Sony NSX-32GT1

I purchased this for my main TV in the living room to replace a 4 year old Visio LCD TV. I liked having the TV with easy access to the web and free movies. The remote with the full Qwerty Key pad is nice and gives you control to browse the web and enter text. To use the Google TV you must have a Gmail account this is part of the startup setup. It’s easiest if you already have an account or set this up from a regular PC first. You’ll also need an account with online movie sites to rent online movies. You can view trailers for many movies but as for free movies, other than YouTube there arn’t any. Using the remote takes some practice. It takes two hands for many commands. The Google TV menus give you many shortcuts to find TV Channels and related online content, My Channels, Bookmark channels of sites, Movie serices. There is a search button to get quick access to web and channel search. This was one of the better features. There is a Guide to access the Cannel list which requires a subscription I didn’t set up, so the guide was useless to me.

Cons:
The user menus are hard to access and follow. The channel info that displays when changing channels and selecting info is very small and uses light gray text so its very difficult to see. The Now Playing Channel list information shows the Network name, a description of the show and time remaining, but not the Channel numbers. Good information but its hard to tell what channel you were going to until you select the show. The screen settings and volume varied considerably from TV to internet viewing and even when changing from one channel to the next, so much so I was adjusting the settings every time I changed the channel. The picture was either too dull or too saturated. To change the screen settings you have to go through a multi step menu selection first selecting setting using 2 keys [fn]+[Settings], then go to screen setting using a nav menu about 5 – 6 lines down, then select from the items on the screen dialog, Then change the setting. The dialogs are in the center of the screen and cover most of the screen so you can’t easily see the effects of changes until closing the menu. There is not an Exit menu command you have to use several steps to access the menu then use the ‘Esc’ key to back out of the menu the same way you entered it. The buttons on the remote are small. On the 32″ monitor text on web pages is very difficult to read without zooming in, if more than 6 feet away from the TV. The viewing angle is minimal the screen does not look good if you are more than 20 degrees to either side.

Bottom Line, It’s an alright TV to get on the internet. It’s not the best TV for a main room. I returned it to the store after using it for two days and bought a different model, larger 37″ screen that does not have internet. I liked the internet access and may purchase the Sony Blueray Web TV box later if I find a deal on one.

Reviewed by: William D Miller, dated: 5 September 2011

Samsung UN55D8000

I have been playing with this TV for one week, the image a color accuracy was great until I notice there is a white halo in the left and right side of the TV. After reading other users and expert reviews, seems like the screen uniformity problem is persistent.

I chat with Samsung representative and this is what they told me:

Please wait for a Samsung Agent to respond.
You are now chatting with ‘Dennis’. There will be a brief survey at the end of our chat to share feedback on my performance today.
Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK4380954317X

Dennis: Hi, thanks for reaching out to Samsung tech support. How can I help you today?
Visitor: Yes I bought a UN55D8000 TV,
Dennis: Okay.
Visitor: have a problem with the image, there is a white halo when watching dark scenes
Dennis: Where is this located on the screen?
Visitor: left side (more intense) and right side (less intense), middle (center) looks fine
Dennis: Is it on the corners that you can notice this?
Visitor: no, more like a vertical line from top to bottom
Visitor: but is not exactly a line, it’s a halo
Dennis: Please set the TV to Standard or Movie picture mode and lower the backlight to 7.
Dennis: Use the TV with this setting for 3 weeks.
Dennis: This should go away.
Visitor: tell me more why?
Dennis: This occurs when the LED screen emits more light.
Visitor: are the LED supposed to emit less light after three weeks?
Dennis: Using the TV with these settings will eliminate the excess light.
Visitor: yes, but it doesn’t look good since doesn’t have enough light
Dennis: Please change the settings and try this for at least 2 weeks.
Visitor: can’t understand why 2-3 weeks? what happen after? can I go back and use whatever setting I want?
Dennis: Yes, you can change the settings after two to three weeks.
Visitor: Ok, just to let you know, I will post this in Amazon ratings, if this is not a fix I will say so… Samsung doesn’t say this to customer when sell the TV and this seems to be a problem with the design of the TV itself…
Dennis: These are the troubleshooting steps that we can try for this issue.
Dennis: We are not suggesting you to use the TV with these settings for ever.
Visitor: Ok, I will try…thanks.

