LG 37LE5300 37-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV, Silver Grey Review
This is my first flatscreen TV. I bought the TV based on 4 specific features: 120Hz refresh rate, the LED backlight (and resulting power savings), the ability to play video files from USB, and 24P Real Cinema feature. I’m glad I made the purchase. Setup was easy, with only 8 screws to attach the stand to the TV. The unit is stable. I’m impressed by how thin the TV is. All the front lights can be turned off. The screen is a matte finish (no reflective cover). The TV doesn’t have networking capability, but I wanted to buy the best TV I could afford and then use a Blu-ray player to provide the network interface.
I didn’t know much about HDTVs a week ago and what I learned after about 8 hours of research and reviews is that the picture I actually see on the screen is heavily dependent on the source signal and the many different conversions the signal may go through (frame rate, aspect ratio change, deinterlacing, etc.) before it actually gets to the screen (the result of not feeding it a pure 1080p HDTV signal over an HDMI cable). I was really frustrated over looking at TVs in retail stores because doing comparisons side-by-side, I figured, was useless unless I knew what the original source video was and whether or not all the settings in the TV were set right. I ended up buying this TV because I figured it would give a great picture so long as I fed it with good source video. So far, that’s true.
Right now, I only have a DVD player and a USB hard drive connected to it. My cheap little DVD player outputs in 480i or 480p. The 480i signal has less jaggies on this TV than 480p. My guess is that the deinterlacer in the DVD player is low quality, so the 480p signal fed to the TV is not so good. I’m confident a 480p signal will look better once it’s coming from a decent upconverting DVD player or Blu-ray player. All my anamorphic widescreen (1.78, 1.85, and 2.35) DVDs display great with the TV set to 16×9. 4:3 TV stuff (like old X-Files videos) display properly too. DVDs are clear, crisp and smooth.
I’m really impressed by the ability to play videos from a USB drive. So far I’ve played .avi, .mkv, .vob and .divx files up to 720p quality and file sizes between 500 MB and 2.1 GB. (When I hit the Info button on the remote, it looks like most of my .avi and .mkv files are encoded as MP4 and H.264, if that helps.) Windows .wmv files do not play. Quality is beautiful! No stuttering or pixilation. One problem I’ve faced, however, is the audio and video getting out of sync on some videos after about 20 minutes of play (the video starts to lag behind). I’ve been able to re-sync it by pressing stop and play. (Maybe it’ll get fixed with a firmware update? Or maybe it’s a problem with my files?) By the way, USB videos can be resumed from where you left off if you press stop or if the video stops. Once in awhile, videos will just stop on their own, but I’m able to start them again and they’ll pick up and play just fine where they left off. I don’t know if that’s an issue with the file, the USB drive, or the TV. Aspect ratio modes are limited in USB mode: I only get the option of “Original size” or “Full” (which expands the video to the entire TV). Haven’t had any problem yet with the “Full” setting because all my video files appear to be encoded in widescreen formats.
The LED backlighting is adjustable, either by changing the AV mode (standard, cinema, sports, etc) or by setting the power saving feature to “Auto”. At full strength, I see some LED light vignetting at the corners of the screen when there’s just a black image being displayed. (I see the same thing on my LED PC monitors).
I don’t have much to compare it to, but the remote works just fine for me. It took a little bit to figure out how to get to all the features (especially the 24P Cinema Mode, which is a couple menus deep).
Sound is just fine for my tastes. The volume runs from 0 to 100 and gets plenty loud enough to be too loud when sitting about 7 feet away. Sound quality is fine and actually has a pretty good frequency response range…it’s not tinny or muffled. ClearVoice does add some crispness to voices.
TruMotion is kinda neat. It “interpolates” and inserts additional frames which really smooths out motion on any video I’ve fed it so far. Sometimes the results are desirable…sometimes not. On a “I am Legend” DVD, for example, setting the TruMotion to “Low” smooths out the video and adds to the quality in my opinion. It does add a little bit of the “Soap Opera Effect”–unnaturally clear and smooth video when compared to traditional 24-frame per second movies, so I just turn TruMotion off if I don’t like the result. On some of my HD video from the USB drive, TruMotion makes motion more blurry, so I just turn it off. Again, the benefit seems to be dependent on the frame rate and quality of the original video signal.
The 120Hz refresh rate and the 24P Real Cinema mode are all about displaying film and video at their native frame rates without the need to do “pull down” frame rate coversions to the video signal which can cause judder (stuttering). I’m still learning about “judder” and “pull down” so I really don’t have anything to compare good vs. bad video quality. I can say that I don’t experience any stuttering no matter what DVDs I play.
I love the quality I’m getting out of this TV right now and it’s only going to get better when I can actually feed it full 1080p signals. I will definitely look at LG LED-LcD TVs when it comes time to buy a bigger TV for the living room.
