The LG 50PC1D is a 50-inch plasma HDTV for under $2000, as a well researched buyer would know, this is a very low price for a set of this size. The 50PC1D looks great with it’s polished black frame and multiple connections including two HDMI inputs, component and the usual plus digital audio out. Does the LG 50PC1D live up to it’s price tag? TrustedReviews say there’s a rare intensity and vibrancy by plasma standards to the way the set presents such colour-rich fare as Viva Pinata on the Xbox 360 or Superman Returns on HD DVD. But this richness is sadly seemingly only achieved at the expense of colour tones that look far more unnatural – gaudy, even - than we’re remotely comfortable with. Skin tones are particularly hard hit by the 50PC1D’s colour problems, frequently looking almost disturbingly over-ripe and flushed.
The 50PC1D is a perfectly credible audio performer too, using its sheer size to good effect to produce a soundstage that’s loud, widely dispersed, and fleshed out by at least passable amounts of bass. There’s not sufficient clarity in the treble spectrum or quite enough openness to bass lines to make it a truly classic audio performer, but the sound is certainly potent enough to do the scale of the 50in images justice. And you can’t really ask for much more than that from a 50in TV that costs under £1,300.
The LG 47LB2RF is as you might guess from it’s name, is a 47-inch LCD HDTV which offer full HD through 1080p 1920 x 1080 resolution and dual HDMI inputs. The 47LB2RF looks great and offers the best HD viewing though 1080p but less than amazing standard signal viewing. CNET UK have taken a look at the 47LB2RF and say its glossy black finish gives it real presence and style. It’s certainly encouraging to see that a lot of thought has been put into the television’s design.
On Blu-ray and HD DVD material the television is a good performer. We auditioned some of our favorites, such as Serenity and Happy Gilmore. The picture was bright and the level of detail was very good. Content downloaded from the Internet also produced good results.Upscaled DVD performance was also good. We put on the special edition of The Big Lebowski, which has been remastered for maximum standard-definition quality.
If you are looking to spend £2,200 on a television, you’ll get far more for your money elsewhere. This may be a 1080p set, but the standard-definition performance is not good enough for it to be attractive to most people. If you’re after a 1080p TV, the Sharp Aquos LC42XD1E is smaller, but half the price.
The LG 42PC55 Review offers you a large 42-inch plasma screen with a nice black glossy frame for a price cheaper than most. This is because the set is HD, but it’s of the older, smaller resolution 720p variety rather than the more recently popular 1080i/p formats. If you’re looking for a large HDTV but don’t want to break the bank for the latest features the 42PC55 could be the answer. Cnet UK have taken a look at the LG 42PC55 and say there is a generous selection of inputs, including two HDMI, two Scart sockets and component video in. There is also a VGA input for connecting your PC or media center to the TV, the usual resolutions are supported.
Watching high-definition video was a pleasant experience — we thought the picture was decent, but not the best we’ve seen. The TV deserves a credit for producing very strong colours, which make watching it very enjoyable.
If you are on a budget this TV will appeal, but there are other TVs available for similar money if you are prepared to accept a smaller screen.
LG’s 42PX5D is an attractive, affordable, large-screen plasma with a future-proof specification that includes high-definition compatibility, integrated digital TV and various memory-card applications. Its functionality could be less fussy and its image quality is occasionally compromised, but you’ll struggle to find a better price-to-performance ratio.
* LG’s Exclusive XDâ„¢ Engine - Six distinct processes contribute to picture improvement. LG’s XD Engine takes the low resolution of analog signals to near HD levels by improving brightness, contrast, detail and enhancing color as well as reducing signal noise. This total solution results in cinema like high resolution images.
* Image Sticking Prevention Provides protective measures to minimize damage as a result of stationary images.
