LG 44" Good or Bad??

[lochindaal]

Just seen the 44" LG in Currys.

Like the screen size and the PQ looked good. Does anybody own one or have any experience of the set that could provide some more info.

[lochindaal]

Thanks Lion

Do you know if it uses the HD2 DMD or the the HD2+ DMD chip.

[AV Junky]

Neither. This set uses the 'Matterhorn' chipset, which is 720 x 576 resolution. A nice chip if properly implemented, according to the reviews of projectors from companies such as SIM. However, the new DLP TVs that everyone's talking about on this forum are way ahead of the LG on technology terms. LG are rumoured to have new models in development, but haven't heard anything concrete yet.

[blasthand]

LG 44" = pretty good

Had mine for a few months now, got it as a replacement for Sony 41" KP on the insurance. I couldn't afford a plasma, and am not convinced about them anyhow. Also think DLP could be the successor to CRT - what we're seeing now is the emergence for a new technology. It's more affordable at the moment then LCD and plasma, but at the same time I do not think this compromises the quality. Time will tell I suppose

Jeez...I wish the old set had got broken now instead of back then. I'd trade the LG for the new Optoma any day of the week. C'est la vie...


It Comes with a stand - very useful compared to the old rptv.
Space - fantastic. Got our lounge back with this set. Some friends who hadn't been round since we acquired it commented on how the room looked bigger.

Inputs:
Good enough for me. 2 x component and three RGB (it has others, can't recall off the top of my head though). I'm not interested in any other hookups. DVD player has component and rgb, and I have no intention of hooking the pc up to it. Scart RGB only available through AV1 though, should be a minimum of two these days I reckon.

Picture:
Good. Colour is good, no smearing or anything like that. Never had any problems at all with the geometry. I had a new Sony 44" on trial prior to the LG and the geometry on both of those was rubbish. The LG is spot on. Picture quality via component on DVD is very nice. Sky via RGB is good as well. After much messing with the settings I've been running it for the past few weeks on the defaults.

Sound:
Very good. I used to run my old set through the amp for the home cinema and Sky, mainly because the sound was crap on it. This set has never been hooked up to the amp though for Sky - at the time of installation I was a lead short, and have never got round to doing it. If the sound bothered me I would have rigged it up by now. Read that how you will...

The only two criticisms I have of the set are:

a) Skin tones can appear strange in dimly lit scenes. As someone else put it on a forum ages ago, they look llike they have an "oil painting" type effect. Difficult to describe really. They look shiny, and well...just not right. The Dead Zone on the sci-fi channel highlights this fault very well - unfortunately!

b) The other fault is the Rainbowing (yep - unfortunatley that ol' chestnut!). I never really noticed it until we watched a film where the characters were walking very close past the camera. Since then both the wife and I see the effect quite alot. Personally I think that this is less noticable on DVD via the component. Perhaps it's somewhat source related? From what I've read here in the past apparently not everyone has a problem with it though. I guess you'd have to see for yourself...watch some tennis on it, you'll see it when the camera focuses on the person waiting to receive serve as they kinda bob from side to side.

Overall it's a pretty good set though. Neither of the two faults I mention above ultimately spoil the viewing experience as far as I'm concerned. They're kinda "well...it'd be nice if it didn't do it..."

Let me know if you want any other info. I'm not massive on the really techy stuff for it though (service menu's etc).

Cheers,
Blasthand.

[lochindaal]

According to the LG website the TV can do 480i/p, 576i/p, 720p,1080i resolution.

I wouldn't have thought that possible with th resolution of the chip quoted. Could somebody confim as I would like it to be future proof

[Dutch]

Hi,

If they say it is 720p and 1080i compatible, then the set's on-board scaler will scale those signals down to match the native 1024x576 DMD. You will need to make sure it accepts those signals at 50 Hz though, and not just the usual 60 Hz. Hope this helps.

Steve

[lochindaal]

Hi and apologies. Now getting confused with the HDTV.

AV Junky said "This set uses the 'Matterhorn' chipset, which is 720 x 576 resolution"

Therefore does this mean when either the 720 or 1080 is put through this chip set scaled down you loose HD quality. i.e. it can cope with the signal but you don't get the benefit

[Dutch]

Hi,

I thought the Matterhorn chip was 1024x576. Oh well...

Yes, you would lose a lot of the HD advantages, but you should still see a big improvement over standard 720x576 signals.

Steve

[AV Junky]

Yes, apologies, the chip is 1024 x 576. Have just checked the HCC review for this set. I only really remembered that this set is 576p resolution, didn't commit the horizontal resolution to memory.

Anyway, the point here is that the vertical resolution of 576 is perfect for PAL-prog viewing, but viewing of HD sources will require downscaling.

You might like to read the review that I mention above, so have included the link below.
Click here

[lochindaal]

Hi AV Junky and thanks for the help.

The review points to the model 44SZ20RD. The one now on sale is 44SZ21RD suggesting an updated model.

Do you know if it uses the same technology or if there has been an upgrade?

[AV Junky]

It was a fairly minor upgrade, as far as I'm aware. I think that the addition of component input capability was the major change. Probably due to the reviews, which slated the manufacturer for not including this in the first place!

[eglons]

HI,

I've been looking at this set but I've been put off (and am now thinking about a 36inch CRT) because of a couple of things :

1. Bulb life and cost of replacement, I was told anything up to 5 years but they could go at any time (aka a light bulb)
2. Startup time, I turned one off and on in the store and it took 30 seconds for the picture to appear... was I just unlucky ?

[electrosim2001]

When I rang LG and mentioned the Rainbow Effect, which I must say I didn't notice in the store, they said the latest 21 set didn't have this problem.
The TV should only be turned off with the remote as far as I remember to go onto stand-by and allow the fan to continue to run, and there is warm up time.
When it's cooled down you can then switch it off at the mains.
Newbie Thomas.

[blasthand]

Electrosim,

Doesn't have this rainbow problem eh? Good ol' manufacturers...wonder if they'll replace mine them!!

Lion: Sounds like you had a goodun & I didn't...seen the comments in my mini-review earlier in the thread re skin tones? You got any issues with them...or did I just get a duffer?

Would they replace it if this was the case, although it was an insurance claim replacement it was done by empire, as in empiredirect.

Cheers,
Blasthand.

[Morbius]

Just to add my tupence worth. I too have had this set for nearly a year now. It was returned recently with a bulb problem and was replaced with a new bulb type and ballast to resolve a known problem ? The set has been first class up until now and I have seen rainbow effects on the 20 sets but never on the 21. I also don't have any skin tone problems. The only negative thing I would say about this set is the reflections on the screen - but all sets have to have something wrong.

All in all very happy with this set - well at least for now


Stu