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#1 ·
Just a brief review of the new 2013 LG LN5300 LED HDTV.


The LN5300 set comes in a 32", 39" and a 42" size. There might be larger models but I'm unsure.


I'm reviewing the 39" Model ( 38.5 Diagonal ) The set weights 19lbs or so without a stand attached or 22lbs with stand attached. This set is VESA compliant, 200 x 200.


I currently own the LD, LK and SC models going back each calender year starting in 2010. So I do have somewhat of a PC oriented history with this line of sets.


My primary use is for a PC display. Of course 4:4:4 chroma sub-sampling was important. And this set does support 4:4:4. It was as simple as selecting which port you were connected to, HDMI 1 in my case and selecting just scan from the menu. There was no renaming required or other trickery like past sets. I own 2 x AMD 7970 Radeons in Xfire.


The screen is semi-gloss and looks great. The LD and LK had somewhat matte finishes. The SC had a semi-gloss but I think the new LN has a bit more of a gloss over that model. It does not have the reflective properties of glass but I would estimate on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being glass, this set has a very strong 7.


The stand is a bit smaller and gone is that square look from past models. It is however a bit more bulky / reinforced with a raised lip going around the outside edge of the stand. Checking for excess wobble and sway, none was present. Very robust and firm. The base is glossy. As far as the bezel goes, they've improved this greatly asthe bezel is now at least 55% to 65% smaller than past models. Not Samsung razor thin but still very thin and much welcomed. The over-all fit and finish is excellent and it does take on a new modern look that's fitting of 2013. The overall size of the set is also much smaller than past models. While the back is not super thin and compact like some of the Samsung's, it's a huge improvement over past models. I would guess 25% smaller over my much larger and heavier 42" LD model from 2010. Considering the 39" has nearly the same viewable area as the 42", personally, I find this amazing.


unfortunately I cannot speak in-depth to the sets panel or performance other than to state the obvious. We need other experts who are better qualified to pass that information on to us. Over-all, I am very pleased. In fact, this is my favorite new set and it has met all my expectations for 2013. The blacks are deep, the colors bright, the sharpness is there and 1080p content looks fantastic. I've checked for jitter / judder and none is present. Very pleased about that. I've done some basic testing with consoles, an Xbox 360, Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii and even the new Ouya console and there is no noticeable latency. Everything played smoothly and reacted as you would expect. So no lag


Back are expert settings. Here is a list of those settings that may or may not be complete. Dynamic Contrast, Color Gamut, Edge Enhancer on/off, Color Filter on/off, Gamma, Color Temperature, Method settings, Pattern settings, Red Blue Green Settings, Color Management System with saturation, tint and luminance, etc. And of course, Back-light, Contrast, Brightness, Color, Tint, H Sharpness, V Sharpness, etc. There probably is a few other settings present that I missed.


There is a USB port which will allow you to display photo's or to play MP3's. I've not used this feature yet so I will not comment on it's usability or performance.


After several hours with set, a few movies, tons of games, I cannot find or see any red-flags, this set is a keeper and I am sure others will be very impressed with this new LG LN model for 2013. This is the new Westy 37" as far as I'm concerned for those of you who knows what that means.


PC monitor, A+


HDTV, A+


Tom

 
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#227 ·
Took your advice and exchanged it. No more dead pixel and much better backlight situation. In the same position as I took the picture with the first set, backlight bleed wasn't noticeable. If looking at the set from different angles, whiteness at corners increase. Seems to be more the nature of the panel than any defect.


I've got a few questions if anyone can answer it for me.


1. Any way to turn off the red stand-by light? LG's Q&A section of their site gives a suggestion, but the option isn't present on my set.


Their advice was:
Quote:
Press the HOME button on your remote control.

On the SETTINGS menu, locate the OPTION menu.

One of the features on this list is that of the STANDBY LIGHT.

Set this option to the OFF setting in order to deactivate the Red STANDBY indicator light.

2. Are all the other colors more accurate by sacrificing white? The Cinema pre-set and calibration numbers people have provided create a more yellow-tinted image. Doing a search on the forums, people insist this gives a truer image (what movie creators intended, more true to skin tone, etc). If the calibrations are "color accurate", then why do whites seem off? I switched from Cinema and Expert 1 to Game mode while watching NFL football the other night and the white jersey was actually white in Game mode. The other modes gave yellow-ish whites. Played some HD movies and where you'd expect white (white collared shirts, white hair, white pages in books) actually look white in Game mode, but yellow-ish in Cinema/Expert 1 calibrated.
 
