sharp lcd panel reviews quotation

That"s my Yoda-esque way of saying the TV lacks picture depth perception. LED-LCD screens often do have this problem, though it can be more pronounced on some than others. That"s the case with the Sharp LC-80LE844U. I would say this is one of the flattest screens we"ve seen in a couple of years. A good plasma TV for instance will look substantially better in this area when comparing side to side.

These large Sharp LED-LCDs have very bright whites so they eye-catching in the store. Plasma TVs by contrast look dim as the peak white do not compete. But take the TVs home and put them in a dark room with a colorful movie and you will see a much stronger picture performance on the good plasma screens or the better LED-LCDs that have overcome many of the negative picture symptoms of LCDs. But then if you need that super brightness and high whites for a brightly lit room, especially on football Saturdays and Sundays, then the Sharp LC80LE844U will look very good. In fact, this or a better version of this is the type of TV you are looking for. The lack of picture depth could be overcome in that situation with the Film Mode"s smooth motion 240Hz de-judder action.

After watching a bit of the Blu-Ray of The Fifth Element we immediately noticed the depletion of natural background blur. We"ve seen this before in other brands and it"s always distracting when done to excess. In the Sharp, it"s done to excess in 2012. It"s actually a de-judder mode in that it removes that jerky motion you see when watching movies during motion scenes – thus Sharp"s naming it the Film Mode. The tradeoff is not a good one in our opinion. Turn it off for all film based content. Otherwise, you get a “soap opera” effect during films as background blur is eliminated. When you turn it off, you will likely notice some judder effects for a slight time until you get used to it. Ironically, you may want to leave the feature on for live action sports or other live fast motion programs. It will delivery a smoothing quality.

Standard – Sharp Standard setting is pretty good though colors are oversaturated and the setting comes with the Film Mode set to Advanced. So you will want to immediately turn that off when watching movies, film or the like. It"s fine for live sports if you want the color to be juiced a bit.

User – As mentioned above we did not calibrate from this mode due to it only allowing 2 pt. White balance adjustment. There is lots of light flow-through to the picture. Setting the Color Temp under the User Mode setting to Mid-Low produces a nice picture with lots of light. I like this mode a lot. Also take the Sharpness down to -10 and make sure the Film Mode is turned Off. I like this mode because it adds depth to the picture through use of the LED lighting.

First off, the active 3D glasses we purchased were the Sharp AN-3DG20-B. They are expensive (around $50 per pair – not 2 pair!). They are also uncomfortable, heavy and slip off the nose easily. As a last note, users must use the Sharp active 3D glasses or glasses made specifically for the Sharp active 3D viewing. Sharp has no compact yet with interchangeable glasses with Panasonic, Samsung and Sony. Therefore, Sharp TVs will not sync with the universal glasses or those from other manufacturers.

Color rendition looks good, but just a touch on the unnatural side and with a green push from our fully calibrated Movie setting after 10 point white balance adjustment (see Picture settings on next page). Again, plasma TVs are much better in this area. The LE844U is a Quattron model which means it contains that extra yellow pixel and Sharp"s best picture quality.

Off center viewing quality is severely compromised in the large Sharp LED TVs. Since the TVs are large there is some leaveway with this issue since there is more physical movement needed to get off center of the TV. From 15 to 20 degrees and on the saturation of colors starts fading and it gets worse the more off center one gets. Of course, on an 80 inch TV it"s much more difficult to get off center. But still, this is an issue worth considering especially if the room it"s going in has wide viewing possibilities.

So the Vudu Apps that are available for free are the other Apps available through Sharps Smart Central TV, they have not bothered to created their own and I"m not sure that I blame them or that is wasnt a smart move to enlist the Vudu Apps and let them do the work.

The LC-80LE844U looks different than all other Sharp 2012 offerings with a larger black bezel. It"s not too much larger, but it shows due to the super thin framing bezels we are seeing these days. The reason for the 1 inch wide frame and more than 2 inch deep panel is the full array LED backlighting which gives the panel much more control over individual areas of the screen than edge lit LED backlighting. It"s a large upgrade feature but helps tremendously with accuracy of color processing on a screen this large. While there are full array LED lighting they are not of the higher end local dimming variety.

Sharp makes certain to have a large ad for the products listed there. After painfully typing in your search term through the diminutive browser keyboard, click “Done” and then the word you"ve labored to type in appears in the search bar top right. But your still not done, you must then scroll right to the magnifying glass and again press enter to conduct your search. Then an annoying pop up screen appears “Foresee” asking you to give customer feedback (I"m giving mine here). A few clicks get rid of it. But wait, you"re still not done, now you are on a Sharp search page where that your search term has been transferred. You must again click the search button. It took 5 clicks total to get there. Disappointingly, we got 0 results for the term “lcdtvbuyingguide.” Ups. But wait, this is Sharp"s proprietary search engine – let"s try “Google.” 18 results came up, all PDFs related to Sharp. All with Sharp titles. I"m starting to feel deceived. The first PDF would not open as the MIME type not supported. But wait, isnt this Sharp"s search engine. They cant even open their own results? OK, you"ve guessed it by now – the built in web browser is utterly useless and worthless.

Sharp"s Aquos Advantage Live is an attempt by Sharp to give some customer service to anyone purchasing a Sharp TV with this feature. Advisors can help with your picture settings, Internet connections, or other issues. It appears that with most of Sharp"s higher end TVs the enrollment is free, but it is mandatory that you enroll in the service – there is no question about that. Sharp also says there is membership to the exclusive membership web site and an additional 3 month warranty extension on your product.

Well, there is hardly anything to currently compete with this 80 inch TV in size. At $5500 or so it"s not an inexpensive option and does not seem to offer the fantastic value proposition that some of the other Sharp sizes like 70” and 60" have. There is a Samsung UN75ES9000 75-inch model due to hit the market soon. It will sell for just less than $10,000 if initial reports are true so I guess that makes this Sharp a discount model.

