LG 42LE5400 42-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Internet Applications

by LG

• LED Backlighting
• NetCast Entertainment Access (Wi-Fi Ready)
• Wireless 1080p Ready
• TruMotion 120Hz
• Picture Wizard II

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 40 x 24.8 inches ; 36.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 47 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0039JBXSM
• Item model number: 42LE5400
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,506 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com

Offering energy-saving LED backlighting, 1080p Full HD resolution for crystal-clear detail, and TruMotion 120Hz technology for virtually no motion blur, the 42-inch LG 42LE5400 LED LCD HDTV is also great for watching sports and movies with fast action thanks to its 2.6ms (millisecond) response time. The latest in HDTV technology, LED delivers deep blacks, bright colors and crisp images to rival any display category, and are the slimmest, most energy efficient televisions available. Improved motion capture allows smooth, natural pictures, even with fast paced action.

With LG's NetCast, you get access to TV shows, movies and more, streamed directly from the Internet to your television screen. And the LE5400 series also provides compatibility with Wireless 1080p Connectivity (wireless media kit required and sold separately).

Other features include an incredible 4,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for more stunning colors and deeper blacks, two USB ports for connecting external drives for playing back MP3 audio, JPEG photo and DivX HD video files, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, and four HDMI inputs.

NetCast Entertainment Access

NetCast Entertainment Access brings the best Internet services direct to your TV--no computer required. Instantly access movies and TV shows, news and weather and the world's largest library of HD movies in 1080p. (Note: Internet connection & subscriptions required and sold separately.)

Get your HD film fix If you like movies and want major studio releases in Full HD 1080p and Dolby Digital Plus sound, you'll love Vudu, the on-demand movie service with more hi-def titles than anyone else. Over 3,000 and counting. Plus, there's no subscription. So you only pay for what you watch. Access your queue from the couch Make the most of the extensive offerings on Netflix. Now you can watch your favorite movies and shows--from new releases to classics to everything in between--without your PC. Sit back and enjoy unlimited instant access to thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed directly to your TV set.

It's YouTube on your tube No more crowding around your PC to watch web videos. NetCast instantly streams videos and TV shows from YouTube for unlimited, direct access to the millions of Web videos whenever you want them. All you need is an active Internet connection. Watch that one fellow making a fool of himself over and over again. Stay up to speed Sometimes you want to see what's going on in the world, but without changing the channel. Yahoo! TV Widgets delivers everything you need including news, scores, stocks and even photos from Flickr. Your pictures on the big screen 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.

