The new LG LU7000 LCD TV was launched at IFA back in September 2009 and we’ve had the 22” version on long term test for 6 weeks now, so how’s it performed? Read on and find out……

First Impressions

The LU7000 is finished in a very classy looking piano black, has a DVD player tucked away in its sloping stand and looks a million dollars. A thin transparent section below the frame finishes the TV off nicely.

The TV can be mounted on a standard bracket or you can use the inbuilt stand. A small base plate is slipped on to the slopping DVD to make the bottom flat when using the stand. This keeps the TV looking neat when it is hung from a wall.

The viewing angle from left and right is good however, as usual; it’s not so good from below. The LU7000 isn’t full 1080P HD and isn’t 720P either it’s the rather unusual, for TV at least, 1360×768. It does produce some damn good pictures though.

Setup and Menus

As with almost all modern TVs the first time you switch it on it automatically scans for both analogue and digital TV channels including digital radio. All very simple and clear so far but how about the menus that are used to tweak the TV after initial setup?

I’m pleased to report that LG have used a very simple and clear icon based menu system allowing you to easily make adjustments to settings on the TV without the need to move closer. As always inputs can be labelled to make selecting the correct input a simple operation.

One pointer to the intended audience are the clock settings that allow you to specify an on and off time along with a channel and volume level making it the perfect alarm clock for the bedroom.

Integrated Freeview

The integrated Freeview picture quality obviously relies on the quality the channel transmits at. Overall the LG handles Freeview well and the resulting picture quality is bright and sharp with only the occasional artefact.

The EPG is clear and simple and the only real negative is the slight pause when you switch between channels. The LU7000 is not Freeview HD compatible but then there aren’t any other TVs out there at the moment that are either.

Integrated DVD

The integrated DVD player is built into the TV stand and has a novel sliding door mechanism rather than the more usual side mounted slot loader. DVDs are upscaled to 720P and look sharp, bright and vivid. The DVD player isn’t region free and despite searching I couldn’t find a hack to unlock it. Obviously I’ll update this post if I find one.

MP3s and JPGs are handled well although unfortunately DIVX and XVID videos can’t be played. Response and loading times are pleasingly fast and the DVD mechanism is very quiet in operation, you can hardly hear it even when the TV is on mute.

The blue lights around the disc flash on loading and ejecting but fortunately are left off during playback.

HDMI picture quality

The picture quality when using an HDMI source is simply gorgeous whether playing videos or gaming. For reference my source was an Xbox 360 and I couldn’t detect any obvious motion blur during games or video playback. The Xbox correctly identified the 1360×768 resolution of the TV. 

Sound

In common with most with most flat panel TVs there are no obvious speakers on the front and LG use Invisible Speaker technology to achieve this. Sound through the invisible speaker system is good without being great although it is a small TV so this is understandable and there’s an Optical Digital audio output if you want to connect to a more serious sound system.

ECO function

The remote has a dedicated ECO button that allows you to set the level of power saving from minimum through to screen off if you’re listening to music. Also available from the same button are picture mode, sound mode, audio mode, aspect ratio, sleep timer and USB eject as appropriate to the input you’re viewing.

Connections

The LU7000 sports a plethora of connections which is especially impressive considering it’s a relatively small TV. 

Rear connections

• 1 x RGB in PC plug and play.
• 1 x Audio in (for RGB in).
• 2 x HDMI
• 2 x Scart (1 full)
• 1 x Component
• 1 x Composite
• 1 x Optical Digital Audio output.
• 1 x RF Antenna In.

Side connections

• 1 x USB 2.0.
• 1 x CI slot.
• 1 x 3.5mm Headphone socket.

The connections make this an ideal student TV as it can be used as a PC monitor, Freeview TV and games console screen with inputs to spare. When using the screen as a PC monitor the resolution is detected correctly and results in a very usable PC display.

Pros

• Integrated DVD.
• Stylish looks.
• Connectivity.
• USB input.
• Front loading DVD is neat and saves scrabbling around the side for the more usual slot loader.
• Nice remote.

Cons

• No DIVX/XVID from the USB or DVD.
• Slight pause before a Freeview channel is displayed when stepping through channels.

Conclusion

The LG LU7000 LCD TV is a very competent all rounder with excellent connectivity for digital and legacy equipment making it the ideal student TV. It’s also well suited to smaller rooms such as kitchens and bedrooms.

On the negative side it’s a shame that it doesn’t handle DIVX or XVID files like the LG TVs launched at the same time as the LU7000. It is rather a lot to expect from a TV of this size and price though.

