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LG 32LC2D with 1600:1 contrast ratio now Available

post #1 of 78
3/20/06 at 9:09pm
Thread Starter 
I was on bestbuy.com today and was surprised to notice new 32" and 37" LG LCDs with very favorable specs compared to Sharp, Sony, etc. Both models are rated at 1600:1 contrast ratio wich far surpasses the not yet released models from Sharp and Sony. Both models have only 1366x768 resolution, but the new 32" models from Sharp and Sony also top out there. With this great contrast ratio on paper, I'm very surprised there isn't more fanfare about these new models. After trying the Sharp 32DA5U and Westinghouse LVM-37w1 without complete satisfaction, I'm tempted to give the LG a shot with these solid specs. Has anyone seen the LG 32LC2D in person yet? It should just be arriving at most Best Buys. Here are the complete specs:

XD Engine combines 6 distinct processes that improve brightness, contrast, detail and color, as well as reducing signal noise for high resolution and cinema-like images


BlackStretcher circuitry extends black levels in bright scenes for enhanced picture contrast and detail


Super IPS technology reduces distortion and blurring caused by fast motion video and provides 178° wide viewing angles

Built-In HDTV Tuner

8ms response time

High brightness (500 cd/m²) and incredible contrast (1600:1)


3D Y/C digital comb filter delivers state-of-the-art detail and color enhancement


30W 2-way 2 speaker system for improved audio


SRS TruSurround XT delivers a virtual surround sound experience; EZ Sound with 6 modes and 3D Echo sound system


EZ SoundRite volume leveler keeps sound consistent


Inputs: 1 HDMI, 1 PC (RGB/DTV), 1 audio, 2 composite A/V (1 side, 1 rear), 2 component A/V, 2 S-video (1 side, 1 rear)


Outputs: 1 composite A/V and 1 optical digital audio


V-Chip parental controls keep children from being exposed to undesirable material; channel block


Image sticking minimization protects the screen from damage caused by stationary images


Other convenient features include favorite channel selection/surf, on/off timer, sleep timer, flashback, EZ Scan auto programming, closed caption and screen adjust


Again, spec wise this set appears very impressive compared to other 32" LCDs. Is there a reason LG LCD fans are absent from this great forum?
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post #2 of 78
3/20/06 at 9:41pm
Most LCD now and especially for ahilw will have a 1366x768 resolution.LG does have a higher contrast than others but there is no real rating that does contrast from a manufactures.Look at the new Samsung LCD's stating 4,000:1 contrast.Also the black level on the new LG LCD's are very poor except for the LG 42LCD.
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post #3 of 78
3/21/06 at 6:59am
Thread Starter 
Quote:


Most LCD now and especially for ahilw will have a 1366x768 resolution.LG does have a higher contrast than others but there is no real rating that does contrast from a manufactures.Look at the new Samsung LCD's stating 4,000:1 contrast.Also the black level on the new LG LCD's are very poor except for the LG 42LCD.

In Samsung's case, they're definitely quoting dynamic contrast ratio which is always higher. With LG, I'm confident they're using standard contrast ratio which equates to the 1200:1-Sharps and 1300:1 Sony. You're right about differences in how the manufactureres measure things. How do you know what settings they used. Any other thoughts about 1600:1 LGs vs. other LCDs? Is it significant?

Thanks
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post #4 of 78
3/21/06 at 11:12am
Thread Starter 
bump...not too many members interested in LG?
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post #5 of 78
3/21/06 at 11:18am
Either they're using dynamic, or they're being generous with their specs, or they're using some interesting measurement method.

Remember, specmanship sells, so it's in their interest to use as high a number as possible.

P.S. How well does dynamic contrast adjustment work anyways?
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post #6 of 78
3/21/06 at 12:06pm
Yeah, the new LGs have interesting specs. They have had the 32LX1D in CC for quite a while, and I wasn't really too impressed with it. It seemed to me to look cheaply built and had a washed-out picture. I did not spend any time trying to adjust the picture so take that FWIW. That model had a 1200:1 contrast ratio, so the new ratio doesn't look that out of line with the amount of improvement the other manufacturers are reporting for their new models.
I like the looks of the new models with the bottom-mounted speakers. Now we need to get them in stores so that we can compare them to the other new models. The new Samsungs are in stores, the LGs are on the way. Hopefully the Panasonics and Sharps aren't far behind. This should be a fun time to look at the new models.
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post #7 of 78
3/21/06 at 12:56pm
lg's picture are great and they have a lot more idea's than other company's like tv guide on screen and 160GB HD DVR built right into the tv. if they had a 1080p model that actually accepts 1080p then i would have to compare it to a sony im looking forward to.
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post #8 of 78
3/21/06 at 1:40pm
This is the brand Lucky - Goldstar. The old Goldstar stuff was pretty bad. I haven't been impressed with what I have seen from LG, yet. Perhaps the new models have improved, we shall see.