Key Features

LCD Panel with LED Backlighting Tired of dark scenes or dull colors? LG's LED technology provides a slim profile and delivers amazing brightness, clarity and color detail, as well as greater energy efficiency compared to conventional LCD TVs.	Energy Star 4.0 Earning the ENERGY STAR means a product meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. For TVs, it means they save energy both in standby and active (when they're on) modes. ENERGY STAR qualified TVs use about 30 percent less energy than standard units.   Smart Energy Saving With LG's Smart Energy Saving Features, you can conserve money and energy.
Full HD 1080p resolution This stunning picture is the reason you wanted HDTV in the first place. With almost double the pixel resolution, Full HD 1080p gives it superior picture quality over standard HDTV. You'll see details and colors like never before.	TruMotion 120Hz TruMotion 120Hz technology lets you see sports, video games and high-speed action with virtually no motion blur. Now your TV can keep up with your fast-moving entertainment.
4,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio No more worrying about dark scenes or dull colors. The dynamic contrast ratio of 4,000,000:1 delivers more stunning colors and deeper blacks than you can imagine.	Intelligent Sensor Don't strain your eyes. Let your TV do the adjustments for you. Intelligent Sensor automatically optimizes the picture to the lighting and color conditions in the room for a more enjoyable viewing experience.
Wireless 1080p Ready The best place for your TV isn't always near the cable. Wireless 1080p Connectivity lets you cut loose from messy wires, hang your TV where you want and still get a stunning Full HD picture. All those cords and cables are completely out of sight. And the only thing attached to your TV is you. (Note: Wireless media kit required and sold separately.)
AV Mode Sports, movies and video games are best enjoyed with customized settings. With AV Mode, you can easily select from one of three picture modes for "Cinema", Sports" or "Games" to enjoy an optimized picture and sound experience.	Picture Wizard Get easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. Take the guesswork out of picture adjustments with this simple-to-use feature. It's not actually magic, but it will sure seem that way.
24P Real Cinema Stay in for the theater. Enjoy a true cinema-like experience in your own home with movies the way they are meant to be seen. LG's Real Cinema technology precisely displays 24p source frames on your screen, the same as on a movie screen. If you love movies, you'll love Real Cinema.	ISFccc Calibration Ready LG's ISFccc Ready HDTVs contain the detailed standards necessary for professional calibration of brightness, contrast, tint, sharpness, color levels and much more to meet local lighting conditions for both day and nighttime viewing. Settings are added to preset modes for easy access from your LG remote.
Clear Voice II Get audio the way it was meant to be heard. Clear Voice II enhances and amplifies the frequency range of the human voice to help keep dialogue audible when background noise swells. Infinite Sound What's a great picture without great sounds to match? Infinite Sound delivers an amazing listening experience with deep, rich bass to make the most of your entertainment.	Dolby Digital Dolby Digital lets you experience compelling 5.1-channel surround sound. And you can trust that you'll get the same great Dolby Digital audio quality no matter what you're watching--a DVD or Blu-Ray Disc, TV programming or downloaded content. Best of all, you can be confident that you'll hear the audio exactly as it was intended, because Dolby Digital is also used to create the soundtracks for movies and games.
USB 2.0 Now reliving that fantastic family vacation can happen in the comfort of your living room. Easily connect your external USB devices to enjoy JPEG photos or listen to MP3 files. This HDTV is also compatible with playing back DivX HD video files from a USB drive.	HDMI V.1.3 with Deep Color Make installation of any enabled device a snap. Get 10.2Gbps of bandwidth for deeper colors and more to take advantage of the best Full HD experience. HDMI V.1.3 connectivity lets you prepare yourself for tomorrow's technology today.

Key Specifications

Screen size: 42-inch class (42 inches diagonal) Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (1080p Full HD) Dynamic contrast ratio: 4,000,000:1 Viewing angle: 178 degrees horizontal/vertical Response time: 2.6ms Built-in tuner: ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM Audio output: 20 watts (10W x 2) Speaker system: 2-way, 4 speakers Dolby Digital decoder: Yes Surround system: Infinite Sound Input labeling: Yes Swivel stand: ±20 degrees VESA compliance: 200mm x 200mm Warranty: 1 year parts and labor Connections HDMI (version 1.3, HDCP): 3 rear, 1 side Component: 2 rear, 1 side Composite A/V: 1 rear, 1 side RF: 1 rear PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1 rear PC audio input: 1 rear Digital audio output: 1 optical, rear USB: 2 side Ethernet LAN: 1 rear Headphone out: 1 side RS-232c input: 1 rear

Dimensions TV without stand: 40 x 24.8 x 1.2 inches (WxHxD); 36.8 pounds TV with stand: 40 x 27.2 x 10.6 inches (WxHxD); 43 pounds What size TV should you get?

