LG 55LH40 LCD 55"
Since the conversion of Lucky Goldstar to Life is Good, LG has become a competitive company in many areas. HDTVs is one of those areas and one of their basic LCD TVs is the LG 55LH40. This LCD TV is a step down from the 55LH55 but it costs a few hundred dollars less for almost the same quality. There is also a 55LH50 series but the only difference really, is the included widgets.
The LG 55LH40 is a 55” LCD TV with full 1080p high definition. The 55” is the biggest in the LH40 series but is also available in a variety of sizes down to 32”. LG has integrated the 120Hz refresh rate into the system for that smoother motion that some people really love. However, the motion is… different then some people are used to or like and some have had the issue of juddering motion while it is in use, but it is easy to turn off if you wish to do so.
This LCD TV only has a 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. That probably falls somewhere on the low end of the scale since 150,000:1 and 100,000:1 are both pretty common in LCD’s. The lower dynamic contrast ratio will be an issue for those planning on using this TV in a theater room or other low light settings. You will notice that the blacks are washed out and that the picture in general is not as clear.
One of the biggest differences between the 55LH40 and other LCD TVs is that it has a 3ms response time. The response times measure how long it takes for a pixel to go from black to white and back to black. The faster the response time the better the picture and performance of your TV is and there aren’t many TVs that out do LG in this area.
Some of the more unique features on the 55LH40 are the AV Mode II, Invisible Speaker System and Clear Voice II. AV Mode II is basically 3 preset audio and video settings. The first is Cinema Mode which is set for D65 to give your movies more of a film like feel to them. D65 is defined as the standard daylight illuminant. The Second is Sport Mode which enhances primary colors giving the games a more intense tone. Lastly there is Games mode which enhances the black levels.
The Invisible Speaker System is just that, invisible speakers. The speakers have been concealed within the frame of the TV and engineered for better acoustics to deliver the sound more evenly throughout the room. Along with that is Clear Voice II which basically amplifies dialogue. There is a range of six different positions that you can set so that you get the dialogue just how you want it. No more blowing your ear drums out because you have to turn up the volume enough to hear the dialogue over the background noise.
The connections on this LCD TV are very basic, you will find 4 HDMI ports, component and composite inputs, a USB port and of course a PC input for connecting your TV to your computer. Overall we were pleased with the setup of the connections and found it easy to get things up and going.
Help and support on LGs site is good enough for most but they do lack a FAQs section which is a big drawback for those looking to get quick answers without spending the time trying to contact someone. They do offer live chat and a phone number so the lack of a FAQs section isn’t quite so hard to deal with.
Summary:
If you’re looking for a great “bang for buck” TV, the LG 55LH40 isn’t a bad way to go. It may not have some of the features that the later models have, like internet widgets and such, but it’s got decent picture quality and screen size for just less than the competition.