I will try and let you know, although I’m considering returning it given this is a very pricey TV…

UPDATE: Here is an update on the troubleshooting suggested by Samsung on screen uniformity…

I don’t see material improvement using the setting that Samsung’s representative suggested, and honestly don’t think it will make any difference (or at least I do not understand why would be better just changing the setting temporarily). I could wait another week but don’t have more time to wait before having my window to return… so I have finally decided to return it since the white halo doesn’t go away and this TV is just too expensive to have this type of problem… if this TV would be $1500 or less, I would keep it for sure.

To be very balance in my review, still think the colors are great and the exterior design of the TV is the best I have ever seen, but it seems like this great exterior design is the one creating the screen uniformity due to the thin bezel…I have also notice two additional minor issues with this TV, motion blur issues on fast pace scenes and the remote control range which is relatively short (8 feet or so).

So I’m switching to a recently announced Samsung PND8000 which is supposed to be top rated plasma… same interface and remote control than the UND8000, I will write a review once I get the chance to play with it…

Reviewed by Josrtron : Dated 8 June 2011

LG 55LW5600

I was choosing bet. this lg lw5600 and samsung d8000 and came to choose lg.
I went to my nearby store and cafully watched thses tvs for 20 minutes each.
samsung has detail and sharp but that doesnt mean lg is not. I think samsung has done exceptional job on this regard this year.
I was mainly looking closely how the 3d performs as 2d area is already good on todays tvs.
overall, lg gave more comfortable, flicker-free, bright, and best of all, natural 3d experence.
If i didnt compare directly, I also would have liked samsung as samsung didnt feel much of a flickering or cross talks if any.
but when seen side by side, the difference is apparent easily.
lg gave not only natural, comfortable image on the screen, its hard to put in words, but overall everything feels simply simplified and just comfortable to watch.
Compare to lg, samsung gave rather darker image, too.
also, for fast moving scene samsung give a little judder looking artifacts as if the glass shutter couldnt catch up the speed of the scene. Whereas lg simply doesnt have issue with having passive system.
some people say passive cuts resolusion in halves so you see lines between lines.
you do see these line when you get really close to the tv. But when sit back farther distance you would normally watch, thses little lines disapper. But just like you know shutter glass are flickering in front of your eyes, and it makes you uncomfortable, this lines on lg, even though might not visible in normal distance, might make you uncomfortable.
so I think which one you value more.
To me, lg has overall better image on my eyes, that is, no flicker or crosstalk whatsoever, much bright image, and natural viewing without feeling of any artifacts.

I guess I can summarize like this.
samsung feels like some high tech glass is doing fine job in front of your eyes to create 3d, and lg simply feel you’re not wearing any glasses at all. when you are immersed into the content, glass simply disappears from your awareness.

I highly recommand this tv.

Reviewed by : Chris, 23 Mar 2011

Samsung UN55D8000

This review is a little long winded. Skip to the bottom for just the pros and cons. Or, keep reading to waste 10 minutes of your life.

Over the last 5 years, I have been using a 58″ Panasonic Plasma TV. Not a bad TV, but not the greatest either. It was only 1080i, it got hot pretty fast (which made the room hot and the air condition kick on too often), and the dimensions were weird (I looked at entertainment centers that should fit a 60″ TV, but the TV still wouldn’t fit.). I felt an upgrade was in order.

I’ll have to admit, shopping for a TV was pretty fun. A lot of work though. The research was overwhelming at times. Websites upon websites, magazines, books, different people’s inputs, salesmen trying to sell you different things depending on which store you went to, etc. I narrowed it down to one of many Sony HDTVs or a Samsung C or D series. After narrowing it down to those 2 brands, it was a little easier. I went to about 4 different Fry’s Electronics and 7 different Best Buys to check it out in different situations. After that, it came down to the UN55D8000 (boy, did I memorize those numbers). To make the decision easier, I was looking on Amazon, and to my amazement, they had it for $500 less that everyone else, plus free shipping. Score!

With the free shipping, it usually takes a little longer. I would say, from the time the order was placed, until it got to my front door, it took about 1.5 weeks. It came delivered from Home Direct, USA and had no issues with delivery. They were going to set up the TV, but I told them not to, since my entertainment center hadn’t come in yet. I opened up the box, put the TV on a soft cloth (our bed’s comforter) and installed the stand. Eight screws, piece of cake. I connected the Directv receiver and a PS3. There are a few settings you will set in the beginning when the TV turns on. Takes about 2 minutes, literally. After that, the fun begins! Going from 1080i to 1080p is a huge difference! I had a recording of Chuck on the DVR and it almost looked live. I also watched some regular satellite programming and even the non-HD channels looked amazing.

