I bought the 42 inch LG5000 from Currys at a cost of £649.99 a little over a month ago now. WOW! What a TV.
<<< Setup >>> The box is huge and does come in handy for keeping the kids happy for a while leaving enough time for you to get the TV up and running.
Once unwrapped and plugged in it really is a breeze. As I began to set-up the TV, the size of it made an impression on me. As I fired it up the next thing to attract my attention, was the great easy to use set-up menu which takes you through the set-up step by step, explaining everything as you go through. Once set-up was complete, I got down to sampling the many features on board. <<< Picture Quality >>>
The colours stood out to me from the outset, with vibrant, bright tones and great deep and detailed blacks. High definition images are fantastic giving clarity and brightness that shines through.
The standard definition images do let it down a bit, with a lack of detail and some dull areas. <<< Sound Quality >>>
The best feature for me is an invisible speaker system, which incorporates speakers in strategic spots around the entire bezel so that they're completely hidden from view, giving the set a clean and compact appearance. Its benefits aren't just visual though. LG reckons this style of speaker system in the bezel generates a wall of sound that offers a wider sweet spot. I concur. The sound quality is fantastic, wherever you sit you get a great stereo sound with the occaisional directional sound thrown in. Top marks for this. <<< Remote Control >>>
The remote is well built and robust and using it couldn't be simpler. Yes there are a load of buttons on the remote though if you are like me and prefer NOT to read instructions in favour of a good play about with things then you will soon have the control mastered. <<< Aesthetics >>>
As ever, LG's primary focus is on the aesthetics, and they really push the boat out with this set. Simply Stunning! The set has a black high gloss finish with gentle curves. It comes with a very sleak stand (also in black high gloss) that allows you to twist the set. I have to say that I have wall mounted my set. A very nervous time that was. £650 worth of TV hanging from a wall! eek! I love DIY though when it came to hanging the TV I had my reservations. I had to hang myself (95Kg) from the bracket before I was happy that it would support the weight of the TV. Incidntally, the weight of this TV is not that bad really. It weighs in at around the 19.5Kg mark.
<<< Technical Stuff >>> The set features a multitude of connections, including three HDMI 1.3 inputs (two on the rear and one on the side) all of which support Deep Colour and LG Simplink (LG's name for HDMI CEC). These are backed up by component video, two SCARTs, PC input and optical digital audio output on the rear.
Joining the third HDMI on the side are S-video, composite and stereo audio inputs and a common interface slot for adding pay TV channels to the Freeview line-up. There's also a USB port on the rear but before you get too excited, it's only for service purposes. The resolution is 1,920 x 1,080, allowing you to display 1080p material from a Blu-ray or HD DVD deck in all its glory. The set features a 1080/24p mode called TruCinema. This runs at 120Hz and uses a 5:5 pulldown technique to display each of the 24 frames five times, but because all of the frames are shown for the same amount of time there's no judder.
LG has also packed the set with an Intelligent Sensor, which automatically adjusts the picture depending on the viewing conditions to deliver the optimum picture. This reduces the power consumption and protects against eye strain too. The set comes complete with Freeview TV. Don't rely on freeview though, as it depends on what part of the country you are in as to what channels you can receive. I live on the Hampshire side of the border to Wiltshire and I receive around 12 Freeview channels out of the 100 or so available. This is due to reception being reduced in my village.
<<< Top Tip >>> It is strongly reccommended to purchase a surge protector for any LCD TV. This TV is no exception. They can be bought for as little as a fiver. Without one you run the risk of the pixels burning out over time. Leaving little black (dead) pixels on your screen.
<<< Overall Opinion >>> The LG 42LG5000 LCD TV is a great TV with, stylish design, reasonable price tag and a great array of features to play around with to suit your viewing requirements. Standard definition images are its's only flaw but for watching your Blu RayDVDs and playing on a HD Xbox 360, this is the set for you.
<<< Would I recommend it? >>> YES! Whole heartedly. Yes there are cheaper sets available though LG are the forerunners in TV technology and this is extremely evident in this case.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
very helpful by (100%):
