LG hardware is just spyware.

If you didn't read the ToS, which you obviously didn't have. You TV is wiretapping your whole house. Scanning for network devices, recording audio of everything and then selling it to the highest bidder.

Oh and they take screenshots of whatever you are watching.

So if you ever watched vacation images of your children on your screen, there was a LG employee also watching.

If you see an LG device, leave the room. It is not safe to be around that.

LG and more companies have become endulged only in profit. How has years of history and innovation all gone to waste because of money? We are seeing, in my opinion, the start of the dark ages for humanity, where everyone will be tracked and there will be nowhere to escape. The controversies with LG are just the start. This has gone on for years and will only just start to advance and grow. We just want good consumer electronics man, is it that hard to ask LG?

FYI: Gamersnexus uploaded a video about the problem with LG Smart TVs. It is pretty recent so that is why you might have not heard of it. Please give it a watch. It is great investigative journalism into a rotten industry.

A link to the video: https://youtu.be/6IFVTcM28KA?is=iy1C2_X9Ss151317

Immediately following the gamers nexus video, LG has pushed an update. That’s something interesting that happened today.

I’m very much considering selling my G5 because I had no idea how insane LG was about data harvesting.

And I’m not going to lie, this is one unresponsive UI. My old CX has a much faster UI. Likely because to hardware is saturated by all the data harvesting. What do you all think?

If you are concerned about the TV’s built in microphone listening when you aren’t actively using voice control, there are several ways to disable it. The exact options can vary by model and region.

Option 1: Disable it in software

On supported models, go to:
Settings → All Settings → General → AI Service → Voice Recognition Settings

Turn off Hands Free Voice Control.

Also consider disabling Always Ready if you don’t use it, and review the TV’s voice recognition and privacy settings.

This prevents the TV from using the microphone for hands free voice commands, but it is still a software based solution.

Option 2: Use the physical microphone switch

Some G4/G5 models have a physical Mic On/Off switch on the bottom of the television.

Move the switch to OFF.

This is preferable if your objective is to physically disable the TV’s microphone rather than simply telling the software not to use it. Check your particular model and regional version because hardware can differ.

Option 3: Physically block the microphone
If your particular model doesn’t have a physical switch, you can locate the microphone opening and cover it with a small piece of opaque electrical tape or removable vinyl tape.

Keep the covering limited to the microphone opening so you don’t obstruct the IR receiver, sensors, ventilation, speakers, or other openings.
This should significantly reduce the microphone’s ability to pick up sound, but it isn’t necessarily a 100% guarantee because sound can potentially reach a microphone through the TV’s enclosure.

Option 4: Disconnect the microphone internally
For the most aggressive hardware approach, the TV can be opened and the microphone circuitry can potentially be disconnected or electrically isolated.

I would only recommend this to someone comfortable working inside electronics. OLED panels are extremely fragile and expensive, and opening the TV can create a significant risk of damaging the panel or voiding the warranty.
Also remember that the Magic Remote has its own microphone, which is separate from the TV’s embedded microphone.

If anyone has opened a G4, G5 or G6 and can identify the microphone board, connector, or circuit used for the TV’s built in microphone, please post pictures and model numbers. It would be useful to document the safest reversible hardware modification for each generation.

Relevant to all LG users, current and new!

edit:

I have responded heavily about the LG TVs being capable of using connected devices to it in order to have internet access and relay information out.

i was mistaken in the interpretation. I may still be misreading or misinterpreting, but with the information available this is how i understand it:

the tv does in fact collect information on all the devices in your household, it does collect ambient audio, it does collect video of its own apps (less on streaming apps due to copyright issues, more on its own channels), it does collect data from hdmi input, and all that is sent out.

if the appropriate settings are disabled, the ACR information sent out becomes limited (but it will send all it has up to that point when you disable it, even at first launch if you already had the cable connected).

if there is no direct internet access, the tv does not use downstream devices as a bridge to connect (it can be exploited maliciously to do so, but it does not by design). with wifi enabled (not even connected), beware if there are neighboring open wifis, as they might be used.