After wiping the drool off the floor, I wanted to check out the 3D part of the TV. I popped in the free copy of Shrek the 3rd in the PS3, put on the glasses and waited to be amazed. Aside from the amazing colors, it looked exactly like 2D! WTH?! Then, I remember reading somewhere that the PS3 does indeed play 3D movies, BUT with an upgrade. I waited about 30 minutes for the upgrade to finish. After that, loaded up the dvd again, and there was the movie with that funky 3D image. Hey wait, I have 3D glasses on, how come I see that. Oh, oops. Batteries need to be installed in the glasses. Finally! The 3D image was awesome! Seriously, watching TV in 3D is amazing. I can’t wait `til there’s more media in 3D. As it stands right now, the only real movies in 3D are either documentaries or cartoons, with the exception of a few regular movies (i.e. Resident Evil, Step Up 3, etc.)

I just set it up last night, so I can’t give you a whole lot more information. But, even if I did have more time, I don’t think I can give you the detailed specs that you might be looking for. I’m not an expert on home theater. Here’s an overview of pros and cons:

PROS:
* The lack of a bigger bezel really does make a difference. Not only aesthetically, but in terms of functionality, too (better 3D viewing. It looks like you’re looking thru a window.).
* Images are spectacular. Whether it be regular programming, HDTV programming, or Blu-Ray.
* Price on Amazon was very good!
* Delivery was pain-free.
* A lot of settings options, so you can set up the TV to your preference and the viewing scenario (i.e. movie, standard, etc.)
* 3D movie watching is stunning! I just wish Panasonic didn’t have exclusive rights on Avatar.

CONS:
* SmartTV is a cool feature. But, not a necessity. I really doubt that I’ll Facebook or Tweet from the TV.
* Audio isn’t great, but it’s adequate. I wasn’t really expecting much from a flat screen TV.
* Did not come with the touch-screen remote as was supposed to be the case in the beginning of the year.
* Have to mail in the vouchers (or register online) in order to get the 3D glasses. True, you do get a 3D starter kit with this TV, which has the glasses, but those glasses are a little different and use batteries. Also, you have to send out to get the free copy of Shrek Forever and Megamind. I really shouldn’t complain, though, since these are free.
* Needs a more detailed manual on how to use most of the features. The manual it comes with is thick, but it’s just because it’s the same thing in different languages.

Sorry for the long review. Us Yelpers write a lot of gibberish, don’t we?

UPDATE: After playing around with the TV a little more this weekend, I noticed that the top of the screen had some light flickering (around where the bezel meets the screen and it was about 1/16″ tall and went almost across the whole TV. I’m hoping it’s not the “edge lighting.”) It only did this on some channels on Directv. Most channels were fine and Blu-Ray was fine. I’m thinking it’s either the receiver or possibly the cheap HDMI cable. I have a Monster M1000 series cable coming in later this week, so I’ll switch it out and update.

Also, there has been talk all over online about people having problems pairing the remote. I had zero problem and did it about 5 feet away from the TV.

One last thing, one of the glasses in the free 3D kit didn’t seem to work. I changed out batteries and nothing. Then, the next morning, I tried it again, but this time turning off the bluetooth in my phone, and it worked. Whether this had an effect on it, I don’t know. But, just thought I’d throw that out there.

BTW, this weekend, I watched Tangled in 3D and played MLB2K11 on the PS3…… WOW! I’ll have to admit, I liked 3D, but I thought it was just a novelty. No way. 3D is much different now than when we had those blue and red glasses. It changes the whole experience.

Reviewed by : Jamie : 2 Apr 2011

Sony NSX-40GT1

Being techy people, we didn’t know whether to buy a regular TV and use a notebook computer with it or try a google TV despite some websites blocking google TV and similar devices. We already have computer/TV setups and the extra overhead of starting up the computer does limit their usefulness. We have broadcast TV and Netflix only, so we do watch some programs on the internet. In the end we finally decided to spring for a Sony google TV. Sony NSX-40GT1

We are very happy with our choice. Several of our favorite channels are now available on it, including MSNBC and Comedy Central. It has 4 HDMI inputs, which is nice for people with lots of toys. We use one for a DVD player and one for a brite-view Air-Sync HD which feeds it from the Tivo in the next room. The Tivo serves not only what is recorded on our two Tivos but also videos stored on our computers. So it is a very capable device now, and nicely integrated.

