The South Korean corporation LG is considered one of the main supporters of the development of IPS (In-Plane Switching) technology used in the production of liquid crystal matrices. Displays of their own production, which are developed using this technology, are supplied by the company representatives to almost all modern models of LCD TVs equipped with LED backlighting. Although LCD IPS-displays today can not boast of deep black levels, but in all other respects, these panels are at the proper height. As a rule, LCD panels developed using IPS technology have excellent dynamic picture clarity, image uniformity, and, of course, they have wider vertical and horizontal viewing angles than many competing TVs. By the way, the world famous brands Philips and Panasonic also widely use IPS panels in their products.
In today's review, we will look at one of the LCD TV models from the LG brand, which supports 3D and Smart TV functions, as well as equipped with a display that is developed using modern S-IPS technology (this technology inherits all the advantages of IPS technology, while reducing the time response matrix). This is an LED TV model LG 42LM620T.
The resolution of the matrix of the device we are reviewing is 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD). The aspect ratio of the screen is 16: 9. The TV has interface multimedia inputs of the HDMI standard and is structurally very similar to the LG 47LM660T model, which we have already considered not so long ago. Models LG 42LM620T and LG 47LM660T from the South Korean brand entered the LCD TV market in 2012. Both products feature "passive" 3D technology and a stand with an unusual design. The menus, functionality, and functions of Smart TV and the built-in player are also very similar. The big difference is that the LG 42LM620T doesn't come with a Wii-style magic remote control.
Unfortunately, the S-IPS panel of the LG 47LM660T disappoints us greatly in terms of contrast ratio, which is in the range of 800: 1. Therefore, it may well be that this figure for the LG 42LM620T model will be much higher.
It is worth noting that the LM620T series from the South Korean company LG includes six models: 32LM620T, 37LM620T, 42LM620T, 47LM620T, 55LM620T and 65LM620T. The design and functionality of all models in this series are identical, the only significant difference is the size of the LCD matrix.
For our review, the middle model of the family was chosen. So, we meet the LG 42LM620T LED TV.
Design
The appearance of the TV we are considering is no different from the 47LM660T model - the same matte frame merging with the surface of the 42-inch screen, a curved glossy plastic stand in the shape of a trapezoid, gracefully curved edges of the case, small thickness, as well as the structure of the rear. All this, frankly, is very good. The only thing that caused us some doubts was the practicality of the unique stand: it still takes up a lot of space and thus does not allow the screen to freely rotate in a vertical plane. We have no other complaints about the design of the LG 42LM620T.
The cover of the 107 cm display is matte, so the sun glare and reflections of the interior of the room will hardly be visible on it. Small scratches here, unlike the glossy screen, are also not so noticeable.
Interface ports and connectors
There are more than enough various interface ports and connectors on the TV. All of them are located on the back of the device, as well as on the left side (like most other modern TV models).
There are four HDMI multimedia inputs, composite and component video inputs, a VGA standard connector for connecting a TV to a personal computer, an Ethernet port, an antenna input, three USB ports, a SCART connector, an RGB port, and an audio optical S / PDIF output. Of course, there is also a special slot for connecting a CI / PCMCIA card and a 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones or an external speaker system. The only thing missing here is the built-in card reader for working with memory cards, which, frankly, is not needed with such an abundance of USB ports. Flash drives and hard drives (both external and internal using a special docking station) can be connected to the USB connectors without any problems. All interfaces are located parallel to the display and are very neatly signed, so it will be hard for the user to make a mistake where to connect the hard drive, and where to connect an external speaker system, a personal computer or a laptop.
The dimensions of the LG 42LM620T without a stand and weighing 13.1 kilograms are (WxHxT): 933x594x35.5 mm. With a stand, the model we are considering has the following dimensions (WxHxT): 933x660x263 millimeters, and the weight is 15.3 kilograms. To mount our device on the wall, you need to use a special mount of VESA 400x400 standard, which is purchased separately.
