Configuration of the LG 27MP65 (aka 27MP65HQ or 27MP65HQ-P) monitor

Configuration of the LG 27MP65 (aka 27MP65HQ or 27MP65HQ-P) monitor

I just purchased an LG 27MP65 monitor and noticed the text quality in the editor didn't seem to match up against a previous, similar LG monitor. As the new monitor was a bit higher grade, this was most surprising.

There are many menu settings that allow customization of the display.  After reading the LG manual (http://www.lg.com/us/support-product/lg-27MP65HQ-P) & playing around with them these are the best settings I've found for software development (e.g. lots of text viewing in editors).

- Turn on the monitor to start.

- Press MENU button.
  - Press DOWN button (i.e. button under downward triangle) until RESET is highlighted.
    - Press RIGHT button (i.e. button under rightward triangle) once. This will reset all
      settings to factory default (good starting point).

- Press MENU button (left-most button)
  - Press DOWN button until NEXT-MENU is highlighted. Press RIGHT button.
    - The first sub-menu is PICTURE (already selected)
      - Leave SHARPNESS at the default 5.  Lower values blur text, while higher values
        just wash it out by adding white to colors.
      - BLACK LEVEL should already be at HIGH - leave alone.
      - Always leave OVERSCAN at OFF
      - Press the "return" button (left-then-up arrow) to return to "top" menu.
  - Press RIGHT button to select COLOR. Press DOWN to select COLOR RESET on 2nd page.
    Press RIGHT to perform color reset.  Since you just did a "master" reset this should
    really be unnecessary.
      - Press the "return" button (left-then-up arrow) to return to "top" menu.
  - The remaining 3 top-level items can be ignored. Select the EXIT option.

- Just for fun, press the READER button (2nd from left).  There are 3 levels: 1, 2, OFF.
  Make sure OFF is selected it should be already).
  - Reader mode is used for e-books, etc and is not good for editing software.
  - The READER menu will disappear after a few seconds

- Press FUNCTION button (3rd from left).
  - The first sub-menu is SUPER ENERGY SAVING (already selected)
    - Press DOWN, then RIGHT to set SUPER ENERGY SAVING to OFF.
    - Press the "return" button (left-then-up arrow) to return to "top" menu.
  - Press RIGHT to select PICTURE MODE
    - Press DOWN to select PC/AV Mode. 
      - Press RIGHT until it says PC
    - Press DOWN again to the rows of modes
      - Press RIGHT to select a mode.  I have found that either TEXT or CINEMA looks best
        for GVim and GMail. Since CINEMA gives slightly better colors for
          syntax-highlighted text, that is my favorite. Your milage may vary....
      - Press the "return" button (left-then-up arrow) to return to "top" menu.
  - Press RIGHT to select SUPER RESOLUTION
    - Leave it at OFF.  Increasing this value seems to add white to all colors, simply
      making them brighter
  - The remaining 2 modes have no effect

- If you are using the DSUB (analog VGA cable) input connection, press the AUTO button
  (4th from left).  This will perform auto-tuning for the analog VGA input signal.
  - You may be happiest using an HDMI input source since it is digital
  - NOTE: Since HDMI is digital, ANY cable is just as good as any other.  It will either
    work perfectly or you will get no signal at all.  So PLEASE, don't spend $100+ on HDMI
    cables.  The $5 cables on sale are just as good.

- Just for fun, press the INPUT button (right-most button).  The display will blink
  momentarily, then verify the input source (e.g. HDMI).

- Note that the first item under the MENU button is the brightness.  If you read a lot of
  text that is black on a white background (e.g. GMail & similar), you may wish to reduce
  the brightness to 70% or some other comfortable value.
  - Don't forget that this control is still available if you need to reset the BRIGHTNESS
    to 100% for do more intense work (photo editing, watching videos, etc).