LG G4 OLED Design Issues and TV Discussion.

I made a video discussing the issues that I've had with the LG G4 OLED. It comes down to a design problem that, for me, makes it unwatchable in a dark room. The bezel reflects light, and it's something I can't unsee. The performance was also not as good as I was expecting, at least for the money. Out of the box, it suffers from black crush even in filmmaker mode, and coming from an LGC9 that's professionally calibrated is really jarring. There's more I discuss, and the performance of the actual TV could simply be attributed to burn-in. The reflective bezel is the real deal-breaker for me.
In the end, I bought a product, and I wasn't happy with it. The upgrade wasn't large enough compared to my LGC9, and this is the reason why I'm returning the TV. If you are considering buying this TV, or any TV, I think it would be worth watching, because these are the things that you need to consider when upgrading.
Let me know what you think.
Carl.
#OLED #LGG4 #LGOLED
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ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Carl, and I run a family-owned business called HD MOVIE SOURCE with my dad, Glen, and my brother, Mark. I'm a passionate movie fan and tech enthusiast, and I love talking about the quality of video transfers. Calibrating speakers and subwoofers, encoding 4K content, and exploring all things techy are all my favorite things to do. I'm also a big gamer, and World of Warcraft takes up a lot of my time, but hey, someone's gotta do it!
Please let me know if you have any questions.
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[@FadeToBlack2181]

While I did enjoy your video, I really appreciated that someone could have much worse OCD than me.

[@hdmoviesource]

Oh I have it bad, LOL.

[@garryj6311]

I've never understood why L.G thought this silver bezel was a good design for their premium TV.

[@vlcheish]

Lots of TVs over the years do these stupid design choices for aesthetics. Panasonic plasmas had annoying reflective silver during the plasma days Phillips was using light gray for their speaker bars Just dumb design choices. I want everything matte black.

[@MrDickdog]

Wow I really don’t mind it at all. Strange small thing to point out.

[@TWISTEDBULLET]

Thanks for this video. I was on the fence about upgrading, and I'm like you. I need things to be perfect, and this bezel sounds like a definite deal-breaker. Thank you.

[@hdmoviesource]

I appreciate it TWISTED.

[@cianomahony2494]

Glad to find fellow twisted individuals here. I couldn't take the leap on this tv as I heard about this issue and I knew it would drive me crazy. The G3 has a reflective stand givinga similar issue so had to pass. I went with the C4 which has a less reflective stand and I'm still trying to mentally cope with the minor reflectivity from this stand. I'm OCD forever. Don't think I'll ever change unfortunately.

[@hdmoviesource]

I think the C4 looks good, and shouldn't have those reflective issues. That's a good purchase.

[@cianomahony2494]

@hdmoviesource I've noticed a slight grainy effect on most of the content I watch on the C4. Older movies, maybe 15 years or older are unwatchable due to this and newer it is more subtle. Not sure if this is present on the g3 or g4. Sometimes you need to look closely. It's most noticeable in darker scenes. Did you notice this on the g4? Would it be an issue for you?

[@hdmoviesource]

@@cianomahony2494 This is probably film grain from older movies. I actually like this look for older movies. I didn't have an issue with it.

[@GrizzlyRed]

I still have my 55 inch LG C9 and have no plans to replace it soon because imo nothing has come out that is worth the jump. This video just reinforces that belief. Maybe someday!

[@hdmoviesource]

Now after seeing this G4 I agree with you. I'll probably buy a new TV when this one dies, or something significant happens.

[@kasramoghaddam1389]

Thanks for taking the time to create this video. Wait till you see the S95D matt screen TV, the decrease in sharpness is very very noticeable compared to my C1 oled.

[@hdmoviesource]

Really? Yeah, I can't stand matte screens. I'm really going to be careful about what I upgrade with in the future.

[@vlcheish]

Great call out. This would drive me NUTS

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, it's something I couldn't do.

[@polishdude001]

Keep the c9 man, it’s still one of the best TVs ever made, wait till till next year

[@hdmoviesource]

Thanks Polish Dude, yeah, no biggy, I'll wait for next years and see what's available.

[@thegoodsherman]

good points you bring up..and I would be just as picky. This also shows again how important a good display coating is...a matte display is a no go for me...and the fact that you can already tell on the g4, which actually doesn't have a matte display, is very meaningful.

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, I agree Sherman. Thanks for posting.

[@fivedollarshake3896]

Thank you so much for this review. I was also going to buy this TV, but after seeing the reflections on the inside of the frame, there is no way I will buy it now. LG what are you thinking? I want a new TV, but even the Sony A95L has issues. The Samsung QD-OLED looks great, but I will never buy a Samsung unless they add Dolby Vision. I guess I can only hope that Sony will fix their issues with firmware.