We have had this TV for less than a week. It came to replace a 46" 830 series (basically the same as that one without 3d), and, unfortunately, all the quirks from the 830 series have been faithfully carried on by Sharp on that one. So the review will be very similar to the other review I made for the 830 series.

Called a Sharp tech, he said "Oh, it"s like that with ALL LCD tvs". I asked why my cheap, old Zenith digital tuner (paid $35 for it) does channel swap instantaneously, I was answered "Oh, sir, it"s normal, it"s a totally different technology". Well, that was a totally not new way of trying to feed me BS. So here"s the deal, Sharp: SHAME ON YOU for putting the CHEAPEST tuner you could get in that set !

Your Sharp Netflix app hates being mistreated. It will punish you bitterly if you don"t follow the proper procedure for quitting it. Which is the following: Stop the Netflix movie using the "return" button on your remote, then use the "Exit" button on the remote. Dare simply getting out of the app in any other way (turning off the tv, switching directly to a different input, switch to antenna), and the next time you get into Netflix you will be graced with a grey screen saying "Could not connect, try again later". It is still the same, after several firmware upgrades.

Sharp"s tech support (yes, they do exist) claims it"s normal (why am I not surprised), and is clueless as to why any other Netflix app on any other device doesn"t act this way.

- The thing has managed to survive several organized attacks mounted by my 18 month old kid armed with an arsenal going from sharp pens through wooden toys to toy hammers. The screen is glass protected, so little fingers pressing it don"t cause those funny puddles of color which kids love so much on those soft LCD screens they get used to. If only for that, this TV is worth every penny.

Inexpensive for an LCD with LED backlighting; extremely energy efficient; effective video processing that can separate antiblur and dejudder functions; intriguing selection of interactive widgets; superb built-in support including live help with remote access; solid selection of picture controls; plenty of connectivity with four HDMI and one PC input.

Black levels not as deep as LED and some non-LED-based LCDs; less-accurate grayscale; glossy screen reflects ambient light; minor backlight uniformity issues.

The Sharp LC-LE700UN"s LED backlighting doesn"t elevate its picture quality beyond the LCD norm, but does help make it the most efficient TV we"ve ever tested.

LCD TV makers have always charged a premium for LED backlighting. In fact, the first LED-based LCD TV Sharp released, the inch-thick XS series, debuted last year at a cool $11,000 MSRP for the 52-inch model. LED has become a lot more mainstream since then, and so have Sharp"s ambitions for the well-marketed backlight technology. The Sharp LC-LE700UN series encapsulates that progress toward the mass market: it"s the least-expensive LED-backlit LCD available today, it measures the standard 3-odd inches thick, and as a result its owners will have a tough time convincing visitors that it"s anything more than a normal, CCFL-based LCD.

This Sharp uses different LED backlight technology from any of the other "LED TVs" available today, and perhaps as a result, its picture quality has no major advantage over non-LED-based LCDs. On the other hand, it sips power more sparingly than any other TV we"ve reviewed, and its solid feature set is highlighted by a unique selection of widgets and superb built-in support. The Sharp LC-LE700UN series will appeal to people on a moderate budget who still want the energy efficiency of an LED-backlit LCD.

Series note: We performed a hands-on evaluation of the 46-inch Sharp LC-46LE700UN, but this review also applies to the 52-inch LC-52LE700UN and the 40-inch LC-40LE700UN. The three sets share identical specs (aside from the 40-inch model"s omission of dejudder processing) and should exhibit very similar picture quality. However, this review does not apply to the 32-inch member of the series, model LC-32LE700UN, because that model has a different screen coating on its LCD panel among other differences. (Correction: This note originally indicated that the 32-inch model had a different LCD panel itself, but that"s not correct; all of the LE700UN models have the same kind of LCD panel.)

The glossy black finish of the LC-LE70UN series doesn"t break any new ground designwise, and this Sharp keeps the angled edges of its predecessors like the LC-46D85U. A silver fade along the bottom of the frame provides a very subtle accent while a blue-lit triangle, which reminded us of the emblems worn by the crew of the Enterprise, points toward the company logo in the middle of the bottom edge (the blue illumination can be disabled). Sharp"s matching glossy black stand doesn"t allow the panel to swivel.

Lest you see a Samsung ad and believe all LED-based LCDs are also ultrathin, Sharp"s LC-LE700UN series is among the many sets that prove otherwise. It measures 3.7 inches deep sans stand, which is quite normal for a flat-panel TV of any technology.

Sharp has gone the longest of any TV maker we know since changing its remote. The LC-46LE700UN"s clicker is basically the same as the one that shipped with the 2006 LC-46D62U, which was a few years old itself at the time. Our opinion of it hasn"t changed, so we"ll just quote that review: "Sharp"s long remote will be familiar to anyone who"s played with an Aquos set in the last couple of years. It has the ability to command four other pieces of gear, keys that are nicely spread out and well differentiated, and a generally logical button layout. We say "generally" because the key controlling aspect ratio is stashed clear at the top of the long wand, the one for freezing the image is given an unduly important spot near the main directional keypad, and the one for changing picture modes is hidden beneath a flip-up hatch." Unfortunately, Sharp cut back on the backlighting of its remotes, so now only the volume and channel rockers, as well as four nearby keys, receive illumination.

Sharp"s menu system design is also basically the same as in previous years, and its blocky look seems dated compared with the slick menus available from Sony and Samsung. The pertinent information is all there, however, and we liked the text explanations that accompany various selections.

LED backlighting tops the features list of the Sharp LC-LE700UN, but it"s unlike any other LED-backlit TV released so far. All of the other LED-based LCDs fall into one of two camps: edge-lit or local dimming. However, the Sharp falls into neither category. Its LED elements are arranged behind the screen, as opposed to the edge, but they are incapable of dimming or brightening individually. Like a standard fluorescent-backlit LCD, the Sharp"s LED backlight must dim or brighten all at once. The main benefit of its LED backlight is simply reduced energy consumption.

