LG BH8220B Review

LG BH8220B review – intro 

If you're looking for a home cinema with both brains and beauty, allow us to introduce the LG. Yes, it's expensive for home cinema kit but thanks to its swanky aluminium design and weighty build, it feels like money well spent. 

LG BH8220B review – features 

It's also impressively packed with features. There's a 3D Blu-ray player and comprehensive smart TV offering, DLNA and Bluetooth streaming, and iThing-friendly USB input. 

LG BH8200B review – in and out 

Two HDMI inputs, a 3.5mm connection and an optical input mean you should be able to play just about anything you can lay your hands on, and it's Wi-Fi enabled out of the box. LG calls playing your own music and videos Smart Share; you can connect wirelessly or plug in an HDD or USB stick to play MPEG4, MKV and DivX files, among others. 

Another use for an attached hard drive is as memory to unlock BD-Live content or even rip audio CDs. For your own use, of course. 

LG BH8200B review – LG Remote app 

There's an LG Remote app for basic controls on iOS devices, though it's sorely missing a keyboard for simple text input. Android user? You'll need to wait for an update. 

LG BH8200B review – picture quality 

The good news continues with its picture. Bright, colourful and packed with detail, it looks great with a slick, Hollywood blockbuster on Blu-ray. It also excels with the better quality content on iPlayer or Netflix, although it's not immune from noise during busy scenes. 

LG BH8200B review – sound quality 

Sound isn't quite perfect. It's fast and agile – which is great if you connect a games console – but a lack of bass weight and presence is a little disappointing. 

LG BH8200B review – smart TV 

LG's internet content is pretty impressive, with Blinkbox, Lovefilm and Netflix, plus BBC iPlayer. The LG Apps section offers some extra content, but it's mostly average. While the interface is easy to navigate and the remote more intuitive than most, both the physical control and its app version could use shortcuts for the likes of smart TV. 

LG BH8200B review – verdict 

Disappointing sound is the only real mark against it. You might be paying a slight premium for the design but its great picture, top spec and smart looks help justify its price.