LG 42 LF7700 - dark edges / border / sides

chickensaladisg

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Hello, I am new to this forum, so please forgive me if I have posted in the wrong area.

I wonder if someone could please help me?

I have recently bought the LG 42LF7700. It is my first LCD TV, so I'm not sure if my expectations are simply too high, but the left and right edges of the TV seem to be darker than the rest of the screen.

I first noticed it when watching a DVD through my PS3 and IXOS HDMI cables. Then I checked using my laptop, using it to extend a pure white image onto the entire TV screen using another IXOS HDMI cable. Sure enough, the same thing happens. It starts on the very edge, and comes into the screen by about an inch. It is more noticable toward the top of the screen.

It is an annoyance - i didnt notice it for the first couple days, but now its all I can see!

Please can someone help me - is this normal, or is it a fault with my TV set? :lease:

Many thanks
 
Hello, I am new to this forum, so please forgive me if I have posted in the wrong area.

I wonder if someone could please help me?

I have recently bought the LG 42LF7700. It is my first LCD TV, so I'm not sure if my expectations are simply too high, but the left and right edges of the TV seem to be darker than the rest of the screen.

I first noticed it when watching a DVD through my PS3 and IXOS HDMI cables. Then I checked using my laptop, using it to extend a pure white image onto the entire TV screen using another IXOS HDMI cable. Sure enough, the same thing happens. It starts on the very edge, and comes into the screen by about an inch. It is more noticable toward the top of the screen.

It is an annoyance - i didnt notice it for the first couple days, but now its all I can see!

Please can someone help me - is this normal, or is it a fault with my TV set? :lease:

Many thanks


NO! It's not normal and it is worth returning this set and getting a replacement. Try using different inputs (hdmi, component, Scart) and screen modes (Intelligent Sensor, Vivid, Standard etc...), but to be honest, if it's misbehaving even on one setting, I wouldn't be happy about it.
Any LCD panel should produce a fairly even image when looked at straight on. Even cheaper panels like Twisted Nematic models can achieve that so there is no excuse for the LG to fail so badly.
Get it replaced ASAP. It's an unfortunate one off and another LF7700 should work fine.
If you don't already have a Freesat dish installed or if you have a separate Freesat receiver, you might want to try a different model from LG. The LH4000 and LH5000 are proving popular this year.
 
Or buy a plasma instead ?:)
 
Thank you fruitfly.

Before I contact digitaldirect for a replacement, can you or someone else please give me an opinion on these photos? I value your opinion very highly fruitfly, I just dont want dd to pick up the TV, then say its within normal tolerances and charge me for the pickup and the engineers time!

The white screen is extended from my laptop connected via HDMI, and the blue screen is via a regular Sky box connected via a Scart lead.

Please can someone give me their opinion?

Once again, many thanks in advance. :)
 

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Thank you fruitfly.

Before I contact digitaldirect for a replacement, can you or someone else please give me an opinion on these photos? I value your opinion very highly fruitfly, I just dont want dd to pick up the TV, then say its within normal tolerances and charge me for the pickup and the engineers time!

The white screen is extended from my laptop connected via HDMI, and the blue screen is via a regular Sky box connected via a Scart lead.

Please can someone give me their opinion?

Once again, many thanks in advance. :)


I would say that you have a very keen eye and that a picture can speak a thousand words. After seeing the pictures I have to admit that the problem isn't as severe as I first perceived, but there is definitely something there. Maybe it's an uneven backlight, maybe it's issues with scaling, I don't know. It shows more on the blue screen than on the white, but then again, high contrast like that can send my eyes into a spin. I don't think I've got 20/20 vision.
I've tried to simulate the conditions on my own TV with white and blue screen, and can honestly say that I don't really see anything out of the ordinary. I certainly don't see anything under normal use. I'm using it now as a monitor as I type; I see nothing wrong. Also during movie viewing - nothing wrong.
So if what you see is that distracting and you are really not happy, I would certainly replace the TV. Those black edges, however faint they look to me, shouldn't be there, or at the very least, shouldn't be noticeable or cause distraction.