The Sharp LC-LE700UN also sports a 120Hz refresh rate that provides improved motion resolution compared with standard LCDs--although we suspect you"ll be hard-pressed to see any difference. That refresh rate also allows the TV to display the proper cadence when fed 1080p/24 material. The two larger sizes in the Sharp LC-LE700UN series, the 46- and 52-inch models, feature dejudder processing as well, while the two smaller 40- and 32-inch models do not. Dejudder is available in two strengths on the 46- and 52-inch models and doesn"t need to be active to realize the antiblurring benefits of 120Hz. See performance for more details.

Interactive features: Sharp gets into the interactive TV act with a feature it calls Aquos Net. The service is similar to Yahoo widgets found on Samsung and other brands" TVs, and, in fact, offer similar types of content. Once you connect an Ethernet cable to the back of the TV, you"ll have access to the following widgets:

We tested the system and it worked well, with the representative guiding us through changes he made in real-time while we never had to press a button. Advanced users might not like the idea of someone tooling around inside their TVs (the rep can make changes that nuke your picture settings, for example; we had to recalibrate our sample TV from scratch after our demo), but beginners will love having live help there to hold their virtual hands. Sharp also packs a user manual, customer service contact information, FAQs, and even a glossary of HDTV terms into the support section.

Other features: In addition to the LED backlight Sharp devotes a few other features to saving energy, and the result works. According to our testing (see below), the LC-LE700U is one of the most-efficient TVs of its size on the market.

This TV offers a couple of dedicated power saving modes, conveniently accessible from a dedicated button on the remote. Choosing Standard power saving mode causes the display to "optimize power consumption based on video content," while choosing Advanced also incorporates a room lighting sensor Sharp calls "OPC." Additionally, you can adjust the sensitivity of OPC and set it to engage or not with each adjustable picture mode individually. You can also choose to save the TV turn off automatically after a set period of time if it doesn"t sense a signal (15 minutes) or if you don"t press any buttons on the TV or remote for three hours.

Sharp"s range of picture controls has improved significantly over the last couple of years, and the LC-LE700UN"s selection can match that of most other brands on the market. It begins with seven total picture modes, six of which can be adjusted, one of which cannot, and one, titled User, that"s independent per input. New for 2009 is a mode titled Auto that, according to the manual, "optimizes the picture according to room brightness and video signal."

Among advanced controls we appreciated the option to set white balance for red, green, and blue, which can help hone the TV"s color temperature beyond the five presets. A full color management system is available, along with a "Fine Motion enhanced" setting that improves motion resolution somewhat; a setting that changes the picture dynamically to optimize contrast (we left it off); a five-position gamma slider; four flavors of noise reduction; and Sharp"s peculiar "monochrome" setting that turns everything black-and-white. Finally there"s film mode to control 2:3 pull-down and, on the 46- and 52-inch models in the series, dejudder processing.

Connectivity is very good on the LC-LE700UN. Three HDMI inputs can be found on the back panel while a fourth is located on the right side. Other jacks include two component-video, one VGA-style PC (1,600x1,200-pixel maximum resolution), one RF for antenna or cable, and two standard-definition inputs (one composite- and one S-Video) that, if connected, replace a component-video input. There"s also an optical digital audio output, an analog stereo audio output, an RS-232 connection for custom control systems, and the Ethernet jack for Aquos Net. The side panel adds another composite-video connection, and a USB port for photos (JPEG) or music (MP3) files stored on thumbdrives.

It turns out that the LED backlight of the Sharp LC-LE700U has virtually no impact on picture quality that we could discern. Otherwise, the TV performs like a solid, if unspectacular, standard LCD TV. Its black level performance and color accuracy are generally middle-of-the-LCD-road, and while its video processing is solid, its uniformity was surprisingly mixed. We"re also not fans of Sharp"s decision to include a glossy, as opposed to matte, screen.

As we mentioned, Sharp includes plenty of picture controls, and while those extra tweaks really helped us improve the LC-LE700UN"s color accuracy, there were still issues. The default Movie setting came close to our target light output of 40 footlamberts in our completely dark room with the OPC room lighting sensor engaged, but we prefer to leave such sensors off to prevent obvious brightness fluctuations. When we did, Movie"s default became much brighter (107ftl, if you"re counting). It"s worth noting that OPC didn"t improve the set"s black level performance when we turned it on.

(Update: October 21, 2009) At the request of Sharp, we checked the image with Active Contrast enabled, and found we still liked the image quality better with it turned off. The feature brightens or dims the entire backlight according to the onscreen content did improve black levels in some cases, but the trade-offs weren"t worth it. Its Shadow detail was compromised in dark scenes, highlights in bright scenes appeared too bright by comparison, and in prolonged fades to black the abrupt fluctuation of the entire backlight was distracting. As with all of the displays in our comparison that feature similar defeatable active backlight functions, we disabled it for our evaluation.

Our comparison lined up a range of models at varying price points, although none was less expensive than the Sharp. Standard, non-LED-based LCDs included the Samsung LN46B650 and LG 47LH50, while LED-based sets included the edge-lit Samsung UN46B7000 and the local dimming Toshiba 46SV670U and LG 47LH90. We also threw in a pair of plasmas for good measure, the Panasonic TC-P50V10 and the reference Pioneer PRO-111FD. For most of our image quality tests we used "Quantum of Solace" on Blu-ray Disc.

Black level: The Sharp LC-LE700U was capable of producing a black level on par with most standard LCDs, but could not conjure the depth of black seen on plasmas or local dimming LED-based LCD screens. Its blacks were visibly lighter than the standard Samsung B650, for example, but not as light as those of the LG LH50, and the other displays in our comparison were all capable of deeper blacks than the Sharp.

In the Sharp"s favor, it lacked the fluctuating backlight we saw on some of the other LED-based displays (the Toshiba and the Samsung 7000, most notably), instead remaining stable even when the screen faded to black. Of course, it also lacked the blooming artifact we saw on the local dimming models.

