LG 28TN525S Smart TV Questions

paulm10

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Hello,

I'm thinking of buying the LG 28TN525S Smart TV from my local Richer Sounds and have some questions about it.
I'm planning to use this stand with the TV. Amazon product ASIN B082845WXQ
I'm slightly worried that the vertical part of the stand will block me from inserting the cables in the back of the TV.
Does anyone else use this (or simular) TV and have a simular stand? Does it interfere with any of the input/output sockets on the back?

I think the TV looks great and has many good features, but I have some concerns about a few of them.

As the TV only has 2x 5watt speakers, Does this make the sound really bad?

I've learnt that this TV doesn't come with a full comprehesive manual (only a 20 page set up guide!). As this is my first Smart TV, I would of appriated a full printed manual. I bet Smart TV's have TON of settings! Given the lack of a manual, Is this TV easy to learn?

Two final questions,
I thought most modern TV's were supposed to be energy efficient. How come this one is labeled as F? I thought it would have been higher.

Is it worth buying a LG 2022 Magic Remote to use with this TV or just stick with the supplied remote?

Thanks for all answers.
 
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Don't own one but looking at it this seems a very basic product.

  • It uses vesa mount so its designed with that in mind as long as your stand matches the vesa spec for the TV (looks like 100 x 100) then it should be okay.
  • It's sporting the old version of WebOS (LG's smartv) though this might be better for low end hardware.
  • It has a 1366x768 resolution so its not 1920x1080 (1080p) and just scales 1080p video down to its native resolution.
  • I wouldn't expect much from the speakers either.
  • Built for low cost not energy efficiency.

TV's don't ship with manuals to often any more if at all, you go to LG's website and download a PDF or use their online guide for WebOS.
 
I bought one of these for the bedroom at the end of last year, so hopefully I can answer some of those questions for you.

Firstly, in terms of using stands - as you've presumably seen from the rear photos, the VESA mounting holes are above the rear sockets so the key factor in deciding whether a stand like that would be suitable is the clearance between the rear of the TV and the main body of the stand, plus how wide that part is. If you've got a couple of cms clearance, you might be able to get away with using cables with right-angled plugs.

I had a quick look at the back of my TV plus the photos of the stand you're looking at and I think the aerial socket and power socket won't be blocked - the sockets that might be blocked are the HDMI, optical and RCA inputs. Which ones are you going to be using ?

It should also be possible to use plastic spacers and longer bolts to give yourself more clearance.

One thing I have noticed is that the photo of the TV's rear on LG's website is wrong ! This is what the rear of mine looks like...

IMG_20221006_101914.jpg


Note the bulge at the bottom sticks out around 1cm from the main body of the TV, so this is something else you might need to take into account when buying a stand.

What's the reason for needing a stand ? Does it need raising up to fit anything underneath ? I don't have anything connected so just use the supplied feet - they're not the sturdiest, but they're good enough.
 
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As the TV only has 2x 5watt speakers, Does this make the sound really bad?
Yes, the speakers in the TV are pretty poor but they generally are in all but the very high-end TVs these days. 2 x 5W is the norm for TV of this size.

Where is this TV going ? Mine is in the bedroom and only gets used in the mornings for news and breakfast TV, plus late evenings before I go to bed - either for more news or a bit of YouTube so, for this casual and occasional use, I would say the speakers are 'adequate'.

If you're going to be watching series, movies (or anything you particularly care about) or listening to music, some kind of external sound system/soundbar would make a big difference.
 
I bought one of these for the bedroom at the end of last year, so hopefully I can answer some of those questions for you.

Firstly, in terms of using stands - as you've presumably seen from the rear photos, the VESA mounting holes are above the rear sockets so the key factor in deciding whether a stand like that would be suitable is the clearance between the rear of the TV and the main body of the stand, plus how wide that part is. If you've got a couple of cms clearance, you might be able to get away with using cables with right-angled plugs.

I had a quick look at the back of my TV plus the photos of the stand you're looking at and I think the aerial socket and power socket won't be blocked - the sockets that might be blocked are the HDMI, optical and RCA inputs. Which ones are you going to be using ?

It should also be possible to use plastic spacers and longer bolts to give yourself more clearance.

One thing I have noticed is that the photo of the TV's rear on LG's website is wrong ! This is what the rear of mine looks like...

View attachment 1762751

Note the bulge at the bottom sticks out around 1cm from the main body of the TV, so this is something else you might need to take into account when buying a stand.

What's the reason for needing a stand ? Does it need raising up to fit anything underneath ? I don't have anything connected so just use the supplied feet - they're not the sturdiest, but they're good enough.
Hi, Thanks for the reply.

I would be using the power socket, Lan (Eithernet) socket, one HDMI socket, Optical audio output socket (for my surround sound headphones) and the aerial socket.

I would be needing a stand because I need to swivel the TV and I don't think the included stand swivels.
 
Yes, the speakers in the TV are pretty poor but they generally are in all but the very high-end TVs these days. 2 x 5W is the norm for TV of this size.