[@hdmoviesource]

I can't buy a Samsung either. Sony could be an option, or maybe an C4 or maybe next year with a C5.

[@444chroma]

Thank you for sharing Carl, after building up the anticipation and spending so much money a lot of people would have tried to ignore the issues. For that kind of money it has to be a perfect match for me! I'm still using a calibrated c9 as well and it was ahead of its time in some ways. I've tried some newer oleds but the jump wasn't big enough and they had issues with panel tinting and uniformity. You are absolute right there is something about the C9 the clarity is incredible.... PIN SHARP as you say. I have never been a fan of _any_ display coatings because they have an effect of the light coming from the display itself. It's not optically pure

[@hdmoviesource]

Thanks Chroma, I really appreciate it. Yeah, I love the C9. I bet getting it calibrated now, with all the firmware updates done, it would calibrate excellently.

[@cheekster777]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Carl.

[@hdmoviesource]

Thank you Cheek.

[@rossimaddog2498]

LoL I have the g3 zero issues during the daytime or nighttime with overhead lighting on. Zero issues with the g2 even. It sounds like you have OCD issue. Take a black marker and black it out is another option.

[@hdmoviesource]

It's definitely an option.

[@gbye007]

Interesting take. I presume what you're calling lines in the blue sky above the mountains at sunrise is banding (somewhat like what jpeg encoding does to still images). So, yes, its a bit disappointing. Also, the silver bezel is just off-putting for sure. That's a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't give you lots of joy.

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, those banding lines, and it looks better on my C9, but it maybe because its calibrated. I'm not sure.

[@centillion7]

Once you see it, you cannot unsee it. I have the same issue now with my G4.That metal bezle is LG dropping the ball big time.

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, I may have to look at a C5 next year. I don't think they have these design issues.

[@444chroma]

I know you had lights on in the room at 46:40 but the Ferris wheel shot is showing that border sticking out like a sore thumb. That would be really off putting to see it picking up reflections during a critical viewing session

[@hdmoviesource]

Good catch, thanks for pointing that out Chroma. It's definitely an issue. If all G models are like this, I won't be buying a G model ever again.

[@adamsultana8380]

Surprised to hear this cause I have a C1 from 2021 and these issues aren't present.

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, my C9 is perfect too. Could be a G series issue.

[@leonardsilverman914]

Brand new LG G4 77" broken right out of the box. Waiting for repair. LG experience has been a nightmare. Very dissapointed.

[@hdmoviesource]

I've gone back to my LGC9, and been very happy with that.

[@stephenrodriguez6693]

This might be a dumb idea but could you do some kind of vinyl wrap as a solution for the silver bezel? Is that a viable option for that issue?

[@hdmoviesource]

I think that would be the fix yeah. Definitely something like that.

[@sammy10001]

Im suprised you werent bothered by the sanus stand reflections. In the video, i think the reflections from the sanus mount metal surface is bigger of a "immersion ruiner" experience for me atleast. Definitely fixable, take a roll of triple black velvet over it to cover it. I think you should also velvet your side walls, until the distances you sit at, if possible. So velvet side walls infront of you, back of you and side walls behind your head doesnt matter. Same to ceiling. Also, you could do the electrical tape as people mentioned, but yeah that silver bezel sucks... The velvet behind the TV, do you feel its better in a curtain style like that, or if it was flat. You probably have windows back there, so you cant choose, it has to be curtain style, but if it was a wall, would you be better off straight velvet with the TV wall mounted on the wall to avoid all possible reflections and feel like looking into the void?

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, I didn't like the stand either. I think velvet would work well yes. I'll look into that. I have windows behind that yes, so the curtain work great. I specifically told the installer that I can't have nay light coming through, and it's very good.

[@nickxcore74]

I’m still happy with my E9 and was looking at getting a G4, but after watching this I think I’m going to wait. It will be interesting to see what Vincent Teoh says in his review on HDTV Test.

[@hdmoviesource]

I think the C4 could be a decent upgrade. But, if you're happy, I don't think you need to upgrade yet.

[@Datacorrupter234]

Damn they always gotta engineer some flaw in lg tvs even if its entirely avoidable

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, I don\'t believe the C4 has this. So it looks like the C4 or even C5 next year will be the play.

[@thegoodsherman]

Maybe that sounds a bit stupid...so if the silver edge bothers you but the TV is good and you want to keep it, you could cover the edge with a fine matt black adhesive tape. I would do it this way..

[@hdmoviesource]

I've wrestled with the idea of doing something like this. I just feels as though I shouldn't need to do that.