Color accuracy: Overall, the Sharp LC-LE700UN performed relatively well in this category, but couldn"t quite match the accuracy of most of the other sets in our lineup. The main issue was the set"s grayscale in mid-to-bright areas, which appeared less accurate even after calibration. When Bind visits the hotel with Strawberry Fields in Chapter 16, for example, areas like the white walls and gray floors, as well as Fields" exceedingly pale skin, were tinged a bit too bluish/reddish next to the other sets. The Sharp did a fine job with primary colors on the other hand, rendering the green of the plants in the hotel room and the blue of the sky above quite well.

We also noticed that the LC-LE700UN introduced the bluish/reddish tinge to very dark and black areas, such as the moonrise over the party in Chapter 17, which was more extreme than we saw in brighter areas. Nonetheless the discoloration wasn"t as obvious as the blue we saw in the black and near-black areas on the standard LCDs (the Samsung B650 and the LG LH50), albeit worse than on the other LED (and plasma) sets.

Video processing: Sharp"s smoothing dejudder processing--which isn"t available on the 40-inch model--comes in two strengths, labeled Advanced (Low) and Advanced (High) in the Film Mode menu. As usual it had little effect we could discern with video-based material, such as sports, and it made film-based material look overly smooth and too much like video for our tastes. In the initial chase scene, for example, engaging dejudder robbed some of the visceral feel, especially when dejudder would "kick in" abruptly. But some viewers might like the look, so we compared it against similar smoothing modes on the other sets in our lineup.

With the four participating brands" dejudder settings placed in their least-smoothing (and least objectionable, to our eye) preset modes--Standard on the Samsungs, Low on the LGs, Smooth on the Toshiba and Advanced (Low) on the Sharp--the Sharp held its own, not introducing too many artifacts or smoothing the picture too much or too abruptly. When the Aston Martin emerges from the tunnel at the 2:22 mark, for example, the Samsung and LG sets kick dejudder in quickly and relatively unnaturally (to be fair, of course, we should mention that the Samsung"s dejudder can be dialed even lower than the Standard setting, which reduces this issue). As usual, artifacts in these modes were rare enough to not be a major issue. We noticed more artifacts in the Advanced (High) mode, such as unnatural separation on the leading edge of a clothing rack at the 39:38 mark, or on the edge of an opening door a few seconds later. That mode was less-smooth than the corresponding modes on the Samsung and the LG, for what it"s worth.

In our tests for motion resolution, the Sharp maxed out between 500-600 lines when we engaged Fine Motion Enhanced, and between 300 and 400 when we turned that feature off. That"s the same ballpark as other 120Hz sets, but the Sharp did look a bit softer and less distinct on our test pattern than the others did. As with the implementations used by Samsung and Toshiba, you don"t need to engage dejudder to get the antiblur effect on the Sharp--a real plus. As always, however, it was nearly impossible to spot motion blur in program material as opposed to specialized test patterns.

It’s probably safe to say that Sharp have, for whatever reason, slipped off the LCD radar to some extent – at least here in the UK. However, Sharp are pioneers in the field of LCD technology, and not too long ago, their distinctively designed AQUOS televisions dominated the ever-growing LCD TV market.

Sharp’s B20E series proves that the Japanese manufacturer hasn’t stopped moving with the times. Highlights of this series include a 1920×1080 LCD panel of Sharp’s own making, a quoted response time of just 4ms, and 3 HDMI inputs. So, does it all gel together? To find out, today we’re going to test the Sharp LC42B20E.

Although it’s not quite as small as Toshiba’s “Picture Frame” style bezel, the surround on Sharp’s “Slimline design” is undoubtedly very sleek, and despite succumbing to the irritating gloss-black trend, the slim border frames the screen beautifully without feeling overpowering. The bottom of the front panel features a curved “lip”, which partially covers an all-black speaker grille. Dividing these two elements is a nicely placed silver border. Hidden out of sight and out of mind to the right are power, menu, volume and channel control buttons, and side AV inputs.

The Sharp LC42B20E includes a standard mix of both analogue and digital AV inputs. You’ll find two SCART inputs (both of which are Composite/S-Video and RGB capable), a set of Component video and stereo audio jacks, 2 HDMIs, a VGA/PC input, and on the side panel, the remaining HDMI input and S-Video/Composite inputs with accompanying audio jacks. As a new owner of an HDV camcorder, I was glad to see the side HDMI input: it’s now a standard feature on flat panel TVs, but a much-appreciated one all the same.

It’s little touches like this that I’ve always appreciated with Sharp’s displays: rather than going for a standard “box in the middle of the screen” approach, Sharp’s on screen menus are laid out much like a computer’s operating system, appearing as drop down menus from the top of the panel. This means that much of the viewing area is kept nice and clean, so you can see exactly what you’re doing. The day, date, and time are displayed at the top right, too, which is surprisingly handy.

The Sharp LC42B20E comes set to the eye-scorching “Dynamic” mode, and to solve this problem, we had to press the AV MODE button on the remote: changing to a more sane picture mode doesn’t seem to be possible through the menus. Cycling through the various options (“Standard”, “Movie” and “Game”) eventually brought us to “User”, which already looked a lot better. From here, we were given free reign over the following controls:

[OPC] is one of the Sharp LC42BE20E’s “Dynamic Contrast” features. It adjusts the backlight brightness on the fly, in an attempt to make blacks look blacker, and whites look whiter. We personally find the fluctuations of such systems irritating, so left this one off. Moving on, the user is given manual control over the intensity of the Backlight, Contrast, Brightness, Colour, Tint (on all sources, not just NTSC), and Sharpness. Each of these sliders defaults to the middle position, and can be taken left into the negative figures, or right into positives.