* ATSC/NTSC/QAM Clear Tuners
* TV Guide On Screen
* 9-in-2 Multi Memory Card Reader
* LG’s Exclusive XDâ„¢ Engine
* HDMI with HDCP
* IEEE 1394 with DTV link
* 5000:1 Contrast Ratio
* 1366 x 768p Resolution
VIDEO:
* Native Display Resolution 1366 x 768p
* Contrast Ratio 5000:1
* Brightness 1000 cd/m2
* Lifetime 60,000 hours
* Viewing Angle 160
* 3D Y/C Comb Filter
* Color Temperature Adjustment 3 Modes
* Aspect Ratio Adjustment 7 Modes
* 3:2 Pull-down Cinema Correction 480i
* EZ Video/Picture Selection Mode 6 Modes
* High Contrast Screen w/Non-glare Coating Glass Filter
* XD Engine
* Enhanced Noise Reduction
* Black Stretcher
* Colors 1.07
* Billion DTV Signal Strength
* APM(Adaptive Picture Mode)
Audio
* Audio Output Power 15Wx2
* Surround System Type SRS TruSurround XT
* Bass/Treble/Balance
* EZ SoundRite (Volume Leveler)
* EZ Sound/Sound Selection Mode 5 Modes
* Speaker System Details 2 Way 4 Speaker
* BBE
* 3D EchoSound System
* Mono/Stereo/SAP
Cabinet/Accessories
* Cabinet Style Table Top
* Cabinet Color Black
* Table Stand Included
* Speakers Included (Not Detachable)
* Front Lighted Display (LED)Index
Tuners
* Digital Cable Ready (DCR)
* Memory Card Reader (9 in 2)
* -1st slot:CF Type I/II
* -2nd slot:MS,MS PRO,SD,MMC,SMC,XD
Special Features
* Custom Channel Labels
* Custom Input Labels
* PIP
* POP
* Split Screen
* PIP Exchange/Move
* Dual Tuner PIP/POP/Split Screen
* Discrete IR Codes
* Favorite Channel Selection/Surf
* Tri-lingual Menus English,Spanish,French
* On/Off Timer
* Sleep Timer
* Auto Off (When no video is present)
* Flashback (Previous Channel)•Parental Control With V-Chip
* Image Sticking Prevention
* EZ Menus (High Performance Interface)
* EZ Scan (Auto Programming)
* Intelligent Fan Control
* Program Guide Gemstar
* IEEE 1394 Software Capability Full AVC
* Decoder Formats MPEG 2
* Closed Caption
* Child Lock
Audio /Video Input
* RF INPUT 2
* COMPONENT 1 (480i,480p,720p,1080i) 2
* RGB In (PC/DTV Input)1
* PC Sound (1/8″mini stereo)1
* HDMI with HDCP 2
* Digital Audio (Optical )Out 1
* Digital Audio (Optical)In 2
* RS-232c (Software Upgrade Interface &Control)1
* Remote Control In (IR)1 -Digital Cable Card Slot 1
* Gemstar Out (G-Link)1
* IEEE 1394/DTCP 2 TV Left Side
* S-Video In 1
* Composite Video Audio L/R In 1
* TV Right Side EPF Slot 2
Dimensions
* Cabinet Dimensions without Stand
* Width x Height x Depth 49.3 “x 25.7 “x 4.0 ”
* Weight Out of Package 99.8 lbs.
* Cabinet Dimensions with Stand
* Width x Height x Depth 49.3″ x 27.8″ x 11.6″
* Weight Out of Package 116.1 lbs.
* Dimensions with Packaging
* Width x Height x Depth 52.8″ x 30.3 ” x 15.0″
* Weight In Package 127.8 lbs.
* Power Consumption 450W
* UPC 719192168558
* Warranty 2 year parts/labor
Remote Control
* Standard IR
* Wired Option
* Universal
* Backlit
LG’s 50PC3D is a midpriced example of the breed offering an attractive mix of features, if nothing spectacular. We were a bit underwhelmed by its image quality and disappointed by the single HDMI input–we expect two from sets such as this nowadays–but we appreciated the LG’s simple design and its ability to resize its image six ways.
