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Official LG LHB326/336/536/976 Owner's Thread

post #1 of 222
1/30/11 at 9:21am
Thread Starter 
LG announced new 2011 HTIB models at CES. The 2010 models were feature rich but were plagued by audio problems. Hopefully they've fixed these issues for 2011. DLNA is mentioned, but nothing about Divx, Xvid, or USB functionality. Press release below:


Network Blu-ray Disc Home Theater Systems
Headlining LG's new line of Network Blu-ray Disc Home Theater Systems is the LHB976. Offering a sleek, stylish audio-visual solution with 3-channel wireless speaker technology, the LHB976 provides consumers with wireless access to LG SmartTV and 3D capability.

With 1100 watts of output power to 5.1 channels featuring LG's silk dome speaker technology, this premium Blu-ray Home Theater System generates a dynamic surround-sound experience, creating a more immersive home entertainment experience. A sub-woofer and two wireless rear speakers complete the package, giving consumers the flexibility to place them anywhere in the room. In addition, the front tallboy speakers can be positioned as either floor-standing or detached to mount on the wall.

For enhanced versatility, the LHB976 features LG's wireless rear speaker technology, which utilizes digital spread spectrum operation for better signal quality and consistent high-quality audio performance. This feature ensures that installation is quick and the consumer is not left with a tangle of wires distracting the eye from the system itself.

Advanced audio format decoding is supported so users can enjoy superior audio performance with technologies such as Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential. And of course, no audio system would be complete without iPod docking capabilities. The LHB976 allows for both the iPod and iPhone to be directly connected via a convenient cradle adaptor.

The LHB976 caters to most consumer listening needs by playing multiple media types, from CD/DVDs to Blu-ray Discs to network streaming content, all accessible from a single home theater system. The dual HDMI (version 1.4) inputs also deliver great audio performance and convenient connectivity for devices such as cable boxes or game systems in a simple, easy-to-use format. This model is also DLNA-certified allowing consumers to easily access content on other compatible devices.

In total, LG introduced four new Network Blu-ray Home Theater Systems, featuring 3D capability, advanced content options, wireless technology and excellent sound and picture quality. Full details on the models are below:

LHB976 - LG's flagship Full HD 1080p 3D-enabled Network Blu-ray Home Theater System features LG SmartTV, 1100 watts of output power to 5.1 channels and wireless speakers. Also includes, built-in Wi-Fi capability, iPod/iPhone cradle, MusicID® and DLNA.

LHB536 - Full HD 1080p 3D-enabled Network Blu-ray Home Theater System features LG SmartTV and 1100 watts of output power to 5.1 channels. Also includes built-in WiFi capability, iPod/iPhone cradle, MusicID® and DLNA.

LHB336 - Full HD 1080p 3D-enabled Network Blu-ray Home Theater System features LG SmartTV with Smart Phone App and 1100 watts of output power to 5.1 channels. Also Wi-Fi ready (adaptor required, sold seperatly) and includes iPod/iPhone cradle, MusicID® and DLNA.

LHB326 - Full HD 1080p Network Blu-ray Home Theater System features connectivity to NetFlix, Vudu, CinemaNow and YouTube; and 1100 watts of output power to 5.1 channels. Also includes Wi-Fi capability (adaptor is included) and MusicID®.
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post #2 of 222
1/30/11 at 9:39am
Thread Starter 
Looks like the manuals for the new 2011 models have been posted to the LG support site. File compatibility looks very good, including Divx, Xvid, Mpeg 4, and "MPEG2 TS" for both USB and DLNA. If this means Video TS folders are supported, this would be ideal.
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post #3 of 222
2/19/11 at 3:26pm
Thread Starter 
All three models are now available at Newegg. The speaker connections look standard instead of proprietary, which if true is excellent.
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post #4 of 222
2/19/11 at 11:58pm
Hopefully these won't have the humming issue

Looks like LG is taking a page out of Panasonics book. They're taking the tweeters out of the LHB 336 (and presumably 326) so now we will need to upgrade to the 536.

