Author Topic: LG C7 OLED (Back in Black...no... in Perfect Black!)  (Read 13131 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
LG C7 OLED (Back in Black...no... in Perfect Black!)
« on: Nov 05, 2017 at 02:35 PM »
Well hello there...it’s been awhile! Not just around the forums but around the hobby as well. The past few years, since the death of plasma have been  frustrating. Hoping from TV to TV until finally  settling for a Sony W700. I do regret selling my Panasonic Full HD plasma in the burned anticipation (Then) of LED panels which did not live up to my expectations. Don’t get me wrong this Sony TV held out longer than any TV I’ve had since I was bitten by the bug. It was “ok” but mostly, I guess, the hobby simply died out and as long as I could occasionally watch a good movie and play the occasionally good game...I was good to go. I went back to my old automotive hobby and seemingly left the past joy behind.

Now, In one absolutely boring day (The All Saints day break) when driving to Tagaytay (Which I did every weekend) started to be more of a chore than actually being fun. When the constant rain prevented drop top motoring on a regular basis became an added frustration. I decided to go to a mall with the intention of  buying a quick interior detailer spray.  The cleaning agent was unfortunately unavailable so there was no other reason to stay longer(So I thought). However, on my way out, I passed by the  SM appliance centre which was close to the hardware shop... just to check out the latest rigs from a hobby i abandoned.

There were some nice sets like the Sammy Mu series and the price provocative Sony X800. All 4k, all looking good but nothing to write home about, much more “haul to home” about. Then  across the showroom I saw a TV that made me look closer...The LG C7! It was fantastic! The blacks were inky and the colours were vibrant but alas the price was just as inky and as vibrant as the TV. At that price point an impulse buy would be the height of folly. So I quickly reached out for my phone and cursed myself for  still hanging on to my beat up IPhone 4s and made an “on the spot” research.  Damn! Most review sites are pointing to this TV as one of the best 2017 has to offer. I darted back and forth saying to myself that on this day (supposedly), my spending should only be under a thousand and here I am clutching my wallet and drawing my credit card for something 10x that budgeted amount.  Then it all came back to me...Vic! Vic of Sights and Sounds! Heck, i haven’t spoken to the guy in almost 3 years. Is the shop in Shang still open? Will he still consider me as an old customer with it’s perks? All these mental ramblings in a desperate quest for a marginal discount or a large one at that. Happily,  his number was still in my phone and dialled it to no shame. He answered and we exchanged pleasantries...I learned that his business is still active but has taken a different approach. In the middle of all the greetings and catching up, I almost rudely interrupted him by asking. Do you have the LGC7? He said “yes”, and I replied “how much?”. All in at 91,500...Still a lot of money but the reputation of Mr.Chua is not something built overnight and for a toy that expensive? Tis better you hand over your money to someone you are comfortable with. Long and short, Sights and Sounds will deliver the TV this coming Monday and i can’t wait to give my impressions and also to hear from experts around here on their respective experience with the OLED technology...

(I didn’t  go home immediately after that conversation. I went straight to Data Blitz to buy a PS4 Pro for some 4k gaming content and yes... yes i finally upgraded to an iPhone 5se)

Check you guys soon enough😉
« Last Edit: Nov 27, 2017 at 07:29 AM by Carlo777 »

Offline jerix

  • Trade Count: (+17)
  • PinoyDVD Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,154
  • got no golden ears...just loving music
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 70
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #1 on: Nov 05, 2017 at 03:21 PM »
Bro whats the size of your lgc7? Nice story!
Samsung65MU6303/TCL4kPS49TV/OnkSR608/OnkTXNR676/Marantz/Akai/Sansui/PrjEssential-II

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #2 on: Nov 05, 2017 at 03:34 PM »
Bro whats the size of your lgc7? Nice story!

