LG 60PK550 60-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We needed to replace a 10 year old 55" first generation rear projection Mitsubishi HDTV in our great room.After researching this purchase for months I was ready to purchase a new Panasonic 65" TC-P65S1 plasma.Then I read Panasonic reviews and blogs regarding black level degradation in less than a thousand hours of use.The problem scared me enough I decided to purchase an LG Plasma instead.Also, since our primary TV is a 50" Pioneer Kuro Elite we didn't feel it necessary to buy another high end model.

I first chose the LG 60PK750...however, we don't need wireless internet connectivity so I decided to save some money and buy the 60PK550.Mostly because of the reviews I read here on Amazon.

The TV was delivered by Amazons white glove delivery on the day they promised... as far as the time they originally promised...they were a little late.We give the delivery service Kudos, they did inform during the day that they would be delayed.Upon arrival I examined the TV closely found the display to be perfect and accept delivery of the TV.We've been watching the set for four days...here is the good the bad and the ugly!

The GOOD:My source is a DISH HD receiver, through an HDMI cable.When I first turned on the TV, like other reviews, the picture was just OK.However, after running the setup Wizard and then tweaking all the colors to taste for another 15 minutes the picture and the colors look very nice.Not as good as our Pioneer Elite...but close.When you factor in the price difference we paid for our Pioneer Elite...let me say you will boast about your picture on this LG Plasma.Once the TV is fully burned in, I'm sure the color rendition and picture clarity should satisfy all but the most discerning purists.

The BAD:I was surprised to find that this TV does not automatically detect the broadcast aspect ratio.My Pioneer plasma has this feature.I also have a 25" Hannspree LCD TV that also adjusts the aspect automatically.A TV in this class should have this feature...especially a Plasma that can still have image retention issues if the black side bars aren't adjusted off the screen to another ratio during viewing.

Another bummer is the remote control.It works well enough.Towards the bottom of the remote, there are four colored buttons.They are referenced in the owner's manual as "Programmable".However there isn't any instruction or another mention of those buttons anywhere in the manual.

Now the UGLY:On day two of ownership I noticed two dead or stuck pixels at the top of the screen.They are violet so I don't know what state they are in...except they are always violet.Today is day four and a third pixel died today... about six inches from the other two!I will be talking to Amazon tomorrow.I really like the TV and think with its picture quality it is a very good value for the money.However, my Pioneer plasma is two years old and doesn't have a single dead pixel.This LG plasma TV is now four days old and already I have three dead pixels.

Amazon customer service handled my dead pixel problem in five minutes.Thank God for Amazon, what incredible service.A replacement LG-60PK550 is on the way.

7-18-2010 Replacement LG Plasma arrived two weeks ago, the screen is perfect.Now with over 100 hours on the set, I finally played with the adjustments... WOW I don't think there is a better deal out there when you consider size and picture quality to dollar ratio.The best price I could find on Sony's least expensive 60" LCD TV was $800 more than this LG 60" Plasma. If you need a big bright clear TV with stellar blacks, true bright colors and at all that at over 600Hz, for less than $1,600... look no further, LG has got that TV!

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Product Description:
Whether have an eye for design or a love of fast-action sports, the 60-inch LG 60PK550 1080p Plasma HDTV handles both adeptly. With its Seamless Design and TruSlim Frame, it has looks to turn heads and its 600Hz refresh rate makes it perfect for fast action. Other features include a mega contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, three HDMI ports, and the capability to play MP3 audio files and JPEG photo slideshows from a USB drive.