Where is this TV going ? Mine is in the bedroom and only gets used in the mornings for news and breakfast TV, plus late evenings before I go to bed - either for more news or a bit of YouTube so, for this casual and occasional use, I would say the speakers are 'adequate'.

If you're going to be watching series, movies (or anything you particularly care about) or listening to music, some kind of external sound system/soundbar would make a big difference.
The TV would go in the corner of my bedroom and would get used occasionally to watch TV, DVD's, Blurays and I would sometimes use the TV to watch Netflix, Youtube videos and Rakuten TV.
 
I've learnt that this TV doesn't come with a full comprehesive manual (only a 20 page set up guide!). As this is my first Smart TV, I would of appriated a full printed manual. I bet Smart TV's have TON of settings! Given the lack of a manual, Is this TV easy to learn?
Yes, the 20-page manual is the only one I have but I had no problems setting the TV up, despite not reading it ! I can't remember for sure, but most TVs take you through a start-up procedure that involves setting up the wi-fi and tuning it in, at least. The menu options also give helpful descriptions too, IIRC.

I thought most modern TV's were supposed to be energy efficient. How come this one is labeled as F? I thought it would have been higher.
If the stated energy use of 25kWh per 1000 hours is correct, then 1hr = 0.025kW (25W) @ 35.7p per kWh (34p price cap + 5% VAT) = less than 1p per hour to run.

As it's only a small LCD TV, I would imagine that TVs aren't going to get energy efficiency ratings much higher than F and most will be below !

Is it worth buying a LG 2022 Magic Remote to use with this TV or just stick with the supplied remote?
IMO, an expensive remote like that would be overkill for this TV plus I'm not sure how well it would work on such a small screen from a normal viewing distance anyway.
 
I would be needing a stand because I need to swivel the TV and I don't think the included stand swivels.
Be aware that there are two versions of this 28" TV - the model that Richer Sounds sells is the 525S and this has two feet. The version that Currys sell is the 515S and this has the central stand.

I had a quick look at the 515S in Currys and thought the central stand was terrible - way too unstable. I don't think it swiveled.

I actually went for the 525S in Richer Sounds to get the 6 year warranty, plus I had a £10-off VIP voucher. Make sure you join their (free) VIP club before you buy anything.
 
Incidentally - have you spotted the 32" 1080p LG LQ6300 is currently the same price in Richer Sounds ? It'll be a very similar TV, but with the obvious advantage of a bigger screen. I didn't have room for the 32" unfortunately.
 
Can the WebOS be updated?
The version of WebOs on this TV is an older one but, as mentioned above, this is probably no bad thing considering it's not a powerful set. It has been updated since I bought it though, but these are presumably stability and security updates - it hasn't been updated to a newer version, AFAIK. The apps get updated on a semi-regular basis which is reassuring...

The TV would go in the corner of my bedroom and would get used occasionally to watch TV, DVD's, Blurays and I would sometimes use the TV to watch Netflix, Youtube videos and Rakuten TV.
...and speaking of apps, one thing you need to be aware of is that many LG LCDs suffer from a lack of memory issue which can cause apps to crash occasionally. You'll find this mentioned on reviews of other LG TVs too.

Personally, I have only seen this happen with Netflix and only once or twice while I was setting up and testing the TV. It seems to occur when going from app to app and it was always Netflix that eventually caused it. When turning on the TV and just watching Netflix, it didn't happen. I haven't used it for Netflix since though and haven't had any further crashes (it mainly gets used for Freeview and YouTube)

WebOS on this TV is not the fastest or the slickest, but it's not so slow and sluggish as to be annoying... at least not for my occasional use. If you can find a 515S on display at Currys, I would advise trying it for yourself.
 
Incidentally - have you spotted the 32" 1080p LG LQ6300 is currently the same price in Richer Sounds ? It'll be a very similar TV, but with the obvious advantage of a bigger screen. I didn't have room for the 32" unfortunately.
Hello, Thanks for the reply.

I REALLY wish I had space for a 32" TV. It would open up my choice of TV massively.
The widest TV I can fit in my alcove is approx 650mm which is about the width of the 28" TV.
 
Hello, Thanks for the reply.

I REALLY wish I had space for a 32" TV. It would open up my choice of TV massively.
The widest TV I can fit in my alcove is approx 650mm which is about the width of the 28" TV.
Yes, space limitations can be a pain ! Mine is on a set of drawers at an angle to face the bed so 28" was the largest I could fit and still be able to watch it relatively head-on.

As these LGs use IPS LCD panels, viewing angles are great though, admittedly. This is at the expense of good black levels though - something to bear in mind if you intend to watch movies in the dark. I do that on my lounge OLED !

Note that like many modern TVs, the screen is pretty reflective so I wouldn't want to try watching it during the daytime if it's opposite a window. Mine never gets watching during the day with the curtains open, so this is not an issue for me.

In terms of it only being a 720p set - I had concerns of buying 720p over 1080p but, in reality, you can't tell the difference on such a small screen... at any normal viewing distance at least (mine is around 6ft). In general, I've been impressed with the picture quality of this TV for normal TV viewing.
 

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