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LG Electronics 42LGX 42-Inch LCD HDTV

14.11.2008
Few things stand out about LG's 42LGX--except its price. At US$2000 (as of November 4, 2008), this 120-Hz HDTV costs twice as much as its stablemate, . The notes from our performance jury offer little praise for the 42LGX's picture quality. One judge described several images as "flat" and found the visuals in chapter 12 of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl to be "very dull." Another judge complained that the same scene was "a little bit too dark to see the details." In an American Idol clip, one person's face looked more like oil paint on canvas than like human skin.

The TV looks cool when it's not in operation. Rather than going with the industry-standard basic black, LG adopted a red theme--as does another 42-inch HDTV from LG, . The back of the TV is red, and a red circle below the screen glows when the set is switched off.

Once it's on, you'll find that using the 42LGX is easy. The first time around, its setup wizard asks whether you're using it at home or in a store, and adjusts things accordingly. When you select inputs, the 42LGX prioritizes your options based on which devices have something coming out of them. A quick-access menu provides access to options you're likely to change, such as Aspect Ratio, Picture Mode, and Sound Mode.

The built-in audio performs well-- in quiet scenes, anyway--with virtual surround sound that puts you in the story, but the speakers strain to handle big sound. You can plug a flash drive or other external storage device into the 42LGX to view photos or listen to MP3s.

The 42LGX has a lot to offer, but its high price limits its appeal.