I see lots of complaints that the remote is too big, but we would like it larger or at least with an easier to use mouse. I’m waiting for a compatible remote that I like better. We also have an Android phone configured to control it and the mouse is easier to use on the phone.

My only other complaint is the screen is very reflective. We have windows in the room with no curtains and lots of reflections on the screen. The TV previously in this room was an analog TV so since those screens are not shiny and not even flat, reflections were never a problem. Our other digital TVs do not have such shiny screens. This big shiny black thing is very visible in the room, especially one with traditional furnishings. To me, that is not a good thing…

Reviewed by : Judith E Nicholls, Feb 14, 2011

Panasonic VIERA TC-P50GT25

I made a mistake and purchased a 50 inch Samsung 3D plasma and returned it within a week due to horrible image retention. After learning a lesson on the importance of doing research on a purchase this large I went to work on trying to find the best tv in my price range (1800 bucks at most.) With most individual reviews and head to head reviews I read I kept seeing Panasonic 3d plasmas at the top of the list. These tv’s were not only voted best for 3d but also for 2d. So I went ahead and pulled the trigger on this set and I’m extremely glad I did. There are four main things I want a tv to be able to do; watch sports, play video games, watch regular programs and also to watch movies. And this set performs incredibly well in all areas.

I watch a lot of football and UFC and so far both of these sports look amazing on this tv. Everything runs smoothly and there is no issues with motion blur. So it’s great for sports.

I own an XBOX 360 and love first person shooters (Call of Duty, Halo, etc..) and so far I have only played COD: Black Ops on this tv but it’s a lot of fun to play on this set. The game always looks smooth and the colors really pop. Once I got use to the size of the tv (I was playing on a 37 inch before) I fell in love with gaming all over again.

As far as watching regular tv, well, I can say that I wish I had HD tv but unfortunately I don’t. The standard definition looks great on this tv though. My Direct TV receiver isn’t working properly at the moment and I can only view a few programs but so far so good with SD.

Watching movies is where this tv blows other sets out of the water. So far I have watched two regular Blu Rays (The Expendables and Rambo) and one 3d Blu Ray (How to Train Your Dragon) and all I can really say is WOW. I saw both The Expendables and Rambo in the theatre and honestly I think the picture is better on this set than it is at the movies. The colors and amount of detail are incredible. I watched Rambo on the Samsung while I had it and while it did look good it wasn’t as good as with this Panasonic. As far as 3d goes I won’t say it’s as good as IMAX but it is as good as true 3d in a movie theatre. I saw Dragon in 3d at the movies as well and I actually enjoyed it more on this tv. Side note on 3d; I don’t know if it will take off and if it doesn’t that’s okay. I bought this tv because it had the best reviews for 2d so the 3d was a bonus. But it’s a fun bonus.

I’ve also watched some tv on a Samsung LED and I can say with confidence that this Panasonic has a better viewing experience.

Now that I have this tv all I need is a better sound system and some theatre seating and I’ll be set. For the money you won’t find a better set. Why spend more for an LED when this tv is better and costs less? If you’re debating on a great tv to get in this price range then I’d say go for this set. I’m glad I did!

Reviewed by : TitansFury, Dec 12, 2010

Toshiba 55WX800

To start, we have a panasonic 58 inch plasma (S2 series) in the house, this is the standard we are measuring against.

Once we unpacked the TV and installed the provided stand, we immediately noticed it was much more un-steady feeling than the panasonic, it would move/wobble when you would press the power button, (if you have a house that has much floor vibration when walking, you will notice it on the screen).

The appearance of the tv is sleek, modern and on par for meeting or beating competition.

The picture, first we must say it is highly recommended to see this tv in person, as it is a 3D tv with medium (at best) 2D picture quality (in our opinion). We viewed blue ray movies with motion/scenery etc…, played PS3 games and watched HDTV and non-HDTV channels. We have 5 in our family (3 in college plus mom and dad), it was a 100% decision to return the tv.

