LGTV Companion for Windows and LG webOS TVs

Why LGTV Companion exists for PC-connected TVs

LGTV Companion addresses a gap between ordinary LG television behavior and the expectations people have when a large display is used as a PC monitor. The project targets Windows PCs connected to LG webOS TVs, especially multi-monitor and OLED setups. Its purpose is not general media playback. It is to make the television's power state respond to Windows shutdown, restart, low power modes, resume, user idle periods, and changes in monitor topology.

The repository describes the application as a UI and service that controls LG WebOS TVs and displays. The top-level repository layout separates the components into `LGTV Companion Console`, `LGTV Companion Service`, `LGTV Companion Setup`, `LGTV Companion UI`, `LGTV Companion Updater`, and `LGTV Companion User`. The installer documentation also identifies three installed executables: `LGTVsvc.exe`, `LGTV Companion.exe`, and `LGTVdaemon.exe`.

The project is intended for people who want more control than a television's own automatic power-off timer provides. The documentation specifically calls out User Idle Mode as a separate feature from Windows power options. That distinction matters because a user can become idle without Windows entering one of its normal power states, while a shutdown or monitor disconnection requires a different response. The project presents automatic management as a configuration choice per device rather than as a behavior imposed on every TV.

How Windows events reach the webOS TV control layer

The visible design is event-driven. The Windows service is responsible for automatic management, while the user interface configures devices and settings. The repository topics include `eventlog`, `namedpipe`, `networking`, `service`, `websocket`, `winsocket`, and `windowsservice`, which indicates that Windows events and local communication are part of the implementation area. The README does not provide a source-level sequence diagram, so the exact message format and service-to-TV protocol cannot be confirmed from the documentation.

The user-facing flow begins with discovery. The Scan button searches the local network for WebOS devices, and manual entry is available when discovery fails. Each device can be associated with an IP address and one or more physical MAC addresses. The documentation also refers to default wake-on-LAN options and alternative wake options for televisions that do not power on reliably with the default method.

Once a device is configured and `Automatically manage this device` is enabled, the service responds to shutdown, restart, suspend, resume, idle, and monitor-topology events. The API and command line interface extend the same general control concept to scripts and applications, although the README does not document their exact commands or payloads. The repository's WebSocket and socket-related topics suggest network communication with webOS devices, but they should not be treated as a complete API contract without reading the relevant source or documentation.

Installing LGTV Companion on Windows

The README provides two installation paths. The latest installer is available from the GitHub Releases page, or Windows Package Manager can install the package from Windows Terminal or PowerShell. The documented Winget command is:

winget install LGTVCompanion

After installation, the documentation says that the installer installs and starts `LGTVsvc.exe`, installs the user interface `LGTV Companion.exe`, and installs the desktop user mode daemon `LGTVdaemon.exe`. The README warns that Windows Defender SmartScreen may block the downloaded installer. It specifically says to use the browser's option to download it anyway and, if needed, right-click the installer, open Properties, and select the `Unblock` checkbox. That is a platform warning-management step, not a project configuration option.

The prerequisites must be completed before scanning or testing wake behavior. The TV must be powered on, connected to the local network by Wi-Fi or cable, and configured to wake over the network. The documentation gives different menu paths for CX and C1, C2, C3, and C4 displays. It also recommends a static DHCP lease in the router so that the TV keeps the same IP address on the local network. The documentation does not state that the software can configure the router or enable network wake on the television.

First setup: scanning and enabling automatic TV management

Start by opening `LGTV Companion` from the Windows Start menu. In the main window, select `Scan` to attempt automatic discovery. If the scan does not find a television, use the device controls to add it manually. The manual fields described in the README include the network IP address and physical address, including the MAC address or MAC addresses.

After discovery or manual entry, review the wake-on-LAN options. The README says that the default settings should work for most configurations, but it also recommends trying other options if the television has difficulty powering on. Those choices should be tested on the actual TV because the documentation does not claim that every webOS model behaves identically.

