- Power consumption:
Before the actual test of the device at first I was curious to see how high the power consumption will be, since this issue is nowhere adequately answered. I myself have measured with a high-quality ammeter. The main unit of the LG system used (for example, radio stations) and with activated wireless 15 watts in normal music operation. Even if you start big downloads as a firmware update via Wi-Fi, it remains at the 15 Watt. That is in itself very neatly as I could read in a test by Stiftung Warentest some time ago, how much electricity partly frittered other plants of Samsung and other manufacturers (partly.> 40 watts). The wireless receiver for the two rear speakers has its own power supply and consumes as measured additional 5 watts, while the main unit is turned on. Overall, this makes so Operational 20 Watt. Very commendable: switches to the main unit in the standby mode, the consumption goes back to almost 0 Watt, so virtually no longer measurable. The same applies for the radio receiver for the rear speakers (also automatically only ~ 0 watts when the main unit goes into stand-by mode).
- Operation:
So, now to the core functions: the unit will start very quickly and does not carefully appreciable hear unusual noises during operation luckily. Since I have an external Bluetooth keyboard (Logitech K400), I simply plugged the BT-time USB memory stick into the rear USB port and lo and behold: the keyboard is detected automatically and I could immediately tap it and built on the Touchpad use a mouse. Can I therefore recommend to everybody warmly, because the menu and the Apps with text entries can be operated so much more comfortable. The only downside: the German keyboard layout is not working. Even if it surrounded on the virtual keyboard on the screen of EN to DE, y and z are still mixed up and the special character is different as on an English keyboard. Can I get over but, the special characters you can even run on the virtual keyboard with the touchpad to select, so often you do not need to.
- Network Features:
The wireless device worked immediately without any problems. Trying allegedly downloading new firmware update available, unfortunately fails. Even after repeated trial. Quick Google search in a forum LG revealed: apparently is there only a misnamed file on the LG server, meaning there is currently no new update, but my device is actually up to date. Let's hope that's true, and I can update the device in principle, if times a real functioning update is available.
- Sound:
In the sound settings, I had to adjust the subwoofer duly down because this was much too strong for now. Otherwise the sound configuration has very quickly brought the desired results. Very commendable: in normal stereo music playback (eg radio) can leave the sound on request to * all * spend five speakers. I had a fear that only 2 or 3 speakers are active in stereo sound. This fear has not materialized to happiness. Since I do not always sit on the couch in front of the TV in the optimum stereo angle, but also often in a different corner of a very large living room (on the computer), I am pleased that much that the music in stereo from all four corners of the room can come. Overall, the sound is not an absolute hi-treat. Who claims this regard, probably has to reach significantly deeper into their pockets. For the price, the sound is pretty good and both listening to pop music with subwoofer support makes fun, as well as classical music may sound balanced (with the appropriate Sound settings). There are several predefined sound profiles with rather not sagenen names like "Natural Plus", "Bypass" or "Loudness" and a profile in which you can set the equalizer settings themselves. Unfortunately, you can only adjust this profile himself. Define multiple profiles for their preferred styles of music itself and store, unfortunately is not. The sound effects in movies are worth listening to (am curious, when the neighbor for the first time under knocking me to the ceiling, because it is their too loud :-))
- Connections:
The connection to my TV from Philips was easy. HDMI cable from the cable receiver (HDMI out) to the LG-conditioning (HDMI IN) and then another HDMI cable of the LG system (HDMI out) on the TV (HDMI IN) and I already had HD picture on HD channels and surround sound at corresponding shipments. Even the PC I could easily connect via another HDMI cable to the second HDMI-in port. If you want to reach here is that all five speakers are active in stereo sound, you must be running Windows in the settings the sound format of "Dolby Digital" switch to "Stereo". When "Dolby Digital" otherwise only 2 speakers were active when the PC sends a Dolby Digital signal to the system, in which only two audio tracks are active.
Very annoying: from time to time there are repeated 2-3-second frames and audio interruptions when I connect the home theater system between cable box and TV. The problems are definitely on this LG-conditioning, because without investment, I always picture perfect and perfect tone. The HDMI cable is not it, that makes the alternative connection from the PC to the TV no problems. I have no idea where the image / sound dropouts come. They occur mostly after several hours of operation. No idea what the device attempts in the background to do there. Something may not happen but easy. There is nothing more annoying than when the middle of the film suddenly the picture is gone for several seconds, and then happens every few seconds several times. Since this behavior is also mentioned in another review, there seems to be device-independent and software-related. On the box the way running a Linux system, what everyone also understands itself in the pre-installed web browser, so when he calls a web page that one indicates its user agent string.
- Smart TV:
Rather a disappointment is the area "Smart TV". The Web browser is lame and crashes sometimes. For the installation of apps has to sign superfluously only at LG with email address and full postal address in order to then use mostly free apps can. So let's "John Doe" registered quickly with a disposable address, and then tested the apps. Besides the fact that the choice is very poor, many apps are useless and the services here. The kicker app shows eg only football news, live Tables and other statistics are nowhere. No comparison to the Android app of football, which offers significantly more. The YouTube app takes extremely long to load, can be even with keyboard only fumbling for and reacts only very sluggishly. Other, actually vielversrpechende Apps as that of Putpat (= music television according to their own preferences) crash indefinitely, requiring for most crashes even to unplug the power cord (very angry - normal arrival off no longer works). Sometimes the machine crashes, even if you only normally back in the home menu and herklickt or in the settings menu. This is very weak with all due respect. Whether you enter his user data for Web services such as Spotify or Facebook on the Smart TV services, you should think twice after the scandal in terms Datensammelei and homecoming telephoning, the LG with other "smart" devices in to the recent months has done.
Legal practice is the remote control app for mobile phones which you can download from the Google Play Store. This allows you to control Wi-Fi the most common functions such as the radio directly via mobile phone. Although these are basically just the same functions that can be controlled via the normal hardware unit's remote control. However, since these works with infrared, it can, depending on the seating position so sometimes be the case that you can not have visual contact with the IR receiver (or that one is sometimes in another room). Here then helps the Android app with the virtual remote control very. Unfortunately, the miserable quality software continues here seamlessly. The Android app crashes frequently and often even the case that the crash notification of the Android operating system (= "application closed unexpectedly - close force") is played repeatedly, the app is therefore not closed even after the crash (or Always restarts automatically?). In such a case, it is only with very fast fingers and if you have the Advanced Task Killer installed as apps at all possible to use the phone on. If you have turned on the TV, I recommend but as I said rather an external Bluetooth keyboard like the Logitech K400 for operation.
Conclusion:
Apart from the very occasional picture / sound outs I am generally satisfied with the system, because I do not necessarily need the smart TV functions. LG should urgently make improvements to remedy the misfire about a firmware update.