There was at times some digital disruption during the playing of Iron Man II, the move in 2D but with blue ray in HD, gave a feeling of a cheap movie set, as if everything was filmed in front of a blue screen that later on was inlaid into the movie. The white backgrounds were the worse by far. The colors are bright and can be adjusted, but the 2D viewing was not over-comable by us. We worked with the settings, followed the manual and search the website for best settings to affect the issue, in the end, the quality just wasn’t in the same league as the plasma.

The menus were friendly, easy to work with. The gaming was closest to the quality of our plasma of any testing we did, there was never a lag or issue when playing games, GT 5.0 and Demon Souls on PS3.

If you are a 3D person and plan to use this heavily for 3D, then I would recommend it as a strong contender, but in our house, 3D was going to the be exception, not the rule, so the 2D quaility was super important to us.

I imagine when we do go 3D next time, it will be with a plasma. We checked LEDs in the stores and they seem to be comparable with the plasma, but in our house they were not. The plasma won in both daylight and evening watching.

The clarity of the picture on the Toshiba is very strong, but the overall feel of the motion/background interaction in 2D left much to be desired in our opinion.

I have read other reviews on Amazon for the tv, and I will not argue their experience, it seems to be a very high end tv, but to us the 2D was the decision maker.

Rewviewed by : BigOnAmazon,   Dec 16, 2010

TCL L40FHDF11TA

If you are the type who must have the “best” or have people close to you who would describe you as the type of person that tends to always have “high expectations” when it comes to electronic devices, then this TV is not the best choice for you. I’m certain that TCL, the manufacturer, didn’t intend this to be the best of the best TV in the 40″ LCD – HDTV class.

However, this is by no means a negative review. I love this TV and it suits the need of myself and my family. The picture is great, I was very impressed with the sound quality (much better quality than more widely known name brands), and it has enough components hookups (HDMI, etc.) to handle the average users needs/wants (ex. Roku, PC, DVD, home theater, XBOX 360, PS3, HD Satellite etc.) Most of the negative reviews seem to be from folks who buy on a budget but were expecting more than what they paid for…basically not being realistic. On Black Friday, I paid (total) $403 for this TV via Amazon.com (Prime Member – Free two-day shipping). In regards to a price/quality trade-off, this is the best buy I have made in a long time.

*The reviews mentioning issues with the TV stating different picture quality other than 1080p are correct. I have experienced this as well; however, I found that if you buy/use the proper HDMI cables (not cheap ones…good quality HDMI cables), the quality jumps to the TV’s capability of 1080p. Also, ensure you are using high quality devices if you truly want the TV to perform at its full picture quality capability. For example, I use Roku to watch streaming Netflix & Hulu movies and TV shows. If you are using a Roku device that is NOT the HD, XD, or XDS which can handle HD quality (full 1080p if you have the XD or XDS) then the TV will not be able to show the TV’s full picture quality capabilities. In addition, you must have a fast enough internet connection to watch movies in full HD quality. Just having a “cable modem” with the cheapest plan doesn’t cut it.

Bottom line, if you want to have the best quality picture, make sure you have the right cables, devices, and internet connection to allow the TV to perform at its full HD picture quality potential. If you don’t, you have no right to cry about the TV showing as less than full HD 1080p quality. It does take some thought or minimal effort on the consumer’s part in order to have an electronic device meet one’s expectations.

If you are able to attain a similar deal (or steal @ $403 out the door), for this TV, then you made a good buy. This TV, especially with the 2-year warranty, will suit most avg. folk’s needs/wants in a family room TV.

Reviewed by : Adam Van Scoy”avanscoy”,  Dec 5, 2010

Sony KDL55NX810

Just received this new Sony and it is everything Sony claims it to be. Absolutely the best picture I have seen in a LCD TV and better than my 3 yr old 46XBR4 that had the fluorescent backlighting. This NX has a dynamic(local dimming) edge lit LED, and the contrast and blacks are excellent. The 3D is stunning with little ghosting, even with 3D set for max effect. I coupled this NX810 with Sony’s new Blu-RAy S770, and the picture is stunning, as good or better than any theater, and better than my previous LCD TV combo.

My one complaint is that the sound is not what you would expect from a $3K new Sony. The sound is a cheap sound(tinny),and did not meet by expectations since it has 3 speakers built-in. I ended up adding on the $359 NX810 optional stand (Bushin)(SU-B550S) that includes a better 2.1 sound system to compensate.

