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LG 42LF7700 HD TV

Good reception? Enter LG's first Freesat telly

We were also generally quite impressed by the way that the remote control and on-screen menu options worked. There is, of course, a main set-up menu that allows you to adjust picture, audio and other settings in detail. However, the remote control also has a ‘Quick Menu’ button that activates a smaller on-screen menu shaped like a wheel.

LG 42LF7700

The main menu features a well laid out array of options

Pressing the Left/Right arrow buttons on the remote control quickly cycles this menu through a selection of the most common presets for aspect ratio, picture quality and other settings. You could, for instance, use the Quick Menu to select the aforementioned ‘music’ preset for the speakers, or delve into the main menu where you have much finer control, including the ability to adjust individual frequency bands.

LG 42LF7700

Quick Menu: swift navigation from the remote control

There are some good energy-saving options too. The standard power consumption of the 42LF7700 is quoted as 310W – which seems relatively high to us – and just 0.5W in standby mode. However, the energy-saving mode allows you to step the power-consumption down to 85% of normal, then 75% and down to 50%. Each setting results in a further reduction in brightness, but it’s interesting to see how low you can go before you struggle to see what’s on screen.

LG 42LF7700

Dim view: various levels of energy saving reduce screen brightness

There’s also an ‘intelligent sensor’ tucked away in the lower-right corner of the screen bevel that analyses the light in the room and automatically lowers the brightness and power-consumption to what it considers the optimal settings. We sometimes found those settings a little dark, but you can easily use the Quick Menu to flick through additional presets for films, sport and other types of content.

Verdict

The 42LF7700 isn’t perfect – the lack of upscaling is disappointing, if only because it highlights the great difference in quality between the HD and SD programmes available on Freesat. Nevertheless, this is 42in Full HD television that delivers good image and audio quality, along with a Freesat HD tuner and it can be found for less than £900 – certainly, pretty good value for money. So, if you’re keen to explore Freesat in all its high-definition glory, the LG 42LF7700 is well worth considering. ®

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LG 42LF7700

LG 42LF7700 HD TV

Nice price and good looks make this 42in Freesat TV an easy choice for the HD curious
Price: £1000 RRP

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