2022 LG C2 and G2 owners thread (1 Viewer)

[Lamphorn]

Another super helpful video by Vincent Teoh (he also talks about GSR in addition to TPC, and highlights some differences between OLED and QD-OLED).

Thanks for this. I seriously just finally registered to this forum to ask about this exact issue. I just got a 77 inch LG G2 and it's gorgeous! Except when watching House of the Dragon the thing kept growing dim to an unwatchable level during already-dark scenes and then the brightness would sort of delayed-pop back on when a brighter scene starts or when I wave around the remote to "wake" the TV back up. It seems to think I've hit pause when a scene is dark. I made sure to have Energy Saver off, so that wasn't the issue.

I am just not willing to get a service remote and void out my warranty basically doing a jailbreak for a $3000+ TV, so if I can't figure this out, I might have to reconsider it as much as I love it because having to wake the TV up every 5-6 minutes when watching a dark-ish show or movie is a dealbreaker.

 

[Carlo_M]

I get your concern and every one of us has to make their own decision as to the risk we want to take with regards to service menu.

I will say this. Most have said that if you ever do have to have warranty work done, it's rare that the service person would even think to check "hey lets see if someone else has been in the service menu". Think about the average tech and them doing their job. They likely have a bunch of things to do in a day, so is it in their best interest to see if someone's been in the service menu before, or is it better just to do the repair and move on to the next repair down the line? It's a game of chance each of us choose to play and it's dependent on how risk tolerant/averse each of us are.

Personally I thought the process was sufficiently simple and non-invasive, the reward outweighed the risk. And, since this is a feature that most if not all OLEDs have, it's not like buying another OLED brand would have eliminated this (and other brands make it harder, or impossible, to defeat). The only other avenue is going back to another LED TV which, once you go OLED, it's hard to even consider that, no matter how many dimming zones the new models have.

 

[Lamphorn]

I get your concern and every one of us has to make their own decision as to the risk we want to take with regards to service menu.

I will say this. Most have said that if you ever do have to have warranty work done, it's rare that the service person would even think to check "hey lets see if someone else has been in the service menu". Think about the average tech and them doing their job. They likely have a bunch of things to do in a day, so is it in their best interest to see if someone's been in the service menu before, or is it better just to do the repair and move on to the next repair down the line? It's a game of chance each of us choose to play and it's dependent on how risk tolerant/averse each of us are.

Personally I thought the process was sufficiently simple and non-invasive, the reward outweighed the risk. And, since this is a feature that most if not all OLEDs have, it's not like buying another OLED brand would have eliminated this (and other brands make it harder, or impossible, to defeat). The only other avenue is going back to another LED TV which, once you go OLED, it's hard to even consider that, no matter how many dimming zones the new models have.

Thanks for your reply! Yeah, as I scroll through this and other threads it does seem like the fix is simple enough to perform (taking into consideration that you might want to turn the "feature" back on for news/sports or other viewing). I'll continue trying other tweaks before I go down that road. It just seems very odd to me that the flagship model of the most expensive/advanced type of TV has software that intrudes on and gimps the viewing experience. Really seems like a bit of a defect.

I would imagine they've heard from plenty of customers about this issue. Kind of amazing that they're willing to sell TV's with such a glaring and intrusive issue. Ironically, the techies figuring it out and posting an unofficial solution may have taken the heat off of LG and others for the time being.

 

[Carlo_M]

Another inexpensive improvement one may wish to employ: the C2/G2 line apparently still employs a 10/100 ethernet plug. Yes you can get faster with wi-fi but depending on where you live, how many devices use wi-fi, etc. it can be an unstable/unreliable connection.

I bought a $12 Cable Matters gigabit ethernet to USB adapter from Amazon and my Netflix bandwidth meter results went from 94Mbps hardwired direct to the TV's ethernet port, to 320Mbps via the Gigabit/USB adapter plugged into a USB port on the back of the TV (you have to make sure nothing is connected to the ethernet plug on the TV and that wi-fi is turned to Off for the TV to default to the USB connection). The reason the bandwidth tops out at approximately 320Mbps is due to the USB 2.0 limit of the C1, normally my connection speedtests at around 450Mbps. I'm not sure if the C2/G2 has USB 3.0 which would allow you to get faster speeds if you have 400Mbps or faster internet service.