LG 2010 HDTV Comparison

Series:	LD350	LD450	LD520	LD550	LD650	LE5300	LE5400	LE8500	LX6500	PJ350	PK550	PK750
Models:	22-inch 26-inch 32-inch	32-inch 37-inch 42-inch 47-inch	32-inch 42-inch 47-inch 55-inch	32-inch 42-inch 46-inch 52-inch	47-inch 55-inch	22-inch 26-inch 32-inch 37-inch	32-inch 42-inch 47-inch 55-inch	47-inch 55-inch	47-inch 55-inch	42-inch 50-inch	50-inch 60-inch	50-inch 60-inch
Panel type	LCD	LCD	LCD	LCD	LCD	LED LCD	LED LCD	LED LCD	3D LED	Plasma	Plasma	Plasma
LED Local Dimming	--	--	--	--	--	--	--			--	--	--
3D Ready	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--		--	--	--
Resolution	720p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	720p	1080p	1080p
Contrast ratio	50k:1 dynamic	100k:1 dynamic	100k:1 dynamic	150k:1 dynamic	200k:1 dynamic	3mil:1 dynamic	4mil:1 dynamic	9mil:1 dynamic	8mil:1 dynamic	3mil:1 dynamic	3mil:1 dynamic	3mil:1 dynamic
Refresh rate	60Hz	60Hz	120Hz	120Hz	240Hz	60Hz	120Hz	120Hz	240Hz	600Hz	600Hz	600Hz
Response time	5ms	4ms	2.4	2.4	2	2.4ms	2.6ms	1ms	2ms	--	--	--
Netcast Entertainment	--	--	--			--				--	--
HDMI input	2	2	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	4
Component input (Y, PB, PR)	1	1	1	2	2	2	3	3	3	2	2	2
Composite input	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
PC input
USB port	1	1	1	2	2	1	2	2	2	1	1	2
MP3 and JPEG playback	--
DivX video playback	--	--	--							--	--
Ethernet	--	--	--			--				--	--
Wireless 1080p Ready	--	--	--			--				--	--
Energy Star	--	--	--	--	--					--	--	--
Series:	LD350 LCD	LD450 LCD	LD520 LCD	LD550 LCD	LD650 LCD	LE5300 LED	LE5400 LED	LE8500 LED	LX6500 3D LED	PJ350 Plasma	PK550 Plasma	PK750 Plasma

Learn More

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Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience. If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get. Minimum size = Viewing distance/3 Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5

Product Description

There's no better LCD display technology than LED and the LE5400 delivers that along with a whole lot more. You can tap directly into instant movies and entertainment with NetCast and cut free of your cable box and messy wires with Wireless 1080p.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

274 of 281 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars LG is underrated. August 5, 2010

By Miech

Amazon Verified Purchase

I had quite an ordeal over the last month attempting to purchase a new HDTV. I was looking in the sub $1000 range, wanted a 40-42" LED-Lit model and did a lot of research before settling on the Samsung UN40C6300.

I originally settled for Samsung over LG due to in-store picture comparisons and quite frankly, Samsung's great reputation over the past years. They were the pioneers of LED edge lighting and for a long time remained king of HDTVs. When my set arrived via Amazon (which was super simple by the way) and I set it up, I was instantly shocked and disappointed. The samsung model had the worst backlight bleeding I have ever seen in any LCD TV/Monitor.. ever.. Upon researching the issue further I discovered that Samsung now outsources panels and I got stuck with a horrible Chineese CN02 panel while the model in the store happened to be using a Samsung Branded IPS panel. I can't say for sure whether stores always get the better panel for display purposes, but this sneaky bait and switch should be illegal. Needless to say, the viewing angles on the horrible CN02 panel and the awful bleeding (spots the size of softballs scattered through the image). Furious, I set up an immediate exchange with Amazon and went back to researching.

Digging deep in Amazon's search, I stumbled across the LG 42LE5400 which was only $4 more then the previous Samsung model. What caught me about this TV over the previous was the following:
1) Same exact price.
2) Research indicated NO panel lottery and LG using superior IPS panels.
3) 2" Larger Screen
4) NetCast Apps (Samsung's only supplies these on higher-end models)
5) Wider range of inputs including composite-in
6) Matte screen (Yes glossy looks nicer, but I'd rather not watch TV in a mirror).

The exchange through amazon was painless and I am always impressed by their policies and understanding. After the horrible Samsung model was dragged away and the new LG panel dropped off, I set it up and was pleased.

The picture was just as nice as the Samsung in my opinion (though a bit less crisp due to matte screen instead of glossy, but that was to be expected and actually ended up being preferred due to lack of reflections). I confirmed a genuine IPS panel by the orientation of the pixels and the push-test. I cannot comment on the sound since I always use a home theater receiver and have never used the built-in speakers. The Set comes with tons of calibration options, eco-sensors (which I disabled as I found it preferred to darken the screen too much. Why have an LED screen when you dim it down to nothing). Even the lighting on the power and function buttons has a neat animation and full control of turning off pesky logo lighting when watching in the dark, a nice touch.