Thank you boss! 55 inches only😉

Offline espionage

  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • DVD Addict
  • ***
  • Posts: 654
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 4
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #3 on: Nov 05, 2017 at 03:57 PM »
Welcome back Sir! Na miss ko yung mga reviews mo dito sa forum.
Samsung 65" NU7100 | Onkyo TXSR608 | Zidoo X9S | AMD HTPC | PS4 | A-Audio FS | WH3 CS | Daichi Surr

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #4 on: Nov 05, 2017 at 04:45 PM »
Welcome back Sir! Na miss ko yung mga reviews mo dito sa forum.

Salamat sir! Medyo nagsawa din kasi haha

Offline bachwitz

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • DVD Addict
  • ***
  • Posts: 763
  • Musica delenit bestiam feram
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 32
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #5 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 11:58 AM »
Salamat sir! Medyo nagsawa din kasi haha

Welcome back sir Carlo777. Update naman agad sa reviews heeh. specially how it fares with your old plasma.

Offline JeromeA

  • Trade Count: (+20)
  • PinoyDVD Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 6,432
  • I am not in danger, I am the Danger
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 304
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #6 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 12:26 PM »
sir congrats for having the LG OLED display.. hinding hindi ka magsisisi jan..

we'll wait for your reviews and upcoming gears..

Offline Onkyo606

  • Trade Count: (+44)
  • PinoyDVD Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 10,965
  • It's SVS or Nothing
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #7 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 01:47 PM »
sir congrats for having the LG OLED display.. hinding hindi ka magsisisi jan..

we'll wait for your reviews and upcoming gears..
carlo777 is a legend JeromeA and have long been reviewing tvs here even before ka mag join kaya siguradong di sya magsisi sa binili nya at alam na alam nya ang magandang panel.

Sent from my F3216 using Tapatalk

SVS PB13 Ultra and SB13 PLus

Offline Ozzy

  • Trade Count: (+8)
  • Collector
  • **
  • Posts: 89
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 116
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #8 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 03:09 PM »
carlo777 is a legend JeromeA and have long been reviewing tvs here even before ka mag join kaya siguradong di sya magsisi sa binili nya at alam na alam nya ang magandang panel.

Sent from my F3216 using Tapatalk



+1.
Welcome back sir carlo777.
I missed your reviews too.

Offline JeromeA

  • Trade Count: (+20)
  • PinoyDVD Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 6,432
  • I am not in danger, I am the Danger
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 304
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #9 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 03:40 PM »
carlo777 is a legend JeromeA and have long been reviewing tvs here even before ka mag join kaya siguradong di sya magsisi sa binili nya at alam na alam nya ang magandang panel.

Sent from my F3216 using Tapatalk

yes sir onkyo. nakita ko nga sa buong story nya..

Offline comet

  • Trade Count: (+84)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,393
  • Hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 13
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #10 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 04:05 PM »
welcome back  sir Carlo!  salamat at may legendary review ulit. Kapag nagrereview ka maraming napapabili dito on impulse!

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #11 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 04:16 PM »
Samat guys.

@boss comet

Wag naman sana haha

Anyway my first round of impressions:


Build Quality:

Premium feel and build is how i can describe the TV. It doesn’t only look expensive but feels expensive as well. The brush metal stand gives it a classy look and the white back plates give it a very contemporary appeal. Just imagine a 55 inch iPad with a stand.

Screen Quality

The LG C7 has a glossy screen that handles reflections very well. Unless a direct light source is in-front of you the screen does a very good job in blotting out external glares.

Screen uniformity is excellent... best I’ve seen in a long while. Since OLED does not have a back light you don’t have cloudy patches or “light spots” or “bleeding edges”. A grey background does not reveal the so-called “dirty screen” effect. Just on these merits alone the C7 stands above a lot of models in-terms of screen quality. 

OLED does have a measure of Image retention but this can be easily wiped clean by using the TVs “Pixel Refresher” - A feature that wipes the screen for about an hour when you shut the TV off. For added protection you can activate  the “screen shift” function to enable the unit to subtlety move pixels to prevent static images from “retaining”. So far and despite a marathon of the same PS4 Game (Super Robot Wars V). The screen held well and image retention should not be an issue.