I was getting ~300Mbps over wi-fi (and my TV is within 14' of the router) but because I live in a highly dense urban area with tons of wi-fi devices, I would occasionally get stutters and reduction in picture quality. Ever since going to the Gigabit USB adapter, I've been having near-perfect 4K performance (on eligible programming) from Prime, Netflix and HBO apps native to the TV.

Given the various known app glitches on Apple TV (the Netflix app Atmos sound occasionally crackles and drops out, Prime app doesn't pass Dolby Vision), I'm finally getting all the benefits I'm paying for from these services.

 

[aPhil]

. And, since this is a feature that most if not all OLEDs have, it's not like buying another OLED brand would have eliminated this (and other brands make it harder, or impossible, to defeat).

I've only read about this (dimming) on the LG OLEDs, and I have not heard about it from owners of Sony OLEDs. Is this a bigger and more noticeable issue with LG, and/or do Sony OLEDs handle it a bit better ?

 

[Robert_Zohn]

It depends on which Sony OLED series, but generally, It's true that Sony's OLED TVs ABL is less aggressive than LG's ABL.

Again it's model dependent, but the main reason Sony's OLED have a tamed down ABL is because Sony's processor are only boosting the specular highlights in HDR content, which is typically very small sections of the video and LG pushes higher peak luminance in a moderately larger areas which makes the ABL kick in sooner and a little more aggressive.

 

[Carlo_M]

As an ecstatic C1 65" owner...I'm sorely tempted to get a 77" C2 at the sale price...

 

[ChrisKez]

It depends on which Sony OLED series, but generally, It's true that Sony's OLED TVs ABL is less aggressive than LG's ABL.

Again it's model dependent, but the main reason Sony's OLED have a tamed down ABL is because Sony's processor are only boosting the specular highlights in HDR content, which is typically very small sections of the video and LG pushes higher peak luminance in a moderately larger areas which makes the ABL kick in sooner and a little more aggressive.

Is turning off TPC and GSR something you might do as part of your calibration service for new TVs?

 

[Carlo_M]

I was weak...early Black Friday deal got me...



Friend is coming over after work to help me set it up. Kudos to the Best Buy delivery people for taking good care during transit and for choosing a box that is in great condition. I have received quite a few packages during the pandemic from all all three of the big shipping vendors and a good percentage of them looked like they were hit by the truck by the time they arrived at my home.

What's interesting is the panel-only weight of the 77" C2 is within a pound or so of the 65" C1 it will replace (to be relocated to the bedroom).

 

[Carlo_M]

One word: wow.

My sitting distance is 9' from the TV and it's amazing what the jump from 65" to 77" yielded. Yes I knew (thanks to Pythagoras) that it yielded 40% more screen area, but even knowing that, I don't think I was mentally prepared for the screen size gain.

I assume there's some "under the hood" improvements in picture rendering, it seems like the picture is just a little more smooth and natural than on the C1. I don't know how to better describe it. I matched all of the settings between TVs and make no mistake, I was thrilled with the C1 picture, but this just looks like...5-10% "better", like it handles shadow detail just a smidge better, color accuracy might be just a tad more natural. It's like when you update an iPad after just one year/revision. It's not a sea change, but it's just "better enough" to be noticeable.

But the faster CPU and newer (and different?) version of WebOS is noticeably faster and more responsive than the one on the C1 (and yes I keep all my devices on the latest firmware and software versions). it's quicker to get into and navigate the WebOS menu, and apps seem to launch faster. Also, if one of the apps has a Dolby Vision or HDR10 program, the TV switches to the new HDR format quicker and smoother than the C1.

I wondered if, outside of the size, I'd notice much of a difference...but I do. Now I'm looking for a mobile TV stand for the C1 so I can easily move it from room to room.

 

[Carlo_M]

What I'm about to write I have no measurable way to prove, only anecdotal "this is what my eyes/brain tell me".

