LG 42PG60D (42-inch plasma)

Print

Email

Bookmark

Share

Add to My Products

By Philip Wong, CNET Asia
Sep 12, 2008

The LG PG60-series plasma HDTVs are truly unique in Asia with their integrated HD broadcast reception capability. They're also precious gems in the connectivity department, offering up to four HDMI ports to cater to a dazzling array of compatible HD equipment. You could, for instance, hook up a digital video recorder, gaming console and Blu-ray player to the panel with room for either an HD camcorder or laptop.

Design

The seamless design of the bezel frame.
(Click for larger image)

If you are tired of the usual protruding panel frame, the 42LG60D's frameless bezel will be a refreshing change. Cut from a single sheet of glass and comparable to the flagship Panasonic PY850s, LG's award-winning "single layer frameless protection" design delivers a seamlessly smooth panel surface. Like most of its siblings, it also features the Mark Levinson-tuned invisible speaker system. This keeps clutter to a bare minimum and blends well the red tinted bottom that is arched inwards, while the entire TV is held upright by a sturdy swivel stand in a matching glossy hue.

While we're glad that the side HDMI and A/V ports are a lot more accessible mounted on the left edge, the same cannot be said for its onboard TV controls. Instead of a clear view of these buttons, they have now gone undercover below the chassis and are troublesome to operate. That said, the TV does have a proper cable management system which makes use of a detachable cable tie and bracket. These are wide enough to manage a bundle of cables, routing them neatly along its rear perforated metal chassis. Furthermore, there's no audible noise from the set as it runs silently without a cooling fan.

The auxiliary A/V inputs are much closer to the edge this time.
(Click for larger image)

Believe it or not, LG has being using, fundamentally, the same remote design since 2006. The version for the PG60 has minimal physical variation beyond a couple of new keys for its digital TV tuner and a fresh coat of glossy paint. You will still get multifunctional VCR/DVD playback controls even with non-LG boxes, though dedicated input buttons have been elusive so far. A solution to facilitate input device selection using software filtering and hardware detection would have been better. On a positive note, the controller does offer a comfortable grip and matching responsiveness.

Another key area which needs an overhaul is its software user menu. Aside from the interface's uninspiring look and feel, the spread of video and audio options are hardly comprehensive. You have the basic controls to tune settings such as color and sharpness, plus extras to manipulate its proprietary XD picture processing. All these are captured in one of the two user-customizable video modes which are tied separately to the TV's inputs. For those too lazy to toggle with the video settings, there are three more locked Dynamic, Standard and Movie modes, pre-optimized for different room lighting conditions. What's missing is a sensor-based option which is becoming increasingly common nowadays.

Features »