Sound:

Dolby Atmos gives the C7 a better than average sound for a built-in system. There is even an audio calibration tool called “Magic Sound Tuning” to allow you to calibrate the TVs audio based on your rooms acoustics. Its very much like how you would calibrate your HT System. Of coarse it does not beat a dedicated Audio Set up but believe me... for its use...It’s more than passable.

I’ll come back later on how the unit performs in HD, 4k and HDR content🙃


   
« Last Edit: Nov 07, 2017 at 07:41 PM by Carlo777 »

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #12 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 04:33 PM »
Again thanks guys for the welcome.

Nagsawa lang ako talaga...there was a time i could not enjoy the TVs bec i was always looking for faults and became too obsessed with perfection.

A little bit older...a little more tolerant but still objective (I hope).

😉

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #13 on: Nov 07, 2017 at 04:59 PM »
Interface/Apps

The LG web OS is responsive and easy to navigate. The popular apps like Netflix and Amazon video could easily be accessed via the remote. A few things bother me though:

- The screen pointer for interface is annoying and feels more like a gimmick to me then to be actually helpful (Maybe I just need to get used to it).
-  The Info button (Where you could draw up information on the TVs resolution, and status etc etc is not on the remote! You have to click the input icon on the screen to draw this information. It took awhile for me to find it😡
- And I don’t like the look and feel of the remote...it’s glossy so your hands would smudge it (Did i not just say i’m more tolerant now?) And it...it...it looks like a vibrator😉
« Last Edit: Nov 07, 2017 at 05:01 PM by Carlo777 »

Offline mhacman

  • Trade Count: (+56)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,308
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 129
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #14 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 12:24 AM »
congratz on your new C7, sir!

2016 LG LED owner here (and so are my past LED TVs), I find the 'magic" remote too demanding of battery power due to frequent use of the cursor/pointer.  too bad that unlike my 2012 LG LED wherein 2 remotes (a regular bar & a magic remote) were provided then.

about the Info button, I think the higher LG OLED models has this on their remote.  a single click will show the current media's "information".  not sure though if it's available for separate purchase.  maybe an LG staff/customer support can confirm if a lower LG OLED model is compatible with a higher LG OLED model's magic remote

sir, very eager here to learn about something without actually trying out myself =) so please allow me to just ask...

with 2017 LG OLEDs innovating with Dolby ATMOS, has their HDMI ports able to successfully pass-through all 8ch metadata -- sent to a Dolby Atmos-capable AVR?  otherwise, it'd still be great for the 2017 LG OLEDs to be able to decode and down-mix it into its built-in speakers (may be up to 2.2)... but may lack in meeting the supposed target 8ch or more immersive audio enjoyment for the viewer.  current TV's prior 2017 LG OLEDs can only HDMI pass-thru upto 6ch DD/DTS, thus anyone who wants to migrate with ATMOS would be required to buy both an external ATMOS-enabled media player & an ATMOS-capable AVR and speaker set-up.

the reason I'm raising this is to share with other readers/hobbyist/co-members that hopefully now comes the time where we can save on the purchase of an external media players and rely it all upon the TV's built-in 4K processor and built-in 8ch decoder for lossless audios (ATMOS/DTS:X & Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD MA) -- with 8ch audio pass-thru via HDMI ARC/e-ARC  =)

tia!

Offline ninjababez®

  • Trade Count: (+77)
  • PinoyDVD Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 9,373
  • I know what poverty is.
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1040
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #15 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 01:43 AM »
Welcome back carlo!! :)
ninjababez online ..