All in all if you’re after a TV in the 19 to 22” size range then you should take a serious look at the LU7000. Expect to pay around £300 for the 22” and a little less for the 19” version. 

SPEC

• Size 19 and 22” widescreen (16:9).
• Built-in DVD player.
• Invisible speakers, 10W.
• 1360×768.
• HD ready.
• Digital Audio Out.
• SRS TruSurround XT.
• Freeview.
• USB 2.0 (JPEG/MP3 Playback).
• Energy Saving Recommended.

The newly launched Sony VAIO X series notebook should appeal to the “small and light” business travel market. Weighing in at under a kilo it boasts the title of “Worlds lightest laptop” (amongst models with comparable screen sizes).

Clearly ignoring any talk of a recession, Sony are targeting this machine at the premium market – the spec sheet includes:

• Carbon-fibre chassis
• LED backlit screen
• Integrated 3G
• Wireless a/b/g/n
• Integrated webcam
• Solid state drive

Taking a leaf out of Apple’s book the gesture pad is multi-touch enabled and Sony boast an impressive 8 hour battery life.

We don’t have any prices yet but if it’s anything like the other object of desire in the VAIO stable (the Z series) you’d better start saving now…

Logitech have recently released a couple of new high-end gaming controllers that should give them a following in the small-but-dedicated market for simulation games.

Starting with driving, the G27 racing wheel is a force-feedback steering wheel. Actually “steering wheel” doesn’t do it justice, since as well as featuring the obligatory flappy paddles it also comes with:

• A 6 speed gearstick control including a push-down-to-engage reverse gear
• A set of 3 pedals (yes, you get a clutch) in an offset pattern so you can practice your “heel and toe” race driving.

At an RRP of £329 you’ll have to be dedicated to your game though.

Flight simulation is the other genre which benefits from a decent controller. I’ve already talked about the cheap option but if you’re in the market for something a little more realistic the new Flight System G940 should fit the bill.

Comprising the full set of Joystick, twin throttle and rudder pedals this programmable force feedback controller should satisfy the most hardcore jet-jockey.  Logitech have even taken the needs of cockpit builders into account with this one by providing mounting points on the stick and throttle so they can be bolted into a suitable frame.

With an RRP of £259 it’s (slightly) cheaper then the wheel but again, you’ll need to be really into your game to justify the cost.

I’ve been using this unique combined power strip and powerline HD adapter for some time now so it’s about due a review. Read on to get the low-down…

What is powerline?

Many readers will already know what Powerline is all about (in which case, you can skip this bit) but if you don’t: Powerline is a way of using the existing mains cables in your walls to make a network. You just need two free plug sockets – plug an adapter into each one and voila – network!

Unlike wireless, thick walls and long ranges are no impediment to powerline transmission and as far as the PC is concerned, the adapters are just standard Ethernet ports.

The standard for powerline is called “Homeplug” and it comes in different flavours – effectively high speed and low speed. The high speed version is branded as “Powerline HD” and this is what I’ve been testing.

What’s unique about the Piggy6?

Because it uses your house ring main to transmit networking traffic, powerline equipment needs to be plugged directly into a socket for maximum effect. Plugging a powerline adapter into a power strip (especially a surge protected one) will reduce the speed you can achieve. That means you effectively lose a plug socket to the powerline adapter.

The Solwise adapter I’ve been using incorporates its own surge suppressor and 6 way power strip, as well as a 3 port Ethernet hub. This means that a) you don’t lose a plug socket to the adapter and b) you can hang up to 3 computers off the back of it.

Design

OK, so it’s looks like something out of Space Invaders. I don’t think it will be winning any design awards. There’s an upside though – the placement of the plug sockets around the top of the unit means that each one can accommodate a chunky power adapter without interfering with it’s neighbour. That makes all 6 sockets usable, unlike some traditional 6 way power strips.

Installation

If only all PC hardware was this simple. Installation consists of plugging it in. And that’s it  – things get marginally more complicated if you want to encrypt your transmissions (just in case your neighbour shares the same ring) but at a basic level there really is nothing to it.

As an aside, the adapter at the other end of the link doesn’t need to be the same brand – any devices supporting the “Powerline HD” standard should talk to each other quite happily.

Performance and conclusion

Powerline HD promises up to 200mbps. That’s twice as fast as standard “fast” Ethernet and 20 times faster than your broadband. In theory.