The next feature is interesting: [Action Mode], which drives the panel in a different way, which increases flicker, but decreases motion blur. If you enable this option immediately after viewing the TV in its usual flicker-free mode, you might find the sudden difference jarring, but it’s worth seeing if it’s suited to your personal preference.

The [Film Mode] option actually features two different settings. The [Standard] setting activates cadence detection, meaning that the LC42B20E LCD TV will recreate clean progressive video when fed with Film content buried inside an interlaced signal. [Advanced] goes one step further, as it uses these recovered progressive frames as a starting point, and then generates new in-between ones, creating a smoothed, video-like appearance. [Off] forces the TV into Video mode constantly, but we could rarely find a reason to use this setting. This writer left the Film Mode setting at [Standard], if only out of the perversity of programme makers trying to emulate a “film look”, only for the end viewers’ TVs to reverse it!

The EPG is typically the area where TVs begin to demonstrate some usability quibbles. The Sharp LC42B20E is no different, because navigating the EPG requires a little patience due to the time it takes to display a new channel’s programming information. It could sometimes take around 2 seconds to change the highlighted programme, which sounds trivial, but can become irritating quickly. Furthermore, there appears to be no way of jumping up and down a page: you’re required to scroll through one channel at a time, with delays of up to 2 seconds with each press.

On the bright side, though, the EPG is nice and crisp. Unlike many other TVs, Sharp’s implementation makes full use of the 1920×1080 panel resolution, rather than being passed through the TV’s standard-def video circuitry. Better yet, there’s three different viewing modes, one of which strongly resembles a TV listings magazine with its vertical column layout.

Sharp’s TVs used to have delightfully odd looking remote controls that, despite looking a little strange (and we mean “sci-fi prop” strange), fitted into the hand wonderfully and worked just as well. Here, the most eccentric design features have been simplified, but the nice feeling is fully intact. The buttons are well-laid out, with directional and “OK” buttons just under the thumb, and a Volume control and MENU button nearby.

The remote control also features buttons for enabling subtitles on Digital TV programmes, displaying programme information, and, under a flap, controls for controlling another Sharp device through the “AQUOS LINK” feature.

Unfortunately, the cryptic service menus – which have been known to send away even the most dedicated full-time calibration experts running for the hills – prevented us from fully fine-tuning the Sharp LC42B20E (never mess with a service mode you’re unsure of). However, this does not prevent us from commenting on the pre-calibration measurements.

As with seemingly all panel displays, greyscale was heavily blue-tinted out of the box. Not surprisingly, the “Low” colour temperature option brought us closest to the desired D65 standard:

Like previous Sharp LCD TVs, even with this setting, there was an excess of blue in the image until around the 80% grey point. Here, the blueness dipped, making way for a slight boost in the reds instead. We can only assume that this is designed to make the image appear psychologically brighter, whilst minimising blue tint in the brightest, most noticeable shades. If you’re used to calibrated displays, though, then you will certainly notice it.

Earlier, we mentioned that the Sharp LC42B20E features different “AV Modes”, which come set up to produce different results. There’s more to this than meets the eye, though, because the Gamma characteristics of the MOVIE mode are different to that of the USER mode, even when both are configured with the same settings. Neither mode perfectly matched our desired target of 2.2. However, the MOVIE mode gave more consistent results, albeit closer to 2.1.

The Sharp LC42B20E’s colour performance is, again, similar to previous Sharp displays. Whilst red and blue colours were fairly close to the desired Rec.709 standard, green, like on many HDTVs, was oversaturated and pushed in the direction of cyan. There is not a lot that can be done to rectify this problem, as the TV, like most, doesn’t have a Colour Management System. However, this green inaccuracy is not uncommon, and while not ideal, is far less severe a problem than similarly inaccurate reds would have been.

The review sample we were sent sadly suffered from a problem which has become known as “banding”, and has appeared on Sharp’s panels in the past. The easiest way to detect this was to input a 20% grey screen to the TV. What should have been a flat colour appeared slightly brighter on the left of the screen, and slightly dimmer on the right, with noticeable variations in between. The screen looked as if it were a little “dirty” as a result. Also, as is common with large LCDs, very slightly brighter patches were visible at the top and bottom left side of the panel with dark content.

We measured the Sharp LC42B20E’s calibrated black level at 0.09 cd/m2. Although this is a few notches behind the levels of the newest SPVA panel LCD TVs (such as those from Toshiba, Samsung and Sony), it’s still relatively deep. Thumbs up go to Sharp for their inclusion of a backlight adjustment, to allow the panel to reach these levels (and beyond, at the expense of some brightness!).

Horizontal and Vertical on-off-on-off line patterns – as well as some real world PC usage – allowed us to confirm that the LC42B20E’s “Dot By Dot” mode works correctly, and correctly maps each pixel in a 1080-line video signal to each of the panel’s pixels, for maximum detail.

Although 720p content naturally can’t be made to perfectly match the 1080p panel, you can still enable [Just Scan] mode on such signals, to keep scaling to a minimum. This is all the more important, because the scaling in the Sharp LC42B20E isn’t the best we’ve seen.

A colleague of mine pointed out that this pixel structure is actually quite similar to that of a CRT display. I’ve always walked by Sharp displays in stores and thought that, while still obviously LCD displays, they did possess a more “TV-like” appearance. This would appear to be the reason.

As a result of the triangular configuration, horizontal lines have an ever so slightly “serrated edge” look, which would appear to have a tiny impact on perceived picture detail – but only if you’re using the display for applications where you’re likely to be sitting right up in front of it, such as video games. It also means that Sharp’s panel has quite a distinctive look, which some viewers might well appreciate.

Using our trusty FPD Benchmark Software for ProfessionalBlu-ray Disc, we measured the Sharp LC42B20E’s motion resolution at around 250-300 lines. This is standard for an LCD TV without 100hz functionality.

