[jhallenworld]

I have a new LG TV, holy moly what a terrible user experience. Out of the box it requires you to create an LG account. PITA, but OK. Except I was supposed to set the location first, instead I set it after. So now you have the problem that you can not log into LG.com using my own email (even from a web browser) because it says: "incorrect country". I contacted their tech support about this, the only fix is to switch back the country code on the TV (to US_Other), then delete the account from there, then set country code to US, then create it again. OMG. I guess there is no fix if TV breaks before you do this..or if you forget what the original country code was. You are then forced to use a different email for any future LG product. I notice that all LG smart products use the same phone app, BTW.

Also, I bought an LG soundbar to go along with it. You would think they would work well together. The soundbar sounds fine, but the synchronization drifts over time. I've tried optical, LG's enhanced optical (allows you to control the volume) and HDMI eARC. In theory optical in PCM mode works better, but then you give up the volume control. Why should an end customer know about any of this? Lip sync is a simple problem to solve (timing pulses and code slipping will always work) and they have failed at it.

Also: their remote sucks (compared with Roku).

Anyway, so no respect for LG.

[krelian]

I recently had to replace my 5 year old LG OLED with a new one. The UX has been downgraded to an abysmal level. It's just unfathomable how such simple UI widgets take multiple seconds to load and how can QA say "ok, that's good enough". And don't get me started about the shoehorned "AI". A feature that, if you forget to turn it off will randomly interrupt whatever you're watching to talk to you in an almost unintelligible metallic voice. The build quality of the remote control also took a nose dive. Image quality is great but the same as my old TV, no advancements there.

[nostrademons]

I had an LG TV for work because my team developed some of the software on it. Similar experience - it got progressively worse (including the software my team developed, which in true Google fashion was deprioritized, discontinued, team laid off, and left to rot without anyone bothering to tell LG that it was no longer being maintained) until by the time I left that team it was nearly unusable as a "smart" TV and all I did was run Netflix and Disney+ on it. Then my kid broke it with a well-placed whack of a plastic sword.

Would definitely not buy with my own money. I actually really like a lot of LG's other appliances (we have a washer, dryer, and dual ovens from them that are great), but for a TV, I just want a dumb screen that I can hook an HDMI cable to and run off a computer.

[mschuster91]

> but for a TV, I just want a dumb screen that I can hook an HDMI cable to and run off a computer.

Look into Digital Signage displays. You pay a brickload more money but get (much) higher quality in return.

[Uvix]

I haven't found digital signage displays with the same brightness for HDR content, or variable refresh rate support.

[patrakov]

Try a gaming monitor, Gigabyte AORUS FV43U.

[nicwolff]

My 55" LG Wallpaper signage display is pretty much perfect – it just has HDMI in from an Apple TV and never bothers me. But, it takes ~10 seconds to turn on after a signal is detected, since it was never meant to be turned off!

[reaperducer]

You pay a brickload more money but get (much) higher quality in return.

Not anymore. The last time I checked B&H they weren't very much more expensive than comparable "smart" televisions.

[Laurel1234]

Also it's really important to tell every guest in your home that the TV is recording everything they say or you'll be violating wiretapping laws, as per the EULA.

[jhallenworld]

The main point of selecting the country seems to be getting you to consent to the country specific EULA. There's also region-based content management, but it's secondary at this point.

[nerdsniper]

Source? Wow.

[MilanTodorovic]

This GamersNexus video has all the info you need https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9uefFYe6bM

[Laurel1234]

The other user provided great context but if anyone thinks I'm exaggerating in any way shape or form read the user agreement in LG's own site:

https://www.lg.com/uk/lge-terms/

> i. CONSENT REQUIREMENT: You acknowledge and agree that it is your sole responsibility to obtain all necessary consents from any third parties whose voices may be captured by the Product and to notify household members and guests that their voices may be captured and processed, in compliance with applicable wiretapping, eavesdropping, and privacy laws. If anyone does not consent, you should disable the microphone or voice features in the settings. LGE disclaims any liability for your failure to obtain such consent or provide such notification

Genuinely one of the most batshit insane things I've seen a company pull, their entire board should be liquidated along with their parents for failing to raise them.

[jhallenworld]

So actually, this TV is for an AIR B&B I rent out. I guess technically I need to add their stupid EULA to my rental agreement.

[inigyou]

Yes, or you're illegally spying on your tenants.

If you inform them as per the EULA, then you're still illegally spying on your tenants, but at least you gave a confession.

Basically if you have an LG TV you could go to jail.

[lathiat]

I am so very happy to have a 2010s Samsung TV with no Wi-Fi and an AppleTV.

I do not lock forward to needing to upgrade the TV.

[reaperducer]

I have a new LG TV, holy moly what a terrible user experience.

My LG TV doesn't support Bluetooth, and it's only maybe eight years old.

Instead of simply connecting to Bluetooth headphones, you're supposed to put some LG app on your smart phone, then sync that via wifi with another app on the TV, then connect your smart phone to the headphones via Bluetooth.

Instead, I just watch less TV and will not purchase LG in the future.

(And let's stop pretending that "LG" stands for "Life's Good" like it says on the power-on splash screen. It means "Lucky Goldstar." If life was good, I'd be able to use Bluetooth headphones.)

[alterom]

Well it doesn't sound like you're having much luck with that setup, or would award it any gold stars, so there's that.

[ljredux]

You will also have to change that LG account password every three months. It's like they are begging you to put in a weak password because changing a password with a remote control is hell.

Maybe check how many network queries the Netflix app is making on that TV set too. On mine, it makes 1,500 network queries every ten minutes. I didn't realise this until I got a Pi-hole. Even when Netflix has not been launched. As long as the TV is switched on, Netflix is sending queries to various netflix.com subdomains faster than a clock ticks and it never stops. It seems to be unique to the Netflix app on LGTV sets, and neither company cares about fixing it.

[yumraj]

Does it not work if you don’t connect to Internet and not create an account?

[temporallobe]

Not sure why optical is a problem in 2026! I have a 2014 Samsung plasma dumb-TV and pipe the optical straight to my old (2002-ish) Yamaha receiver with absolutely zero issues (no sync drifting) and it sounds like a dream compared to the soundbar on my other TV.

[GJim]

> LG TV, holy moly what a terrible user experience.

I was put off buying one as, here in Blighty, all LG TV's come with a built in Amazon Alexa which if you don't enable it, nags you every time you turn on the TV (talk about doing the bare minimum to comply with the GDPR!).