Better still, leave it and take the audio from the included optical digital audio output into a dedicated system (Samsung's own HT-X715 all-in one would be a good match stylistically). That's not to say the two 15W speakers are useless – they're quite functional actually – but a serious flatscreen like this deserves more support.

Media streaming

There's more to this 55in Series 9 than just video and audio performance. As it's Samsung's top-of-the-range model, it's been lavished with most all of the company's TV innovations, each of which are generally beneficial to those who like to dabble and muck-about with gadgetry.

Like some of its stablemates, the 956 features WISELINK Pro. This allows you to play DivX (and related) video files, JPEGs and MP3s on the TV via a USB stick. However, unlike the Series 7 equivalent, this set can also stream the same content from a PC over a network.

Once hooked up to your router via the LAN port on the back, or the included USB wi-fi dongle, the DLNA-compliant TV can access music, video and picture files. You might need to install proprietary software on the target computer, but afterwards hookup is a doddle. HD content won't run smoothly using the wireless option, but it's fine through a hard-wired connection, and everything else is trouble-free with both. I can't stress enough how pleasing this feature is.

I've been carping on about media streamers for ages, but here's one built into a TV and accessible at the touch of a button. The 'net connectivity also comes in handy for InfoLive, although this feature doesn't really live up to its promise at present.

Essentially, the 956 can grab 'net-based RSS feeds from Yahoo and display them as widgets on the TV. However, there's only a few to choose from: News, Weather and Stock Reports. None of them offer anything that isn't accessible through bog-standard digital text.

Samsung's Content Library

Another feature that's interesting, but won't wow the world, is the Content Library. Stored on the TV itself is a host of recipes, simple games, fitness instructions and kids' pastimes. Like InfoLive, it's a gimmick that will become better realised further down the line (on later models) but is barely more than a distraction at present.

That is certainly a minor quibble though, as everything else this LCD TV does, it does with considerable skill. HD pictures are stunning (after calibration) and my faith in LED-backlighting is further strengthened on this showing.

The Samsung LE55A956D is perhaps less convincing with standard-def images than some of its main rivals, but it's still no slouch. The 956 is also a playground of interesting ideas, and although a couple of them are fairly hit or miss, the WISELINK Pro-DLNA media streaming is a welcome garnish on what is a tasty dish.