One of the things I do a lot these days is watching YouTube through the TV. Ironically it's probably the streaming service I watch most after 4K movies on disc. Obviously YT has everything from grainy/blocky 320x240 video all the way to 4K. But the channels I subscribe to (related to my interests/hobbies) are pretty consistent in terms of video quality. Most of them are in 720 or 1080 resolution.

The C2 seems to be better at upscaling that than the C1. Again, not that the C1 was bad at it, quite the opposite it was quite good. But the C2 seems to be ever so slightly sharper and smoother in terms of motion (if that makes any sense). Since the app is the same (using the native YT app on the LG/WebOS ecosystem) it's got to be the updated chip doing some more sophisticated processing.

Maybe I'm experiencing New Toy Syndrome. My C1 is in the corner wrapped up. I will be placing an order for a mobile TV stand, and once that comes in and I mount the C1 on it, I'll wheel it next to the C2 and do some PQ compare and contrast (maybe in the week after Thanksgiving).

 

[Sam Posten]

@Carlo_M i use this channel to compare YouTube capabilities:

https://youtube.com/user/jennifergala

 

[Carlo_M]

Thanks for the link Sam, I'll check it out.

I've decided this is likely the last TV of this size I will buy before going to projector. It's of such high quality and honestly at my viewing distance there is no gain to going up to 8K, and it's cost inefficient to consider an 83" in the future (unless the prices totally bottom out). I had no problem paying for the difference from 65" to 77" (you gain 40% screen area and you pay about 40% more, based on current sale prices of the C2 line). But the cost nearly doubles from 77" to 83", for only 17% more screen area.

Unless (knock on wood) it breaks, the next step-up display device I'll buy (likely in 4-5 years assuming prices keep going down and quality keeps going up, as they historically do) will be an ultra short throw laser projector + screen which rejects ambient light while amplifying projected light. My housing situation (I rent) doesn't allow for mounting a traditional projector many feet away from the screen nor wall mounting a large flat panel TV (I wouldn't have confidence in the strength of the drywall, especially in earthquake country...I have all my TVs stand mounted with earthquake straps).

Anyway, I was fearing Buyer's Remorse initially since I had just bought the C1 less than a year ago. But a few days into ownership now and I can say I'm nothing but pleased with the purchase. The mobile stand should arrive next week so I'll mount the C1 on it and use that to easily move it between rooms. Most of the time it will be in the hobby room acting as a screen for my indoor bike trainer. But other times, when I have friends over for multiple sporting events viewing (e.g. college football where we are watching more than one game) I will wheel it out alongside the C2 so we can have big screen action for 2 games, and then use laptops and iPads for Games 3, 4, etc.

 

[Sam Posten]

As I think you know Carlo I’m in just the opposite camp. I’m looking to replace my projection with 120” OLED. Prices keep coming down and sizes going up. I think we will see 97” at $5k in 2024 and 120 maybe there by 2026. Hope I live to enjoy OLED at those sizes!

 

[Todd Erwin]

I was weak...early Black Friday deal got me...

View attachment 162595

Friend is coming over after work to help me set it up. Kudos to the Best Buy delivery people for taking good care during transit and for choosing a box that is in great condition. I have received quite a few packages during the pandemic from all all three of the big shipping vendors and a good percentage of them looked like they were hit by the truck by the time they arrived at my home.

What's interesting is the panel-only weight of the 77" C2 is within a pound or so of the 65" C1 it will replace (to be relocated to the bedroom).

Hard to resist that $2499.99 price drop.

 

[Carlo_M]

Lol at the $5K range I think you will be around to see that become a reality. I'm living more in the $2500 range so that's why I'll eventually look at projection. But logistically speaking I could probably fit an 83" in here, but nothing larger without wall mounting, and I've already mentioned that's a no-go for me (a projector screen I can wall mount but not a TV).

