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

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

LG 32LD350

This is the first LCD TV I’ve bought so I did a tone of research before finally settling on this unit.

Things I love about this TV:

-The backlight on this thing turns way up so you don’t have to worry about having dark scenes like in Interview with the vampire you can’t see. The wide viewing angle is also great.

-On the quick menu you can easily change the sound between Music and Cinema and I can actually hear the difference. Yes they are tv speakers not surround sound but for my studio apartment it is more then adequate.

-I noticed I was getting a little noise on the sound when I had the Clear Voice on but totally fixed it when I put the Auto Volume option on in the audio main menu.

-I keep the tv on a lot for music during the day since I work from home and there is this great button on the remote labeled energy where you can quickly adjust from 100% which is the best for viewing to maximum energy saving. I like this not only for the energy savings but also to save the back light from 100% constant use.

-I noticed that one of my shows off of my Roku (digital box that streams netflix) wasn’t HD and the picture wasn’t looking to hot. I adjusted on the picture main menu the aspect ratio to Just Scan and it actually cleaned it up really nicely. This is important,several of my friends have really ritzy tv set ups but if it’s not HD the picture is almost unbearable. This one you can watch older movies/tv shows and HD without having to fiddle with everything to get a good picture.

-Overall picture quality can be adjusted by so many advanced options that if you play with it I’m sure you can get exactly what you want.

-I know it is 720 versus 1080 but at this price range when I looked at the specs if you go for 1080 it seems that you will get dark spots in dark scenes and it’s refresh rate will be so low that you will notice it in quick scenes plus the audio seemed unreliable. I think at this 32inch size 720 is really not that noticeable.

Very satisfied customer. Only complaint is you need 4 screws to attach the tv to it’s base and my baggy only came with 3 in it. Luckily the hardware store is right down the street so I was able to get something comparable instead of waiting for them to ship it.

Do your self a favor, get some good HDMI cables with noise reduction that can handle full HD (found some on amazon for like $7). I haven’t experienced any blurring at all on this tv while watching movies/shows like others have commented about. Regular cables don’t cut it and you won’t want to wait when your tv arrives.

Happy Viewing

Reviewed by : R Pen ,  May 20, 2010

LG INFINIA 55LE8500

I had my 55LE8500 delivered last Wednesday and after spending some time with it I know I made the right choice for a new television. The picture is really stunning when displaying HD programming. Bluray titles even more so. I am also extremely happy with the quality of standard def programming, ie non hd cable channels and avi files.

The black level performance is amazing. This tv has full array LED backlighting with local dimming and does not suffer from clouding or flashlighting problems that are present in other products.

The glass front is both an image improver lending a crystal clear look to the picture, but it is also very reflective so you will need to be able to control light sources in your viewing room. For me this was not difficult, however, if you have a room with many large windows and also lamps it could be a challenge.

You may also enjoy the internet features available after connecting the television to your network. You can update the firmware when available, there are movie choices from Vudu and Netflix and many more options.

This product is an expensive item, but the build quality shows and the display technology is among the best out there this year. My first choice had been a Panasonic 54VT25 plasma; its screen is not so reflective, but I am worried about image retention and burnin so I went with the LCD.

If you want one of the best HD displays and can control the light sources in your viewing room, you won’t regret owning the LG LE8500.

Reviewed by : Wade Hathaway “mrwarde6″ : June 26, 2010

LG 42PJ350

Let me start by saying that I am not a videophile, but when it comes to purchasing a television I can be very picky. I went through the whole LCD vs. Plasma dilemma 3 years ago when I bought my Samsung 5084 (one of the best non-Pioneer plasmas at the time). That said, I was ready to supplement that unit this year with a ‘smaller’ LCD for the bedroom (didn’t want to sweat IR, horizontal line bleed, etc). Needless to say, LCD options in the ‘budget’ range lack features that alleviate some of their drawbacks, forcing you to suffer through motion blur, clouding, and terrible black levels if you choose a set for ~$800).