#228 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by luciusd  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/210#post_23736524

I've got a few questions if anyone can answer it for me:


1. Any way to turn off the red stand-by light?


LG's manuals are always recycled from previous year's models. I had a 32LD450 and that had a standby light option in the menu, but my 32LN5300 does not.



2. Are all the other colors more accurate by sacrificing white? The Cinema pre-set and calibration numbers people have provided create a more yellow-tinted image. Doing a search on the forums, people insist this gives a truer image (what movie creators intended, more true to skin tone, etc). If the calibrations are "color accurate", then why do whites seem off? I switched from Cinema and Expert 1 to Game mode while watching NFL football the other night and the white jersey was actually white in Game mode. The other modes gave yellow-ish whites. Played some HD movies and where you'd expect white (white collared shirts, white hair, white pages in books) actually look white in Game mode, but yellow-ish in Cinema/Expert 1 calibrated.


If you want start towards true white and balanced color at the same time, you should always use the Expert 1/2 picture modes and start off by setting color temp to Warm1. Warm2 is too warm as it boosts red over all other main colors. Cool boosts Blue over all others and Normal boosts blue and green. Only Warm1 balances out Green, Red, and Blue.


If you want to go further (to remove color tint out of grays and fine-tune color saturation), you need to learn how to use the 10 or 20-point IRE system and the Color Management System (CMS) under the color temp. setting. It can be done by eye (with a good test image and set to OUTER pattern), but its most accurate with color software and a colorimeter.
 
#229 ·
How does this handle standby? Windows seems unable to trigger standby via HDMI through basic power settings. It just keeps saying "No Signal". I am hopeful its not burning up lots of juice doing so. Does it eventually go into standby on its own? Can you wake it up? Or do i need to do something to configure windows to order it into stand by?


I am not aware of any menu settings for DPMS or other power settings other than sleep timer which is a one time setting everytime.
 
#230 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hipps  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/210#post_23742364


How does this handle standby? Windows seems unable to trigger standby via HDMI through basic power settings. It just keeps saying "No Signal". I am hopeful its not burning up lots of juice doing so. Does it eventually go into standby on its own? Can you wake it up? Or do i need to do something to configure windows to order it into stand by?


I am not aware of any menu settings for DPMS or other power settings other than sleep timer which is a one time setting everytime.

Well, the LG TV is hardcoded to turn off after 10 minutes of link inactivity. If the display is a blackscreen, but doesn't turn off, then the Windows sleep state when running a program or streaming media is probably set to "away mode" instead of "allow PC to sleep" (advanced power options).


I was referring to the red standby light under the TV bezel that is on while your TV is turned off. The auto-turnoff function is dependant on the source device doing nothing at the time. Make sure in Windows the time till display turns off isn't set to "Never" as well.
 
#231 ·
Is there any way to have it enter a sleep state where it can be woken by the PC like a monitor would? Right now it's turning all the way off and has to be power'ed on by remote or the button on back after 10 minutes of the PC being in Sleep state; id prefer to be able to skip that step if possible.
 
#232 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hipps  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/210#post_23743117


Is there any way to have it enter a sleep state where it can be woken by the PC like a monitor would? Right now it's turning all the way off and has to be power'ed on by remote or the button on back after 10 minutes of the PC being in Sleep state; id prefer to be able to skip that step if possible.

Not possible with this LG TV. That's something monitors are specialized for (unfortunately) and maybe there are only a few extensive TV's that can do that like an expensive Samsung or LG TV (manufacturers that are big in the monitor displays as well).
 
#233 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewjfazio  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/180#post_23643181


Just hooked up my 39" LG LN5300 to use as a PC monitor and it's a keeper. Every praise that's been mentioned in this thread is true.


$394.00 including shipping and tax from New Egg (Amazon had it for the same but there was a 2-3 week wait backorder even with Prime.) Microcenter carries it for $429 if you want it local.


