Internet TV Smart TV from LG
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This article, Internet TV, was last updated on 07 May 2011 and is now out of date and held in our online archive for reference. Explore our latest Technology articles.
LG falls short in the internet TV race
LG integrates app store, web browser and home network into one Smart TV interface
Pros: LG app store, well-designed remote, good selection of pre-loaded apps
Cons: Inconsistent layout, fiddly web surfing, better instructions needed for the novice
Pick of the apps: BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Dailymotion, Acetrax, Facebook, Twitter, Google maps, Picasa
More on LG TVs
LG TV apps are easy to use
LG have given its internet TVs an overhaul for 2011, morphing from a handful of apps to full-on app store, web surfing and integrated home network (all of which comes under the catch-all, and soon to catch-on, ‘Smart TV’ moniker). It’s generally straightforward to use but a few niggles, an inconsistent lay-out and spartan instructions that may put some people off.
The selection of apps is a good cross-section of video, catch-up and social networking, plus there’s the added bonus of an app store to download more (called LG apps). It’s easy to organise by favourites, or add them to your ‘home bar’ for easy access. Moving around between apps and files is a doddle thanks to the well-designed remote.
Smart TV niggles
Yet there are a whole host of niggles. The number of views and layouts can be confusing, entering text is sluggish, the YouTube app simply doesn’t look as good as LG’s older incarnation of the video clip site, and audio on iPlayer was out of sync in our tests.
The web browser is predictably fiddly to use (especially when choosing links) and won’t work with all types of Flash Player. You can playback basic Flash animation, but not video (of the sort you find on the BBC news site). Nice extras, such as the picture-in-picture option on Samsung’s Smart TVs, are missing too.
We liked the basic introduction to internet features in the comprehensive instruction manual, but were less enamoured by the need to print out the full manual from CD. It’s an overwhelming 178 pages long. The alternative quick-start guides mentions apps, but that’s about it.
Model(s) tested: 47LW550
Internet TV rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Internet TV is just a fraction of what the LG TVs have to offer. For the lowdown on picture and audio performance, check out our full LG TV test results.
