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LG 32LB75 Review |
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Reviewed: 29 December 2007
Design
LG's 32LB75 forms part of the Korean manufacturers 'Design Art' range of LCD TV's and without a doubt this screen demands to be noticed. If your tastes are conservative this LG may not be for you, but here at HDTVorg we loved the looks. Leaving behind the clunkiness of old LG's the LB75's arced bottom, glossy finish and dark red barrel (connecting the screen to its stand) produce a rather chic piece of kit.
We have to mention built quality too which is absolutely top notch and on par with any other LCD manufacturer.
Features
Picture processing technology on the 32LB75 comes in the shape of LG's proprietary XD engine. The XD Engine brings together a range of picture processing enhancements under the XD umbrella, with particular emphasis on improving the input signal quality.
Screen: 32in 16:9 Tuner: Digital Sound System: Nicam Resolution: 1366 x 768 Contrast Ratio: 5,000:1 Brightness: 500cd/m2 Other Features: XD picture processing, Intelligent Eye, XCC. Sockets: 3 HDMI, 2 Scart, S-video, component video, PC input.
The XD Engine provides a host of picture enhancing technologies which aim to enhance on-screen contrast and colour, reduce video noise and suppress the blurring effect with fast motion as well as fine tuning the level of picture detail.
Along with LG's LF series, the 32LB75 is equipped with an 8-bit rather than a 10-bit panel and as such loses the 'Wide Colour Gamut' of the top end LY series.
Designed to enhance the general quality of the viewing experience, LG's 'Intelligent Eye' automatically adjusts the picture depending upon current lighting conditions.
LG's eXtreme Contour Compensation (XCC) has been designed to remove picture noise and colour banding which can affect moving areas of an image.
Simple Link technology (HDMI-CEC) technology allows you to control all LG-compatible equipment through a single remote control.
Connectivity on the LG 32LB75 comes with an excellent 3 HDMI inputs (v 1.2) along with 2 Scarts, Component video input, Composite video input and S-video input along with PC input.
Performance
Nowadays we take for granted a pristine High Definition (HD) performance from our flat screen TV's, but are generally disappointed by their Standard Definition (SD) abilities. We have all been sucked in to a degree by the promise of HD, but with SD content forming for most of us the majority of our viewing, we have started to become much more discerning in this respect.
The good news is that the 32LB75 has made great strides for LG with its SD performance. Most notable is the lack of video noise which has plagued LG's of old. Pictures are much sharper and more detailed and perhaps most impressive this is now an LG able to cope with fast moving pictures. Gone is the intrusiveness of motion blurring even in the most demanding situations. The SD performance of LG's 32LB75 is not flawless, but it is enough to place it into a leading pack of LCD TV's in this respect.
Despite an 8-bit rather than the 10-bit panel, the LG 32LB75's colour impresses, with an intensity to hues that LG's have built a reputation for, but with the addition of subtle colour blends which previous LG's have tended not to produce. Colours are in fact a little less intense than on previous LG's which is no bad thing in this case as the pictures take on a much more subtle and natural appearance as a result.
Black level performance from the LB75 is not the best we have seen on an LCD TV, however its abilities in this respect are certainly not a cause for concern. They could be deeper and show more subtlety with graduation across darker scenes, but the deficiencies in this respect do not encroach on the viewing experience to any great degree.
Acoustically, the 32LB75 is an adequate rather than an outstanding performer. In its defence, it is no worse than the majority of 32in LCD TV's whose main shortcoming is a lack of power, and in particular a lack of bass.
Conclusion
The LG 32LB75 is not the best LCD we have tested, but its flaws are minor. Add an excellent SD performance at a bargain price, and you have a 32in LCD worthy of serious consideration.
