This LG high-def TV won accolades in the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas for excellence in technology and design. Even reviewers who did not rate this HDTV highly on performance agrees that it’s one of the best looking plasma around, with innovative enhancements that make it an excellent choice for those looking for full-featured plasma TVs.
Design
If design alone is used as criteria for choosing the best HDTV, this top-of-the-line LG certainly is a top contender. Ditching LG’s flamboyant “Scarlet” theme, the LG 50PG60 features a single piece of glass
LG 50PG60
fronting the black-framed screen. On the lower part of the screen is an angled-back narrow strip where the power switch is placed, in a chrome arch design that matches that of the elegant swivel stand. The design may be unassuming but placed side by side with other HDTVs, it is simply stunning.
It’s a pity that LG neglected to extend the impressive styling on the TV’s remote. Besides having no backlight, the remote has clusters of similar buttons that are hard to differentiate. It’s a good thing that the revamped menu works well, with a simple and neat arrangement of options that makes easy navigation. The Quick Menu allows fast access to frequently used controls, such as toggling the picture presets and aspect ratios.
Screen/picture clarity
The LG 50PG60 boasts of the THX display certification but even so its picture clarity can only be described as commendable at best. THX mode delivers excellent primary colors, but the bluish tinge, poor blacks and less precise color decoding negate whatever points it may have earned. To be fair, this plasma outperforms LCD HDTVs in terms of deep blacks and color contrasts, but compared to the best plasmas, it is simply not up to par.
If it’s any consolation, the LG 50PG60 delivers solid video processing, giving sharp images in its full 1080p resolution. It also deinterlaces 1080i sources exceptionally, resolves standard-def sources just right and makes a perfect computer monitor. Moreover, the plasma has superb uniformity across the screen and absorbs ambient lighting quite well, providing clear pictures even in brightly lit rooms.
Features
This LG plasma is filled with plenty of independently-adjustable picture adjustments – more than most HDTVs in the market – including comprehensive color temperature controls. It also boasts of five manual and one auto aspect ratio modes, with the latter automatically detecting incoming input, a series of anti-burn protections schemes and three power saving modes. And the connectivity options for the LG 50PG60 is superb: four HDMI ports, VGA PC port, USB port and a slew of component video, audio and signal inputs.
The LG 50PG60 may not be best in terms of picture quality but people looking for a good plasma TV with excellent features can place their bet on this one. And the fact that it’s a gorgeous HDTV even without switching it one makes it the perfect choice for a showcase home TV.
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