I am still playing with the video settings, but I have noticed that imperfections of the incoming signal are much easier to discern than my previous LCD. In fact on the same broadcast, a bad shimmer in the background, will go away and a brilliant fine detail picture comes on when they shift cameras like in a news broadcast

This NX has wired Ethernet and wireless connectivity, and the streamed HD video from Amazon is excellent. In order for you to stream Dolby 5.1 audio, you must select ‘audio system’ on speakers to output 5.1 to your surround sound amp or you will only get PCM. The NX has LED edge lighting but with local dimming and it results is great contrast. Not sure if the HX909 full LED array backlighting would result in a much better picture.

I also am very happy with the 3D effects. Playing a movie made for 3D, gives you great 3D depth effect, almost as good as the theater. Using simulated 3D on my Avatar Blu-Ray disk resulted in good 3D but the depth was not as good as the movie theater. The picture is also bright in 3D one of my pre-buy concerns. Trying simulated 3D on sports also added depth to many scenes, especially the football if the camera angle was right.

You can buy this TV with a free bundle (various vendors offer the free bundle) that includes everything you need for 3D (transmitter + 2 glasses), plus the bundle gives you a 3D Alice + HDMI cable. So, with the bundle you get everything the LX900 has AND with better picture since the LX is only edge LED with no local dimming.

Overall very happy with this purchase. My only complaint is the “tinny” sound-probably because the speakers are on the backside of the TV and directed either backwards or down as compared to my old XBR4 which had great audio quality and had speakers on either side

Reviewed by : D. Mcdermott, 13 Oct 2010

LG 47LE5400

This review is for the LG 47LE5400 47-Inch Edge Lit LED/LCD 1080p HDTV! (what a mouthful!) This is a new model and Amazons date for “first available is wrong.
After much comparison, and much online and in-store research I decided to plunk down my hard earned cash on this bad boy. So far, I am very glad I did.

My criteria for purchase was a screen no larger than 47 inches (to preserve the image quality of my AVI files and SD programming) and also something that had perfect geometry (unlike the Mitsubishi DLP that recently died on me) and something that would display and maintain a bright uniform picture. (unlike my Pioneer Plasma did) I also had hoped for a display that could display a 50hz PAL video signal as long as it was first upconverted to 720p or higher. (The LG will NOT display a 576 line image , but will take that image if upconverted , even while remaining 50hz so no format conversion is required for motion correctness, just upconversion to 720p / 1080i or 1080p)

Purchased the set at a brick and mortar location (initials are BB) so in case things didn’t work out I could return or exchange it with no problems. I easily carried the box inside my house (I am pushing 60 with arthritis) and had the stand assembled and mounted on the TV in about 20 minutes total from bringing in the box. The TV is packed well, but not filled with unnecessary packaging material. There is a quick start guide included and the entire manual resides on a CD-Rom which I personally HATE but at least you can’t spill things on it right? Also included were warranty materials, a separate set of instructions and CD-ROM for the web connectivity stuff , some cable adapters, a cleaning cloth and the remote with two AAA batteries.

The TV was in perfect condition, wrapped in that foam cloth stuff and with the prerequisite plastic film over the frame bezel. Easy to remove all of that stuff and it didn’t leave any trace of sticky residue which was nice. Jacks are group on the rear left with the USB and headphone jacks on the left side but behind the bezel. This TV is very thin and not all that secure on it’s stand. The stand is fine, but I would recommend strapping it down whenever you put it unless you use a wall mount of some kind. Just sitting on a table you are one false move away from turning your beautiful LED TV into a doorstop. And the TV itself is very nice to look at, very easy on the eyes really.

I am not currently using the web connectivity stuff or the Netflix online feature so I can not comment on those functions in this review. If they work as well as the rest of the unit, things should be fine. While it is ‘internet ready’ it does not include a wireless dongle so you either need to physically connect it to your router with an Ethernet cable, or purchase a USB wireless dongle from LG . (Yes, they are proprietary, unfortunately)

Connected my HDMI cables from my Fios DVR and Oppo Blu Ray and plugged in the power. This TV will power up and ask you if you want ‘home use’ or “store use’ which is of course flame thrower mode. Pick ‘home use’ and go from there. Just remember which inputs you plugged what into so you can easily get to them. The manual will tell you how to custom label your inputs if you can’t remember HDMI 1 or 2 or so forth.