Although the Sharp LC42B20E doesn’t feature 100hz functionality as such, there is always the [Action Mode] feature. Enabling this upped the motion resolution to around 550 lines, meaning that its effect is actually similar. Better yet, it doesn’t create interpolation artefacts like 100hz systems do, instead giving the screen a slightly more CRT-like flicker. Combine this with the unusual pixel layout, and you have a display that might be that little bit easier on the eyes for CRT die-hards who, for whatever reason or another, can’t accommodate a Plasma (which is still the most “CRT TV-like” of the technologies).

The Sharp LC42B20E’s built-in video processing is a mixed bag in terms of quality. The good news is that it correctly detects and adjusts for 3:2 and 2:2 film cadences, provided the [Film Mode] option is set to “Standard”. Additionally, the LC24B20E is one display out of only a handful which correctly handles 1080i/60 film content, which is perhaps less useful given that 1080p output is standard on Blu-ray Disc players, but is very impressive all the same. The bad news is that the quality of its scaling leaves something to be desired, and does little in the way of interpolation. This means that computer-generated content and on-screen menus look brilliantly crisp and clean – as do simple test patterns – but almost any photorealistic real-world content will appear slightly pixellated. However, we’d wager that a good number of people these days will own an Upscaling DVD player, which would sidestep this issue.

Here, the ASV panel’s unique pixel layout did give the image a very slightly dithered appearance. Whilst I would welcome this on low detail content, this particular disc has no shortage of crispness, and while sitting closer to the TV (as high definition allows you to do), I did sometimes wonder what the image would look like if the panel were to feature a more traditional pixel layout instead.

The Sharp LC42B20E also correctly handled the 24p signal, which is output from the Playstation 3, as well as many other Blu-ray Disc players. There was no judder present when using this option. Conveniently, the TV’s on screen display informs you when you’re being sent a 24hz signal, as it states the scan rate as well as the input resolution.

Over-the-air digital TV channels looked suitably good on the Sharp LC42B20E LCD TV. There appeared to be a small amount of “hidden” MPEG artefact reduction going on behind the scenes, which is subtle: given the option (which we think there should be), we’d probably choose to leave it on anyway. Programmes from the more technically competent broadcasters actually stood a chance of looking quite good, especially those originating from a film source: as the LC42B20E’s video processor correctly engages 2:2 cadence handling, none of these high-budget programmes appeared jaggy.

Gaming was fantastic fun on the Sharp LC42B20E, thanks in no small part to its lightning-quick response time, which we measured in the range of 0-10ms. The LCD panel’s speedy response time was beneficial too, which meant that motion blur was kept to an absolute minimum.

Sharp’s LC42B20E admirably delivers big-screen 1080p high definition for a price that represents excellent value for money. Although it is not a class-leading LCD display in the strictest sense of the word, it comes incredibly close in several areas. In the future, we’d like to see Sharp provide more accessible adjustment over greyscale, be it through the means of a user-accessible menu, or simply an improved hidden one.

However, in the meantime, Sharp have a display which features commendable black levels, winning usability and connectivity, and a fantastically low level of input lag, which means it earns a qualified recommendation from HDTVTest.

The Sharp PNY556 55" Class (54.6" diagonal) LCD monitor is designed for ease of use and flexibility in a variety of settings. SHARP Content Distributor software supports convenient content distribution and management via a local area network. Whether in a retail, public, or office setting, this monitor can help convey your message and make an eye-catching impression. So if you"re seeking a multifaceted signage solution with round-the-clock reliability and easy content distribution, this affordable slimline monitor offers outstanding value.

The PNY556 LCD monitor supports easy daily usage and versatile content distribution. Simply insert a USB memory device or SD card for plug-and-play operation. Using a specified wireless SD card equipped with an original Sharp HTML application, you can distribute content wirelessly from a PC or mobile device. Furthermore, SHARP Content Distributor software supports convenient content distribution and management via network. Thanks to its versatile signage capabilities, this monitor makes it easy to convey messages in public spaces or commercial locations, or promote internal communication in the office.

Displaying still images or videos couldn’t be easier. Just insert a USB memory device or SD card into the LCD monitor and the built-in media player starts playing your content right away. There’s no need for a PC and cables. It’s easy for anyone to operate.

Operating over a LAN, SHARP Content Distributor software makes it easy to update the content to be displayed on multiple LCD monitors. Through simple and intuitive PC operation, you can schedule what content gets distributed, when it gets delivered, and which monitors show it. Take advantage of a convenient signage solution that lets you distribute content in a timely manner to multiple PNY556 monitors.

Set a time and day of the week for content distribution to a maximum of 20 pre-registered LCD monitors. Up to seven schedule patterns can be registered.

The Sharp/NEC NP-PE456USL is a versatile short throw installation projector made for tricky applications found in museums, retail, entertainment, and business/education environments. Its nicely bright, no-maintenance laser light engine and array of installation features make it one to consider for those with challenging projection needs.

The Sharp/NEC NP-PE456USL was made with challenging applications in mind. This short throw laser projector boasts 4,500 rated ANSI lumens, and projects a beautiful image even with ambient light shining directly in front of the screen. The entry level installation projector is geared toward a variety of markets—business, education, museums, retail, and even entertainment and golf simulators. The NEC can produce a 130-inch diagonal image from just 4 feet away. If casting a shadow on the projected image is a concern, or space is tight, the PE456USL may be one to consider.

With a typical street price of $2,579, the PE456USL is mostly competing against long-throw projectors in this 3LCD, WUXGA product class. The Epson PowerLite L530U is a laser projector with a $2,651 price tag, and for that extra sub-$100 difference, it packs 5,200 lumens and up to a 500-inch diagonal image. The $2,547 Panasonic VMZ51U is another long throw laser with 5,200 lumens. In both cases, you"d be sacrificing the short throw lens for long throw. Among price-competitive, short-throw LCD projectors targeting the same applications with similar resolution and brightness, the pickings are slim. Epson"s recently announced PowerLite L210SF, a 1080p model, should sell for less than the Sharp/NEC when it starts selling in the Spring, but it offers just 4,000 lumens compared with the PE456USL"s more substantial 4,500 rating.

