The LG LD550 LCD, Full HD (1080p) HDTVs have all the premium features of the LG flagship LX6500 series apart from LED backlighting and 3D playback capability. Hightlighting the feature list of the LD650 models the customised Internet sourced entertainment opportunities presented by an Ethernet connection and NetCast Entertainment Access. Wireless 1080p capability means running wires can be avoided. LG’s TruMotion 120Hz promises near elimination of motion blur. The LD550 LCD display has a high 150,000 dynamic contrast ratio for an excellent picture and deeper blacks. LG’s Picture Wizard II screen calibration system makes it easy to ensure the HDTV is calibrated for the best possible picture. Also, improving picture quality is an automatic room light sensor which optimizes screen brightness for the room.

The LG LD550 series includes four models; the 55 inch 55LD550, 47 inch 47LD550, 42 inch 42LD550 and 32 inch 32LD550.

120 Hz Refresh Rate and 2.4 ms Response Time

For minimization of any motion blurring the LD550 models have the double advantage of a high refresh rate of 120 Hz and a very low (for and LCD display) response time of 2.4 ms. For clear action images without motion blurring an LCD display needs a fast response time (minimal latency). Response time is more critical for motion-intensive applications such as gaming. A higher refresh rate smooths out fast moving on-screen motion and combats any smearing or blurring of fast moving picture elements as common to sports broadcasts and games.

Broadband Internet Connectivity

LG’s LD550 models are more than just a HDTV, they are a media hub with an Ethernet connection for broadband access to network and Internet sourced entertainment. Broadband sourced entainment options include Lgs NetCast Entertainment Access, Yahoo! TV Widgets, Netflix, Vudu, YouTube, Picasa. If running a cable for network access is a problem, the LX9500 models are Wi-Fi ready with an optional LG AN-WF100 Wi-Fi USB Adaptor.

Wireless 1080p Connectivity

The LG LD550 models are compatible with the LG AN-WL100W Wireless Media Kit. The kit is capable of sending an uncompressed, Full HD (1080p) video signal to your HDTV from up to 50 feet away. The LG Wireless Media Kit has 4 HMDI inputs for connecting plenty of devices including Blu Ray players and game consoles. It’s a convenient option for installing your HDTV and ancillary AV devices exactly where you want them without worrying about how to run a multitude of cables. Read our HD Wireless technology guide for more background information.

NetCast Entertainment Access

Content sources available through LG’s NetCast Entertainment Access include:

VUDU

VUDU is an on-demand streaming service for movies in Full HD 1080p resolution and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound. Movies are sourced from all Hollywood studios and over 30 independent studios. Movies and TV titles can be instantly bought or rented and there are no monthly fees.

Netflix

Netflix is a subscription based instant streaming providing access to a library of over 15,000 movie and TV episode titles. A lot of the content is standard definition and the Netflix subscription is not included with the LG HDTV.

YouTube

Watch everything from YouTube on your HDTV with unlimited direct access to the millions of Web videos available through
YouTube.

Yahoo Widgets

Yahoo Widgets can provide information feeds such as weather forecasts, stock prices and news in a format similar to the Gadgets which can be placed on the desktop of Microsoft Windows.

Picasa

Re-live all your family vacation memories with your Picasa photos on the big screen for everyone to enjoy, create galleries and slideshows for easy organization.

24p Real Cinema

If you have a 24p output capable device, such as a Blu-ray Disc player, you can watch films on a LD550 HDTV at the 24 fps they were shot at (5:5/2:2 Pulldown). If film shot at 24fps is not viewed at a whole multiple frame rate (eg. 3:2 pulldown), inserted frames can cause some lack of smoothness (judder). To gain a good understanding of movie playback options read or technical guide comparing 24p and 3:2 playback.

Picture Controls

LG have provided both simplified picture controls tailored for commonly encountered video content as well as advanced picture controls allowing those confident or experienced enough to adjust some of the advanced video features.

Picture Modes for quick factory preset picture optimization settings include; Standard (general use), Vivid (strengthens contrast, brightness, color and sharpness), Cinema (movies), Sport, Game (faster response) and User (manual video quality settings).

Picture Improvement Technology (or advanced controls) allow adjustment of some advanced video features such as.

• Dynamic Contrast: contrast adjusted according to screen brightness.
• Dynamic Color: enhances hue, saturation and luminance so that red, blue and green white look more vivid.
• Skin Color: detects skin area of video and adjusts it to express a natural skin color.
• Noise Reduction: reduces video noise.
• Digital Noise Reduction: removes video compression noise.
• Gamma: to adjust the brightness of dark areas and middle gray level areas of the picture.
• Black Level: sets black level.
• Clear White: for whiter, brighter white areas.
• Eye Care: dims extremely bright pictures.
• Color Gamut: maximizes the utilization of colors to increase color quality.
• Edge Enhancer: for clearer, distinct edges that look natural.
• x.v.YCC: for richer colors from x.vYCC compatible sources.
• Color Filter: use the RGB filter to set color saturation and hue accurately.
• Color Temperature: adjusts the overall color the screen by changing the white baseline.

