Samsung LE40C630

When you buy a Samsung TV, it's logical enough to expect that it will have a PVA panel inside, because the manufacturer makes their own, as well as supplying them to other companies.  In reality, though, that isn't always the case ...

By looking at the label on the Samsung 46C630 and conducting our own investigations, we found that it actually had an MVA panel made by AU Optronics.

We initially thought that meant that the Samsung C630 range had two different types of panel: PVA by Sony-Samsung for the 32'' and 40'' versions, with AU Optronics MVA panels in the 37'' and 46'' versions.  Since then, we asked around and have since found out that the 40'' model is involved in a panel lottery, with both panels distributed amongst the units on sale.

How can you know you're getting a PVA TV?


The easiest way to work out which panel is in each Samsung TV is to look at the label on the side.  Unless your TV has the wrong label for some reason, then the version number should tell you which type of panel you have:

• Version "A" panels: AC01, AC02, AC03, AC04, AA01, AA02, AA03, AA04 and BA01 all come from AU Optronics
• Version "S" panels: SQ01, SQ02, SQ03, SQ04, SS01, SS02, SS03, SS04 and SX03 are made by Samsung

PVA vs MVA

Whichever panel you have, the circuitry and other components are the same.  That means that the colour reproduction, the evenness of the results across the surface of the panel, the contrast ratio and the viewing angles can all vary considerably.  That isn't true, though, of the responsiveness, or the TVs' ability to upscale SD content or display HD video.  For more information on these last aspects, read our test of the Samsung 46C630. 

Colours and Contrast Ratio: PVA does better


In Cinema mode, the Sony-Samsung panel takes the lead.  The 40C630's PVA display has blacks that are twice as deep as the MVA, giving it a contrast ratio of almost 4200:1on the 40C630, compared to just 2000:1 on the 46C630.
 
It was the same story when we measured how accurately the two TVs reproduced colours.  Our tests showed better results from the TV that had a Sony-Samsung panel, with an average deltaE of 2.2 instead of 3.2.  Remember, deltaE is the average discrepancy between the colours requested by the graphics source and those actually displayed on screen.  When this value falls below 3.0, the imperfections are generally considered to be invisible to most viewerw.

Evenness: a slight advantage for PVA

We measure how even a display is by displaying a pure white test card and measuring the brightness in 28 different areas.  We then work out the average discrepancy and scale that to a score on a scale from 0 to 5.  This time round, the difference between the two technologies is less pronounced, but the PVA panel still comes out on top.  During our tests, the 40C630 got a score of 4.8/5 while the 46C630 scored 4.6/5.

Viewing angles: PVA on top

In 2009, we started measuring the viewing angles on display equipment by placing our equipment at a 45° degree angle in each direction and displaying test cards in different shades of grey and black.  We then compare our measurements taken at an angle to those taken straight on to work out how much of a difference there is.  Once again, the PVA panel did better, and the 40C630 had wider viewing angles than the 46C630 and its MVA panel.

Samsung C630 or Sony EX503?

There's another TV that shares the same PVA panel, the Sony Bravia EX503.  We don't have any concerns about it featuring any other panels for the time being at least.  Although both TVs have the same panel, other things are different.  On the one hand, we prefer the EX503's more evenly distributed luminance, but on the other, Samsung's very generous media player impressed us more.  Unfortunately, though, we can't be confident about recommending the Samsung C630 as you can't be sure of which panel you'll get.  That's why we suggest you go for the Sony Bravia EX503.

Nothing's ever that simple though: if you're hoping to get the same quality display, don't go for the 37EX500.  There aren't actually any 37'' PVA panels, so the Sony Bravia KDL-37EX500 must have an AU Optronics panel, meaning you can expect similar results to the Samsung 46C630, which came in with four stars.

Why four stars?

As far as we can tell, there are two versions of the 40C630: one with the Sony-Samsung PVA panel, which we scored at five stars, and another with an AU Optronics MVA panel, which we gave four stars.  Because it's impossible to know which panel you'll actually get when you order it online, then we have to give the Samsung 40C60 the lower of the two scores.