LG's all in one 'home theatre' (LG DA 3520)

Member Name: Debc

Product:	LG DA 3520
Date:	05/08/02 (5253 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: One box solution, Dolby 5.1 & DTS sound, Replaces HiFI?

Disadvantages: Compromised functionality in non DVD areas, Mediocre remote, No SVCD

PRICE UPDATE & HACKS ADDED
I was attracted to this solution as I'm not interested in a pile of black/silver boxes covered in buttons but what they can give me. This unit attracts because it combines my Tuner, CD, Amplifier, DVD(VCD) player and Dolby digital/prologic surround speakers in one neat package which I can tuck away.

SETUP
All speaker wires are supplied and are of sufficient length for the average British living room. The manual makes this process straightforward. A sound test mode is included to ensure you've made the correct connections and get the sound levels right for your room. Once set up ( using S video to my TV; there is no SCART but it has Svideo and Composite phono) it was a doddle to use, although the remote has fiddly little buttons and is utilitarian. The manual and on screen menus are very straightforward with the exception of setting the aspect ratio which I struggled with.

IN USE
The unit has the usual DVD functions plus is an amplifier and Tuner. In DVD mode everything runs smoothly but menu operation is a little slower than other DVD I've seen. CD and Tuner operation has all the usual basic functionality. Changing tuner channels is slow, with a massive 1 second gap between stations. With a decent ariel reception was good. If an MP3 disc is loaded then the basic directory structure is displayed and allows direct selection on screen, with an untested limit of 256 tracks displayable. The unit read CDR/W discs as well as CDR for CD and MP3. The only problem so far is occasional hiss in surround modes which is only cured by poweroff/on, whereupon the hiss usually disappears. Disc loading and function switching is a little slow for my impatient self.
I've copied camcorder tapes of my child to VCD and was able to play them via a remote hack (see below). A VCD cut to CDR/W did not work! A multiregion hack is also available (see below). It won't play SVCD (a chipset limitation according to ittr
oll).

SUMMARY
All in all this is compromise solution which will not suit the enthusiast, but it more than meets my needs and I'm a happy consumer.

PRICE UPDATE 07/05/2002: £300 in Safeways.
PRICE UPDATE 05/08/2002: £250 in Safeways, £280 at Argos. Also, new model 3525 seen in Currys at £300 looks like a cosmetic makeover (maybe more).

TECH STUFF

Twin Lasers
DVD Video, Audio CD, CD-R/RW Compatibility
PAL / NTSC
27 MHz / 10 bit Video DAC

96KHz / 24 bit DAC
Integrated AM / FM RDS Radio Tuner
Integrated MP3 Decoder
3D Virtual Surround Sound (Spacializer)
Integrated Dolby Pro Logic Decoder
Integrated Dolby® Digital 5.1 Decoder
Integrated DTS Decoder

Video Input 1 (RCA)
Video Input 2 (RCA)

S-video Output (Mini DIN)
Video Output 1 (RCA)
Monitor Output (RCA)

Video 1 Audio Input Stereo (RCA)
Video 2 Audio Input Stereo (RCA)

Video 1 Audio Output Stereo (RCA)
Satellite Speakers (30W)
Passive Subwoofer (30W)
Active Subwoofer (RCA)

On-screen Graphical User Interface
Rating Level Control & Parental Lock
TV Aspect Select (4:3 / 16:9)
Condition Memory (1 Title Only)
Marker Store & Resume (5 Scenes)
Speed Scan (2x, 4x, 16x, 100x)
Slow Motion (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16)
Digital Zoom (x4, x16)
Playback Functions (Random / Program / A-B Repeat)

Receiver: 360w x 82h x 388d mm 4.6 Kg
Subwoofer: 160w x 350h x 325d mm 4.78 Kg
Satellites: 90w x 125h x 106d mm 0.7 Kg

MULTIREGION handset hack (I set mine to region 0 and have successfully played region 1 and 2 thereafter):

Power on the player with no disk in the drive
Press "PAUSE" on the remote
Enter "3 1 4 1 5 9" on the remote (the word COdE appears on the display)
Enter "0" on the remote (0 = All Regions, 1 = Region 1, 2 = Region 2, etc.)
Press "PAUSE"
; on the remote
Power the player off and then back on

VCD Hack (It worked for me; your mileage may vary):

Power on the player with no disk in the drive
Press "PAUSE" on the remote
Enter "1472" on the remote (the characters 01 47 should appear on the display)
[If your player is a non UK model, this number will probably be different - don't worry]
Press the UP arrow three times (the characters 04 Fd should appear on the display)
[This number may be different depending on the configuration of your specific model - don't worry]
Press "PROGRAM", "6", "PROGRAM", "5" (the characters 04 FE should now be displayed)
Press "ENTER" (the display should flash briefly)
Press "RETURN"
Power the player off and then back on

Thanks to http://members.lycos.co.uk/ittroll/ for the hacks

Summary: