Here’s the caveat…
So far so good. However, while Full HD
content looks surprisingly fine remapped to 8 million pixels, there does seem
to be a price paid in lag. There’s a noticeable audio visual delay when
navigating the menus. This problem should resolve itself on subsequent
generations of kit as improvements are made to the relevant SoCs. For the most
part, this processing delay is benign; however, it quickly becomes seriously
detrimental when gaming. Keen players will find the lag all but destroys their
FPS experience. A shame, as this massive window looks quite beautiful with
video game content. The possible arrival of a 4K-capable Sony PlayStation 4
simply cannot come soon enough.
So
far so good. However, while Full HD content looks surprisingly fine remapped to
8 million pixels, there does seem to be a price paid in lag.
LG’s huge panel uses edge-LED backlighting
rather than a full array. For the most part this works well enough, with no
shortage of dynamics. Light pooling is evident to eth bottom left and right of
the screen, but I didn’t find it particularly intrusive – I’ve seen worse on
smaller panels.
The 84LM960V delivers a solid enough black,
with an appreciable level of shadow detail. Theirs is some picture fizz evident
in predominantly dark scenes, although from a short distance this really isn’t
noticeable.
LG has long been generous with tweak able
options, and there’s no change here. As well as the usual picture presets
(Intelligent Sensor, Vivid, Standard, Cinema and Game) there are also Expert 1
& 2 modes for ISF calibrators. Advanced control options allow adjustments
to Dynamic Contrast and Color, Clear White, Super Resolution and Gamma. For the
bulk of this review, the set was used with Dynamic Color Off and Contrast Low.
The
LG's speaker system includes rear-firing mid-bass drivers
The native motion resolution of the panel
itself is generally good. With Full HD content, moving detail holds out to around
900 lines when measured at 6.5ppf. Engaging the various TruMotion modes bumps
this up to Full HD, but inevitably creates fuzzy artifacts around certain
moving objects. Horizontal panning is smooth. Ultimately, the set looked its
best with either TruMotion off, or on the custom TruMotion setting with Deblur
set at 0 and Dejudder at 5.
Engaging
the various TruMotion modes bumps this up to Full HD, but inevitably creates
fuzzy artifacts around certain moving objects. Horizontal panning is smooth.
The 84LM960V’s 3D performance is
barnstorming. There’s precious little crosstalk when viewed square on, and
stereophonic images exhibit none of the resolution drops we’ve seen on regular
HD screens. Of course, as with any other FPR-style 3D panel, go vertically off-axis
and images break up quite dramatically. Our UHD media server offered a
selection of dimensional animation at 2160p30, which looked fabulous. Combine
this level of immersion with lightweight passive goggles, and 3D becomes quite
a compelling proposition.
In addition to converting 2D video content
on the fly, you can also apply dimensional processing to your digital images.
The end results are a good deal more interesting than randomly converting tally
content, and the extra resolution available keeps detail on the right side of
sharp. Photographers will surely get a thrill from seeing their work on a
display this size. Pictures are scaled to 3,840 x 2,160 and look spectacular.
Sonically set holds its own. A pair of 15W
rear-mounted woofers offer plenty of mid-bass, while the downward-firing main
stereo pair have enough volume and width to create a decent stereophonic
spread.
The revolution will be televised
With a flurry of activity on the Ultra HD
front expected this year, there can be little doubt that the format is
developing sturdy legs. The high-efficiency HEVC codec has now been ratified,
allowing chip production to begin in earnest. This will in turn lead to content
distribution and the number of devices available will surely multiply.
The LG does beg the question whether a
giant LED TV or projection technology is the way to go, though. Perhaps
surprisingly, Sony’s 4K VLP-VW1000ES projector is actually the cheaper option.
Yet than $24,000 video-chucker is an unwieldy beast and requires a large venue
to strut its stuff. On the plus side, it can deliver a super-large image that
begins to rival what you might find in a commercial theatre. This 84in TV is
the more intimate proposition.
Of course, it will take some time before
panels of this caliber become a viable option for even well-heeled enthusiasts.
LG’s 84LM960V is probably best considered a taster for the new age of TV. And
it’s very fine dining indeed.
On the menu
The 84LM960V’s interface is the brand’s
regular Full HD iteration, despite the TV sporting a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution
panel. It’s bright, colorful and easily navigated – and the supplied Magic
Remote can speed up browsing times
The
84LM960V’s interface is the brand’s regular Full HD iteration, despite the TV
sporting a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution panel
The verdict
Highs
Dazzling Ultra high-def images (both native
and up-scaled); excellent build and design; Passive 3D impresses
Lows
User interface not UHD; noticeable lag;
supplied remote feels cheap in comparison; t pricey…
·
Performance: 5/5
·
Design: 4.5/5
·
Features: 5/5
·
Overall: 5/5
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Specifications
§ 3D:
Yes, passive. Four pairs of glasses, plus two Dual Play glasses are supplied
§ Full
HD: Yes – and beyond! Ultra HD resolution of 3,840 x 2,160
§ Tuner:
Freeview HD and DVB-S2 satellite
§ Connections:
4 x HDMI; component and Scart via adaptor; 3 x USB; Ethernet; digital optical
audio; headphones jack; mini jack audio input; CI slot
§ Sound:
50W (10W x 2,15W x 2)
§ Brightness:
N/A
§ Contrast
ratio: N/A
§ Dimensions
(off stand): 1,120(w) x 1,910(h) x 39.9(d)mm
§ Weight
(off stand): 68.2kg
§ Features:
FRR passive Cinema 3D; 2D-to-3D conversion with depth control; LG Smart TV
portal; integrated Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct/Wi-Di; USB multimedia playback and
recording; Tripled XD Engine with 4K resolution up-scaler; 800Hz Motion
Clarity Index; secondary Magic Remote control
§ LG
84LM960V price: $33,750 Approx
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