The Perfect Vision
LG 47LB5D Additional Notes and Technical Ratings
Under the Hood | Adjustment Notes | Test Discs | Technical Ratings
Under the Hood
LG touts its XD image processing, which includes automatic contrast, color, and noise reduction, but only noise reduction is effective at improving the picture. Unlike many 1920x1080 TVs, this one can accept a 1080p signal at 24 frames per second as well as 60fps, but it displays 1080p/24 signals at 60fps, defeating the advantage of 24fps. One feature conspicuous in its absence is a 1:1 pixel-mapping mode, which would eliminate any overscan scaling.
Adjustment Notes
As with most LCD TVs, the backlight defaults to maximum; I set it to minimum to get the best black level. Default contrast in User mode was a bit too high, brightness a bit too low. With black level set to High, the display did not pass below-black from the HD-XA2 HD DVD player; with black level set to Low, it did not pass below-black from the AccuPel signal generator. The color decoder was pretty far off with XD Color processing engaged; turning it off brought the decoding close to correct. Ringing was clearly evident at default sharpness setting. There is no 1:1 pixel-mapping mode for 1920x1080 images.
Test Discs
On the HQV Benchmark DVD, the highest-frequency horizontal detail was almost completely gone, though vertical detail was good. Jaggies were moderate. Enabling the XD Noise parameter reduced random noise without softening the picture appreciably (at least, as far as I could tell with the menu in the way). The set’s processor picked up 3:2 pulldown almost instantly.
Switching to the HQV Benchmark HD DVD, the video resolution loss test showed no sign of flickering, but there was banding in the high-frequency vertical pattern. In the film resolution loss test, there was some flickering in at the edges of the vertical high-frequency burst, and some loss of detail as the camera panned across the stadium bleachers. Jaggies were invisible.
The pixel-phase pattern on Microsoft engineer Stacey Spears’ test HD DVD revealed the absence of a 1:1 pixel-mapping mode, and more than 30 pixels were cropped from each edge of the image. Both the horizontal and vertical high-frequency bursts were banded. The processor never picked up 3:2 pulldown at 1080i. Most of the montage of images looked pretty good, though there were a few Moiré lines in the screen door, and the gently curving yellow trim on the sailing ship were slightly jittery.
Technical Ratings
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