The first thing I did was set the picture to “Standard” and then lower the back light, the contrast, the brightness and color and even sharpness levels. Then I went into the advanced settings menu and turned off all the noise reduction and cut the auto contrast setting down to low. The TV will not look all that great out of the box as it is meant to attract your attention in the store, but those setting are pretty useless at home if you want your picture to look rich and natural. All in all, it took me maybe 15 minutes to get a starting point where I could watch and be more than happy with the picture.

You can download the manual from LG’s website and get to know this unit before you purchase. That’s what I did and it saved me tons of time. LG also includes a ‘Picture Wizard’ that helps you to easily and quickly calibrate an input to your taste and achieve fairly accurate color and proper contrast and brightness. You can then assign that setting to any input or inputs you wish and save it . You can do this twice and save each one with the ‘Expert’ function and of course you can adjust the other preset picture modes and save them as well. LOTS of options in that regard!

A word about the 120Hz True Motion. Like hot sauce, a little goes a long way. LG offers you your choice of ON, OFF, LOW, HIGH and USER. In the user mode you can adjust both judder AND motion blur separately which is a big improvement in software for this model I think. To me, the True Motion gives you almost the same effect as watching a video tape rather than a film. It does lend itself to some program material, making certain things appear even more real, a sort of hyper reality. It does introduce some other artifacts into the picture quality that you may or may not notice and ultimately you may decide not to use it at all. The good news is, it can be switched off but also adjusted to suit your needs and personal taste. Does it completely eliminate motion blur? Not by a long shot! For now, motion blur is something that is inherent in LCD displays. Maybe someday they will find a way to get them to switch on and off quicker (the pixels) and perhaps start putting some beefier processing chips into these things as well. As it is, on very rare occasions the display seems to ‘skip a beat’ and the chip seems to be temporarily overloaded. It all happens in a blink of an eye and is over before it started, but it DOES happen.

The dreaded lip sync issue that you may have heard about regarding LG has happened to me once so far after changing channels on my DVR. I had to shut off the display and reboot and it went away the first time. I plan to update the firmware as soon as I connect to my Cable router and hopefully it will be a thing of the past. I have used it heavily for more than a week and it has only happened once so far.

My BIGGEST criteria for selecting my new TV was it’s ability to play PAL DVD video with no conversion. I have a very large collection of British and European DVD’s and am not happy with ‘converting’ them to NTSC even with my Oppo. By making some sense out of the LG specs I had guessed it might be able to display PAL properly with no format (50 to 60hz) conversion, resulting in a much better picture than standard DVD could ever provide. IT WORKS PEREFCTLY! (but you MUST first upconvert it to 720p or 1080i or 1080p for the LG to be able to display it. Any upconverting DVD player can accomplish that for you!) So far, only my Pioneer Plasma could display PAL without conversion so this was a huge plus for me. My Babylon 5 PAL DVD’s look VERY close to HD and a real revelation, not to mention my LOTR Extended Editions in glorious PAL!! Also, standard NTSC DVD video is quite good, depending on your player and source material and off the air (or off Fios in my case) SD material looks very good. And it goes without saying that Blu Ray or HD DVD material will simply blow you away once the set is even basically calibrated.

By the end of the day I had both my DVR and Blu Ray inputs calibrated to my liking and I must say the overall picture quality is nothing short of excellent. Sounds is ‘ok’ , not too awful, but not good enough to satisfy a movie lover. (hook up to a surround system and you will be glad you did)

So far, I have just ONE complaint and for many people this is a big one. In a word, FLASHLIGHTING !
This is when the LED’s which illuminate the LCD pixels shine through the edges of the picture and make there way in to dark areas on your screen, such as night time, or a fade out . During any other time the picture is outstanding, but no matter how low I set the back light (within reason) you can easily see it during any dark scnes. I personally have chosen to ignore this problem and just enjoy the TV.

You will not notice the flashlighting problem in the store. They make sure and supply program material that never goes dark on the edges so any deficiencies in contrast or flashlighting are hidden from the consumer. Bring your own USB drive with a movie that features a lot of dark scenes, the new Harry Potter comes to mind, and you will see for yourself. That’s of course if they let you do that!

I had also considered the Vizio 47 inch LED LCD set for about the same price and IT features local dimming on the LED array which eliminates this flashlighting problem. I just don’t feel comfortable yet with Vizio as a brand and opted for the LG. Videophiles would think I am nuts, but there you have it! Neither Vizio nor the king of local dimming LED, Samsung ,can display native PAL video. I feel I made the right choice for me anyway.