[@michaelbeckerman7532]

@@hdmoviesource agreed, for that type of money LG should have caught and corrected that issue before releasing it to market. They just likely didn't do any of their beta testing on it in a really dark room.

[@444chroma]

I couldn't do it. I'd still see the tape and be reminded about how I spent $6500 and had to "fix something" on day 1

[@hdmoviesource]

Agreed, that's how I am too.

[@hdmoviesource]

That's how I am too.

[@HiKielLiHi]

I'm going with the C4...I don't need the G4 honestly..I think the g4 is brighter than the c4

[@hdmoviesource]

I think that's going to be a good choice.

[@sammy10001]

what velvet curtain's are those? any link or manufacturer name?

[@hdmoviesource]

We had them custom installed, so I really don't know Sammy.

[@RivanovNL]

I own the 77G4 and I never notice the silver bezel. Not in a bright room and not in a darkened room at night. So take this video wtih a very big pinch of salt. ;-)

[@hdmoviesource]

Agreed, it may not bother some or be able to see it.

[@mirrormelville7097]

i also dont like how the bezel stick out and reflect the light. if you look at the back around the edges if you can measure it, the part that steeps down a little, measure that edge to the compartment that it hits;which has the hdmi ports. on each side they are different measurements.

[@hdmoviesource]

Agreed. I assume the C4 doesn't have this design.

[@Datacorrupter234]

im gona try putting black scotch tape over it

[@hdmoviesource]

@@Datacorrupter234 Okay, let me know how that goes. Maybe a black velvet or something non-reflective might do it.

[@Datacorrupter234]

@@hdmoviesource edit i just got my lg g3 today ive messing with it for a few hours and i think im gona return it, its buzzes, so many issues with it where do i even begin this tv sucks to be honest

[@hdmoviesource]

@@Datacorrupter234 Oh really? Yeah, you have to be happy with your purchase, and if you're not I think you should return it. I\'m thinking about the C4 or maybe waiting until next year for the C5.

[@StrangerThingsFangirl2009]

hiii. can you review the Sony A95L OLED? my daddy is buying me a new t.v. to put in my bedroom for my birthday!!! and i like how you talk about movie discs! i love movies. i almost went w this one until u mentioned what would bother me 2. thanks g

[@StrangerThingsFangirl2009]

every1 says A95L is better than g4 anyway!!! best of the best they say. but u arent so high class and needing to keep review press status

[@hdmoviesource]

I've seen some reviews on it and it looks like a great TV.

[@chahatr190]

U should try Sony A95l

[@hdmoviesource]

Id like to take a look, but I've heard the Dolby Vision isn't as good as LG.

[@ChadAV69]

the curtains look real nice. what are they made out of?

[@hdmoviesource]

I honestly don't know. I probably should find out. They were installed a long time ago, and I really can't remember.

[@Takeme_DCUO]

Greyscale,Whitebalance, get that nailed and coming out of blacls,black crushing etc is done. The posturisation has been there on LG's unfortunately for a few years now. Smooth gradation helps when it works but scrubs a lot of the image out. I'm still thinking of getting this G4 but I'll calibrate it myself with Light Illusion ColourSpace. Ty for the vid, sorry you were disappointed.

[@hdmoviesource]

Yeah, I saw a review on RTINGS and the C4 has terrible gradient handling. I really want them to improve this before I buy another LG.

[@Takeme_DCUO]

​@@hdmoviesource I saw the c4 in another review by a good KZbinr I've followed for a good while. Not worth it. It's dim and the game mode looks worse than last years G3. I still like the G4 though 🎉

[@hdmoviesource]

@@Takeme_DCUO I like the G4 as a TV, I just didn't like the softness, the banding and gradient issues and the reflections. I returned the TV and I'm waiting for something better.

[@hamadmalik2200]

I hear the 83 uses MLA 1.0 instead of MLA 2.0

[@hdmoviesource]

Interesting, I didn't know that.

[@solebreaux6529]

Source?

[@hdmoviesource]

I'd like to know too.

[@TWISTEDBULLET]

Thanks!

[@hdmoviesource]

WOW! Thanks TWISTED! I really appreciate it. Thanks so much.

[@DarthMaster09]

Is the Samsung S95D better than the LG G4? I'm torn between the Samsung S95D and the LG G4. The S95D 77" is on sale here in Canada, is it worth spending over $2000 more for the G4 or should I upgrade to the S95D from my LG C9?

[@hdmoviesource]

Not sure, I'll look into it.

[@damnkris]

Two things - you gotta learn the difference between burn in and break in. It was slightly annoying listening you talking about how the image would be better when the TV was partially destroyed ("when it had burned in"). And I'm pretty sure the softness was due to 4K being too low resolution, that's generally around the size when 8K starts to make sense.