Enter the 42″ plasmas. For the sake of comparison, I decided to investigate the plasma alternative once again. This essentially brought me to the Samsung C450 due to my positive experience with the 5084 and glowing reviews for the C450. Unfortunately, users reported an audible buzzing noise from the Samsung (a noise I know full well from the 5084 and did not want to deal with on a bedroom set).

Enter the PJ350. I only became aware of this set after seeing it next to the Samsung at the store. From a design perspective, it tops the Samsung with an ultra thin bezel, very thin chassis, and no ‘touch of red’. Furthermore, I heard no buzzing from the LG floor model, while the Samsung sounded like someone was digging honey out of a beehive. Since it is a brand new model I had no reviews to rely on, but I took the plunge.

Picture quality from this unit is superb for any sub-$1k TV, much less one at this price point. This 720p set rivals my 1080p plasma in most respects, most notably black levels. I have only had it for a few days now, but setting the TV on ‘cinema’ mode at 70 contrast and 50 brightness is really impressive (I recommend switching those two numbers for several weeks to break in the unit). If you place your head behind the unit, you can hear the typical plasma ‘buzz’, but this is completely inaudible at any reasonable viewing distance. While this goes without saying, all the benefits of plasma are apparent with this TV: cinematic quality motion (none of that chincy 120hz movement), 24p bluray playback, consistent backlighting, etc. I have noticed a tiny amount of false contouring, but less than my Samsung – hardly an annoyance. OTA video quality is, of course, superb. The reviewer who stated that colors are not as vivid clearly didn’t recognize that picture settings are independently adjustable for each input. This TV does offer a settings wizard to help set the picture based on your unit and environment, but I prefer manual adjustment to suit my personal tastes.

If you’re worried about not having 1080p, don’t be. At this size, you will not detect a difference anywhere outside 4′ from the unit. The screen is quite reflective, but if glare is your primary concern then you surely can settle for the inferior picture quality of a cheap LCD. While I have limited experience with my LG, I can honestly say that I am very pleased thus far.

Reviewed by : StevenJ,   Apirl 7, 2010

LG 55LH90

I bought this TV after doing a bit of research and spending (too much) time checking out the different models in stores. It is my understanding that this model & the 47″ version are discontinued, so if you are interested buy now before you have trouble finding one. I paid $2K at BB on clearance last weekend (and had to check 4+ stores to find a new one instock).

A few comments that may help other uses make a decision about this TV:

Other customer reviews on this TV have mentioned a problem with the sound sync’ing. I have not seen that at all (using a Comcast hd box). I understand there is the ability to get a USB drive from the manufacturer to fix this problem should you encounter it.

I liked this TV better than Samsung because it does NOT have a glossy screen. That must be a preference thing…. some people think there’s more depth of color with a high gloss screen. I know I would HATE it because i would hate seeing lights, windows, movement in my living room, etc reflected back at me as if the TV is part mirror. If you don’t already know what I am talking about you should go to a store & look at various TVs in person and decide whether you want a glossy screen. Only LG, Sony and Toshiba have no-gloss screens. All Samsungs I saw have them.

The LED-LCD technology adds a definite depth of color to this TV beyond what any other LCD has (based on my research & comparable viewing against other TVs). I really love the picture quality of this set, and I have not even explored customizing the picture settings yet. The default setting bring in a picture so clear and deep I feel like I could reach into the screen.

Sound quality is reasonable. Remote & controls are also fine. The stand swivels (somewhat). Viewing the TV from an angle is just fine imo. The TV setup was extremely easy, the screen is already connected to the stand, you just have to lift the box off & get rid of styrafoam and put it in place.

The negatives imo…. I’m not crazy about the size of the frame and the stand on this model. The TV is 38 inches tall in total, but the bottom 9 inches of that are the stand plus the bottom frame of the TV….leaving the actual screen size to be 27 inches tall (2 inches top frame). It bothers me b/c this TV is so tall it eliminates my ability to use the bridge on my entertainment center to display objects and also causes the TV to sit higher then i would want.

I would highly recommend this TV….Get one while you still can!!