Even though this is a 39" it actually takes up a little less desktop real estate-- the bezel is tiny compared to the Westinghouse. The screen has a nice punch to it no amount of adjusting could bring to my old screen, and if it doesn't have an IPS panel LG did a good job disguising the fact.


Connection is DVI to HDMI, and you label the input to "PC" mode (I did "Game" first and that didn't produce sharp text.)


I took it through some hardcore gaming like Candy Crush Saga, Farmville, and Words with Friends and there was no noticeable lag or other ripping problems.

IMO this is an excellent replacement-- it really is is the new Westy.


(PS. I know those games aren't hard core.)

Do you know the version code/type that you got? It seems like many get amazing 39" sets for this model, but a few consistently have issues, this leads me to believe that there are more than one types out there.
 
#236 ·
I have the 42" ln5300 I am very impressed with this tv There is no noticeable lag it has the ips screen I play ps3 xbox360 and pc I am very impressed with this model,even my none hd tv channels look great and it has so many settings to adjust to make eacv game look great,the picture wizard 2 is amazing I have had this tv since april and have played alot of different games including gta5 I would absolutely recommend this tv to ne one
 
#237 ·

Hi,

 

Thanks for the review. This was useful.

 

I am planning to buy this model for using it as a regular TV and have a very specific query. Can you play videos if you connect a flash drive or an external drive via USB port? I read some reviews where this was highlighted as a missing feature. However, LG's customer care helpdesk states that the feature exists in this model. Since you have this TV, it will be a great help if you could check this.

 

Thanks,

Joe
 
#238 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Hill  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/210#post_23780877


Hi,


Thanks for the review. This was useful.


I am planning to buy this model for using it as a regular TV and have a very specific query. Can you play videos if you connect a flash drive or an external drive via USB port? I read some reviews where this was highlighted as a missing feature. However, LG's customer care helpdesk states that the feature exists in this model. Since you have this TV, it will be a great help if you could check this.


Thanks,

Joe

Unfortunately, it does not do this by default, Joe.


You have to get into the service menu of the TV and enable DiVX playback if you want it to play video as well.
 
#241 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by RG400SmartTowel  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/210#post_23781987


I have a 42 inch version and have the VA panel. Do any of you guys think the IPS panel is superior to the VA? Is it worth the hassle to go back to and exchange to the IPS panel?

It all comes down to how much you like your "blacks" and "wide viewing angles". The VA will give you better blacks but not-so-great viewing angles. The IPS, on the hand, gives you wide viewing angles but the blacks aren't as good. I have the IPS version and it's a beauty to look at. See my desktop pic above.
 
#243 ·
I picked up a 39" LN5300 a few weeks ago for my GF to play games on. Its currently set up right next to the PN60F5500 that I play on. Tonight we were playing Halo 4, and comparing the same images side by side, there are some flaws with the color that I just cant fix.



It seems like any changes to the color settings dont do anything at all.


First off, is blue looks purple. Same image on my screen, the blue in the Halo 4 menu, or that of Cortana is a light cyan like blue. On the LG, its a dark blue with a lot of purple tint.

Other issue is there isnt enough red in the color. Makes orange stuff seem pale, pink doesnt pop enough, etc...



Settings are currently,


Energy Saving off

Expert 1

Backlight 22

Contrast 95

Brightness 53

Sharpness 10 (both)

Color 60

Tint G5


Dynamic Contrast off

Color Gamut standard

Edge Enhancer off

Gamma 2.2


Color Temp medium

All color settings 0


Black level low



Most the settings were landed on using picture wizard. I have no issues black level, white, etc...



So I tried messing with all the color settings with temp on medium and tried again on warm 1. Nothing seems to fix anything. Only thing that I can change is make the colors duller, or more faded. Green is fine, and is extremely close to my Samsung. But blue and red are too far off.



Any ideas?
 
#245 ·
Anyone having issues with this TV interfering with network connectivity with non LG blu ray players? I have a very strange issue. I have two Samsung blu ray players that simply does not stream either Netflix or local files via DNLA. Does not matter if I use wireless or wired connection, both players will play the content for a few mins, then pause. If I connect the same blu ray players to my living room tv, they stream flawlessly. thinking it was something in my bedroom causing the interference; I took my 39LN5300 to the living room and connected the blu ray players to it. same issue as in bedroom. At this point the only common thing is the television. I even went so far as to buy a new router and blu ray player thinking those may have been the issue. Even the new player has issues connected to the LG TV. Anyone encountering this or have any ideas why this would occur?
 