Since you are already with Sky, I am a little puzzled by your decision to buy a Freesat TV, unless you wanted to compare the two services before maybe ditching Sky. It's non of my business of course, but if you intend to stay with Sky, I would replace the LF7700 for a better LG.
The LF7700 was based on last year's LG7000 chassis. I can't speak for the panel, but it would seem from a spec sheet that it falls a bit short of LG7000.
This year's mid to high end panels from LG out do both last year's LG7000 and the LF7700 on the panel front.
I don't particularly want to debase LG or the LF7700, as I know they work hard to achieve their goals, but if you already have Sky, and are willing to pay subscription fees, ditch the Freesat model and get a set that has higher specs for the price.
To keep the price low, LG sacrificed a whole lot of features, functionality, and overall performance on the LF7700 in order to put in the Freesat tuner. It's a shame, but I think LG were just testing the Freesat waters with this model. If it pans out, they might make higher tiered sets with the tuner - sets with a much higher price tag, denoting that nothing has been taken out, only added. Speculation on my part.

Anyway, if you are unhappy, the bottom line is, replace it - and don't take any after sales crap. If it's not fit for purpose you are entitled to a replacement.
 
Thanks again fruitfly for your insight - I really appreciate you going out of your way to help me :)

Funny thing with the Sky / Freesat - we have cancelled our Sky subscription in favour of the Freesat. However the satellite lead doesnt reach the TV! I am having an extension lead delivered. In the meantime, the satellite lead is plugged into the Sky box, then a long scart connects that to the TV! lol!

As for the actual problem - youre totally right. It isnt severe, but whenever I watch something, all I can see is those annoying dark areas!

I will contact dd on Monday morning.

Thanks once again fruitfly, I will let you know how it turns out! :)
 
You're welcome.

Good luck. I hope you get the desired results, one way or another. If you have other issues in the future, don't hesitate to post on the forums. There is always someone who can help.:smashin:
 
That's deffinitely a fault, looks like some kind of backlight problem, it's the kind of thing which could go either way though, saying that though, I'd recommend contacting digital direct and just being firm with them (polite as well, so they still like you!), just tell them that after spending a good few hundred quid on a TV you want it to work properly, which is quite right too, and say there and then that the TV appears to have some kind of uneven backlight problem and you'd like a replacement.
 
Thank you Monarch08 for your advice, and for taking the time to help.

I'll let you know how it turns out also - wish me luck! :)
 
Hi fruitfly and Monarch08, I hope youre both well.

Just wanted to let you know, digitaldirect have been superb. They offered to pick the tv up the next day (I was unavailable so they came Wednesday), they confirmed the fault today and are sending a replacement tomorrow! :thumbsup:

Thanks for your help, and obviously I heartily recommend dd to everyone!

But guess what - my PS3 packed up two days ago. Only had it for 2 years occasional use, and now the blu ray drive wont read any games or blu ray movies... I phoned Sony who were completely less than helpful, quoting ÂŁ128 for a replacement (refurbished model), guaranteed for 3 months. Absolutely disgusting. I think I'll stay away from anything Sony from now on if they sell inherently faulty goods, then profit on selling you replacements they have no faith in working in 4 months time...

Anyway, I digress. Thanks again guys :)
 
Good news about the TV, shame about the PS3. 2 years seems to be a fairly 'normal' lifespan for a PS3, if you go by what you might read in the relevant forums. Lot's of people complaining about YLOD, and all that. Also, according to some, update 3.01 is the cause of the Blu-ray drive failure.
Personally, I would expect anything costing as much as PS3 to last a lot longer than 2 years, and I think Sony really should honour that. I would have thought that a company like Sony (or any other such company) would want to stand proudly by their products, not wash their hands of them as soon as it goes awry. I guess that's modern business for you, as bad as it seems to be for the guy on the receiving end.:mad: I must admit, I'm a little worried for my own PS3, having recently started it's third year of service.
I hope your next TV performs as well as it should and gives you many years of trouble free service. And once again, any troubles, give us a tinkle on the forum:smashin:
 
I know - Im really disappointed in Sony. I'd expect that kind of quality and "take your money and run" attitude from a non-descript Korean brand or the like, but from Sony???