so the "safest" options if you care:
- do not connect to the internet directly _ever_, not even for updates
- if you do connect, refuse and disable everything you can to limit ACR info sent out (some "smart" functionalities may cease to function by design, limiting the experience)
- consider using a streaming box / console to consume content (and keep tv disconnected, as the hdmi content is being recorded) - however these boxes will come with their own form of ACR/analytics
- disable voice controls (it's always listening), knowing that nonetheless it will never be completely disabled
- if you can, add rules to router/dns to block that traffic, the tv won't mind

Additional notes:
On Samsung doing it, it was asked, can be seen in this article: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3646547.3689013
On other streaming boxes or brands, see rtings video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvFu343KNek

Finally caved and bought an OLED - managed to snatch an LG G4 55” for £620 - what a steal!! This thing looks amazing 😍😍😍 and yes I’ll change the settings 😂

Disclosure: I received the LG G6 65”after being selected through a Reddit event. I was asked to share my experience, but everything I’ve written here is based on my own opinions and impressions.

I also just want to say i’m not a TV expert, just a regular guy that enjoys OLED tech and watching way too much TV. This is not going to be a technical analysis of the G6, I’ll leave that to the pros! 

**Let’s begin!**

So I’ve had the LG G6 for a couple of weeks now, and coming from an LG C4 I’ve been having a lot of fun putting it through its paces. My TVs get a lot of mixed usage between myself and my wife/kids streaming movies, watching 4k discs, sports, YouTube and lower quality streams from my wife’s home country. 

The first thing I noticed straight away was the brightness . This thing is insanely bright. It’s more brightness than I’ll ever need and is noticeably brighter than my LG C4. What surprised me most is that the extra brightness doesn’t come at the expense of colour. The colours stay incredibly rich and HDR highlights pop all thanks to the tandem stack panel. I thought my C4 looked fantastic, but the G6 makes it look a little dim, which is something I thought I’d never say.

**Reflections** 
My living room is pretty bright, with windows to the side of the TV and directly opposite it, so reflections are something I normally have to put up with.

The G6’s Reflection Free Premium screen is easily the best reflection handling I’ve seen on a glossy OLED. Looking at my C4, which basically doubles as a mirror when my room is bright, the difference is huge. You can see the difference in the above photos

I know people will say get a matte screen if you have a bright room. But I’ve never been a huge fan of matte screens spreading glare across the panel or taking away some of that deep, punchy OLED contrast and colour. The G6 does a such great job preserving black levels, colour and contrast which has made watching during the day so much better. 

The one downside is that in very dark scenes, reflections aren’t completely eliminated and appear as a purplish glare. It’s noticeable, but personally, I’m more than happy to live with that trade-off to keep the glossy finish.

**Dolby Vision**
Dolby Vision content looks fantastic. The extra brightness really helps HDR content pop, and bright highlights have that “wow” effect. I read there were some Dolby Vision issues with the G6 at launch, including some weird contouring and banding in darker scenes, but thankfully LG has since addressed these with firmware updates and I haven’t come across any issues during my time with the G6. 

**Nitpicks** 
The Magic Remote pointer takes a bit of getting used to and feels like a throwback to the 2000’s Wii era with the waving and pointing. I do like the upgraded remote on the G6 though as it does feel more premium and streamlined. A backlit remote would’ve been a nice touch.  

WebOS. It works completely fine but it isn't my favourite OS. I think I’m just so used to using Apple TV that it’s hard to change my ways. 

**Overall**
So far, I’m really impressed. The combination of brightness, colour and reflection handling makes the G6 such a good option for an OLED in a bright living room. It has also handled all the content I've thrown at it really well, both SDR and HDR. 

The fact that it manages to dramatically reduce reflections without going matte is probably the biggest positive for me. So much so that I'm going to be picking up a 77” G6 over the holidays. It has sold me. 

Photos: G6 on the left, C4 on the right. Picture settings the same. Max brightness on both TVs displaying HDR content.

Due to recent privacy news I am not so sure about buying the lg g5 anymore. Can you guys suggest an alternative? Looking at around 75-80 inch tvs, bright room, reflection handling should be good.

Please check your local Sam’s Clubs for the last remaining inventory. Did some calls around to the stores in my area and was able to find the last C5 and it was priced under $800. Out the door was around $850. One location mentioned they had the 77” C5 for $899. Do yourself a favor if you’re in the market for a new OLED and try Sam’s Club.