LG LHB336



LG LHB536



LG LHB976

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post #5 of 222
2/23/11 at 3:32pm
Well, I just ordered the 536 from Newegg, and I'm returning the 335 I got a few weeks ago (which did have mild whistling issues, as well as blu-ray skipping and HDMI/HDCP negotiation issues w/ my Toshiba TV) - we'll see how it performs when it gets here!
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post #6 of 222
2/24/11 at 12:39am
I'm very curious to see if these players will contain Cinavia.
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post #7 of 222
2/24/11 at 8:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeAd MiKe 187 View Post

I'm very curious to see if these players will contain Cinavia.

Well, Newegg tracking says I should have my unit by next Monday, so I'll take a look and let you know.
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post #8 of 222
2/24/11 at 2:56pm
Thread Starter 
Very much looking forward to seeing your user review of the 536.
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post #9 of 222
3/1/11 at 1:56am
OK, initial impression review (I'll post something more thorough once I have some more time with the unit):

Overall: Excellent unit - they seem to have learned from the mistakes in the 2010 models and gotten everything right this time around.

Highlights:
  • No Whistling
  • Sound is much cleaner/more crisp
  • No HDMI/HDCP handshake issues
  • Netflix interface is much better (copied from PS3 NF interface, it seems)
  • Easy and quick DLNA server access
  • App Store is good - pretty small selection of Apps so far (mostly minor games, like Mahjongg, puzzle games, sudoku, etc.), but I'm sure it will grow

I haven't yet had the chance to test to see if the Blu Ray skipping issue is resolved

"Premium" Content (formerly "Netcast"):
  • Netflix
  • Vudu
  • Napster
  • Divx TV
  • vTuner
  • Youtube
  • Picasa
  • CinemaNow
  • MLB.tv
  • Pandora
  • accedo
  • AccuWeather.com
  • Viewster
  • A "Coming Soon" placeholder

No Hulu/Hulu Plus yet, but I assume that's what the "Coming Soon" placeholder might be for... I'll try to get some clarification on when Hulu should show up.

Recommendation: Buy.

Will post more updates as I spend more time with it.
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post #10 of 222
3/1/11 at 12:17pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the update. Looking forward to more details.

I have a library of backed up DVDs and am very interested to see if the unit can play Video_TS folders with menu support either through DLNA or from a USB hard drive.
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post #11 of 222
3/1/11 at 2:50pm
I'll rip one of my DVDs and place it on my media server and a USB stick to test, but might be a few days...
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post #12 of 222
3/2/11 at 7:02am
Do you guys think the $100 jump is worth the money just for the sake of the two tweeters on the R/L front speakers?

Thanks

Edit: Here's hoping the 236 has the same speakers and has just lost 3D, my tv can't do it anyhow!
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post #13 of 222
3/2/11 at 11:07pm
Thread Starter 
Ship time cut to 1-3 weeks, price cut $50 already.
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post #14 of 222
3/7/11 at 12:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ausmusj View Post

Well, Newegg tracking says I should have my unit by next Monday, so I'll take a look and let you know.

Any word on Cinavia (the new pesky audio-DRM)?
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post #15 of 222
3/12/11 at 11:30am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ausmusj View Post

I'll rip one of my DVDs and place it on my media server and a USB stick to test, but might be a few days...

Any luck on the unit reading a full DVD back up, with menu support?
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post #16 of 222
3/13/11 at 1:39pm
According to pictures on the LG website, the LHB326 seems to be the same as the previous model year LHB335.
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post #17 of 222
3/14/11 at 2:25pm
Due to the year's worth of problems I've been having with my LHB535 (the 2010 model home theater system), I just got a call from LG 10 minutes ago saying I would be getting an LHB536 in the mail in 5-10 days, and that I will have to send back my old stuff afterward. I'm pretty excited. As long as it has no whistle sound and the 24hz skipping problem is fixed, I'll be a happy guy. Great news that the DLNA streaming is even more efficient and that Netflix got an upgrade. I can't wait to get this!

I'm really proud of LG for stepping up and sending me the 2011 model that doesn't have the horrible whistle noise that the 2010 model has been plagued with.

I see the picture on Newegg now that shows the bottom of the speakers. The wires still go into the bottom, but the stand that the speakers are attached to seems really obtrusive and might make my speakers rest at an awkward angle when they sit nailed into the wall. I see that there are screws holding the little stand in place. Can it be unscrewed and removed?

