I’m not sure what the deal is with the larger Samsung televisions, or why they feel this almost maddening urge to NOT INCLUDE CONTROLS outside of the remote itself, but the Samsung PN50A550 is part of a growing line of Samsung TVs that looks amazing, offers a vast array of features, but can’t be controlled without a remote.

When I said “vast array”, I meant it–it’s a fifty inch 1080p plasma TV that includes an anti-glare filter, a silhouette editor, SRS TruSurround XT, a Digital Natural Image engine, the ability to play MP3s and JPEGs via USB connection, a slew of custom setting options,  three HDMI ports, two component video inputs, side and rear AV inputs and that USB slot.

And a partridge in a pear…oh never mind.

This is an absolutely unbelievable TV.  It looks amazing, it sounds amazing, it IS amazing.  And the price isn’t even that bad considering what all you get here. This unbelievable monster retails for right around thirteen hundred bucks, depending on where you shop.  At that price, it may well represent one of the best values in home theatre television sets today, and very much worth your money.