Another note..Do NOT buy expensive HDMI cables or packages. BB tried to sell me a Monster cable + powerstrip + cleaner for $200 and I laughed at them. After doing research it is my understanding that there is no reason to pay to upgrade that cable; I used the free one Comcast gave me and it seems great

Reviewed by : R. Morris,   Mar 9, 2010

LG 55LH40

We were looking to get a large LCD TV in the end of 2008, and therefore focusing on 52 inch TVs. The prices seemed to be unstable, and since we missed a really good deal, we kept waiting for it to happen again, especially after Christmas that year. The prices went up instead.

So around Christmas 2009, we started again, but this time 55 inch LCD TVs were the big thing, and after looking at several, this LG seemed to have the best combination of features at the price point we were evaluating. I was on the edge of getting it when it was at $1479 one morning, but didn’t. Later that afternoon it was $1399, less than the local price, and with no tax and free shipping with white glove delivery and setup, it was hard to beat, so I jumped on it. (As I write this review, it’s $1380!)

This TV has a beautiful picture, and the sound is fine (to me) without attaching a surround sound system. I think I’m going with LG products on TV’s and Blu-ray players for the foreseeable future, as the quality appears to excellent. Hopefully, they won’t become like Sony and after many years let everything go to pot. I can’t bring myself to buy anything Sony anymore, with all the products that I’ve had by them more recently that fell apart far too soon.

Just a word about the delivery if bought through Amazon — it was a wonderful experience. I was able to schedule a delivery time range, and when they brought it, they took everything out of the box, set it up, and took all the trash away, so no TV box out for trash pickup advertising to everyone what we got. I would buy a TV from Amazon again in a heartbeat, if I need one.

And after the experience with this LG TV, I think I’m going to need a smaller LG for my bedroom pretty soon.

I would also suggest the LG BD 370 Network Blu-ray Disc Player or LG BD 390 Network Blu-ray Disc Player for those in the market for a Blu-ray player, especially with Netflix streaming.

Reviewed by : G. D. Grubbs,   Jan 28, 2010

LG 42LH30

The TV is good at the price point I paid – $629+tax (Sears). LG is a respected brand in Asia and a 42″ LCD 1080p at that price is a good deal. The picture when viewing true HD signals, just comes to life and is breath-taking. Fairly basic connectivity with 1 composite, 2 AV, 1PC and 3 HDMI ports. Would have been nice to have one more composite and HDMI ports and looks like the newer models have them. The speakers are well hidden and makes for a smooth clean finish on the outside. There are also numerous (more than you ever want) amount of controls to fine-tune the picture. Fairly easy hack available to turn on USB port to view pictures or play movies – great bonus.

That said, the sound quality seems a bit sub-par compared to other TVs in the market. I also noticed some light leakage on the far corners of the TV – other than for Sony or Samsung this seems a problem for all other big TVs. Also, for those of you watching TV with over the air signals, please note that this TV does not pick up the OTA Electronic Program Guide (EPG), which was a big surprise to me, since those dirt cheap TVs you buy at Walmart or during BF sales too have them. Big goof-up at LG design, I should say. Lastly do not expect a Samsung or Sony style processing of low-fidelity signals (SD, ED). Standard-Def signals look rather grainy and poor – I guess the processing chip is where LG cheaped out. Invest in a good quality up-converting player for your DVDs and change the channel if you run-into non-HD programming as a work-around.

Lastly the customer service is no-worser than that of Samsung or Sony. A bunch of air-heads, quite a bit of wait-time and frustrating responses. But do not discount the TV for that – like I said – this is how all TV manufacturers support their TVs (I have a Sony and Samsung), so no big deal. Wish the industry was overall better, thatz all.

Overall, a reasonable purchase if you dont pay too much. I am sure you will learn to like your purchase – if you are considering it, go on pull the trigger.

Reviewed by : Decent bang for th buck,   Sep 21, 2010

LG 42SL90

After extensive research and visits to video stores, we chose the 42SL90 for several reasons – stunning HD quality, LED technology, small form factor, bluetooth, and excellent price/value. We were limited in size by our entertainment center – most other 42 inch sets were too wide, but the form factor of the 42SL90 is so svelte that it fits perfectly. After comparing 40 inch sets with 42 inch sets, the extra 2 inches of real estate was quite a noticeable improvement.