We really need a CR standard for this equipment, numbers are all over the place.
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post #9 of 78
3/21/06 at 8:12pm
Most settings are going to be jacked up there on contrast for Samsung.there new LN-SXX51D series is really nice.The LG's have been know for the past couple of years to have a low black level.Normally they have created ideas like coming out with built in dvr,.This year i would said go more and get alot better with something else.Cause personally for the price the Samsung 40 is giong to blow the LG away.You could also go with the KDL-40S2000 if your wanting one of the best sets.If you not keen of no cabled card or gray embroider then go with the XBR.
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post #10 of 78
3/24/06 at 8:04pm
Thread Starter 
So is the consensus opinion that LG LCDs aren't up to par with Sony, Sharp, etc? Has anyone seen the new LG 32LC2D? I'm curious if the new LGs have improved enough to provide comparable picture quality to Sony and Sharp? Again, the 1600:1 contrast ration sounds good, but it seems you guys discount the importance of that.
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post #11 of 78
3/24/06 at 9:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Sabin View Post

So is the consensus opinion that LG LCDs aren't up to par with Sony, Sharp, etc? Has anyone seen the new LG 32LC2D? I'm curious if the new LGs have improved enough to provide comparable picture quality to Sony and Sharp? Again, the 1600:1 contrast ration sounds good, but it seems you guys discount the importance of that.


Only among Sony and Sharp owners
I got the LG 37 LP1D for my bedroom and compared it the latest from sharp and sony (size range was around 37 for the sharp and 40 for the sony IIRC) and the PQ from the LG was just a good in both HD and SD IMHO. The LG actually bested the sharp and sony models in that it had firewire inputs (maybe there are models that do have them, but there were none were I tested). The digital tuners on the LG are very sensitive and can do OTA, and QAM64/256 (unencrypted digital cable)--plus it has cable card. My only dislikes are than it can not do 1:1 pixel mapping from the PC (unless you want to try fiddling with powerstrip--I haven't and even then I'm not sure it will play nicely).

I went in expecting to buy a sharp based on its large fan base and then maybe the sony since I have a Sony RP LCD that does a wonderful job, but when the match was over the LG was the winner for my needs. Go and try to view the sets and form your own opinion because in the end that's all that counts.

BTW, Toshiba and Hitachi also have displays but after almost three hours of DVDs, HD OTA, sat HD (dirtv) and xbox360 auditioning on the various sets, I had found what I liked in the LG.
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post #12 of 78
3/25/06 at 3:30am
I have a 37lc2d and I'm very happy with the PQ especially after calibration. Plus, the OTA tuner is quite sensitive.

Too bad there are not many owners out there yet. Googling "37lc2d" returns everything in Korean...
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post #13 of 78
3/25/06 at 12:57pm
Thread Starter 
Does Best Buy have the new LG 32LC2D on display yet?
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post #14 of 78
3/26/06 at 4:58pm
Thread Starter 
I just got the 32LC2D from Best Buy and so far I'm very impressed with the HD picture quality. The black levels and contrast are far superior than the Sharp 32DA5U and Westinghouse LVM-37w1 I previously tried. I'll report back more later.
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post #15 of 78
3/27/06 at 12:14pm
Thread Starter 
Any other LG 32LC2D owners out there wanting to share their thoughts?
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post #16 of 78
3/27/06 at 12:52pm
I own the 26LX1D which is last years 26 inch model. I believe the only difference is that the 32LC2D has a swivel stand, but I could be wrong.

I have owned this TV for over a month and have been very impressed. When you consider that this set was selling for around 800.00 cheaper than the Sony Bravia I was considering gettting, I just couldn't see that much of a difference between the Sony and LG to justify the 800.00 price difference. Both the Bravia and the LG have very similar specs. Also, this set was roughly the same price as the Sony WEGA LCD which did not have a built in tuner.

The PQ on this set when viewing HD programming is just as good as my 50in Sony LCD Grand Wega but the PQ on the LG when viewing SD programming is superior to the Sony. Most likely attributed to a smaller screen size.

The LG is very user friendly, has excellent PQ, and a built in tuner with a price tag of typical LCD's without a tuner. I just could not pass up on the deal.

My only beef with this set is the lone HDMI input. Every set should have multiple HDMI / DVI inputs.
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post #17 of 78
3/27/06 at 2:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by syhtomb View Post

I own the 26LX1D which is last years 26 inch model. I believe the only difference is that the 32LC2D has a swivel stand, but I could be wrong...

The 32LC2D claims to have a better contrast ratio than the older 32LX1D (1600:1 instead of 1200:1), and the 2D has also lost a few pounds. Other than that there doesn't seem to be much difference other than the styling and bottom speakers. I don't think it has a swivel stand. I saw one of the 2D models over the weekend and thought that overall styling and picture were pretty good but not great. The 2D seemed to have a darker picture than the surrounding models. Good black levels and color but not as good contrast and detail. There was no remote available to try changing the settings.

Keep the reviews coming!
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post #18 of 78
3/28/06 at 10:02pm
I actually just bought one tonight to see if I could tolerate a 32" in the living room due to space requirements. I have intentions of taking it back to BB and buying an LC3200N HP for $300 less.

I am happy with the picture in most ways. Blacks could be better BUT I am not using component cables yet nor do I have an HD source.

