality for dark scenes is especially commendable. In combination with the relatively good viewing angle dependency, it is possible to enjoy films well from a few metres’ distance. Regardless whether it is a scene with extreme contrasts or one that is dark and gloomy, the Samsung 2494HM even displays dark sections in rich detail.

Scenes from the film "Alien". Left: Extreme contrasts and yet recognisable structures on the surface of the planet. Right: dark grey surfaces are resolved precisely and separately to one another.

The colour reproduction is also very pleasant. Since the colour space is very limited, the user is not plagued by unnaturally over-saturated colours as may be the case with a model with an extended colour space. On the other hand, the colour display is vivid enough for unspoiled film enjoyment.

For film fans, it is still interesting to know what the 2494HM does when confronted with image signals in various frequencies. To this end, we used the judder test and tested frequencies between 24 Hz and 75 Hz. Whenever an image was visible for the refresh rates named below, the scrolling bar of the test is shown at its best. The edges were straight and even without fraying or any pattern.

At a scrolling speed of 6 pixels per frame, even the smallest judders can be seen quickly.

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