Next, check `Automatically manage this device` for each TV that should respond to Windows events. The global settings are available from the hamburger menu. The README highlights User Idle Mode as an independent setting and suggests adjusting the television's own automatic power-off interval to avoid interference with PC sessions. It gives an example menu path for C2 displays: `All settings->General->OLED Care->Device Self-Care->Energy Saving->Auto Power off`.

A first useful verification is therefore operational rather than visual: confirm that the TV is reachable, power it off through the configured workflow, then trigger a documented Windows event such as shutdown or monitor removal and check whether the display wakes. The README does not define a command for this test, so the first test should use the application and normal Windows controls rather than an invented CLI command.

SmartScreen, network prerequisites, and practical failure points

The clearest failure point is the television's network-wake setting. A LAN connection alone is not enough if the TV cannot be woken through the network. The README says this setting is required regardless of whether the TV uses Wi-Fi or a cable. If discovery finds a device but power-on control fails, the first areas to check are `Turn On via Wi-Fi`, the static DHCP lease, the selected wake-on-LAN option, and the stored MAC address.

There is also a discovery failure mode. `Scan` may fail to find a device, in which case the application provides manual configuration. The documentation does not explain whether discovery depends on broadcast behavior, network segmentation, TV settings beyond the stated prerequisites, or a particular webOS platform generation. Those details should not be assumed.

The project is a Windows-specific application, and the documented installation and usage steps assume Windows 10 or Windows 11 topics in the repository and use a Windows service plus Start menu integration. It is therefore a poor fit for controlling a TV from Linux or macOS without separate, undocumented compatibility work. It is also a poor fit for LG televisions that cannot be configured for network wake, because the central automatic-on requirement cannot then be met.

LGTV Companion compared with TV-side automatic power controls

The real alternative is to rely on the LG webOS TV's built-in automatic power-off setting and ordinary manual or remote control. That approach operates entirely on the television and does not require a Windows service, MAC address configuration, a static DHCP lease, or PC power-event integration. It is simpler when the goal is only to switch the display off after a period of inactivity.

LGTV Companion takes a different approach. It tracks events on the Windows PC and sends device-specific control actions through its service and UI configuration. The distinction is event coverage: the television's own timer can manage inactivity according to a local setting, while LGTV Companion is designed to respond to Windows shutdown, restart, suspend, resume, user idle mode, and changes in monitor topology. It also exposes a command line tool and an API according to the README, but those interfaces are not documented in the README excerpt.

This trade-off favors LGTV Companion for a PC acting as the control point, especially when the television is one part of a changing multi-monitor workspace. It adds more network configuration and a background Windows component, so a standalone television installation does not need it unless that integration is the actual requirement.

Maintenance, upgrades, and the MIT license

The repository is not archived, and its last push was on 2026-08-22. Recent releases include v5.7.0 on 2026-08-17, v5.6.0 on 2026-06-12, and v5.5.5 on 2026-05-26. This indicates recent release activity in the repository, although the README does not describe the upgrade procedure, compatibility guarantees, migration behavior, or rollback process.

The repository includes `LGTV Companion Updater`, but the README does not state how it is invoked or whether updates are automatic. The documented Winget command installs the package, yet the README does not provide an upgrade command or explain whether updates preserve device settings. Upgrade cost therefore cannot be reduced to a documented step count from the README.

The repository declares the MIT license. That means the project is distributed under permissive MIT terms, but users still need to inspect the actual `LICENSE` file and any bundled third-party components for obligations. The presence of `vcpkg.json` indicates a C++ dependency manifest, but the README does not document the dependency set, build instructions, or upgrade implications for those packages.

Editorial conclusion

Adopt LGTV Companion if your LG webOS TV must follow Windows power, idle, and monitor topology events and your network supports wake-on-LAN. Do not adopt it without checking TV network wake support, static DHCP configuration, and the available wake method first. The most important first verification is whether the TV can be woken on the local network.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. Issues
2. JPersson77/LGTVCompanion on GitHub
3. License: MIT
4. README
5. Releases