B
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post #19 of 78
3/31/06 at 11:56am
Any more thoughts/reviews on the new LGs? I hope to decide shortly between the 32LC2D, the Sharp LC-32D40U and the Samsung LN-S3251D. I'll decide mostly by what my eyes tell me, but I like to read about what others think.
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post #20 of 78
3/31/06 at 12:27pm
I noticed that component connection provides better black levels on my 37lc2d. When calibrating using DVE, the "blacker than black" was only visible with component but not HDMI. I'm not sure whether this is because of the different connections or the TV itself.

Right now I'm sticking with component connection. I'm very happy with my 37lc2d and I'm watching hours of HD programs per day (mainly DiscoveryHD, Equator, CBS, Rush, and HDNet). Most CBS HD shows on this set look simply stunning! Some SD shows/commercials on digital channels may often pass as HD if you are not looking closely.

In addition to the superb PQ, I like the fact that the speakers are mounted at the bottom.
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post #21 of 78
4/2/06 at 11:24am
Just bought the LG 32LC2D yesterday and got it up and running in minutes. The picture quality out of the box is pretty good but with tweaks to personal preferences it really shines.

I went through 3 tvs to get to this but it was worth it. Had gotten the sammy slimfit... returned 2 of them because of quality issues and changed to the lg 30" crt. There was a marked difference in quality from the LG and so I just upgraded all the way to this beauty. Tested it with laptop, PS2 and sammy upconverting DVD player. Cannot stress enough the difference in quality of this set.
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post #22 of 78
4/2/06 at 12:32pm
Saw the LG 42" LCD, didn't cut it on the black levels. Off axis and black screen was tinged purple - something I have seen on Philips sets. In fairness, it could have been a bad set - but I was not favorably impressed.

I'd like to see the Koreans do well in this arena, they have really done wonders for LCD technology.
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post #23 of 78
4/2/06 at 1:22pm
Thread Starter 
Just wanted to give an update:

I returned my 32LC2D several days ago due to servere vertical banding among other things. With any horizontal panning (quick motion), I would see vertical lines, especially with a uniform background (light blue or white. Also, as mark 1080p pointed out, there was a purple tint to the black (very noticeable during dark scenes). Also, after coming from the Westy 37w1, the 1366x769 res doesn't cut it.

I now have the Westy 37w3 and so far I'm very impressed with its great 1080p res and better black levels.
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post #24 of 78
4/2/06 at 7:27pm
The LG doesn't seem to have the black level that the Samsung 51 series or the Sony Bravias have. The only advantage I see is that the LG is available in a 37".
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post #25 of 78
4/4/06 at 12:01pm
I'm looking into geting the 37 inch model. I saw it on display at Best Buy and was impressed by the picture quality compaired to more expensive Sony and Samsung Models. Is the vertical banding a isolated issue or should I expect it with all LG units?
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post #26 of 78
4/23/06 at 6:31am
I have just purchased this display [ LG 37LC2D ] from a local Circuit City as an open box special. Unfortunately after hours of tweaking, I have not been able to drive this display with my pc at 1:1 pixel mapping. It appears that the VGA input is limited to 1024x768@60hz, and the HDMI [DVI->HDMI] signal becomes horribly distorted past 1280x720. Furthermore, when driving the display via HDMI @ 1280x720, the image is clipped on all sides of the display by about 20 pixels or so. The best resolution I have been able to achieve without clipping is 1152x720, which then leaves a 40-60 pixel blank horizontal bar on the bottom of the panel. Every resolution achievable [Disregarding 1024x768 /w 4:3 aspect ratio] causes everything to appear washed out or blurry.

After attempting almost every PowerStrip custom resolution I could find, I am at the point where I consider 1:1 pixel mapping at 1366x768 impossible on this LCD display.

Could someone please prove me wrong?
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post #27 of 78
4/23/06 at 8:10pm
Sharp Aquos is the better TV for the price.Is 300 or so more than the LG but well worth it.They dont knock the contrast up but has better black level and coloring than all other TV's of that price.Also has 2 HDMI's and 2 components.Better view angles for the price...
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post #28 of 78
4/24/06 at 5:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hi im drummer03 View Post

Sharp Aquos is the better TV for the price.Is 300 or so more than the LG but well worth it.They dont knock the contrast up but has better black level and coloring than all other TV's of that price.Also has 2 HDMI's and 2 components.Better view angles for the price...

Perhaps but the price I paid ("cost" on an open box) my 32" lg was less expensive than a Westinghouse. seems like too much money for any 32" lcd but I guess it all depends....
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post #29 of 78
4/26/06 at 10:39am
Moderator

please: no price talk

Thank you
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post #30 of 78
4/26/06 at 4:29pm
Doing some comrision research before I Buy . . .

I went to the store and looked at this model today. To me it had the most features and the best picture. But the sales rep kept pushing me to other brands.

Plus looking at the LG LCD thread counts here few have LG LCDs, are they not very popular or just to new?

Or do they have so few of issues that no one talks about the brand (doubt that )


Anyway, how does this model compare to my other choice in the mid range price, the

Samsung - 32" Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD HDTV LN-S3251D ?
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