Customer Reviews

LG 42LG30 42-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the 2nd LG monitor/TV I own and see absolutely no reason not to buy LG again. Picture is excellent, even with non HD programming. Of course the quality of your non-HD programming depends on the feed... so thats really negligible.

If you're looking for an excellent mid-range priced HDTV then this is the one to get.

We have had this TV for a week now and for the price I'd have a hard time believing you can find a better entry-level LCD. Picture is fantastic, sound is above average, multiple hdmi inputs and the video settings are easy to configure.

The picture is fantastic couldn't be happier. I was concerned about buying a TV in this price range but it is as good as the much more expensive TV's I've seen.
Directions in the booklet aren't that good, however the cd is much more detailed and has shown me everything I need to know.
My sister has already purchased one based on what she saw with ours. I would recommend it to everyone.

Upon further review,I really like this LCD.Plenty of inputs and 3HDMI'S,so don't be confused.There's not a lot of feedback as of yet on the 42lg30.I've used calibration settings for the 42lg50(AVS FORUM)with great results,and a little personal tweaking.Not to upset 6500kelvin.

As with most LCD's there is some backlight bleeding on darker scenes and off angle veiwing is a bit washed out on my set.Prompting me to return the first set.Both sets were about the same PQ-wise (great)HD cable and Philips 5982 upconversion dvd player.Let me tell U this is not your everyday 720p LCD.WELL....GO GET IT!!!!

The picture quality on this TV is great but the UI (user interface) is bad.

No PiP. What year was this manufactured in again? 198...? In 2008 (when this was manufactured), wasn't this feature, you know, about as standard as the ability to change the volume level?

The various aspect ratio options (4:3 / 16:9) cannot be handled on the fly. If you want to change them you must go into the menu system in order to change the setting. On the one hand it's handy that the setting is saved per input, but with many SD networks airing 4:3 and letterboxed 16:9 it would sure be nice to use a dedicated remote button to toggle between these choices.

You can name your input sources to some pre-selected names, but if you have a DVR you're out of luck because the designers decided not to give you that option. You must call it either a "Set top box" or a "VCR".

I have a Sony HD dinosaur from 2003 that has all of that stuff. You'd think that by now the features would be standard and superior to what I bought years ago.

Pros: great picture quality colors are great and picture settings are good out the box, got it for $698.99 cant beat that. The picture is excellent with the component and hdmi cables. Shows blue ray, games, and hddvd in 1080p.

Cons: none really. I do wish i could play movies off the usb port it can only play music and pictures.

I bought the LG-42LG30 about one month before Christmas last year, as the price dropped below $750. I use a Radio Shack antenna on the roof (80 inch VHF/UHF model) and the antenna signal goes through a splitter so I get FM radio signal for the receiver, a converter box for an old VCR, and the TV. After checking out the "antennaweb" site, I aimed my antenna as per the location of the broadcast towers, and I get ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and three public stations including the high-def ones. I also got some religious stuff that I promptly deleted from the channel list.

The TV gets great High-def broadcast signals so we watch all the prime time shows that we like, plus the classy public stuff like Masterpiece Theatre and Nova. I also bought a factory-refurbished Harman-Kardon 355 surround receiver that drives two Large Advent speakers at the front, and a pair of Smaller Advents as the surround channels. I have an Oppo upconverting DVD player that allows you to have hi-def compatible signals using ordinary DVDs, and the picture I get is every bit as sharp as the broadcast hi-def. I recently watched "Wall-E" and enjoyed it even more than I did at the theatre. The surround system balances up perfectly and is just amazing. No subwoofer needed.

But even with the receiver turned off, the LG TV speakers are clean, uncolored and smooth. They only lack the deepest bass but not a problem for 95% of the program content.

The Oppo DVD player is a great item, and it has excellent audio outputs including discreet channel outputs which work in the HK direct channel inputs. It plays every type of audio and DVD disc except Blu-ray. But I won't be getting blu-ray anytime soon, as the Oppo gives a great picture that looks high-def to my eyes, especially since I am over ten feet from the screen. One more thing-When I am watching hi-def broadcasts, the TV's digital audio out goes directly to the HK receiver via an optical cable, and the receiver automatically switches to "Dolby Digital" so you get pure surround audio with the picture. Can't beat it. I am a cheapskate but I don't like to compromise, so do yourself a favor, save some money and buy this TV!