The President of Sony's always banging on about a 10 year life cycle - does he expect us to go out and buy 5 of them over that time???

As you might have guessed, I'm on a budget and simply cannot afford that. Richer Sounds seem to have a good selection of budget Blu-ray players with 5 year warranty - I think I'll do that and hold on to my PS3 in case they ever bring back the free replacement thing they did a while back.

I was on update 3.0 at the time of failure. When it still didnt work after a complete system format, I updated to 3.01 thinking it might fix it. Boy, was I wrong...

Thanks again fruitfly
 
I have a LH4010 and it has a very similar effect down the sides! I checked the demo models in argos and dixons and they had darker edges. My friend has an older LG and guess what, same thing :(. It's only noticeable on a plain and bright screen for me. I'm wondering if that's just the way some LG's are?!
 
Yikes! I really hope it isnt ricardo, otherwise its going back again for a completely different TV. That would be a real shame - its a really great set for the price.

I'll check it tomorrow and post an update
 
Ah, I see. Cheers Monarch08.

Good luck with your PS3 btw, I hope it doesnt suffer the same fate as mine :)
 
Ah, I see. Cheers Monarch08.

Good luck with your PS3 btw, I hope it doesnt suffer the same fate as mine :)

:rotfl: I had a bit of a scare when a blu-ray movie wouldn't play the other week, but it was from love film and inspection of the disc revealed why! It's good so far, not noisy, not hot, never crashes...
 
The replacement was delivered earlier today - big thanks to dd for their excellent customer service.

I checked the backlight using a white screen extended from my laptop and... there was some inconsistency on the edges! Wasnt as severe as before though. A quick check with a blu ray scene of 30 Days of Night, and it was barely noticeable. I'll have to watch it through to make a decision. My first thought though is at this price, its something I can live with.

I dont understand why all the reviews of the set have omitted this. Either as Monarch08 said it is fairly common so isnt worth mentioning, or none of the reviewers noticed! Which is weird, because they all seem to go into an awful lot of technical detail...

One of lifes mysteries, I suppose.
 
The review samples might not have had it. Some other reviewers (some of the bad ones!) may also test the TVs in bright lighting, where it could be hidden. Backlight problems can vary from nothing to extremely severe where you can't actually see what's on screen, all with the same model, so it's just luck really.
 
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Hi Panoram, sorry to hear you're having problems with the set.

I have read about the bright line problem, but my TV happily doesnt seem to suffer from it. If I really look for it, I can see it occasionally but only at 1 or 2mm max.

Im certainly no expert, but I think the engineer might be able to solve it by altering the geometry of the set i.e. push the picture up by 1 cm. Definitely let him get his hands on your set, there is still hope :)

Panoram, can I ask a favour? Could you please ask the engineer about the dark edges also, and see if anything can be done about those? Or indeed if it is normal in LCDs? :lease:

Thank you
 
Hi Panoram, sorry to hear you're having problems with the set.

I have read about the bright line problem, but my TV happily doesnt seem to suffer from it. If I really look for it, I can see it occasionally but only at 1 or 2mm max.

Im certainly no expert, but I think the engineer might be able to solve it by altering the geometry of the set i.e. push the picture up by 1 cm. Definitely let him get his hands on your set, there is still hope :)

Panoram, can I ask a favour? Could you please ask the engineer about the dark edges also, and see if anything can be done about those? Or indeed if it is normal in LCDs? :lease:

Thank you

Could you please give me some links for threads about this bright line :lease:... I will definitly ask him about dark bars on the sides
 
Thank you Panaram, its much appreciated.

I've just checked through my history and cant seem to find where I've read about it. I'm baffled, because I'm certain I've heard about this before you said it. I also did a google search, yet nothing came up! Hmmm...I hope I didnt dream it... :eek:

The best thing to do is to start a new thread - I'm certain you'll rapidly get people replying to it. Please post the link here also so I can keep my eye on it.

Let me know how it turns out with the engineer - I'm sure it will be ok :)
 

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