I learned a lot about this TV’s features by reading the online manual at LG before I bought. I now have the CD manual which is 178 pages and goes into a lot more detail about what the TV can do. If you want a copy, send me an email at rgknowlton at hotmail dot com.
LG 37LE5300 37-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV, Silver Grey Feature
- LED Backlighting
- TruMotion 120Hz
- High Definition Resolution
- 3M:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
- Picture Wizard II
LG 37LE5300 37-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV, Silver Grey Overview
Brighter colors. Deeper blacks. Greater energy efficiency. LED display technology is one of the latest advancements and the LE5300 offers it at a price that’s in reach. Now it’s easy to get into LED.
LG 37LE5300 37-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED LCD HDTV, Silver Grey Specifications
Offering energy-saving LED backlighting, 1080p Full HD resolution for crystal-clear detail, and TruMotion 120Hz technology for virtually no motion blur, the 37-inch LG 37LE5300 LED LCD HDTV is also great for watching sports and movies with fast action thanks to its 2ms (millisecond) response time. The latest in HDTV technology, LED delivers deep blacks, bright colors and crisp images to rival any display category, and are the slimmest, most energy efficient televisions available. Improved motion capture allows smooth, natural pictures, even with fast paced action.
Other features include an incredible 3,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for more stunning colors and deeper blacks, one USB port for connecting external drives for playing back MP3 audio, JPEG photo and DivX HD video files, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, and four HDMI inputs.
Key Features
 LCD Panel with LED Backlighting
Tired of dark scenes or dull colors? LG’s LED technology provides a slim profile and delivers amazing brightness, clarity and color detail, as well as greater energy efficiency compared to conventional LCD TVs.
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 Energy Star 4.0
Earning the ENERGY STAR means a product meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. For TVs, it means they save energy both in standby and active (when they’re on) modes. ENERGY STAR qualified TVs use about 30 percent less energy than standard units.
 Smart Energy Saving
With LG’s Smart Energy Saving Features, you can conserve money and energy.
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 Full HD 1080p resolution
This stunning picture is the reason you wanted HDTV in the first place. With almost double the pixel resolution, Full HD 1080p gives it superior picture quality over standard HDTV. You’ll see details and colors like never before.
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 TruMotion 120Hz
TruMotion 120Hz technology lets you see sports, video games and high-speed action with virtually no motion blur. Now your TV can keep up with your fast-moving entertainment.
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 3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio No more worrying about dark scenes or dull colors. The dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1 delivers more stunning colors and deeper blacks than you can imagine.
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 Intelligent Sensor
Don’t strain your eyes. Let your TV do the adjustments for you. Intelligent Sensor automatically optimizes the picture to the lighting and color conditions in the room for a more enjoyable viewing experience.
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 AV Mode
Sports, movies and video games are best enjoyed with customized settings. With AV Mode, you can easily select from one of three picture modes for “Cinema”, Sports” or “Games” to enjoy an optimized picture and sound experience. |
 Picture Wizard
Get easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. Take the guesswork out of picture adjustments with this simple-to-use feature. It’s not actually magic, but it will sure seem that way. |
 24P Real Cinema
Stay in for the theater. Enjoy a true cinema-like experience in your own home with movies the way they are meant to be seen. LG’s Real Cinema technology precisely displays 24p source frames on your screen, the same as on a movie screen. If you love movies, you’ll love Real Cinema. |
 ISFccc Calibration Ready
LG’s ISFccc Ready HDTVs contain the detailed standards necessary for professional calibration of brightness, contrast, tint, sharpness, color levels and much more to meet local lighting conditions for both day and nighttime viewing. Settings are added to preset modes for easy access from your LG remote. |
 Clear Voice II
Get audio the way it was meant to be heard. Clear Voice II enhances and amplifies the frequency range of the human voice to help keep dialogue audible when background noise swells.
 Infinite Sound
What’s a great picture without great sounds to match? Infinite Sound delivers an amazing listening experience with deep, rich bass to make the most of your entertainment.