#246 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by CTM Audi  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/240#post_23789612


I picked up a 39" LN5300 a few weeks ago for my GF to play games on. Its currently set up right next to the PN60F5500 that I play on. Tonight we were playing Halo 4, and comparing the same images side by side, there are some flaws with the color that I just cant fix.



First off, is blue looks purple. Same image on my screen, the blue in the Halo 4 menu, or that of Cortana is a light cyan like blue. On the LG, its a dark blue with a lot of purple tint.

Other issue is there isnt enough red in the color. Makes orange stuff seem pale, pink doesnt pop enough, etc...



Settings are currently...

Color 60

Tint G5

Color Gamut standard


...


...Only thing that I can change is make the colors duller, or more faded...


Any ideas?

There's the problem. Drop the color to 50 and change the tint back to 0. Use Wide color gamut. I'd stick with the warmer color temp settings. Then, use a setup disc or test image with NTSC color bars in conjunction with the blue filter / blue mode to arrive at the correct color and tint settings. "Duller" and "more faded" are likely more accurate and you've grown accustomed to cranked up color. I did that for a while myself, but there's some downsides to it and I moved away from it. Look up a color clipping test image at some point to see what I'm talking about.


I'd suggest doing this also for your PN60F5500 if you want your two displays to both approach some degree of accuracy and perhaps start to look semi similar. Though, expecting two different brands and two different display technologies to sit side by side and look identical won't ever work out. Even if you delved into true hardware calibration.


If none of that gives any satisfaction I'd almost say there might be some quality control issues with your LG and/or you're simply used to Samsung's plasmas. The easiest solution might be swapping the LG for a Samsung plasma that looks close to what you're familiar with . . .
 
#247 ·
^ Well he also needs to change the color temperature to Warm1 or 2 (I prefer 1 that boosts green and a bit of red since 2 boosts red too much to tackle for IRE calibration) and learn about the 2 point / IRE calibration if he has time. It can be done with certain test images (colored grayscale bars, set pattern to OUTER and look for luminance changes for each IRE point) without a colorimeter (your EYES), but it won't be perfect like having a colorimeter because you don't know the approximate temperature value in the end. Much better than default, though.
 
#248 ·

HELLO!. I am sorry if I am bumping a very old thread this is my first post. I got this T.V Barely a week ago and have been using it for my Xbox360. I plan to also use it for the Xboxone. 

I have not noticed any input lag which I really like. This T.V is a huge step up from my Tochiba 720 24 inch T.V.

 

I have the 42 inch model. 

 

Can anyone suggest a good calibration for gaming? If it is all ready in the thread just point me to it and I will get to work. I have done NO changes aside from switching it to game mode. 

 

Thank you very much! 

 

Also at the person who made the topic. I was standing in Wallmart when I read your review and it pushed me over the edge to get this T.V. THANK YOU!
 
#249 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroJehuty  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/240#post_23814768



Can anyone suggest a good calibration for gaming? If it is all ready in the thread just point me to it and I will get to work. I have done NO changes aside from switching it to game mode. 

I'd recommend reading over and using this if at all possible. Post back if you have any trouble with it.
 
#250 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by John4721  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/240#post_23816512



I'd recommend reading over and using this if at all possible. Post back if you have any trouble with it.
 

Sadly I can not burn discs. And info on the internet aside from here is slim. But thank you for responding. I am trying a few calibrations i have seen in this thread. But it is slow going. Just ordered a pizza 
 
#251 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroJehuty  /t/1466061/2013-lg-ln5300-led-hdtv-review/240#post_23816547


Sadly I can not burn discs. And info on the internet aside from here is slim. But thank you for responding. I am trying a few calibrations i have seen in this thread. But it is slow going. Just ordered a pizza 
Lagom.nl/lcd-test is a good site if you are using this TV as a monitor. For sharpness and grayscale calibration, you will need seperate test images for those as that site does not have very good images for those tests. Don't use your graphics card's color enhancements either if you have a TV with this much customization.

Sharpness 1920x1080
 
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