LG 42LD550

LG may not be the number one manufacturers of TVs at the moment, but it is certainly making some waves by manufacturing as many different kinds of models as possible spanning all these different models and sizes. Their approach is to reach every possible person no matter what their budget or feature preference is. Their 2010 models alone span 12 different series categorized into three general types including LCD, LED, and Plasma. The LD550 series ranks as the second best in the LCD family and comes in four different sizes. The 32-inch size is the smallest and most affordable, but the LG 42LD550 serves as a nice balance between size and price.

Latest Update: The LG 42LD550 is now on sale at Amazon.com

LG 42LD550

Technical Features

The LG 42LD550 looks like other 42-inch models in the LCD family and features the same 1080p Full HD spec. The LD550 model serves as a nice entry point to the pricier LD650 model. There is also no 42-inch version of the LD650 making this the top LCD model of this size in terms of features and specs. The dynamic contrast ratio is higher than average LCD displays rising to a 150,000:1 ratio making shadowy scenes appear in great detail. It is also the cheapest model to feature the complete set of 4 HDMI ports that all of LG’s high-end models have. With 2 more sets of composite and component inputs as well as a PC input, very large home theater systems can be tied to this display.

Technologies

In addition to the good contrast ratios that contribute to amazing visuals, motion animations are just as fluid thanks to the TruMotion 120Hz technology. Sports enthusiasts and gamers alike will be delighted to enjoy the intensive moments without suffering from blur issues.

These very sports enthusiasts and gamers can also enjoy their favorite sports programs and games respectively by setting the AV Mode to the Sports or Games presets so the TV automatically optimizes the audio and image quality for better results. Once the viewer switches to movies, he or she can use the third AV Mode option available which is the Cinema option. Movie watchers can also enjoy the 24p Real Cinema feature to get the same viewing experience and 24p source frame feel as if the experience takes place in a live cinema.

Movie and gaming enthusiasts that are more into high-definition content can not only take advantage of the maximum 1080p resolutions, but also any Dolby Digital audio technologies that these titles may possess. Those that set up a 5.1-channel surround sound home theater with their TV will notice the difference because most modern movies and shows are made specifically for that set up. LG incorporates some of its own audio technologies to separate itself from other Dolby Digital TVs. The Infinite Sound technology is in charge of enhancing the bass while the Clear Voice II technology improves any vocals.

The LG 42LD550 has also proven to be a worthy upgrade for those that actually want to save on energy to save more money in the long run. The Smart Energy Saving Features keep the overall energy usage down while the Intelligent Sensor adjusts the color settings and backlighting intensity to better suit the room environment. This can reduce eye strain significantly as well as eliminate frustration in manually adjusting the settings during the day and night. This feature can save more energy during moments where the Intelligent Sensor dims the backlight.

Extra Features

Not commonly seen in a 42-inch model, the LG 42LD550 offers connectivity to the Internet via Ethernet connection so people can try out the NetCast Entertainment Access feature. Viewers get access to live news and photo updates in the form of Yahoo! TV Widgets. Many other services including YouTube, Picasa, and Netflix can be used to stream high-definition content or view other forms of multimedia.

If the wireless media kit is purchased separately, the Wireless 1080p Connectivity feature can be used to transmit Full HD content to other new devices such as the new laptop models without the messy wires. Another way to play content without wires or disc media is to fill up a flash drive with DivX movies and plug it in any of the 2 USB ports and the LG 42LD550 will do the rest. Lower-end models do not support DivX playback making this a better model to get.

Bottom Line

In addition to these extras exclusive to the LD550 and higher-end models, the LG 42LD550 gets the same calibration benefits making it a really easy TV to use and set up. With the average price being roughly $1,100 the LG 42LD550 is a nice all-around performer.

Average User Rating:

Actual User Reviews:
• “TV is great for the type (LCD) and price. The picture is bright, good contrast, and very smooth. The menu/remote are very comfortable. Overall the picture is very nice. Aesthetically, the TV looks great as well, no cheesy features or decorations. This is my first LG product and I’m very pleased with this set. Also added the wireless adapter ($70). The entire setup and interface are very intuitive. This is a kids TV and they had Netflix down in no time. My only wish would be a backlit remote control.” – Ferk V. (TX,USA)

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• “I recently got my LG 42LD550 as a free replacement from an Extended warranty company. It was one of three brand new TVs offered to me as a replacement for my two year old Sanyo. I really made the right choice with the LG 42LD550. This TV is awesome. The picture quality is superb, and you can either make simple manual adjustments like, Backlight, Brightness, Contrast, color etc, or you can use the advanced mode to really calibrate the TV. The on screen menus are easy to use whether you are a novice or an expert. Being a 120Hz TV with the TruMotion feature, watching fast moving sports is great on this TV. I left my TruMotion setting at ‘Low’ and everything looks great. This TV has too many options to discuss here, and it offers high end functionality for a retail price of between $800 and $900. Highly recommended.” – T.M.Kinane (GA,USA)

• “This is my first LCD TV and I spent few days doing some research to choose a good TV. I did a specification comparison between several LCD TVs and finally had to decided between LG and Samsung. I choose LG TV as this one has 120HZ with 2.4 ms refresh rate.I am not sure how do these features affect the picture quality but this TV has excellent picture. I mostly watch movies over internet using Netcast/DVD player and didn’t watch fast sport action yet. Sound quality for this TV is regular and you need to buy speakers if you want something special. The wining feature for this TV was the Netcast functionality. I watch a lot of Netflix streaming over internet and this works great for me. You need to have at least 3 MbPS connections to watch HD movies. Currently you can only have Yahoo Widgets, Netflix, Vudu, Picasa web album and YouTube available (no web-surfing). I am disappointed that I had to buy a LG wireless adaptor to access Wi-fi. You can use a LAN wired connection as default without the adaptor. This TV also has some power save modes which I am using a lot to decrease the brightness when needed or switch off the display when not needed (listening to music). As this is not a heavy TV, it is relatively easy to hang this on wall. If Netcast is not what you need then I would recommend to have a look at LG 42LD520 which is a cheaper bet than this one. I bought this TV when there were no review in Amazon but I am happy with my purchase and price.” – H.Narasimhan (USA)

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