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I'm not as wowed with the Samsung PN60E8000 as I have been with other plasma TVs in the past.

Don't get me wrong, the PN60E8000's Picture Quality (PQ) is exemplary, at the top of its class. It's simply that over the last couple of years, the bar has been raised and TV displays have become more consistently good.

LED backlit TVs have begun to catch plasmas in their ability to produce deep blacks. But I continue to opt for a plasma because edge-lit LED displays still tend to exhibit uniformity problems.

Plasmas have no trouble reproducing consistent blacks across the screen. Solider blacks provide a better canvas to render richer colors.

That does not mean that the PN60E8000's palette is gaudy. To the contrary, the picture is refined, especially when the Picture Mode is set to Movie.

The 3D performance is solid and not overwhelming, which is the way I prefer it. The playback of the 3D version of Brave displayed a wonderful sense of depth.

Here's a 3D viewing hint. No matter what 3D TV you are watching, try sitting at different distances from the set. For me, I find that if I sit closer than I normally would when watching 2D content, the 3D effect is more pronounced. Experiment and see what your ideal viewing distance is for the best 3D experience.

Also, you may notice that when the PN60E8000 senses that it is being fed 3D programming, it will shift to the Standard Picture Mode and push the Cell Light to the Maximum of 20 and Contrast to 100. The active shutter 3D glasses by their nature cut down the amount of light reaching your eyes. The TV is compensating by making the picture brighter.

If you hanker for more 3D content, Samsung has included an Explore 3D feature on the Smart Hub. Currently, it is offering almost 200 3D titles that you can stream for free. The biggest category is Kids with over 100 programs.

As for audio, Samsung provides a good menu of tools to customize the sound output to your tastes. But seriously, this is a 60" plasma TV with a divine picture that deserves something beefier than the pair of 10W speakers that are built into the bottom of the set.

For the sake of your ears, please consider complementing this PQ with a dedicated 5.1 or 7.1 surround system.

The PN60E8000's picture quality is exactly what you would expect from Samsung's top-of-the-line plasma. And its Smart TV lineup of content providers and apps will keep you entertained on these long wintry nights.

I would have preferred that Samsung baked some of the features like Voice and Gesture controls a little longer. I don't think they are ready for Prime Time and detract from an otherwise stellar TV.