The only gripes I have on this panel are the following:
1) There is some mild backlight bleeding around the top right and bottom left corner. This tends to make blacks in that general area a bit more grey, but nowhere (and I mean nowhere) as bad as the Samsung. I suppose this is just a limitation of Edge-lit panels.
2) NetCast does NOT include Pandora even though it lists Pandora all over LGs website. I suppose they only include that in their receivers/blu-ray players, a major disappointment. Should be called "NetCast Lite".

I really rate this panel a 4.5/5 due to the mild backlight bleeding. I feel more care should be put by all brands regarding this issue, but this panel was much better then others thus why I'm keeping it. I'm also a bit put off by the differences in NetCast.

Other then that, I'm glad that I finally have this whole fiasco behind me. LG came out of the woodwork for me and blew me away with a far-superior television then the comparable Samsung model with no surprises, tricks and included many extras for the same price range. Unless something goes wrong (or they start getting sneaky with bait-and-switch like Samsung), LG is my new television brand.

123 of 131 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great unit, but delay lag problematic for video games; audio sync fixable July 20, 2010

By not-just-yeti

This is a great TV: awesome picture and features.

- picture brightness is great: I'm using it in a bright living room (with windows on either side of TV), and the LED screen is bright enough to watch w/o problem.

- overall features great: Assume I've gushed on about the picture quality, the number of inputs (including several on the side for easy access), the neat 'video mute' feature (under energy saver) so I can play a music CD on my DVD player and not have to see the DVD's stupid music screen, and so on. (Hmm, I guess I could play mp3s on a thumb drive directly from the tv itself; I haven't tried that yet.)

- Audio sync problem fixed via firmware: As others have mentioned, after 45min-1hr, the audio became noticeably out of sync from the picture; this seemed to be equally true for all inputs. It wouldn't get *worse* after more time, but it was bad enough that it looked dubbed. My initial hack was to switch to a different input then switch back to the program, and it would re-sync. However, after upgrading the firmware via the internet this problem disappeared. A few notes:
~ getting the internet connected took me a bit; even though DHCP should have happened at plug-in, I had to turn my wireless hub off/on in order to get the TV to get its IP address;
~ In order to trigger the firmware update, I had to press 'netcast' or 'widgets' on the remote; I think it was at that point that the TV automatically sought out the update.
~ it took two firmware updates in a row to reach the most recent version (6.0.something, I think).

- Noticeable delay lag for video games: about a tenth of a second or even a bit more (after some measurements and calculating). This is acceptable for many games, but for Wii Music every note I play is off beat, and for Dance Dance Revolution a perfect step scores between "great" and "good". (This is a lag between when the signal is received and when it actually gets displayed -- it doesn't matter for normal TV since you'd never notice if your entire movie is shifted back 0.1s. N.B. "Delay lag" is *not* related to "pixel response time".)
~ [Delay lag on other models: I dragged my Wii Music down to Best Buy and tried it on several similar models I was considering. The Samsung LEDs I tried also had ~0.10s lag; Sony Bravia LEDs had ~0.06s lag (still noticeable); no noticeable lag on LCD Viera or Sharp Aquos *LCD*, but (weirdest part) the Sharp Aquos *LED* did have lag (~0.10s). All the models I tried were 40-46"; most were 120Hz. I hope all the time I spent measuring helps out somebody else!]

This is for a 42" LG5400; 2010.Jul.15.

128 of 139 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Picture quality is good but Wireless Ready feature is useless August 30, 2010

By Pallab Ghosh Choudhuri

Amazon Verified Purchase

So far, the picture quality is good to me, who never had LCD or LED tv before. So anything better than CRTV is kind of a "wow" to me. So, I dont want to write too much about picture quality.

There is one thing I felt betrayed about. There is nowhere in the product description tells that the "Wireless Ready" feature works if and only if one uses USB wireless adapter made by LG and no other USB wireless adapter. I purchased this "Internet Ready" TV with a hope that I would use a different wireless USB adapter that can be purchased for just $15. Now, I am shocked to learn that I will have to use only LG adapter that one can buy for about $80 in amazon.

So, when you purchase this product,keep in mind that you will have to spend another 80 bucks to make Netcast and netflix work. Although other option is to hook your computer to the TV by HDMI or AVI.

I hope this review help you make informed decision.