The 535 also seems to lose one of the optical audio ports and the dedicated iPod dock (in favor of one that you have to plug in). I don't mind these changes, but the 535 seems better in those regards.
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post #18 of 222
3/21/11 at 11:32am
Well, my 536 just arrived. Wow. This is one impressive unit. All of last year's drawbacks have been fixed. Off the top of my head:

- Sound is better.
- Picture quality looks better (I'm not the only one who noticed that the 2010 LG models make the picture too sharp).
- Boots INSTANTLY and there are no more HDMI handshake issues.
- Homelink support is better and i can finally see the thumbnails!
- My FAT32 USB now works as soon as I plug it in. On my 535, it had to be plugged in prior to booting up the system.
- Better Netflix interface, more apps.
- System is faster overall.
- Remote has been slightly re-designed. No longer have to press the directional buttons more than once to make it move.
- Disc playback is much, much better! 24hz perfectly (for now).

Does anyone know how to use Wi-Fi Direct?
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post #19 of 222
3/24/11 at 7:18am
Am I the only one who uses this device that checks this forum regularly? In any event, I noticed a bug that I'm wondering if anyone else has come across.

After going from the Pandora app to either a USB movie or a movie off of my network, the center speaker will usually be muted upon playback. If it doesn't happen with the first movie off of the USB, it usually happens with the second. If, by some chance, it doesn't happen with the second, it will happen with the movie on my network. The only way to fix this is to switch sound effects (for instance, from Natural Plus to Natural).

Sometimes all of the speakers will be muted when playing something back and I have to press the volume up to turn them back on. This happened when going from Pandora to a movie, as well as using the DivX TV app (the first few videos played fine, then suddenly, speakers were muted and I had to increase the volume).

Really weird. It's happened to me over the last few days, and I just figured out (it happened 10 times out of 10 when going from Pandora to a movie) what seems to be causing it. No idea why it would happen while using the DivX TV app, since all of the videos I watched were on the same 'channel.'

It's not the end of the world, but it's a fairly annoying bug.
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post #20 of 222
3/24/11 at 7:41am
My 336 should be arriving tomorrow. I'm disappointed that it has one less optical input than the 335 (that I purchased and returned last week - Amazon's price on the 336 is practically the same as Best Buy's on the 335), but it sounds like there are other improvements that could make up for it.

The iPod connection appears to have been moved to an external unit (hopefully included - the manual on their website says so) rather than a fold-out dock like the previous model. Was there a reliability issue or something? It's less than ideal for me.

I'm interested to hear others' opinions on the speakers. My living room is pre-wired, and the builder wall-mounted the speakers of a now-dead HTIB Samsung HT-X50. They are 3-ohm speakers, should I replace them with these newer 4-ohm speakers? It will be a pain in the neck to reach them, but I will do it if it will be worth it. Can I tell by the power ratings, or will I need to listen in order to judge?
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post #21 of 222
3/24/11 at 7:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbird View Post

I'm interested to hear others' opinions on the speakers. My living room is pre-wired, and the builder wall-mounted the speakers of a now-dead HTIB Samsung HT-X50. They are 3-ohm speakers, should I replace them with these newer 4-ohm speakers? It will be a pain in the neck to reach them, but I will do it if it will be worth it. Can I tell by the power ratings, or will I need to listen in order to judge?

The newer ones are indeed 4-ohm speakers and they sound soooooooooo much better than the speakers that came with the 535. Voices sound crystal clear, and when you put your ear to the speakers (while they are muted), it's much quieter than the 535 speakers. I'm not sure if this is due to the 536 itself or the speakers, but whatever the case may be, the sound is much better. If you have 3-ohm speakers, you should definitely swap them out for these nicer speakers.

As for the iPod thing... Yeah, the built-in iPod deck is definitely fancier, but whatever - as long as it works right. Perhaps they had too many calls from people who broke their built-in iPod deck or something...
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post #22 of 222
3/24/11 at 8:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by calstudios View Post

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to more details.

I have a library of backed up DVDs and am very interested to see if the unit can play Video_TS folders with menu support either through DLNA or from a USB hard drive.

Curious if anyone's tested this yet. I don't have a huge library yet, but if I'm going to change my ripping method, now's the time! Also, the LG iPhone app? Looks like it duplicates the remote functions. How is the response, if anyone's tried it?