Very impressed. My roommate recently moved out and took his 50" Samsung DLP with him. Fortunately, this TV was not only cheaper, but also MUCH higher quality than the Samsung. The entire Southern wall of our apartment is a sliding glass window, and this TV shows absolutely no glare. The viewing angle is amazing! The contrast is beautiful - I have never seen a TV that looks this sexy.

I would STRONGLY recommend this TV to anyone looking for a 42". 720p looks 100% the same as 1080p for this size TV - you'd be paying more solely for bragging rights (but anyone who knows better will be laughing at you).

My only complaint about this is the speakers. For any AV input, the speakers are plenty loud and I set the volume to 15 out of 100. However, for cable the sound is greatly diminished and I have to turn the volume up to 60 or higher. You don't want to be using a T extensively at near maximum volume because the speakers will eventually tear. I have some loud computer speakers, but unfortunately there is no Audio Out jack that size on this TV, just the red/white RCA cables jacks. No problem though, I'll just have to throw down a few bucks for a conversion cable.

Overall 5+++ stars. I bought this TV from [...] with an amazon card I simultaneously opened. I got 6% back just from using the card, and $[...] off my first purchase, so the TV only cost me around [...]. Shipping was free, and [...] got the TV here in less than a week in perfect condition.

I purchased this model after extensive research and viewing comparible models at my local Buy More (or was it Best Buy?). This particular model was side by side with a 42" plasma and I could not tell the differance. Initially I was leaning towards Plasma because of it's reputation of less motion blur and better viewing angle, but I have to say that that reputation is outdated. I saw no motion blur in fast action sequences and the picture quality did not change until I was almost direct beside it.

What made me choose the LCD was the much lower power consumption of the LCDs (2 cents per killowatt hour vs. 9 cents for for the Plasma) and the brightness since it will used in a room with south-facing windows.

Whan I used it during a bright afternoon, it was even easier to view than the old 32" CRT TV. The LCD screen seems more non-reflective than the old glass CRT screen.

Sound-wise it is excellent. I'm an old-school audiophile who enjoys good sound, and this sounds great with just a smidgen of bass increase in the settings. Since the sound is reflecting from the table-top and the wall behind it, the sound pacement can really matter. If for instance you wall-mount this model, the sound quality may be less pleasing and may require auxiliary speakers - that's probably true for for ANY flat screen TV.

All in all I'm extremely pleased.

Bought this TV in late November.
Delivery/Wt : On time and in good shape. Different vendor though. Light weight.

Price : Very attractive($699)

Video : Everything seemed alright, the SD pictures were just OK (I have comcast with a cable box, so I'm assuming it is decent quality feed). HD reception over the air was excellent. Connected to a PS3, played games and watched Blu-Ray/DVD, no complaints. With the hdmi cables the pictures were just perfect. Of course, the blacks aren't perfect black and not considering this to be a top-notch LCD tv out there, it was a given.

Audio: Disappointing actually, doesn't go loud enough. Thought I would connect it to the external Bose speakers, but the analog audio outs didn't seem to work.

Looks : Piano black looks great, speakers hidden. Simple yet effective.
Swivel stand was very helpful.

A few days earlier (outside the return window), the TV shuts itself off as I was watching!!! Had to call the customer service after all the trivial actions failed. Now I have been told they are replacing two of the boards on it. I had to always call the repair vendor for an update, LG wouldn't provide me with any! Although they say it is a home service, after a visual inspection, TV was taken.

Now it is an eternal wait to hear from them and hope it resolves the problem.

Overall: I'm in two minds to have given LG a try, keeping my fingers crossed for any future issues. Would I recommend? Based on my current experience "NO". This is my first HDTV and of this size, so not sure if other TVs have similar problems. I assume I'm just unlucky with the piece I received.

I have been counting on reviews and I hope this helps.
All the Best!