The PE456USL claims ease of installation, with several features that support that claim. The projector is 4K ready, with great image quality. Along with Sharp/NEC"s other laser projectors, it has an excellent warranty.

The PE456USL is a compact and lightweight projector that measures 15.9 x 6.5 x 15.9 inches (WHD) and weighs in at just 17.9 pounds. That should allow it to fit tight spaces and be easily mounted or moved around. As mentioned, it sports WUXGA (1920x1200) resolution from a trio of 0.64-inch LCD imaging panels, which gives the projector immunity to rainbow artifacts that may occur with some single-chip DLP projectors as well as equal white and color brightness to insure good color fidelity. It also supports 4K content up to a 30 Hz frame rate using NEC"s video processing/scaling chip. There"s a basic control panel on the projector"s top panel that lets you power it on and off, switch inputs, and access or navigate the menu.

The PE456USL"s blue laser+yellow phosphor light engine has a lifespan of up to 20,000 hours at full power, with its Eco modes extending that. There are four energy modes (Normal, Full Normal, Eco 1, Eco 2) and you can also manually adjust the brightness of the laser in the menu. Though the projector is low maintenance, it does require periodic cleaning of the filter accessible from the side panel, and past 1,000 hours of use it will automatically remind the user at turn-on with an onscreen message unless that time is extended in the menu (settings are available for 500, 1,000, and 2,200 hours). Failure to clean the filter could eventually result in overheating, though I found the projector doesn"t heat up too much during normal use with a clean filter.

As mentioned, images are projected through the short throw lens with fixed optical zoom and a very tight throw ratio of 0.44:1. This results in an unusually short throw range of just 1.7 to 4.16 feet, with an image size range of just 55 inches to 130 inches max. You can visit the ProjectorCentral Sharp/NEC PE-456USL Throw Calculator to see the lens-to-screen distance for your preferred image size. Though it lacks adjustable optical zoom, the projector does have a digital zoom function that allows some zooming in of the image, though there is no vertical or horizontal lens shift. The manual focus is accomplished with a lever above the lens.

A reasonably well-equipped connection panel is found on the projector"s rear. Two HDMI ports are version 1.4b with HDCP copyright management, and there is a 15-pin VGA analog input as well as a VGA output that could be used to feed a monitor in an overflow room or a podium monitor if needed.

This NEC comes with a variety of useful networking features. It has the usual wired LAN (RJ-45 port with 10/100 base-T capability) and wireless LAN via Sharp/NEC"s NP05LM1 Wi-Fi adapter (an $85 option) plugged into the USB-A port, though it lacks integrated Wi-Fi as found on some competitors, notably Epson"s models. Once connected to the network, it has Crestron RoomView compatibility for managing multiple projectors in an installation remotely, as well as AMX and PJLink support. The PE456USLis also compatible with NEC"s NaviSet Administrator 2 software for Windows and Mac for fleet monitoring and control, and you can directly access a control/monitoring panel for the projector from a built-in web page accessible via a browser on a PC that"s on the same network. The PE456ULS can also be used with MultiPresenter, a free software for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android that allows screen mirroring of such devices.

Color Modes. There are six color modes offered by the Sharp/NEC NP-PE456USL—five standard modes and one User Mode. Dynamic, the brightest mode, has the expected green tinge to it. As far as brightest modes go, however, it doesn"t even touch the hideously ugly mark. It is highly usable in high ambient light circumstances where color accuracy isn"t an issue (though I would never use it when projecting films or artwork). Still, I don"t see much reason to ever use this mode, though, because User and Standard are both nicely bright, not too far off the mark set by Dynamic mode for battling ambient light, and offer color that is seriously improved.

The PE456USL"s lens is sharp. Though powered focus is always preferred for a mounted projector, this one"s manual focus is easy to use, smooth, and granular enough to make focusing quick work. Many projectors do tend to fall out of focus over time, however, so when it does, you might need a ladder to fix it.

That said, the projected image does get a little fuzzy around the edges, specifically the corners of the image—something I"ve seen with short throws, but also know that if you"re doing any Cornerstone Correction, you can run into a bit of that as well. In my estimate, it"s not a big deal, and most wouldn"t notice unless you have text or some detail near the edges of the image that the eyes are directed to. Images otherwise look awesome, and in almost all cases, text is sharp. The overall image quality and color of the projected image is great and close to what I saw on my computer screen in terms of color, just a tad off (the blues on the projected image were a bit lighter), which wasn"t bothersome.

To see how a projector does with text, I have a document with a variety of font sizes and colors ranging from 8-point to 24-point—black text on white background, white text on black background, and yellow text on blue background. The yellow text on blue background can get tricky. With the first two, black and white, and vice versa, things were highly readable even at 8-point font from 10 to15 feet back (further back I"d recommend at least 12-point). However, the yellow text on blue background was fuzzy. In an otherwise sharp projected image, that was the only issue I found—the projector didn"t like this unusual color combination, paired with smaller fonts.

Video Viewing. The NEC PE456USL can handle both HD and 4K content. I watched both the HD and 4K versions of The Fifth Element, Serenity, and Ghost in the Shell in Cinema Mode. I also tacked over to Standard, but didn"t prefer it for these films at all, as the dark shadow detail and black level performance is better in Cinema. Comparing each film"s HD and 4K version, there is a noticeable difference in the sharpness and pop of the 4K content, though be aware that this projector does not process HDR (high dynamic range). But 4K looks fantastic, even displayed at the projector"s native WUXGA resolution. Regular HD is great, too, and if that"s what you"re watching you won"t be disappointed in the quality and sharpness. But if you"ve got the opportunity to go with 4K content, do it.