Intelligent Sensor

Ambient light and reflections from the viewing environment have an affect (sometimes severe) on picture quality. As well as having a matte finish display to minimize reflections, the LG LD550 models have an intelligent light sensor automatically optimizes brightness and other picture quality elements such as contrast, color, sharpness and white balance. Power consumption reductions of up to 50 percent are possible according to LG.

My Media Multimedia Playback

Prompted by their ever growing digital media assets such as images, video and music customers are looking for consumer electronics which make them easier to share. For multimedia playback the My Media menu can be accessed by choosing My Media in the user menu or by simply inserting a USB drive. The media type (movie list, photo list and music list) is selected first then the device to open files from. As well as USB one can choose DLNA.

Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) provides consumers with easy sharing of digital media through a wired or wireless network in the home. Sharing is possible with DLNA compliant consumer electronics as well as PCs running DLNA server software. LG supply Nero MediaHome 4 Essentials customized software edition for sharing files and folders with the LD550.

Files can be navigated onscreen and JPEG images viewed as a slideshow which can even have background music from one of your MP3 files. A wide range of video file extensions are compatible including .asf, .wmv, .divx, .avi, .mp4, .mkv, .ts, .trp, .tp, .mpg as well as a suitably wide range of associated codecs.

ISFccc Ready

LG LX6500 models have ISFccc (Imaging Science Foundation Certified Calibration Configuration) calibration options which allow professional calibration technicians to calibrate a HDTV to deliver the best picture quality for the home theater environment and ambient lighting conditions. Read our ISFccc technology guide for more details.

Picture Wizard

Picture Wizard is an interesting new LG technology enabling easier owner calibration using on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. It’s a technique common to calibration DVDs.

LD550 as a PC Monitor

Those considering using the LG LD550 as a PC monitor should note that the HDTV comes with Just Scan which is a 1:1 pixel matching facility for removing overscan. For other monitor use factors that need to be considered read our technical guide on using a HDTV as a PC monitor.

Audio Features

The LG invisible speaker system is an unusual arrangement of speakers embedded in strategic spots behind the front-cabinet using minute vibrations to turn the entire front bezel into a large speaker. The result is a clean, polished look, and enhanced audio by increasing the “sweet-spot”, giving a wider and richer sound field. The speaker is capable of producing virtual 5.1 surround sound using sound processing technology which LG calls Infinite Sound. As with picture controls, there are quick factory present options for different video content including; Standard, Music, Cinema, Sport, and Game and there is also a User Mode for manual adjustment of Bass and Treble. A feature we like with the LG HDTVs is Clear Voice II which enhances and amplifies the frequency range of the human voice for clearer dialogue against background noise. To smooth the volume jumps during commercials there is the very handy Auto Volume feature.

Connectivity

Side Inputs and Outputs

• AV In 1x
• Component Video In (Y, Pb, Pr) + Audio 1x
• HDMI/HDCP Input (V.1.3 w/Deep Color) 1x
• USB 2.0 (JPEG/MPEG-4/DivX HD) 2x
• Headphone Out 1x

Rear Inputs and Outputs

• RF In (Antenna/Cable) 1x
• AV In 1x
• Component Video In (Y, Pb, Pr) + Audio 2x
• Digital Audio Out (Optical) 1x
• HDMI/HDCP Input (V.1.3 w/Deep Color) 3x
• RGB In (D-Sub 15pin) – PC 1x
• PC Audio Input 1x
• LAN 1x
• RS-232c In (Service Only) 1x

Review Summary – LG LD550 LCD HDTV

LG’s LD550 1080p LCD HDTV series has all the premium features of the LG flagship LX6500 series apart from LED backlighting and 3D playback capability. Wireless 1080p, MyMedia and DLNA compatibility vastly expand the ease with which content can be accessed and Netcast Entertainment has the capability to break a long standing paradigm and deliver entertainment on demand rather than as scheduled. LG have also done much to ensure that owners can get the best picture from their HDTV with easy to set factory presets, Intelligent Sensor, extensive expert controls and LG’s Picture Wizard II screen calibration system. The value has been recognized with the LD550 ranking high in the bestseller lists at Amazon.

User Reviews and Price Comparisons

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LG 42LD550 42-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV

LG 32LD550 32-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV

LG 42LD550 42 LCD 1080p HDTV – 150,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio – 2.4ms Response Time – 120Hz

LG 32LD550 – 32 Widescreen 1080p LCD HDTV – 120Hz – 150,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio – 2.4ms Response Time