[@hdmoviesource]

I use break in a burn-in interchangeably. The reason why I talked about the softness if because my 77 inch looks super sharp, so you might be right. getting larger, may need an 8K. But, I'm not going to buy an 8K because there's no content, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray is 4K.

[@checarlos956214]

C9 came out in 2019 😊

[@TPRErik]

Still using mine.

[@hdmoviesource]

Okay, time fly's fast when you're having fun, 😜

[@qudamaa6744]

will black tape can fix the issue

[@hdmoviesource]

Maybe, or some type of black velvet.

[@snowdon463]

What was the size on test please, thanks.

[@hdmoviesource]

83 inch.

[@cafiveohsrockbandremix9254]

Have you considered testing a Sony A95L or a Z9K? Those are some extremely impressive TVs. Difficult to say if they are better than your C9, but if you are set on getting a new TV then that A95L might be a great purchase!

[@hdmoviesource]

I might take a look at it. What's the maximum size? I'd like an 83 inch.

[@icemanandbobtechandgaming]

77 inch the largest A95L size as that’s the biggest QD-OLED available. I have it and it definitely doesn’t have the issues mentioned in this video.

[@hdmoviesource]

So no 83 inch? I really want a bigger screen.

[@cafiveohsrockbandremix9254]

@@hdmoviesource you could look at the Sony A80L which is available in 83”. It’s definitely not cheap, but gets really high marks from Rtings

[@hdmoviesource]

I'll take a look. Right now I'm just sitting back and thinking about what I want to do.

[@Bushwacked487]

Did you turn off power saving mode?

[@hdmoviesource]

I did yes.

[@fps_lobotv]

You should consider trying the Bravia 9

[@hdmoviesource]

Is that an LCD?

[@fps_lobotv]

Yes it is but it has near oled contrast with 4000 nit peak brightness. I currently have a Sony A80L and I know you stated you don’t want to go backwards which technically speaking switching from oled to mini led would be considered that on paper. However the 4000 nits allows for much higher HDR impact and performance compared to OLED and the Bravia 9 also uses a new type of backlight driver that allows for the most precise local dimming ever put on an LCD display. It’s design is complimentary to the new Sony HX-3110 reference monitor that is a 4000 nit LCD based display used for mastering and color grading movies. Essentially you will have the most accurate picture and stay as close to directors intent as possible. I would say to wait for it and try it for yourself when it comes out later this month. Would love to hear your perspective on it

[@hdmoviesource]

My biggest issues are the black levels.

[@TonyDAngelo-ot7ny]

Try the Sony A95L, only 77 though

[@hdmoviesource]

@@TonyDAngelo-ot7ny I'm definitely considering my options Tony. I'd like to go bigger though.

[@forjoel6974]

Does the G3 have the same design issue?

[@hdmoviesource]

Not sure, if it does, I'll always have to look for a C4, or later down the line, a C5.

[@pablozapata9694]

what OLED do you recommend that I can only get today?

[@nickxcore74]

I’d go for a LG G3 or Samsung S95C. If money is no object and you’re a real videophile then I’d look at the Sony A95L.

[@hdmoviesource]

Sony A95L or maybe a C4, If you're looking for an OLED for the first time, it's a great time to upgrade.

[@EMWill-cl4ml]

@@hdmoviesource what about the Z95A Panasonic?

[@hdmoviesource]

We can't get Panasonic in the US, atleast I don't think we can. But, I agree, they make amazing OLEDs.

[@solebreaux6529]

A black sharpie would’ve easily resolved this issue

[@hdmoviesource]

It's definitely possible.

[@vsrock23]

So you're saying there's a silver lining. 😉

[@hdmoviesource]

haha yeah.

[@jakobbode18]

get a a 95l instead😉

[@hdmoviesource]

I might take a look yeah.

[@davidiveson4035]

No such thing as a perfect tv folks….

[@hdmoviesource]

Unfortunate, but true. It may be a great display, once bedded in and calibrated, but this small thing was the reason I had to return it.

[@ChaosDragon004]

electrical tape lol

[@hdmoviesource]

Its a possibility yes.

[@Rhcpbedders]

You’d be a nightmare to live with 😂 I’ve got a G4 83 in its box. I’ll be taking a sharpie to it if it bothers me. Easy as.

[@hdmoviesource]

Haha, oh I'm terrible to live lol.

[@rockcitybwoy9042]

🤔 something’s off about that image - yes there is silver on the edges but looking straight forward the bezel is black. Something is very off

[@hdmoviesource]

It's definitely off.