Offline ninjababez®

  • Trade Count: (+77)
  • PinoyDVD Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 9,373
  • I know what poverty is.
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1040
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #16 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 01:47 AM »
I decided to go to a mall with the intention of  buying a quick interior detailer spray.  The cleaning agent was unfortunately unavailable so there was no other reason to stay longer(So I thought). However, on my way out, I passed by the  SM appliance centre which was close to the hardware shop... just to check out the latest rigs from a hobby i abandoned.

almost same thing happened to me bro; kaso ang plano ko after a few months pa (e.g. december).  napabili tuloy 6 months early hehehe
ninjababez online ..

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #17 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 07:42 AM »
@ninjababez

Thank you boss! Ingat sa biglang bili:)

Further impressions:

Image quality:

Viewing Angles:

Viewing angles are great on this TV as both contrast and colour held very well from extreme angles. Blacks remain perfect while colours took just a little hit.

HD Broadcast (Cignal HD)

Upscaled well using a 1080i signal. At this size though, I felt the picture was a little bit on the softer side of the fence. Normally, I would bring down the sharpness of HD contents to Zero. For the C7 and for this HD feed, I needed to maintain the default value of 10.  Going up to 20 is just fine but don’t add anything more than that. All picture enhancements were also kept off.

Full HD content (Blu-Ray)

Upscaled 1080p signal is superb on this TV. Using the default Cinema settings with all enhancements set to off and the sharpness level at zero... The over all image remained detailed and naturally sharp. Popping in The movie “Dawn of Justice” the C7 delivered well endowed blacks with subtle details still well  displayed.

4k Content HDR/Dolby Vision (Netflix)

The C7 looks even better or looks best with a natural 4k content. Watched “Stranger Things” from Netflix and the picture was both sharp and well defined.

Streaming 4k with HDR content from your PS4 Pro will deliver HDR, stream Netflix directly from the C7 and the TV  will default to Dolby vision (provided the selected program supports it).  My first impression of HDR/Dolby vision  was  very good. You could actively witness the difference between SDR and HDR very well on the C7 (Just like any HDR 10 capable set). Colours take on a new level of  saturation and vividness!  Lighting becomes more dazzling and dynamic...However, the default HDR/Dolby Vision standard picture setting may appear jaw dropping at first but tend to look unnatural. Best you use the HDR cinema settings instead for a more natural and refined look.

SDR/HDR Gaming

With 21Ms input response time this set is great for gaming. Plus it does not exhibit motion blur during very fast pans (as exhibited by LCD/LED) or phosphor trails (exhibited by Plasma). HDR gaming is also great but I suggest the default values be toned down by copying either Cinema or ISF values unto the Game Mode (SDR/HDR).


So Far this is turning out to be the best TV I’ve ever had. I’ll give it a few more days before I wrap things up.

« Last Edit: Nov 17, 2017 at 11:20 PM by Carlo777 »

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #18 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 10:41 AM »
Vs Plasma (As far as I remember it)

Had 3 Panasonic Plasma models in the past namely A V20, C10 and a PX(U)800. Blacks are nearly identical as far back as I can remember, view angles nearly the same. Colour would have to go to the C7 (even without HDR), more vibrant for me. SD content and HD ready (1080i) may have to go to plasma (Sharper).  Full HD (1080p) swings to the C7 as picture becomes more well defined (But this could be the C7 upscaling the blu ray to 4k).

I’d go for the OLED  simply because it does not have the green/yellow phosphor lag which plagued my plasma models in the past.

OLED is fantastic but for those with very good plasma models like the V20...OLED still trumps it but not by a very wide margin (Pls lets not factor in 4k and HDR).   

Now, if you’re coming from Plasma and have held back the upgrade due to the limitations of LED/LCD then the OLED becomes a more than worthy successor — You won’t be disappointed!     