When we turned to HDTV, the LG’s image, as expected, looked better, although it had many of the same issues we saw on DVD. During one of the many Red Sox vs. Yankees games on ESPN, the grass looked a bit softer than it should. Again, we could improve detail somewhat at the expense of making edges–especially visible in the borders of the visiting Sox’s gray uniforms–unnaturally sharp-looking. Colors were nicely saturated, although the grass looked slightly more yellow than it should have. We also saw too much mosquito noise, so called because it resembles a swarm of tiny mosquitoes, in the blue backstop behind home plate and other flat areas.
We looked at a variety of standard-def material, and the results were below average. While the set did a decent job removing jagged edges from video-based material, it failed to smooth out lines and otherwise pass any of our 2:3 pull-down tests, via either S-Video or component-video. As a result, we recommend you mate the LG with a solid-performing progressive-scan or upconverting DVD player to handle standard-def video-processing duties. You may still notice moving lines in some film-based standard-def TV sources, however.
Our biggest complaint with the LG 50PC3D’s standard-def performance was its inability to reduce much of the video noise inherent in low-quality images. The telltale mosquito noise, visible especially in skies and other flat images, was definitely more obvious on the LG than on other plasmas we’ve reviewed recently.
LG Electronics has announced its 50PC1DR HDTV plasma TV, which boasts a built-in 160 GB DVR that allows users to pause, rewind, and replay live TV. It also provides continuous automatic recording in one-hour intervals.
The black and silver finished plasma features LG’s XD Engine technology that includes six distinct processes that help to improve brightness, contrast, and detail, thus minimizing bleeding of colours. It delivers 10,000:1 contrast; and has a double HDMI connection.
Built-in 160GB DVR
42-bit (4.4 Trillion) Colour Display
XD Engineâ„¢
Dual HDMI Interface
White Wash Mode
10 000:1 Contrast Ratio
60 000 hour Panel Lifespan
1366 x 768p Resolution
EnergyStar Compliant
Exclusive to Future Shop, the 50PC1DRA is available for $4,999.99.
Westinghouse LTV-32w3 HDis a bargin priced 32-inch HDTV ($800 list) is among the least-expensive high-definition LCD TVs we have seen to date. Equally impressive are the LTV-32w3 selection of video inputs and its ease of use.
I have yet to see a Westinghouse display that requires assembly, and the LTV-32w3 HD continues this trend with its factory-attached table stand and two integrated stereo speakers (10 watts each) set below the screen. The charcoal-gray bezel and matching stand are matte-finished to minimize reflections, and thin silver-colored trim outlines the TV, creating a well-contrasted border. The 34-pound HDTV (with its stand) measures 24.2 by 32.3 by 8.1 inches (HWD), and the display panel itself is 4.4 inches deep.
The LTV-32w3 has a great selection of HD-compatible A/V inputs, which includes two sets of component-video inputs, one HDMI port, a DVI-D connector, and a VGA input for PC use.
At this price no one would expect video perfection from a TV/LCD/HDTV priced this low, and it certainly isn’t without flaws. Nonetheless, the Westinghouse LTV-32w3 is an easy-to-use HDTV that provides well-contrasted imagery and plenty of HD-compatible video inputs. It is a terrific value.
Screen Size: 32 inches
Native Resolution: 1366 x 768
Supported EDTV and HDTV Resolutions (HD Ready): 480p, 720p, 1080i, 480i
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Video Inputs: Component, Composite, DVI, HDMI
PC Interfaces: Analog VGA, Digital (DVI-D), HDMI
Built-in TV Tuner: NTSC, ATSC
Rated Maximum Viewing Angle: Horizontal: 176 degrees
Rated Maximum Viewing Angle: Vertical : 176 degrees
Brightness (Max): 489.7 cd/m^2
Max PC Resolution: 1360 x 768 pixels x pixels