The HD picture on this set is absolutely stunning, much better than our Sony LCD XBR that sits in another room. We watch the SL90 from a distance of 10 to 12 feet and the size is perfect. All the bells and whistles have so far worked flawlessly. Blu Ray, DVDs, HD Roku, and HD cable look fantastic. Standard Def is actually watchable, again better than the Sony XBR.

The set comes with two remotes – a beautiful backlit model and a simpler model with just the basic functions. The menu system is easily the best I have ever used. Very intuitive and simple to use. The picture adjustments are extremely extensive. A picture wizard is included to calibrate to your own tastes. If you can’t find an optimum setting with this set, you should not be watching TV. The color accuracy appears to be spot on out of the box.

Given its thin 1.2 inch depth, the sound is better than I expected. I have yet to turn it up past the 50% volume level. Adjustments for bass, treble, and surround sound. And the Clear Voice II function works great. Hook the set up to a sound system and it really shines. The only cons so far (and we knew about these going in) – no analog audio out (optical only) and no PIP. I purchased a Gefen Dolby optical converter that allows the SL90 to work flawlessly with our legacy sound system.

Highly recommend the 42SL90. It is a stunning set to watch and easily the best looking set when turned off too.

Reviewed by : S. Blatner,   Jan 25, 2010

LG 42LH50

Our “not too old” Sony TV decided not to come on one day so we decided it was time to upgrade to something better. Were we in for a treat.
The previous reviewers have pretty much covered the basics of this TV, so I will relate my experience with it so far. I’ve had the TV for a couple weeks. I do not subscribe to any paid TV service (Cable, Satellite or FIOS) and have been relying strictly on digital OTA (Over The Air) for my TV channels. This TV displays OTA HDTV signals with unbelievable clarity. Also, it does a very good job with SDTV (480i) digital signals as well. I’ve watched 480i on other HDTV sets and was never as happy with the picture as I am with this one. Another surprise on this TV was how well it pulled in some analog stations from Canada.
I have a second HDTV tuner hooked up to the new TV via HDMI in order to utilize the guide and for scheduling recordings fro my VCR. Yes, my VCR! As I stated above, this TV handles 480i so well it makes VCR tapes bearable, even enjoyable! So, my VCR still has some use.
I have the TV hooked online via an Ethernet cable. I subscribe to Netflix and only have a 1 mps speed for my internet. Netflix does not look all that good at this speed, but is watchable, especially for animated kids shows. Having Netfix on your TV is awesome. The interface is so easy to use that our 6 year old had it down in no time. I also tried VUDU and found that the picture quality was much better than Netflix and was usable at my 1 mps speed. You-Tube was about the same as it is online – some videos looked OK, some don’t.
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to access and view files on my computer. You can view pictures, play background music while viewing slideshows, and view videos stored on shared folders on your networked computer or any type of memory device attached to the USB port, such as a thumb drive or external hard drive. I was a little disappointed that it would not play AVI files from my wife’s digital camera, but I’m sure there’s a solution. It will play WMV, other AVIs, and some DVD files I’d copied (VOB, I think).
Picture control is very good. I like the energy saving feature, but sometimes it seems the auto adjust feature leaves the screen a bit dark. I usually set it to medium or minimum, depending on the amount of light in the room.
The sound is OK. While it sounds good, there could be more control when watching online content. Sometimes the sound can be too loud for one video, then too low for another. Or even vary during a video. Hard to blame the TV though. The quality of the sound is good, not awesome but acceptable. If you want more, get a sound system.
The remote is a weak spot on this TV. I find myself hunting for buttons all the time. There is no natural flow to the buttons. The remote is very long and narrow, I cannot reach all most commonly used buttons with my thumb and I have big hands.
The inputs in back face the back so plan accordingly when mounting it to the wall.
The manual is on a CD, a printed one would have been better. There is an onscreen manual which isn’t too bad though for most things.

Reviewed by : James Rose,   Nov 16, 2009