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LG 42LF7700 Review |
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Reviewed: 16 November 2009
Integrated Freesat, good picture
Black level performance not the best
Integrated Freesat
Panasonic's exclusive deal with Freesat having come to an end, other manufacturers are free to integrate the service into their flat panel TV's. LG's response is the LF7700 which is based on their high end LG7000 series LCD TV's.
Freesat is a free (no subscription) digital TV satellite service which offers over 140 digital TV and radio channels including BBC1 & ITV1 in High Definition. The service was launched on 6th May 2008 as a joint venture between the BBC and ITV. To find out more, you might like to read our Freesat Guide.
Features
The Ethernet port may well come in useful with the arrival of the BBC's iPlayer on the Freesat platform; those with broadband will be able to access the BBC's programme on demand service by hooking up the Ethernet port at the back of the TV to their PC.
Screen: 42in 16:9 Tuner: Digital Sound System: Nicam Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Contrast Ratio: 80,000:1 Other Features: Built-in Freesat. Dual XD Engine, TruMotion 100Hz, Intelligent Sensor 2. Sockets: 3 HDMI, 2 SCART, Component Video, Composite Video, PC input.
The LF7700 sports the latest incarnation of LG's core picture processing technology, 'XD Engine'. It has separate processing to optimize the images from RF signals (the TV's aerial) and from any other External inputs. In both cases LG's core processing technology aims to improve contrast, picture sharpness and detail.
TruMotion 100Hz increase the number of frames (the still pictures which shown in quick succession form a moving picture) from 50 frames per second to 100. LG's system does not simply display the same frame twice however, but introduces a complicated algorithms to 'build' a unique frame and create a smooth transition between two existing ones.
By continually analyzing the brightness and colour temperature of the area surrounding the screen, LG's 'Intelligent Sensor 2' technology optimizes the brightness, contrast, colour, sharpness, and white balance to reduce unnecessary on-screen brightness. LG claim the technology can protect against eyestrain and reduce power consumption with potential savings of up to 62%.
Virtually every LCD manufacturer compromises acoustic ability for the sake of style although with the addition of their invisible speaker system LG believe that their compromise is more effective. With actuators around the perimeter of the screen, the LF7700 does not require speaker drivers or their associated grilles. This not only allows for a sleek look, but also creates what LG describe as a virtual 'wall' of sound.
Performance
LG have steadily been building a reputation for creating some of the most 'vibrant' flat panel TV's around. A bold colour palette has become something of a trademark, but unlike LG's from the not too distant past however, this strong Colour Performance is now combined with a subtlety which produces accurate renditions of tricky areas such as skin tones. So often guilty of delivering 'garish' over saturated colours, the LF7700 is representative of a new breed of more accomplished LCD TV from the Korean manufacturer.
Along with a stunning colour performance, the LF7700 is also one of the 'brightest' screens we have come across. This aspect of the LF7700's performance is particularly noticeable if you enjoy the majority of your TV viewing in a brightly lit room.
Black Level performance is generally good by LCD TV standards. If you are used to Plasma TV viewing however, you will notice a few shortcomings. While there are no traces of greyness to the picture, you don't get the level of graduated detail across darker scenes that we take for granted on Plasma.
Not for the first time, we have mixed feelings about the benefits of 100Hz processing on an LCD TV. LG's implementation, TruMotion, produces a reasonably fluid picture, losing its composure only slightly with a small element of blurring with faster on screen action. The 42LF7700 is certainly one of the better LCD TV's we have come across when it comes to the ability to handle fast on screen action smoothly, but we can't help comparing it with screens from the likes of Sony who have achieved similar standards without increasing the scan rate.
As with other implementations of 100Hz technology, anything shot on film can take on a strange video like performance. TruMotion set to low appeared to be a good compromise between the overly processed look when set to high and the slight deterioration in motion handling ability when it is turned off.
While we have come across more capable TV's when it comes to Standard Definition (SD) performance, the 42LF7700 does a good job of converting the 576 or so lines of a Freeview source onto the Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution screen. Any on screen noise is generally kept to a minimum and never intrusive enough to upset the viewing experience.
High Definition (SD) pictures are predictably sharp, presenting a level of detail you can only get on a Full HD screen. There is an element of on screen noise with BBC HD but it never becomes noticeable enough to detract from the HD experience, and of course, being subscription free it looks all the better!
While the invisible speaker set up on the 42LF7700 does as good a job as most LCD TV's, there is still no substitute in our opinion for raw sonic power in the shape of bigger speakers or a dedicated set up. The main problem is the lack of top end 'Bass', a problem that most flat panel owners will be familiar with. Not detrimental to the general viewing experience, we were left wanting more from dramatic film scores and the like.
Conclusion
If you are interested in getting Freesat, there is nothing quite like the convenience of having the functionality built-in. The LG 42LF7700 having this advantage along with a decent all round performance, presents quite an appealing package. Panasonic's range of Freesat enabled TV's are a little more accomplished but more expensive.
LG 42LF7700