Contents of delivery
The device is delivered in a cardboard box, opening which the user will see:
LG 42LM620T TV;
traditional multi-button remote control;
a set of batteries for the remote control;
power cable;
four pairs of polarized 3D glasses;
user's manual;
warranty card.
Remote control
We note once again that the "magic" remote control, made in the style of Wii, unfortunately, is not included in the scope of delivery of this model. And this is a big drawback. "Why?" - you ask. We will, of course, give the answer to this question, but a little later.
As for the traditional remote control for the LG 42LM620T device, it is absolutely the same as in all modern TV models from the South Korean brand. There are quite a few buttons on the remote control and, importantly, they are located in a logical sequence. In the user's hand, this remote control is very comfortable. The curved surface of this remote control fits your thumb perfectly. Based on this, all buttons are within reach.
Let's say a few words about the high-tech remote control "Magic Motion". With this "magic" remote control, you can control the device in exactly the same way as with a computer mouse. The remote is capable of responding to the viewer's hand movement, allowing the viewer to control elements on the screen with a high level of precision. For surfing the endless expanses of the Internet, this remote control is almost irreplaceable.
3D glasses
Rarely do some manufacturing companies include 3D glasses for free in the delivery of budget TV models. But the LG brand (in some cases, and Philips) is an exception to this rule. The cost of these "passive" 3D glasses is not too high, so the company's representatives made such a marketing move. Thus, together with the LG 42LM620T TV, the user gets four (!) Pairs of 3D glasses for the whole family to view 3D images on a 42-inch screen.
Custom Menu and TV Settings
LG's products have never had any particular problems with the user interface. In our opinion, this user interface is the most enjoyable and easiest to learn.Each menu icon is very clear, the TV display is not clogged with various windows, and the assistant is quite convenient to use. In addition, representatives of the South Korean company do not hesitate to use their own color gamut by default, and not use the standard black and blue screensaver instead, as is found in many models of television devices from various companies, both famous and little-known.
The LG 42LM620T has only eight presets for displaying a picture on the screen. For comparison: some displays from Sony and Samsung brands have fourteen different display modes at once, which the user may need in various cases. A similar picture is here with the sound presets: there are only seven of them in our device.
But what is much more important for the advanced category of users is the presence in the settings of two special expert modes, which are certified by the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF - an independent non-core organization dealing with improving video quality). Due to this, the picture on the TV screen can (if such a desire arises) be made for better visual perception, as well as optimal for the room in which the device is installed. LG has provided the 42LM620T with a triaxial color management system (CMS) and a 20-point calibration system. As a rule, most TV models are equipped with a calibration system that has ten control points: 10, 20, 30 percent, and so on. But LG offers users a more precise setting. Although, frankly, for panels developed using S-IPS technology, this is not really necessary. As for the issues of grayscale and the quality of color shades in the shadows, here the LG brand is always almost wonderful.
TV functionality: Smart TV and DLNA functions, built-in player
In this regard, unfortunately, nothing has changed for the television products of this manufacturing company. LG continues to lag behind the Samsung brand, we believe. But if we compare the capabilities of the liquid crystal matrix and the convenience of the user menu, then the LG company, although not much, is still ahead of the eminent competitors, in particular, the Sharp, Panasonic and Sony brands. This fully applies to the built-in multimedia player. The player is simply wonderful, even if not the most ideal. The media player plays files with the following extensions: MKV, MPEG, AVI, XviD, DivX, JPEG, MP3, DTS, AAC, AC3, HAAC, PCM and EAC3. But at the same time, there are problems with the distribution of video files into chapters and with displaying subtitles on the screen. As a matter of fact, no company can offer anything much better today anyway.
