LG Plasma HD Quality not good enough!

[Lordbenny]

I've got a 42" LG plasma and although the picture is good, whenever I go to friends houses and see their pictures they always seem better than mine! Obviously I've tinkered with the settings and Im using decent HDMI leads. What else can I try to make it better?

[Ultuous]

In what way is your picture not good enough? You say you've 'tinkered' with the settings but have you done a basic calibration (i.e. either against a 'proper' calibration disc or against the setup guides that come with some films)?

[Flawless Victory]

Lordbenny said:

I've got a 42" LG plasma

Well, there's your problem right there.

Lordbenny said:

and although the picture is good, whenever I go to friends houses and see their pictures they always seem better than mine! Obviously I've tinkered with the settings and Im using decent HDMI leads. What else can I try to make it better?

Spend more money on a better TV?
Should've bought a Kuro when you had the chance.

[cheddar]

I had a 42" LG and also thought that everyone else's picture was better - because it was.

So I upgraded to a 50" Panasonic GT30 and now everyone thinks my picture is better than theirs - because it is.

Massively.

Get the Panasonic, stop being disappointed, stop playing with your telly, it's rubbish, always will be and no amount of 'contrast fiddling' will fix it, don't argue, get the Panasonic.

[danneth]

There's nothing wrong with LG, but it seems you have one of the lower end models

[normalbloke]

I think he's run off and thrown himself under a bus after your uplifting replies!

[StormLoaded]

Surprised with your HD quality issues.
I have a 50" LG and its HD pic is better than my 42" panny (although to be fair that is a bit older). SD is another thing mind!.. but its HD image is excellent - i just use the default "THX-Cinema" display setting.

[JABB]

danneth said:

There's nothing wrong with LG when it is switched off.

There, fixed it for you

[danneth]

JABB said:

There, fixed it for you

Thats your opinion

[JABB]

LOL, it seems mine and quite a few others who may have done a like for like.
There will always be a market though, just think Kia etc.

[danneth]

JABB said:

LOL, it seems mine and quite a few others who may have done a like for like.
There will always be a market though, just think Kia etc.

What are you trying to say the higher model LG's aren't any good?

[JABB]

You do get what you pay for. Most low end tvs are made to a budget, to compete at the bottom end and be bought on price. There are a few brands which fit this model. The higher up the scale you go, usually the quality gets better, as those wanting the cheapest have bought one. There are brands though, which for not a lot more, will give consistently better results. Pioneer always were one of the few at the top end. Panasonic are up there also. There are some horrendous sets out there too, just browse Tescos.
Personally, I don't rate LG, Samsung, or similar and would always find the extra to get a better TV. Also, there seems to be a early death / planned obsolescence on some of the lesser brands, as it seems they want you to buy every five years or so.
Again, to align with cars, Fords and Vauxhalls work, and do the job, but a BMW or Mercedes, for a little more, IMHO is a better car.

[danneth]

JABB said:

You do get what you pay for. Most low end tvs are made to a budget, to compete at the bottom end and be bought on price. There are a few brands which fit this model. The higher up the scale you go, usually the quality gets better, as those wanting the cheapest have bought one. There are brands though, which for not a lot more, will give consistently better results. Pioneer always were one of the few at the top end. Panasonic are up there also. There are some horrendous sets out there too, just browse Tescos.
Personally, I don't rate LG, Samsung, or similar and would always find the extra to get a better TV. Also, there seems to be a early death / planned obsolescence on some of the lesser brands, as it seems they want you to buy every five years or so.
Again, to align with cars, Fords and Vauxhalls work, and do the job, but a BMW or Mercedes, for a little more, IMHO is a better car.

But there are also better ford's out there then some BMW's, what exactly is a BMW better at then some ford's or vauxhalls?

Lets take the LE8900 for instance, is this not a good TV?

[Trustmeimadoctor]

JABB said:

You do get what you pay for. Most low end tvs are made to a budget, to compete at the bottom end and be bought on price. There are a few brands which fit this model. The higher up the scale you go, usually the quality gets better, as those wanting the cheapest have bought one. There are brands though, which for not a lot more, will give consistently better results. Pioneer always were one of the few at the top end. Panasonic are up there also. There are some horrendous sets out there too, just browse Tescos.
Personally, I don't rate LG, Samsung, or similar and would always find the extra to get a better TV. Also, there seems to be a early death / planned obsolescence on some of the lesser brands, as it seems they want you to buy every five years or so.
Again, to align with cars, Fords and Vauxhalls work, and do the job, but a BMW or Mercedes, for a little more, IMHO is a better car.

you sound like you work for dixons with the crap your spouting lol

[Lordbenny]

It's funny, I didnt expect the responses I have got after my initial post. It seems that I am an idiot for buying a Richer Sounds LG Plasma and I should put up with the incredibly poor performance of such a hideous piece of equipment! All I was asking was how to calibrate it properly without getting geeky anoraks spouting out that I should have bought the Nagasaki XP 67853749503 instead!

Que, Not The 9 O'clock News sketch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSINO6MKtco

[Ultuous]

Lordbenny said:

All I was asking was how to calibrate it properly

Have a look on AV Forums - there's a some calibration files (AVS 709) you can download and burn to disc for free from there... If that's too much messing around, used a test pattern off a DVD or Bluray you have as I mentioned above (I got a pretty good cal off one of my ex's 'cartoons' prior to going the AVS route - Toy Story I think it was!)

[Luke.]

Lordbenny said:

It's funny, I didnt expect the responses I have got after my initial post. It seems that I am an idiot for buying a Richer Sounds LG Plasma and I should put up with the incredibly poor performance of such a hideous piece of equipment! All I was asking was how to calibrate it properly without getting geeky anoraks spouting out that I should have bought the Nagasaki XP 67853749503 instead!

Que, Not The 9 O'clock News sketch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSINO6MKtco

Which LG is it? I bought the 50" PX990 and think it's great personally.

[Ultuous]

Ultuous said:

(I got a pretty good cal off one of my ex's 'cartoons' prior to going the AVS route - Toy Story I think it was!)

I just read that back and realised how dodgy it sounds!

[FlossyThePig]

Lordbenny said:

It's funny, I didnt expect the responses I have got after my initial post.

This is PH remember, for every helpful response you will get loads of unhelpful, biased replies.
Some people can't see beyond their sacred cow item.

I was in John Lewis (Norwich) last Sunday and judging by the thickness of the sets there wasn't a plasma TV on display.

[Lordbenny]

Luke. said:

Which LG is it?

LG 42PG£000, I've been on a few AV sites and strangely people are recommending COMPLETELY different calibration settings, some say -10 green tint, some say +10, some say 100% contrast, some say 65%. I suppose I'll have to just suck it and see!