LG 42PC55 review

LG 42PC55 Review

Reviewed by: Ian Morris

Reviewed on: 4 May 2007

As 1080p televisions continue to become more popular and people start to demand the latest technology, the prices of 720p screens are going to drop. This is great news if you're in the market for a high-definition screen but can't afford (or don't want) the top-spec system.

The LG 42PC55 is a 720p TV, which will probably appeal to those who want a nice big telly for their lounge but don't want to empty their bank to get one. The 42PC55 is certainly going to impress with its big screen and funky piano-black finish.

Design
The glossy black 'piano' finish on the LG 42PC55 makes it look pretty stylish. As we've seen with other glossy TV frames, the finish does reflect quite a lot of light. This, coupled with the reflective glass screen, means that this TV is better suited to dark rooms rather than brightly lit ones.

At the side of the TV, you'll find the usual composite video input and S-Video in -- ideal for hooking up your camcorder or games console. This is a pretty handy feature, and it can be especially useful if you wall-mount the TV.

At the rear of the set are two HDMI sockets and component video in, as well as the usual Scart inputs

To the rear there is a generous selection of inputs, including two HDMI, two Scart sockets and component video in. There is also a VGA input for connecting your PC or media centre to the TV, the usual resolutions are supported. There is also an optical digital out, to enable you to get better sound quality from Freeview broadcasts via an external amplifier.

The remote control is fairly long but it feels pretty good to hold -- it's not overly heavy and the buttons you'll want to use most often are all within easy reach. The remote also features a button that allows you to adjust the brightness of the screen, without going into a menu. This may sound insignificant, but it's actually quite handy to be able to adjust the brightness without drilling through dozens of menus.

Features
When you first turn the 42PC55 on you'll be presented with the tuning menu. The TV tunes in both analogue and digital services at the same time -- it's not especially quick at doing so but it does the job.

We have found the menus on LG televisions to be pretty good -- they may not be the most beautiful things we've ever seen, but everything is where it should be. There are menus for configuring the tuning setup, picture, sound and various other options. The picture settings include things like colour temperate adjustments and LG's XD engine.

The XD engine aims to increase the picture quality by making pictures look more natural. Depending on what you watch, it can either make a pleasant difference or be barely noticeable. Some people will like the results; others will prefer an unprocessed image.

The 42PC55 is also happy to accept a 1080p input. Obviously, being a 720p screen it can't display it in all its glory, but it will downscale to the panel's native resolution. While this isn't as good as actually supporting 1080p, it's a handy feature to include.