As far as the capabilities of the Smart TV function are concerned, there is nothing outstanding here. The LG 42LM620T has a dedicated SNS (Social Center) application. Thus, here you can view the statuses on the social networks "Twitter" or "Facebook" without interrupting the viewing of the current movie, cartoon or TV show. There is also access to the on-line store LG Apps, where the user can purchase the necessary software or games. By default, several excellent free on-line cinemas are open, visiting which the viewer can choose films or series in good quality. Moreover, the model under consideration has a full-fledged web browser that supports "flash", so the video you are interested in can be searched throughout the Internet. The interface here, as is usually the case in TV devices from LG, is very user-friendly and well thought-out.
But, unfortunately, there are also certain kinds of disadvantages. This is exactly the answer to your question asked at the beginning of the review.It is not very convenient to enter texts in the “Search” line of the Internet browser or the “YouTube” service using the supplied remote control. If you have not purchased the "magic" remote control separately or are not the owner of a smartphone, then it will be very inconvenient to type text, choosing the necessary letters from the list one by one.
It is possible to make video calls via the Skype service, but for this purpose you will also have to purchase a webcam compatible with our device model. The LG 42LM620T also lacks a built-in wireless Wi-Fi module. In addition to all that has been said, we note that the processor is not very powerful, so applications are loaded onto the TV for a relatively long time.
Everything is flawless with DLNA function. Multimedia files from Internet tablets, smartphones, personal computers or laptops are played both through the Ethernet interface and through an external Wi-Fi adapter (available separately). Even 3D (Full HD) movies can be played back normally.
Separately, we note that, of course, you can connect tablet personal computers or smartphones to our TV model using the special applications LG Magic Remote and LG Magic without any problems.
2D image quality
In the “Settings” section, we devoted a lot of time to the possibilities that relate to changing the parameters of the LG 42LM620T model, but the user, in fact, will not really need them that much. The device goes on sale in a calibrated form, with almost perfect color reproduction and excellent, accurate shades of gray. In dark colors, there is no shade of purple, and the dominance of red in the shadows is almost imperceptible.
By default, the contrast level is set too high, which is understandable. Today, a huge number of TVs from various manufacturing companies are presented in retail outlets, and it is not so easy for potential buyers to make the final choice. Based on this, each TV model tries to stand out with everything it can (including contrast), so that the buyer's choice is made in favor of this particular model. But nothing prevents the contrast level from being reduced to acceptable values for the viewer's eyes.
Unfortunately, not everything is perfect here, as we all would like. So, to change the colors on the TV screen LG 42LM620T provides dynamic backlight correction. In theory, this function should provide a more comfortable TV viewing, but in fact, the "jumps" in the brightness level can be noticeable, and there is little pleasant in this, frankly, quite a bit. In addition, the black level of the display, which is designed with IPS technology, is poor. Thanks to the auto-dimming system, it achieves excellent brightness with a level of only 0.04 cd per square meter. But this is done by reducing the backlighting of the entire TV display, so that the white in these frames will also be a little darkish, and the contrast level will remain low. If the brightness of the white color is at least 120 cd per square meter, then the black color will have an indicator that is not at all impressive for us - 0.16 cd per square meter. The final contrast ratio is very low, or rather 750: 1, which cannot please us in any way. Perhaps such a low black depth is the main drawback of modern LG TVs, which are not only part of the LM620T family.
Despite the fact that the model under consideration has several TruMotion interpolation modes, which, according to the manufacturer's plan, should provide smooth frames on the screen even in dynamics, the matrix, due to its production feature (S-IPS matrix), cannot provide support for a high level of motion clarity.The period of "flash" and "decay" of the matrix is too long. So activating the "TruMotion" option just gives the video a "soap opera effect" and does nothing to ensure the clarity of frames in dynamic scenes. And it would be very helpful while watching, for example, action-packed dynamic films or sports broadcasts.
