My TV arrived yesterday and after I left the office, I took it home and started the setup process. This is my first OLED TV, but I am not new nor am I uneducated when it comes to high end audio/visual components. This particular TV is replacing Samsung's flagship 78" curved UN78HU9000FXZA in my primary viewing room - which I purchased about 2 years ago.
Removing the TV from the box was quite easy and straightforward. Once the box top and protective padding was removed, I was able to fully remove it from the bottom of the box and place it face down on a huge ottoman so I could work on the base. My A/V arrangement in this room allows for the TV to sit on its base so I carefully pulled up on the base (which comes in the folded position for shipping) until it clicked into place. Once in the locked position, there are 16 screws that need to be installed to keep the base locked in a 90 degree position. 8 screws get inserted on the back of the TV and 8 screws go on the bottom of the base. The base installation instructions were not very clear on this and I actually had to get online in order to figure it out, but you do not want to stand the TV in an upright position until all the screws are inserted in their proper locations and tightened. If you plan to hang the TV on a wall, there is a different set of instructions for doing this.
Once the stand was secure, I was able to lift the TV and place it in my entertainment center. Obviously this is a two person job. Connecting the TV is also pretty easy but I have all separate A/V components and my TV really only acts as a monitor so my connection consisted of one HDMI cable. All audio is processed by my Arcam AV950 and McIntosh MC207 amplifier, so I don't use any of the TV's internal audio functions and cannot fairly comment on them.
On startup the TV walks you through the normal menu functions such as, zip code, WiFi network login, viewer preferences (store display or home use) as well as some audio options and input method.
Now for the good stuff... I took about an hour or so to really dial the picture in the way that I prefer it, but you will find that there are plenty of adjustments that you can make. OLED's are known for their stark contrast between black and colored areas of the picture. The one thing I noticed immediately in comparison to the Samsung, was the complete lack of a very slight halo around a bright subject against a black background, which I had grown accustomed to seeing with the Samsung, especially in low light scenes.
In general and with little to no picture adjustments, I could immediately see a sharper and brighter image than what I was used to watching previously. Watching the Monday night football game was also pretty stunning. The green of the playing field against the players' uniforms was simply awesome. Watching a dark shadow scene in "Ray Donovan" proved to also not disappoint. I can't say enough about the contrast between light and dark images and how accurately this TV projects them. Viewing the picture from an extreme left or right angle also proved to be quite pleasing. I was able to stand back and look at the TV from an extreme viewing angle and still see the image perfectly fine. Going from the curved viewing surface of the Samsung back to a traditional flat panel was quite a pleasant surprise that I hadn't contemplated.
In the end, I toggled between "Vivid" and "Standard" picture settings but as you would expect, you can customize any setting you wish. My TV needed an update which it accomplished on its own without any issues.
All in all, this is one amazing TV. I frankly have not seen anything that even comes close to it since back when Pioneer Elite introduced the KURO line of plasma TV's (I still own a 65" KURO). I have not tried any 4K media yet, but I feel very confident that I will not be disappointed.
If you can afford to spend $13K on a TV, I can assure you that you won't be disappointed. The TV seems to be well made and the single sheet of glass that acts as the viewing surface is very cool. As with all things electronic, especially new things, if you have heartburn over spending that kind of money on a TV, keep in mind that when LG introduced their first OLED models last year, the price tag was $24K for the 77" model. Waiting a year and buying it for $13K makes me feel a whole lot better than if I had spent $24K.
| Brand Name | LG |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 69.9 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 57.5 x 9.6 x 34.8 inches |
| Item model number | OLED65G7P |
| Batteries | 2 AA batteries required. (included) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color Name | Black |
| Special Features | Flat |
| Item Weight | 69.9 Pounds |
| Standing screen display size | 65 Inches |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Wattage | 60 watts |