Key Features

Full HD 1080p resolution
This stunning picture is the reason you wanted HDTV in the first place. With almost double the pixel resolution, Full HD 1080p gives it superior picture quality over standard HDTV.You'll see details and colors like never before.
600Hz Sub Field Driving
Tired of streaky action or unclear plays during the game? See sports, fast action and video games like never before. The 600Hz refresh ratevirtually eliminates motion blur.
3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
No more worrying about dark scenes or dull colors. The dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1 delivers more stunning colors and deeper blacks than you can imagine.
Intelligent Sensor
Don't strain your eyes. Let your TV do the adjustments for you. Intelligent Sensor automatically optimizes the picture to the lighting and color conditions in the room for a more enjoyable viewing experience.
AV Mode
Sports, movies and video games are best enjoyed with customized settings. With AV Mode, you can easily select from one of three picture modes for "Cinema", Sports" or "Games" to enjoy an optimized picture and sound experience.
Picture Wizard
Get easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. Take the guesswork out of picture adjustments with this simple-to-use feature. It's not actually magic, but it will sure seem that way.
Dual XD Engines for Superior video
This Plasma HDTV combines two of LG's exclusive XD Engines to maximize picture quality for any type of video content. By combining XD Engine processors, panel performance is optimized ensuring higher color accuracy and more realistic images.. 24P Real Cinema
Stay in for the theater. Enjoy a true cinema-like experience in your own home with movies the way they are meant to be seen. LG's Real Cinema technology precisely displays 24p source frames on your screen, the same as on a movie screen. If you love movies, you'll love Real Cinema. Clear Voice II
Get audio the way it was meant to be heard. Clear Voice II enhances and amplifies the frequency range of the human voice to help keep dialogue audible when background noise swells.
Infinite Sound
What's a great picture without great sounds to match? Infinite Sound delivers an amazing listening experience with deep, rich bass to make the most of your entertainment. Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital lets you experience compelling 5.1-channel surround sound. And you can trust that you'll get the same great Dolby Digital audio quality no matter what you're watching--a DVD or Blu-Ray Disc, TV programming or downloaded content. Best of all, you can be confident that you'll hear the audio exactly as it was intended, because Dolby Digital is also used to create the soundtracks for movies and games. USB 2.0
Now reliving that fantastic family vacation can happen in the comfort of your living room. Easily connect your external USB devices to enjoy JPEG photos or listen to MP3 files. HDMI V.1.3 with Deep Color
Make installation of any enabled device a snap. Get 10.2Gbps of bandwidth for deeper colors and more to take advantage of the best Full HD experience. HDMI V.1.3 connectivity lets you prepare yourself for tomorrow's technology today. SimpLink
Having a hard time keeping track of your remotes? With SimpLink, all your LG devices can be controlled with just one remote. Smart Energy Saving
With LG's Smart Energy Saving Features, you can conserve money and energy.

Key Specifications

Screen size: 60-inch class (59.8 inches diagonal)
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (1080p Full HD)
Dynamic contrast ratio: 3,000,000:1
Brightness: 1500 cd/m2 (candela per square meter)
600Hz Sub Field Driving: Yes
Built-in tuner: ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM
Audio output: 20 watts (10W x 2)
Speaker system: 2-way, 4 speakers
Dolby Digital decoder: Yes
Surround system: Infinite Sound
Input labeling: Yes
Swivel stand: ±20 degrees
VESA compliance: 400mm x 400mm
Warranty: 1 year parts and labor; 2 years on the panel

Connections

HDMI (version 1.3, HDCP): 2 rear, 1 side
Component: 2 rear
Composite A/V: 1 rear, 1 side
RF: 1 rear
PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1 rear
PC audio input: 1 rear
Digital audio output: 1 optical, rear
USB: 1 side
RS-232c input: 1 rear

Dimensions

TV without stand: 54.8 x 33.4 x 2.2 inches (WxHxD); 91.3 pounds
TV with stand: 54.8 x 36 x 15.1 inches (WxHxD); 101.2 pounds
What size TV should you get?

LG 2010 HDTV Comparison

Series: LD350 LD450 LD520 LD550 LD650 LE5300 LE5400 LE8500 LX6500 PJ350 PK550 PK750 Models: 22-inch
26-inch
32-inch32-inch
37-inch
42-inch
47-inch32-inch
42-inch
47-inch
55-inch32-inch
42-inch
46-inch
52-inch47-inch
55-inch22-inch
26-inch
32-inch
37-inch32-inch
42-inch
47-inch
55-inch47-inch
55-inch47-inch
55-inch42-inch
50-inch50-inch
60-inch50-inch
60-inch Panel type LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LED LCD LED LCD LED LCD 3D LED Plasma Plasma Plasma LED Local Dimming -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3D Ready -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Resolution 720p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 720p 1080p 1080p Contrast ratio 50k:1
dynamic 100k:1
dynamic 100k:1
dynamic 150k:1
dynamic 200k:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 4mil:1
dynamic 9mil:1
dynamic 8mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic Refresh rate 60Hz 60Hz 120Hz 120Hz 240Hz 60Hz 120Hz 120Hz 240Hz 600Hz 600Hz 600Hz Response time 5ms 4ms 2.4 2.4 2 2.4ms 2.6ms 1ms 2ms -- -- -- Netcast Entertainment -- -- -- -- -- -- HDMI input 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 Component input
(Y, PB, PR) 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 Composite input 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 PC input USB port 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 MP3 and JPEG
playback -- DivX video
playback -- -- -- -- -- Ethernet -- -- -- -- -- -- Wireless 1080p Ready -- -- -- -- -- -- Energy Star -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Series: LD350 LCD LD450 LCD LD520 LCD LD550 LCD LD650 LCD LE5300 LED LE5400 LED LE8500 LED LX6500
3D LED PJ350 Plasma PK550 Plasma PK750 Plasma

Learn More

Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience.
If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get.

Minimum size = Viewing distance/3
Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5

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