This TV really provides you with a HUGE wealth of signal processing tools (adjustments) to shape your picture quality any way you want it to be. There are 2 expert modes that let you tweak and calibrate to your hearts content, and not even my Pio Kuro had this amount of control over it. Honestly, except for the flashlighting problem I am totally happy with this LG. Honestly, I can live with it, but many could not. I would say the average person would rarely, if ever notice it , but it IS there and as such a deal breaker for many would be buyers.

With that said, This TV seems to be well made with a good solid build quality, the remote is much better than most (although I just use a Harmony One for everything) and it does everything I want it to do and more. Now lets see if the thing holds up to heavy use. As a parting thought I would recommend going with some form of extended warranty. Either thru the place of purchase or perhaps a company like Square Trade would be good as they allow you to purchase your extended warranty any time during the original warranty of your product. HAPPY TV SHOPPING!

UPDATE 5/30/10 : After 3 weeks of using this TV, and taking the time to properly calibrate the inputs (using Digital Video essentials and THX Optimizer) I have come to some conclusions……
The 5400 performs VERY well for SD sources, both AVI based , Standard DVD and SD cable channels. (subject to whatever compression our cable company or DVD manufacturer has added) Xvid encoded files rate very good to almost HD in appearance. Really nice! The vertical banding is only visible during extremely WHITE based scenes with side to side camera pans. It is bothersome at times, but I am choosing to ignore it in favor of this sets strong points. I continue to be amazed by the quality off unconverted Pal DVD playback on this thing. My Fios premium channels have taken on an almost 3D quality and I sometimes find myself just staring at this thing in wonder and shaking my head in disbelief at times. No kidding! . If you spent another thousand or so on a top local dimming Samsung you could do better, otherwise I feel this TV is a winner and I still have NO buyers remorse. I put my new Mitsubishi DLP (newly repaired) in my walk-in closet in case of disaster striking the LG. I see the USB wireless adapter is finally available so I will be ordering that next month and checking out the Netflix performance and other widgets and content providers.

UPDATE 6-14-10 Finally got around to connecting to the net with this thing. It was very easy. I just plugged in an Ethernet cable from my router and it instantly set itself up with no help from me. Went about programming the Yahoo Widgets next and while it was a bit painstaking, it worked fine. Set up my You Tube account as well and after signing in (and telling it to stay signed in) it works like a charm. Netflix will be next in just 2 weeks, but for now it all looks and works great. I have a fast net connection so I don’t foresee any trouble with Netlfix, even the HD content. My final update will be posted after checking out Netflix performance….. Stay Tuned….

FINAL UPDATE 6-16-10
OK, I can give a good report on the Network capabilities and user interface . Right now I am connected to my computer and extra hard drives on a wireless LAN set up in my media room. I have the LG connected directly to my router via the Ethernet connection. (didn’t want to chance the bandwidth with their wireless dongle) I am running a very inexpensive Compaq (under 300 bucks new) and using Nero Media Home 4 as my server software even though Windows 7 includes such software of their own. The LG is optimized for the Nero program and the basic version is included with your TV purchase from LG. I set up my computer for Network sharing and let er rip!
How does it work? IN a word…………. G R E A T !!! So fa the LG can hand ALL formats I have thrown at it. It outperforms (by miles) an Asus O’Play and even the USB playback of my Oppo BDP-80. I am getting flawless playback, even on HD files of large size and bitrates. The user interface is nice. There are many options and it is intuitive. The software on the LG even remembers your place if you stop a file and wish to resume later. It is very well thought out for an added extra. With this modest system I have in place, it is like having my very own on demand channel that only plays the stuff I love! I really can’t say enough good things about the performance. It is truly great and so much nicer than the little standalone media players on the market right now.
So after almost a month now, I totally LOVE this TV !! Honestly, I am not all that hip about computers and networks and i got it to work within a few hours and beyond any of my expectations. Just plugging in a USB hard drive or thumb drive to the TV jacks and bypassing networking would be simple as can be and yield the same excellent results. And this is just a bonus feature. WOW! I am SO glad I bought this TV and hope other folks with similar needs will try this out and see for themselves. I am SOLD on LG for now!

Reviewed by : Marty Gillis, 11 My 2010