But actually I'm looking at my set up right now and a projector in this place may not make sense. My 77" is already 3" away from a side wall (due to the fireplace jutting out) and to expand much more in the other direction would place the TV (or screen) very off-center from the couch, which has no room to move. Right now the 77" is dead center to the prime seating position. If I went up to a 120" screen, all the added screen real estate would be added to the left. Logically looking at my current place, this might be the "end game". Since 83" is only a 17% area gain I doubt I'll ever upgrade to that. I could probably go as large as 85" or 87" and still keep the TV relatively centered, and would be a 22%-28% area gain...but that would require a theoretical 85"-87" OLED panel which currently isn't being mass produced, and would have to hit my magic $2500 price point.

Here's a pic of my constraints. Couch can't move any more to the left because of the space required between it and the dining room table/chairs.



The center channel is dead center to the prime seating on the couch (3 cushion). So while yes I could mount a much larger screen on the wall, the center of the image would move appreciably to the left. Not to mention I'd have to re-align the speakers. So yeah, unless an 85"-87" OLED with superior specs to the C2 is manufactured and sold for $2500, this might be my last TV until I move to a new place.

What features would get me to upgrade from this C2? Off the top of my head (and keep in mind this is a wish list, I'm not an engineer so I have no idea if any of these are feasible/possible):

• Increased HDR brightness, closer to LED levels without sacrificing pixel life or increasing burn-in. C2's HDR brightness according to rtings with a 50% sustained window is about 250 cd/m(2), the new QD OLEDs increase that to about 290 cd/m(2). Contrast that with Samsung's QN90B QLED which measures at 857 cd/m(2)
• Better overall brightness capabilities so that ABL doesn't kick in as quickly to overall dim the picture
• A (more) burn-in proof OLED technology
• Significantly better color gradient performance. Rtings gives the C2 a very good 8.2 score on color gradient, but the Sony QD-OLED scores 9.8
• Better color gamut/volume performance. Again the C2 scores a respectable 8.6 and 7.9 on rtings, but Sony's QD OLED scores 9.4/9.0.

And in case one wonders why I didn't just get a new QD-OLED, first it maxes out at 65" and second that's on sale for $3K. I wasn't going to spend 3K for a slightly better PQ but at the same size as my C1. The increased color performance is subtle between OLED and QD OLED, the more meaningful improvement to me on that list would be getting that brightness up to near LED levels and lessened ABL intrusion, which are the two "weaknesses" in which both OLED techbologies still lag behind LED. It's a minor issue in dim/dark rooms but increase room/ambient light and the brightness difference between LED and OLED becomes more stark. But I just can't give up the pure blacks.

 

[Carlo_M]

For those who own multiple LG TVs...is there a way to have Power only affect one set? My Smart Remotes seem to be paired mostly with the TV they came with, so the C1 and C2 remotes (despite looking virtually identical) will only affect the proper TV for basically every button except power. I can change channels, volume, navigate menus and launch apps independently, but if I press Power on either remote, it affects both sets simultaneously.

Never mind, they now seem to be controlling both TVs. I guess I have to leave in a state of powered off at the outlet until I want to use it...

 

[Carlo_M]

Okay did a bunch of research and found a way to disconnect and pair each remote to the proper TV. However, power seems to be a universal function.

So the workaround is to use the LG ThinQ App on my iPhone and register both TVs and I can use that to turn on each TV independently, and then use the remote to do all the normal things and then use the App to turn off the TV.

You don't actually want to turn off either TV at the power strip because that disables the background pixel cleaning the TV does every X number of hours in the powered off (but still plugged in) state.

 

[Citizen87645]

I'm thinking about going this route (42" C2) for mixed use productivity monitor + movie watching (probably around 60/30 use ratio). No to minimal gaming. Curious about any "gotchas" to this strategy...

42C2 arrived and initial look as a pc monitor is encouraging. I’d rather a 27 or 32 but no headache like the 48 gave me. Thanks @Robert_Zohn
View attachment 139935

 

[Sam Posten]

I'm thinking about going this route (42" C2) for mixed use productivity monitor + movie watching (probably around 60/30 use ratio). No to minimal gaming. Curious about any "gotchas" to this strategy...

The only gotcha is automatic brightness level when used as a pc. Don’t expect great user experience with desktop apps. My pc is a life support system for steam and battle net so it’s no issue for me, YMMV