In practice, just as with WiFi any number of things can influence this speed. In tests I’ve received between 50 and 80mbps from this adapter. That may sound way short of the theoretical maximum but it also beats the pants off 54g WiFi in the same situation (which gets slightly less than half that speed, about 20mbps)

Meaningless bandwidth testing numbers aside, the reality is that I can stream stutter-free HD video from one side of the house to the other using this setup and I can’t with Wifi.

Overall I’m happy with the technology and I’d recommend this adapter to anyone looking for a hassle free networking solution.

You can find it on BroadbandBuyer for a shade over £60.

This new drive from Verbatim managed to catch my eye thanks to its front panel display that shows free space. A simple idea, the always-on LCD shows the drive name and free space even when it’s not connected to the PC.

Handy, if you have a few external drives that aren’t connected all the time.

They’re available in the US at the moment priced at $150 for the 500GB model.

Announced last week, the VAIO mini W series netbook sports a 10.3” display with a widescreen 1377×768 resolution, the obligatory integrated webcam and microphone and a power saving Intel Atom processor.

The more interesting announcement (to me anyway) comes in the form of it’s bigger brother, the VAIO NW series. These machines have 15.5” X-black displays, HDMI output, ATI Mobility 4570 graphics and Core2 processors. They also have a “quick web access” button that allows you to “get online in seconds without having to fully boot up the PC” – sounds interesting.

Price and availability aren’t available yet but keep an eye on the Sony website, they’ll appear soon enough.

Edit: I’ve just got some more detail from Sony about the “Quick web access” button. It’s based around the Splashtop software and can get you from powered off to web browsing in under 15 seconds. Nice!

So if you’re looking for a relatively cheap joystick to get the most out of your flight sim of choice the Saitek Aviator (or AV8R) is a good place to start.

The Aviator is unique amongst PC joysticks in that it has two throttle controls which can be independently assigned. You also get the usual twist rudder axis and 12 programmable buttons.

Ergonomics

The joystick action is smooth and provides enough resistance to give you some idea of where you are in the motion range. Inputs don’t spike and the throttles are well damped so fine adjustments are possible.

The second throttle axis doesn’t have to be used to control engines either – I find that mapping it to elevator trim makes long flights a lot more manageable.

Programming

The Aviator is programmable via the Saitek SST software (pictured). This software essentially redirects button presses of the joystick to emulate keyboard and mouse strokes, meaning you can assign long complicated keyboard sequences (“Switch radar mode and select weapon” for example) to a single button press. You don’t need to use it if you prefer to set up your joystick via the in-game menus, but it’s nice to have the option.

The software is quite intuitive, making what can be a fairly complex task quite simple.

The large red control at the back of the stick actually switches the joystick into one of three user programmable modes – in this way each button can have three different functions, depending on the position of the switch. Typically I’d have one position for general flight and takeoff/landing and use the others for special scenarios such as combat.

Conclusion

For £20 online you can’t go far wrong, take a look at this if you like (or like the idea of) flight games.

OCZ’s Z-drive range of PCI based solid state drives are on pre-order at overclockers.co.uk. The 1TB version will set you back a cool £2600 which makes it not that practical for most of us.

If you need the fastest storage you can buy though, the 500MB/Sec read speed will take some beating!

Naturalpoint’s TrackIR is probably the second most essential flight sim accessory after a good joystick. It’s essentially a camera sensitive to IR light, but it’s not used to take pictures. When you wear a baseball cap with special reflective spots the camera can work out where your head is (in relation to your monitor). Armed with this information the included software can “track” the motion of your head as you look around.

The end result is that when you’re sat in the cockpit of your virtual plane, you can look around by physically moving your head. Sounds odd but it actually works really well.

(And yes, you look like a dork if you answer the door wearing the hat. So remember to take it off first!)

The new version 5 product quietly slipped onto the website last week with very little announcement – the main enhancement seems to be increased resolution, which translates into smoother tracking.

RCSimulations is the UK supplier and they’re currently selling off the v4 product at under £100, so expect to see the v5 in stock shortly.

This cool flight-sim addon made a brief appearance in the form of a “coming soon” press release at least a year ago, if not more than that. Since then we’ve heard nothing but recently it appeared out of nowhere on Saitek’s website.

What you’re looking at is a USB connected 5” colour LCD screen that can replicate the dials and displays in an aircraft. You can choose one of 6 dials to display (Altimeter, artificial horizon etc) and you can plug multiple units in at once if you want the whole cockpit feel.

Out of the box it’s compatible with Flight Simulator X, although it’s programmable so theoretically any flight sim could be made to talk to it (don’t hold your breath though, it depends on the publisher being interested…)

It’ll be available at the end of the month from the Saitek online store for £129.99.