LG Electronics 55LB5900 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz LED TV (2014 Model)

Disclaimer: I attempted to buy this via Amazon, but first unit came completely destroyed in the box. Refused on delivery. I decided to purchase it from a local store as I didn't care to risk waiting on another damage unit.That being said, this is a very under-reviewed television. I had researched my next TV for quite awhile and came to the conclusion I'd only purchase a Samsung, LG, or possibly Vizio. My requirements were as follows:50-55", Small profile, LED, direct-LED backlighting, and NO "smart" functionality (I have a ROKU and an HTPC that destroys pretty much any "smart" television functionality that a manufacturer includes on their TVs.) These requirements made for an extremely limited search as most major TV manufacturers are pushing their "smart" televisions only. I came across this LG and compared to as similar as possible Samsung and Vizios. The LG price point and direct-LED backlight was the winner. I couldn't find any other TV that fit all the requirements above and certainly not at this price point, which was fairly unbelievable considering it is the new 2014 model.The picture: Blacks are far deeper than I had thought for an LED (I've been a plasma buyer up until now). The direct-LED backlighting is superb and I notice no weird lighting issues and certainly no edge bleeding. The viewing angle is much better than I had thought, but most LED TVs are correcting this issue anyway, so this shouldn't be too surprising. I see no "soap opera" effect from higher refresh rates. I have yet to figure out how to manually set the refresh, but as of now everything appears perfect with standard factory settings.The audio: Surprising. I wasn't even going to review sound as most factory sets are junk. There is actually a good amount of bass and volume. Audio is very crisp. Not sure if I'll stick with this for the long run, but it's worth noting that it is better than expected.Cons: Very, very few. My only main concern is that although I love the double stands, they aren't that supportive. If I push the display at the top, it'll wobble back and forth a little due to the legs not giving enough support. If you have a stable stand like I do, this is pretty much a none issue, but it could be a concern for some. Everyone comments on how they like the look for the legs though (myself included). Further, I'd love one more HDMI slot, but two is good for most uses. Also, I feel I am very tech savy, but I would have appreciated a user manual that goes into greater discussion and depth. Even on this TV that is fairly bare bones, there are many options to adjust and the manual barely addresses anything. A lengthier manual could have been very handy. You'll just have to tinker with it some more. Not a major issue.Overall: After a ton of research, this TV is, in my opinion, *the* best LED TV in the 55", non-smart category. It is fairly no frills when it comes to inputs, options, and "smart" functions, but it has a shockingly beautiful and great display. If you don't need a massive amount of features, this TV is just killer. Highly recommended for those of us who don't need or want a "smart" TV. As long as this TV doesn't have any mechanical issues down the line, I'll consider this an absolute steal at the pricepoint.

This is a great TV for the price. It has the features that are important and leaves off the gimmicks. I bought this as a replacement for a 2005 52' Toshiba DLP rear projection TV (the color wheel motor was going out for the second time and the part was getting more expensive and harder to find). I was originally thinking about getting the 50' but am glad I decided to go with the 55'. I have only had this TV for a few days but so far I have been very happy with it.There are no "smart TV" features. So if you want streaming you need a different TV or something external. Personally, I prefer a "dumb" TV. In my opinion there are much better external options out there then what is available with build in "smart" features.The TV does have a 120hz refresh rate. I think the other commentators were correct in pointing out that the person who thought it was a 60hz refresh rate was looking at the power input. It does display movies from my blu-ray player in 1080p24 (24 fps, because 24 is divisible from 120). Compared to my old 60hz TV movies do seem smother action and are easier to follow. There is no blurring or jutter from from a 3:2 pulldown that you get with a 60hz TV.By default this TV has it's motion interpolation feature (I think LG calls it TruMotion) turned off, so there is no "soap opera effect" out of the box. I have not tested this "feature" so can't say how Soap Opera'ish this TV can make movies look.The black levels are pretty good for an LED (backlit LCD). Probably not quite as black as a plasma, but not very far off at all. In a dark room when watching a dark scene you can tell that there is some light coming from the black areas, but otherwise I don't notice. By default the TV had a feature that would turn off the back light when the whole screen was dark. I turned it off because I found it distracting.This TV can have very bright whites and colors. I like to turn down the back light quite bit when watching in the dark. This also helps a bit with the black levels. Also the side angle viewing is better then I expected.I also considered plasma and projector because this TV was going in a dark room. Picture-wise there may have been better options. I wanted something versatile, and lightweight with low power consumption. I also did not want to deal with replacing expensive bulbs again like I did with the old rear projection. I would definitely recommend this TV for a bright room. If you have a darker room you may want to consider other options. Not that I am saying that this is a bad TV for a dark room, it just offers more advantages for brighter rooms.This is hooked up to an AV receiver so I have not tested the TV's speakers. For sound output it has an optical audio out, no analog out (the red and white RCA jacks are input only), and as far as I can tell no Audio Return Channel (ARC).For inputs this TV has an antenna in, 2 HDMI inputs, a combined composite/component RCA input, and a USB input that I don't think I will ever use. I was originally disappointed when the composite option was grayed out when all three component cables are plugged in. I was originally planning keeping all three colors plugged into the TV and switching to composite by using only green on a component input on my receiver. I later discovered that I could still select the composite input on the TV with a universal remote that let me select discrete inputs.Overall I have been extremely happy with this TV. LG did a great job delivering a TV that has great picture above all else and cuts all the other fluff to keep the price down.