LG 42LH40 42 inch 1080p 120hz LCD HDTV display
LG 42LH40 42 inch 1080p 120hz LCD HDTV back panel
I have owned an LCD before and currently have a Plasma. This LG 42-inch LCD HDTV completely blows away the others.
Getting a new TV.
This was an inpulse purchase for me. I wanted a 42 inch LCD TV but just decided to walk into a store to see what they had. While browsing, this TV’s picture stood out from the rest. It looked better than many more expensive TVs. Obviously, LED LCD TVs were superior to this one, but they also cost more!So, after weighing my options, I decided to get the best picture for the price.
General Impressions.
Pros:
- The menu system is easy to use and looks good.
- The energy-saver feature seems nice. Maybe, it’s a little gimmicky, but nice.
- It is very light-weight and easy to install.
- The 4 HDMI inputs are great with an optical audio port and analog ports.
- The physical appearance, once setup, is very nice.
- HD picture quality is amazing except for very fast motion (see below).
Cons
- The standard definition picture quality can be poor. “Game” mode improves this.
- Fast motion shows blurring.
Calibration.
The LG only needed MINOR calibration to improve the brightness/colors. My previous HDTVs needed heavy calibration, so this was a nice change.
Fast motion.
There is blurring with fast motion. It does not happen all the time and it usually lasts a split-second. However, it can be VERY noticeable. At 120HZ, I expected less blurring. Honestly, I don’t know the amount of blurring that is normal for an LCD.
I have only noticed blurring watching TV and movies. It happened with my cable box and AppleTV. My Xbox 360 seems okay, but I have only played 2 games. Neither were sports games.
TruMotion.
LG’s “TruMotion” drastically changes the way movies and shows display. Look into judding or anti-judding. In short, camera pans and movements become more noticable.
Personally, I think it’s great. It feels like the picture is more realistic. However, it can change the way a scene was meant to be shown. I know some people who really hate anti-judding. So, keep this in mind.
Setting.
The 120hz function of the TV is buried in the expert settings of the video options. LG advertises this as ‘TruMotion 120hz’, but the menu option is simply “120hz.” This causes some confusion if you are not aware of this.
This LCD TV has a refresh rate at 120hz, no matter what. This is what you want it to do. The 120hz menu option I am referring to has nothing to do with that. It is not really turning 120hz on or off. Many find this menu option name misleading. Really, it should be “TruMotion” as LG calls it. It should not be “120hz” to imply the refresh rate is being changed. Samsung calls this feature “Auto Motion Plus.”
TruMotion Explained.
This feature controls frame interpolation, not refresh rate. This setting should be OFF for movies (unless you want a frame rate that looks “weird” and looks more like video and not film). For sports or video games, set it either to LOW or HIGH (depending on your preference).
Using TruMotion.
Basically, you want to use TruMotion for things shot at 60 frames per second. Thus, you want it off for films, since they are shot at 24 frames per second.
Sometime, the 120hz setting can be tolerated on LOW for films. However, after a while, it may start to look a little too “weird” and too realistic, NOT film-like.
RealCinema.
Use the RealCinema option (which is better for 24-frame film). The TV knows when 24fps or 60fps is used, and adjusts accordingly. So, don’t think you need to turn RealCinema off for sports. You don’t. The TV knows when to use it.
Sound.
The speaker system is amazing. I watch mostly in the 20s volume range, but it goes to 100! The virtual surround sound isn’t bad at all. For movies, I set the sound to Cinema mode. The treble and bass are turned all the way up. Virtual surround sound may be off by default. Make sure it is on if you really want to enjoy the speakers.
Auto-volume.
Auto-volume is great for those crazy-loud commercials! This feature does this by normalizing the commercials to a lower volume.
Sound Options.
This LG LCD has an option to make the human voice higher than the background noises. It is great for films with poor audio, or if you don’t want much bass and just want to hear dialogue.
This feature disables virtual surround sound. It lowers every frequency not on the same one as a human voice. While skeptical at first, I found it really works, and works well. Since my hearing is good, I don’t use this feature. I stick with virtual surround sound. But, it is a nice option to have when the dialogue gets lost in all the ambient noise in a scene.
Controls.
Navigating the menus is easy and so is switching inputs. The remote has a “quick menu” button. It lets you easily switch between video and audio modes without seeing a giant menu on the screen when you do it.
The Price Point.
For the price, overall, this is a good LCD TV. It is the price and the picture that got me to buy it. I do feel the old saying, “you get what you pay for” applies to this TV….but that isn’t such a bad thing.