I can't find the new models on LG's website (except for the 326), although I was able to download the manual by going through the support site. There's little else out there in the way of reviews, etc. I hope I'll be pleased.
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post #23 of 222
3/24/11 at 8:24pm
I just bought the LHB336 and I was starting to wonder if it really existed. Every search I did only yielded fake sites or dead links.
I contacted LG for questions about using a smart phone for text entry and they said no way to connect a phone.
I just dled the app on droid and sadly no text entry, but with practice itll probably still be faster.
Ive never bothered with a sound system and used a 360 for my media sharing, so its been a trial to figure what works and doesnt.
My pc is plagued and I've never been able to share files/folders on it. Im net+ and share files all the time and have domain admin at a hospital, so I have a little idea on how this should work. Other desktop and 4 laptops I can share from/to no problem.
Im thinking its a 64/win7 ult isolated issue now.

Anyways, looks good so far. Hoping to learn more about ac3, 5.1, etc etc. I used to avoid all those because 360 wouldnt play them.

I like how this thread claims this is a new model, when LG said its discontinued.. I cant find any information about this.
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post #24 of 222
3/25/11 at 4:08am
These models were announced in January and it looks like (from this thread) they first became available in February. I can't see how they can possibly be discontinued. I don't even think they're widely available yet.

Last year's models (335, 535, 975(?)) ARE discontinued. But at least they are on LG's website!
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post #25 of 222
3/25/11 at 5:42am
It's funny, amazon.com is selling the LHB536 for fairly cheap, but they have it listed as having rear wireless speakers. I got really excited and then checked in with DeAd MiKe 187 and he confirmed that the rear speakers are, in fact, wired. WTF, amazon???
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post #26 of 222
3/25/11 at 4:28pm
I bought the LG 42LV3500 from bestBuy and in the store they told me its 120hz. The signage said 120hz.
I come home, box doesnt say 120 anywhere and I check the manual. Settings only have 24 and 60. LG Website said 60hz. I check bestbuy site, 120hz.
I only laugh at this because I worked there a year and we had people come in all the time with stories about lies, good chunk of them just hustling to return broken products, but I guess some were true.
Then again LG apparently doesnt know whats up.
heres a bit from an email they sent me
"The LHB335 and 336 are the same unit. And yes, they are both discontinued as are all of our 2010 products. "
Scott B.
E-mail Administrator
Customer Interactive Center
LGEAI

nice to know an admin doesnt know what for.
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post #27 of 222
3/25/11 at 4:54pm
TheGlow, these units are 24hz and 60hz. 24hz is compatible with 120hz. If you have a 120hz HDTV, you want to set the LG to 24hz, not 60hz.

Blu-rays are 24 frames-per-second - hence, 24hz. Only TVs are 120hz, not Blu-ray players.
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post #28 of 222
3/25/11 at 5:36pm
Thread Starter 
The LG manual lists "MPEG2 TS" as a compatible file type for disc, USB, and even DLNA. Is this a Video_TS folder? Can someone with one of these units test a VideoTS folder from USB?
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post #29 of 222
3/26/11 at 8:01am
I have been researching the LG536 for 2 weeks and finally found the best price at BUYDIG.com for $449.00, free shipping and no sales tax. I also entered coupon code ENDOFWINTER15 and got an additional $15.00 off for a total of $434.00. My system arrived in 6 days total. Yesterday 3/25/11, I set it up and found out the connection for the subwoofer is not working so I have to mail it to LG for repair. What a pain! In addition the installation manual is truly lacking clarity. The so called color coded wires for the speakers are tiny little pieces of color tape at the end of the wire. The printed manual and the operators manual on the CD are not very clear about connecting your TV or HD cable box. The overall construction is flimsy metal and plastic and particle board compared to my previous Panasonic SC-HT810V home theater system, which was durable metal and heavy plastic. I replaced my Panasonic because it was not Blu-ray and I wanted to connect to internet for NetFlix and other streaming video. Also the LG remote is not a learning remote so you have to use it to turn on power and the select the correct input for TV, then you have to use the Comcast cable box remote to change channels but you have to use the LG remote to control the volume. I contacted LG about this and they did not seem to care. The fact now that I have to mail in my LG A/V unit so they can repair the subwoofer connection that they say will take 7-10 days is a REAL pain. I got a good price but now I am paying the price for buying online.
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post #30 of 222
3/26/11 at 9:37am
Ok, to answer the question, no it does not seem to play VIDEO_TS ("Video format not supported"). I don't have any .iso DVD rips right now to test those.
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