LG MS450H - Full HD network media player and MPEG-4 tuner from LG
As mentioned in the introduction, the player we visited is the only piece in Hungary. He only got to the editorial office during two presentations, so unfortunately there were not weeks available for us to try. Of course, it doesn’t take that much time, even though there’s plenty to try on it.
Since this is a presentation piece, we can't write about the packaging, it came to us in an average cardboard box. Highlighting the device, the restrained exterior immediately appeared. Nowhere do we see colored LEDs, huge illuminated buttons. On the front panel, next to the display, you can read the manufacturer's name, a large HDD label, and Network Home Media Recorder words that describe the essence of the device. When the front cover is opened, no button forest is revealed to us. Going from right to left, we find a USB port, three buttons with which we can scroll through the receivable channels (we will return to this later) and start recording. This is followed by the display and then an account to its left. This drawer is perhaps the most interesting part of the front, as it can accommodate a SATA 3,5 ”hard drive, so in addition to the built-in storage, we can add more gigabytes to the already insignificant storage space.
There are interesting signs behind Media Station on the cover of the device. Let's take these in order!
dts-HD
This, as the name suggests, is an audio format that is a lossless, compressed stream. It is not as good as dts HD Master Audio or Dolby True HD, but in our case it will not be necessary, as we will not play Blu-ray content. We can't call this a small track either, as its theoretical bandwidth is 6 Mbit / sec. In order to enjoy this blessing, we definitely need to use the HDMI connector.
Dolby Digital Plus
It is a format developed specifically for Blu-ray and HDTV materials. It is characterized by high bandwidth, which allows control of up to 13.1 channels to become available. Suitable for encrypted storage and transmission of HD audio in high quality. You can use the HDMI connector to use it.
Full HD 1080p
This notation may not need to be over-explained, the device supports full HD resolution.
HDMI
Again a known notation. With the HDMI connector and cable, you can get HD audio and video to your TV or amplifier on one wire.
DVB
A device capable of receiving digital signals. In our case, the DVB-T notation would be accurate, as the built-in receivers are capable of decoding it.
HD TV
This does not need to be explained too much either.
DivX-HD
It is also possible to play DivX encoded material in HD resolution.
Wi-Fi certified
The LG player can connect to wireless networks. Importantly, the latest n standard, which produces transmission speeds that rival wired networks, is also among the supported wireless standards.
DLNA certified
DLNA allows you to play digital content shared on wired and wireless networks, access these devices, and connect to a computer, NAS, PDA, or other devices.
From the explanation of the above indications, it is already conceivable that the LG player is not an everyday piece, but let’s not run ahead, let’s see the back tract!
Of course, here we find a stack of connectors. The left side of the power cord socket is from left to right. This is followed by a USB port and then an RJ45 socket for wired networks. Then we find an HDMI connector, a component video output, an analog RCA connector for video signal output, and two more RCA connectors for stereo audio output. In the next tract, a coaxial and an optical digital audio output follows, followed by an antenna input and an output by a scart connector.
As you can see, those who have state-of-the-art HD video and audio devices have been thought of during the design, but those who have an old kind of television or amplifier should not be doubted either.
The exterior also includes a remote control. Fortunately, the device provided by LG is not an oversized piece. The black plastic cover is glossy, but you don't have to think about a piano lacquer finish. This is not a problem with a remote control either, as it would look pretty ugly if you had to constantly delete your fingerprints. We won’t even need that, the controller was completely immune to the fingerprint. The buttons are made of medium hard rubber, their pressing is easy to feel. The allocation can be called essentially normal. At the top are the numeric keys, below them are the buttons for media playback and menu navigation in blue, and at the bottom you can control various options such as subtitles, sound and picture settings.