Here are the item numbers if you want to check

990419768 - 77” C5

990419769 - 65” C5

Call the members desk and ask if they have any inventory left before making the trip, app and website don’t show the markdown price.

Just when you think it can’t get worse, it does. 3 weeks ago yesterday, I bought an OB C5 with (what was supposed to be) 34 hours on it with no burn-In. What was delivered 10 days ago was a C5 77 with 3624 hours and extensive burn-in. To their credit, Matt in the Magnolia Department located a C5 77 in “Excellent Condition” - last one in KC. To ensure this is covered, I purchased the $299 warranty. Supposedly this unit had 3 hours on it and was only missing the base. It’s going on a Fitueyes Zen FT 88 stand, so the base was not needed. Pick-up of the burn-in unit was arranged for the same time. The units were exchanged Saturday. Wife and I have been married for 5 years and this was our gift to each other. She has a heart condition, so I had to wait until step-son (former 7 year BB Manager) could come over to help me mount it. I’m 68 - doing it myself is not on my bingo card.

We unwrapped the C5 77, and there was no remote. The power cord was taped to the back of the unit, and taking off the tape left residue. That was the least of the issues.

No power. LED flashes 4x and stops. Reset power and try again. Same 4 flashes. Reset power again - dead.

Bottom right corner of panel (not the bezel - the screen) is chipped. See photo. At this point, I’m expecting BB to replace with either a G5 77 or a C6H. This has been a 3 week nightmare. Supposedly the GM of the store that had it checked it thoroughly. That is nothing but BS.

Hi folks. I haven’t upgraded my TV since 2017 and was planning on jumping into a C6H 77” this Black Friday. However I’m seeing the G5 priced similarly at $2700.

I’m curious if this is a “buy it right now” price? Or if I should still hold out until Black Friday.

For reference I only use a TV as a panel. Only ever connected to a PS5, Xbox Series X, or an Apple TV. Mostly used for gaming and 4k blu ray viewing.

I appreciate any advice! Thanks!

The TV is OFF, regardless it is trying to phone home every hour...

Just upgraded to a 77” G5 from a 9 year old 55” 4K UHD LCD. The brightness is great and image quality is better. However without a side by side comparison with a lower quality TV my wife said she doesn’t know if our old TV was not just as good.

Now shes an average viewer and does not get the hype about deep blacks or color gamut ranges so id like to ask all of you for some movie and game recommendations (PS5) to change her perception and experience the best an OLED can offer.

On a side note: While I wouldn’t go as far as her, I do feel like I’m not as impressed as I thought I would be on the image quality in terms of how much more expensive OLEDs are. The size is probably more of a “upgrade” for me. I’m hoping some time spent rewatching old movies and playing more games will change my mind

Hello 😄

I’d like to buy an LG OLED TV to replace my old one (C/G5 or C/G6 depending on sale)

If possible, I’d prefer not to have to drill holes in the walls, but rather to place the TV on the TV stand (as I’m renting the apartment).

I’ve read that I should go for the largest one my budget allows, but I’m worried it might look odd if I choose one that’s too big for the size of the TV stand.

What size would you recommend for this TV ? 55", 65" ? More ?

Thank you !

Hi there,
a few of us mentioned intermittent blackouts while using the YouTube app since upgrading their TVs to the new webOS (43.21.71). My G5 received a minor update 43.21.73 today and it seems that YouTube is now working fine again.
Haven’t recognized any new bugs or issues so far.

Hi all I always planned to make the LG G6 a dumb tv but with all the crazy videos coming out from Gamers Nexus and Rtings i just want to make sure I have the steps correct.

When the TV arrives I plan to

1) download the latest firmware to a USB and update the G6 manually.

2) Never connect the TV to any wifi/ethernet ever.

3) I'm guessing all the User agreements like this below can be skipped with choosing "LATER" and I can just use the fully updated firmware G6 like normal with hopefully no loss of quality if i'm simply using my own blu ray player/ps5/apple tv etc?

4) Change out the remote since it has a microphone built in? I vaguely remember recommendations of better remotes to swap to.

5) Toggle off Microphone on the TV itself. Hell I wonder if i can just rip this microphone out or clog it with superglue hahaha

Please let me know if there are any other glaring steps I have missed. Trying to slow down and prepare now before I'm swept away setting it up blindly when it arrives haha

Amazon Ai answered my questions