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 Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital lets you experience compelling 5.1-channel surround sound. And you can trust that you’ll get the same great Dolby Digital audio quality no matter what you’re watching–a DVD or Blu-Ray Disc, TV programming or downloaded content. Best of all, you can be confident that you’ll hear the audio exactly as it was intended, because Dolby Digital is also used to create the soundtracks for movies and games. |
 USB 2.0
Now reliving that fantastic family vacation can happen in the comfort of your living room. Easily connect your external USB devices to enjoy JPEG photos or listen to MP3 files. This HDTV is also compatible with playing back DivX HD video files from a USB drive. |
 HDMI V.1.3 with Deep Color
Make installation of any enabled device a snap. Get 10.2Gbps of bandwidth for deeper colors and more to take advantage of the best Full HD experience. HDMI V.1.3 connectivity lets you prepare yourself for tomorrow’s technology today. |
Key Specifications
- Screen size: 37-inch class (37 inches diagonal)
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (1080p Full HD)
- Dynamic contrast ratio: 3,000,000:1
- Viewing angle: 178 degrees horizontal/vertical
- Response time: 2ms
- Built-in tuner: ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM
- Audio output: 20 watts (10W x 2)
- Speaker system: 2-way, 4 speakers
- Dolby Digital decoder: Yes
- Surround system: Infinite Sound
- Input labeling: Yes
- Swivel stand: ±20 degrees
- VESA compliance: 200mm x 200mm
- Warranty: 1 year parts and labor
Connections
- HDMI (version 1.3, HDCP): 3 rear, 1 side
- Component: 1 rear, 1 side
- Composite A/V: 1 rear, 1 side
- RF: 1 rear
- PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1 rear
- PC audio input: 1 rear
- Digital audio output: 1 optical, rear
- USB: 1 side
- Headphone out: 1 side
- RS-232c input: 1 rear
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Dimensions
- TV without stand: 35.6 x 22.4 x 1.6 inches (WxHxD); 28.2 pounds
- TV with stand: 35.6 x 24.8 x 10.6 inches (WxHxD); 34.4 pounds
- What size TV should you get?
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LG 2010 HDTV Comparison
Learn More
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With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience.
If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get.
- Minimum size = Viewing distance/3
- Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5
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Customer Reviews
What more do you want???!!! – K. D. Hill – Springfield, OH
I have never purchased a television online. I was pleased in ALL aspects of this purchase. My last TV was an HD 60Hz 27 inch. I was nowhere prepared for the picture that I would get from this HDTV. The 120HZ and the contrast make a picture that is almost creepy at how real it is! The setup was easy and I only needed to glance through the instruction manual. I hope LG continues to produce 37 inch HDTVs. I can only imagine what the picture will look like when the refresh goes up!! I would purchase this again without a second thought!
Overall performance of LG LCD 37LE5300 – DMORG – STEUBENVILLE, OH USA
This LG HD LCD 27LE5300 this is an overall exceptional HD Television. The Qualify, Reliability, Performance and ease of use is the best TV performance I have experienced. I have a Samsung 52 inch HD TV and an Westinghouse 32 inch HD TV. Neither matches this LG HD TV model. The only drawback that it has is that LG does not include a paper User Manual. They provide a CD disc with the the User Manual. Since my LG is not even on the same floor as my TV, when I needed a particular answer for setup, I had to run downstairs and look it up and then run upstairs to try to apply what I looked up. This sometime didn’t work and it was back to the computer. I ended up printing numerous pages to setup the TV correctly. I still give this TV 5 stars due to the mostly ease in setting up with out the manual.
Perfect for Blu-ray and Gaming – Matthew Gilmore – Rainbow City, AL USA
I purchased this HDTV off Amazon about two weeks ago, and I am beyond pleased with it. I replaced a 26″ Vizio 720p LCD with this. The features that really drove me to this TV is the LED backlighting and the 120Hz processing. This TV has a stunning picture quality with some of the deepest blacks and great color. The 120Hz TruMotion has really gotten me though. It makes everything much more realistic, almost to a point to being scary sometimes. Watching Blu-rays with the TruMotion on the highest setting almost takes you out of the movie. It’s beyond cinematic, and it seems like I’m just looking out a window watching the actors in real life. It’s not bad by any means, and in fact, I can’t go back to not having it, but it may be too much for some people. You do have the option to adjust it, and you can even turn it off altogether.
I use this TV currently for the following devices: an Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Gateway PC, and Comcast Digital HD package. Gaming is great. I’ve noticed everything I’ve played so far has been super smooth and the response time is phenomenal. I’ve tried the following 360 games on it with great results: Halo 3, Need for Speed; Shift, Alan Wake, Modern Warfare 2, and Split/Second. The Wii looks a bit worse on this TV than on the small Vizio, but I imagine it’s the increased screen size. I have the Wii hooked up with component cables and set to 480p widescreen, but playing Super Mario Galaxy 2, The Conduit, No More Heroes 2 looked kind of bad. I know the Wii is not an HD console, but it’s a bit disheartening to see some of the better Wii’s graphics downgraded. Now, with the PS3, I don’t game to much, and I’ve yet to play a game on it with this TV, but as far as the Blu-ray goes, it’s been outstanding. This TV is enough to make me just skip the theater and wait for movies to release on BD. Blu-ray movies have such amazing clarity on this set, and the 3-dimensional feel is incredible. I played The Dark Knight, and the movie is so deep. With this kind of picture, I think I can wait a decade for 3D HDTVs to prove themselves more worth it to me. My Comcast HD looks nice, too. I know it’s not 1080p, but there’s no complaint. The TruMotion is great in the case of sports, and watching Braves baseball is more enjoyable due to it.
I’m loving my TV, and I’d say traditional LCDs should be no more. LED is so much better, and the LGs are priced very reasonably. I can’t believe I got this for 0.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 16, 2010 22:35:26
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