On the other hand, the activation of the TruMotion function is practically not required here, since the LG 42LM620T does a good job even without this function. Of course, our TV model is still very, very far from plasma panels or Top-devices from the Sony brand, but as for a budget option, the presence of such a minimum number of "ghosting" and "steps" is quite an impressive result. SD video scaling is also performed here for "good". For comfortable viewing of analogue television broadcasts, this model will do just fine.
3D image quality
As we all understand, "passive" 3D imaging technology means that all TV models based on this technology are not able to display a 3D picture on the screen at full vertical resolution. But everything else is in perfect order here. For the viewer's eyes, "passive" technology is less dangerous than "active" technology, which is used in 3D devices from Sony, Samsung or Panasonic. The color reproduction and shades of gray in the LG 42LM620T are pretty good, and the shutters of the 3D glasses are not flickering. The glasses themselves, included in the package, are very comfortable and lightweight. The screen has no problems with displaying video, which has different frame rates: at least 50 Hertz, at least 60 Hertz, at least 24 Hertz - no difference. LG's 2D to 3D conversion is still not as great as we all would like. But on the other hand, the device will definitely not disappoint the user in other matters.
Sound system
For a TV like the LG 42LM620T, a sound power of 20 watts (two sound speakers of 10 watts each) is the most ideal option. Even at the maximum volume level, the body of the device does not rattle, the sound remains fairly clear. In fact, this is more than enough. To watch movies, cartoons of the Full HD or HD Ready standard and at the same time enjoy surround sound, you will need to connect an appropriate speaker system to your TV using HDMI or S / PDIF (TOSLINK) interfaces.
Computer games
For playing PC games on a 42-inch screen, the LG 42LM620T, with an input lag of 30ms, is just perfect. The best way to connect your game console is to use the HDMI multimedia interface, which is labeled “PC” on the case. The device has a special image mode "Game", although in other modes the picture quality will be quite acceptable (even for games in 3D format). As for performance, the LG 42LM620T has absolutely no problems in this matter.
Brief summary of the LG 42LM620T TV review
It's time to take stock of our today's review. Frankly speaking, we have a twofold impression. LG 42LM620T TV is imperfect in terms of sensitivity to depth of black, as well as uncomfortable operation when entering text in the "Search" line of the Internet browser using a traditional remote control. But if the "magic" remote control "Magic Motion" the user can purchase additionally, then it will not be possible to improve the sensitivity of the matrix to the depth of black color.
But in all other matters, the monitored LED TV model is simply wonderful. From our point of view, we have a device that will fully satisfy the needs of an undemanding viewer, and the price / quality ratio is just perfect, considering that the delivery set includes four pairs of 3D glasses.
LG's own unique development, which is based on an algorithm for converting 2D video to 3D format, made it possible to achieve the maximum results of converting ordinary video into three-dimensional image. Watch your favorite movies, cartoons, sports broadcasts, TV shows in real time, as well as from your personal video library in 3D.
Elegant and exquisitely thin 3D LED TV from LG brand optimally combines excellent functionality, as well as modern stylish body design. Edge LED illumination provides uniform illumination of the display across its entire surface.
The high scanning frequency in symbiosis with the shortest response time of the liquid crystal matrix provides excellent picture in dynamic scenes: the image on the LG 42LM620T screen is continuous and smooth, without the presence of white spots.
In addition, the user has the ability to access the "World Wide Web", conveniently search for various content through the built-in web browser. There is also the ability to download and display videos and photos from mobile devices on the 42-inch TV display.
Surf the endless expanses of the Internet, play computer games and communicate with family and friends using the Skype service.
If you need a TV that will be used in a brightly lit room, where a matte display would be highly desirable and low black levels would not be critical for you, then perhaps the 42LM620T from the South Korean brand LG will be exactly the TV device you need. ...
It should be noted that the consumption of electrical energy by the device is: in operation mode - 52 W / h, in standby mode - 0.3 W / h.
You can buy a multifunctional 3D TV LG 42LM620T with support for 3D and Smart TV functions, as well as other models of the LM620T series, by visiting F.ua.
