Operation

Using a TV with DVD players, Blu-ray players, satellite receivers & Co. isn't always as easy as you'd imagine. The quality of the remote control and on-screen menu are also crucial for everyday use. Find out here how the LG 42 LH 7000 fares on these points.

Remote Control:

On first inspection, the remote control looks well designed, and the buttons show sensible grouping. The size of the buttons, the distance between them, and the easily legible labels guarantee reliable handling.

On second glance, however, certain aspects are less than perfect. As with almost all remote controls, the navigation cross works only for selecting menu functions; the volume and program controls use a separate set of buttons. If manufacturers integrated these frequently used, basic functions into the navigation cross, many remote controls would be more compact and therefore more practical.

Video input selection is practical with the LG's remote, thanks to a separate "Input" button that brings up a rolling list of inputs. The various inputs each have a graphical icon, so that you'll still get the right one despite the occasionally cryptic labeling.

The remote offers no direct button for changing aspect ratio; instead, the "Ratio" and "Q.Menu" buttons both access the same submenu page. It's a mystery why the LG developers provide two buttons that do exactly the same thing. Nevertheless, once you're in the submenu, you can change the aspect ratio quickly.

Although the remote sits well in the hand, it's still a bit too long. The important buttons for changing channel or adjusting the volume sit at the focal point of the remote, allowing easy operation with one hand.

On-Screen Menu:

The LG's on-screen menu combines text and attractive symbols. The typeface and text size are sensibly chosen, guaranteeing easy legibility. The menu and remote control react with no irritating delay, and the menu comes in 31 different languages.

Pressing the "Menu" button opens the main menu, which offers access to eight areas of functions: Setup (tuning options), Picture, Audio, Time (Time setting, On/Off timer), Option (various settings, including menu language), Lock (child-proofing), Bluetooth, and USB. The "Q.Menu" button reveals a fast-access list of the most important settings and functions. The English menu labels are generally sensibly chosen and easy to understand, but this is not the case for all languages.

Some of the LG's menus look a bit untidy because of the numerous options arranged along the bottom of the screen.

Channel Search and EPG:

The channel-search process works perfectly for analog-TV reception, but the LG neglects to sort the received channels into the usual sensible order (most important channels first) - you'll have to do that yourself. For digital TV, the search process finds some of the channels twice.

Excellent: During DVB-T reception, the "Info" button displays detailed information, such as channel number ("1"), channel name ("BBC ONE"), video codec ("MPEG"), resolution ("SD", "576i"), aspect ratio ("16:9"), and whether the channel is transmitting Teletext, as well as the title, description, and playing time of the current broadcast.

For DVB-T only, the "Guide" button gives easy access to the Electronic Program Guide (EPG), giving a clear list of the program schedule for up to seven days. You can switch between views using the "Mode" button: In one mode, the LG shows the programs for a two-hour period for six channels. In the other, the TV displays the current and subsequent broadcasts ("Now & Next"), again for six channels at once.

Connecting External Devices:

With its four HDMI inputs, the TV offers plenty of easy connectivity for Blu-ray players, etc., using just one digital cable. If you want to call up the signal from a source device, simply press the "Input" button for a list of inputs.