Samsung LTM405W Tantus 40" LCD Television Review

Introduced late last year, the Samsung Tantus LTM405W flatscreen television literally blew the scale off the LCD TV industry and laid claim to the title of 'largest screen size' with ease.

The aptly named Tantus measures 40" diagonally, making it currently the largest LCD HDTV compatible television on the market. The next closest LCD TV on the market is 37" across... but who really wants to watch a DVD on something that tiny?

Backed by years of experience fabricating the LCD panels for computer monitors, Samsung took the challenge of creating a large LCD television head on and produced not only a 40" display which is big enough to compete directly against plasma display's, but one which is superior to plasma on many levels.

Wrapped in a dull gray and silver bezel, the Samsung LTM405W is a typical example of subtle product design that works. The screen looks good, and perhaps more importantly, there is nothing flashy to distract away from the poster-sized viewing area. Bright flashy nameplates placed too close to the screen can often become a focal point and distract the viewer from the screen if they stand out too well against the bezel.

The essential main controls for the Tantus LTM405W are grouped together on the underside of the bezel lip in a logical fashion, and the power button and IrDA receiver for the remote are integrated together in a neat circle directly below the screen.

As we get ready to push the button and light up the ultra-thin 2.2" thick Samsung LTM405W screen, it's worth noting that the display weighs in at a feathery 52lb.

The thin and lightweight Tantus LTM405W just screams to be wall mounted, and an optional steel wall bracket is available for just that purpose. Just in case you want to have a massive TV just like Ozzy!

Compared to a similarly sized plasma display which may weigh in at upwards of 80lbs, the 52lb LTM405W is much easier for a single person to carry around, and I should think eminently less complicated to hang on standard residential wall without fear of ripping the wall studs out. The display ships by itself with optional extras including a table top stand, a pair of side mounting 10W speakers, and a metal wall mount frame.

There are no integrated speakers in the body of the LCD TV itself, so for sound the two 10W side-mount speakers must be added at the very least. The two speakers bolt onto the side of the LTM405W display in a few minutes, and blend in so well you'd never know they weren't part of the main display (see pic).

The stringy speakers shoot out stereo sound which is suitable for watching TV through the built in CATV tuner, but with a total output of 20W the two 28" tall speakers don't offer any really challenge to a good home theatre speaker system. If I were running this beauty in the PCStats labs I'd forgo the SPKL405W speakers altogether and put the money saved there to better use. After all, you wouldn't put a bumper sticker on a brand new Porsche Boxster would you?