Offline Icermad

  • Trade Count: (+33)
  • DVD Addict
  • ***
  • Posts: 514
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 21
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #19 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 11:15 AM »
I was about to defer my purchase of an OLED to next year's models but after reading this review.. Mukhang mapapabili na ata ako ulit..hahaha

Offline srkid

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Collector
  • **
  • Posts: 80
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 35
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #20 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 12:19 PM »
Welcome back Carlo :)

Offline synchro_01

  • Trade Count: (+103)
  • PinoyDVD Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 6,041
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 854
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #21 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 01:23 PM »
There are times that the story behind the purchase of the gears is even more interesting than how the gears perform after the acquisition. Congrats on your new TV
C777
Pioneer Elite/Dynaudio/REL 7.1 THX
Pioneer DDJ SR2/Pioneer DM60/Mac Air M1
Sonos/NHT 2,1 sub sat

Offline raptor

  • Trade Count: (+28)
  • PinoyDVD Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,801
  • Manila Tifosi
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 589
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #22 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 01:36 PM »
welcome back sir Carlo, been missing your TV reviews :)

just a tip on the LG remote, the voice command is a very good feature to use
Marantz NR1200, MartinLogan Motion 20 digital audio setup, and Sony A80J

Offline taloy

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Collector
  • **
  • Posts: 76
  • I'm new here! Please be kind.
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 21
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #23 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 03:29 PM »
mine is Q8C(QLED) but i don't know i just like my old busted F8500 plasma in SDR mode of course...to bad samsung pull the plug for plasma tech support. i really like those plasma tvs the motion was just so outstanding.

Offline DOM

  • Trade Count: (+78)
  • DVD Addict
  • ***
  • Posts: 904
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #24 on: Nov 08, 2017 at 05:37 PM »
sana meron oled na less reflection like the PANA v20  :)  ;)  :D  ;D
welcome back boss  :)  ;)  :D  ;D

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #25 on: Nov 09, 2017 at 12:12 AM »
Conclusion:

There are a number of TVs both expensive and cheap that are either great for movies but wanting in video game performance. Others are fast panels with solid input response times but cinema renditions are dull. Good blacks but terrible viewing angles....It’s quite rare for a TV to hit high marks in areas where it matters the most ; Gorgeous blacks, well saturated colours, near perfect viewing angles, fast input response times. Great for Full HD content and greater still for 4k feed with the bells and whistles of what HDR can offer. Oh and a more than decent sound to go with it. The C7 hits them all and hits them with refined near perfection.  Bang for the buck? Far from it (it’s darn  expensive). You’d be broke but you’d be happy.....no ...VERY VERY HAPPY.

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #26 on: Nov 09, 2017 at 12:17 AM »
Thanks again for the welcome guys:) It really has been awhile.

@mhacman

Boss audio talk  greek to me:( Sorry i could not really talk about it with some semblance of sense:(
« Last Edit: Nov 09, 2017 at 12:19 AM by Carlo777 »

Offline Carlo777

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,624
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 84
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #27 on: Nov 09, 2017 at 09:10 AM »
I was about to defer my purchase of an OLED to next year's models but after reading this review.. Mukhang mapapabili na ata ako ulit..hahaha

That would be ideal if manufacturers  consistently evolve their products (LG so far does this). There are times newer models tend to drop in quality over the previous ones. A very frustrating example would be... the Sony X80D from 2016 fared way better than the more current X80E. Now, if you’re looking for the “D” model they will always say “It’s phased out already”.

Unfortunately, the latest is not always the greatest:)

Offline Pipo_1925

  • Trade Count: (+16)
  • DVD Addict
  • ***
  • Posts: 774
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 98
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #28 on: Nov 09, 2017 at 09:55 AM »
Welcome back sir. Mukhang tipid mode ako nito para pag nag sale next year tong TV na to.

Offline mhacman

  • Trade Count: (+56)
  • DVD Guru
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,308
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 129
Re: LG C7 OLED (back to the hobby...I think)
« Reply #29 on: Nov 09, 2017 at 09:08 PM »
Thanks again for the welcome guys:) It really has been awhile.

@mhacman

Boss audio talk  greek to me:( Sorry i could not really talk about it with some semblance of sense:(

Noted and no issue with me, sir Carlo777 =)

will find a way to test this myself and share the same -- should I be fortunate to do so...