The Sharp/NEC NP-PE456USL is a good fit for scenarios where installation is particularly challenging, especially environments where a bright, well-balanced image is important and the ability of a short throw projector to eliminate shadows over the projected image is a requirement. This WUXGA projector is 4K-ready, and video content looks excellent in both HD and 4K. The projector is nicely bright, exceeding its 4,500 lumen claim in our sample with 4,920 lumens in its brightest mode. But it"s the brightness combined with the projector"s tight, short-throw lens, along with placement flexibility from features like 360-Degree Rotation, Portrait Mode, and Cornerstone Correction, that make it stand out for the business, education, museum, retail, golf sim, and even entertainment markets it is targeted at. To top it all off, the PE456USL comes with an excellent warranty—5 years parts and labor, with Instacare next-business-day exchange. All in all, it adds up to a pretty nice, compact laser short-throw with good image quality and a competitive $2,579 price tag.

Brightness Uniformity. The brightness uniformity of the Sharp/NEC NP-PE456USL is 82%, which is quite satisfactory. Visually, I didn"t pick up on any hot spots or dimming in the image when viewing presentation or video content.

Fan Noise. Sharp/NEC rates the fan noise of the NP-PE456USL at 37db at full power, 27dB in its Eco modes, using the industry-standard averaged measurement in a soundproof room. Our casual single-point measurements are always higher. Standing approximately three feet back from the table-mounted projector in a quiet room, the ratings were as follows:

The Sharp PN-UH701 70" 4K Ultra HD Commercial LCD TV is a heavy-duty TV that can be used as an electronic display at stadiums, conferences, share markets, etc. The Sharp PN-UH701 70" 4K Ultra HD Commercial LCD TV has a large screen measuring 70-inches. Its response time stands at 8 minutes. Showcase your ideas on the big screen with the Sharp PN-UH701 70" 4K Ultra HD Commercial LCD TV.

Some of its connectivity features include ethernet and USB. Also, the Sharp PN-UH701 70" 4K Ultra HD Commercial LCD TV has vibrant colors and crystal-clear display. Lastly, the Sharp PN-UH701 70" 4K Ultra HD Commercial LCD TV is a great way to portray your ideas to a larger audience.

4/5 I wanted an LED display that not only has a great picture quality, but is also pocket-friendly, and that is when someone recommended the Sharp PN-Y555 55" Professional LED Display. It also has a built-in temperature sensor to detect the rising temperature and automatically adjust the backlight system. - By Charlsie (Jul 25,2017)

Sharp PN-601A video wall monitor designed particularly for heavy duty applications in public places, transportation hubs and commercial institutions. The impressive UV2A LCD technology and 60” screen size provides vivid and captivating visuals. The ultra-slim bezel (6.5mm) integrated with enlarge zoom capability deliver uniform results over multiple displays. And full-array LED Backlight incorporated in PN-601A video wall monitor, delivers ultra-deep brightness (up to 700cd/m2) and contrast ratio (4000:1) that makes it noteworthy amongst the traditional LCD monitors.

You can do wonders with the optional PN-ZR01 control kit. It allows you to use multiple LCD monitors simultaneously via the RS-232C interface. The brightness sensor automatically adjusts its brightness levels in LCD monitors according to the environment. The PN-ZR01 control kit provides an extended board of Inputs/outputs that can be used for several other purposes.

The PN-V601A video wall monitor offers compatibility with the Sharp digital signage software that allows you to manage the entire content over the video wall. Hence, eliminating the need for any expensive 3rd party software.

The eco-friendly PN-V601 video wall has a smart and sleek design. It allows you to install the PN-V601 video wall monitor either in portrait or landscape mode, depending upon the need. With the built-in 10W per channel amplifier you can connect the Sharp LCD monitor with external speakers.

Sharp ensures safety and durability by incorporating number of essential features such as power on delay that reduces the load over power supply by delaying startup time between multiple monitors in a video wall. And the built-in temperature sensor not only detects but also controls the optimized temperature level. Without any downtime the PN-V601 video wall monitor is designed to work 24/7.

Sharp PN-V601A comes with 3 years limited warranty. For further details related to warranty please download the Warranty file available in the RESOURCES/VIDEO tab.

User-Friendly Pen Software Interface – use a touch pen to launch and display the Sharp Pen Software. Each pen has it’s own menu, up to 4 users at a time.

Touch Display Link software supports effective and multifaceted communication. Onscreen content—including handwritten notes and drawings made in real time—can be viewed simultaneously on the Sharp AQUOS BOARD display and mobile devices, such as PCs, tablets, and smartphones. Touch Display Link facilitates interactive presentations, lively discussions, and paperless meetings in both business and educational settings. up to 50 devices can be connected simultaneously.

Documents and images scanned from a color-scan-capable Sharp MFP can be imported directly to the Sharp Pen Software for display on the AQUOS BOARD system. For added convenience, image data shown onscreen—including notations—can be saved to a PC or sent directly to an MFP for printout. This monitor pairs nicely with any of the MX-series systems.

Sharp AQUOS Board comes equipped with two 10 watt speakers mounted on the front of the monitor for clearer sound. No tinny rear mounted speakers can be found on the AQUOS Boards.

The Sharp Aquos Board come standard-equipped with a wealth of input/output terminals—on the side and the bottom of the monitor—to enable easy connection with a wide variety of equipment. The input/output terminals vary by model, so this could be the deciding factor in your decision. This array of terminals includes three HDMI ports, two D-sub ports, two DisplayPort™ terminals (one input, one output), and two touchscreen-supporting USB ports. One of the USB ports can be assigned to a regularly connected PC, such as a host PC used to operate the LCD monitor. The other USB port facilitates temporary connection to another PC, such as one used by a meeting participant. This allows easy PC connection without the need to switch the USB cable.

Skelton Business Equipment can supply your new Sharp AQUOS Board, your copier/printer/scanner fleet, and your shredding and finishing needs. Call us today at 281-351-5128 to have a discussion about how we can streamline your workflow for an all-in-one affordable solution.

TOKYO, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Shares of electronics maker Sharp Corpjumped 5.2 percent on Monday after a source said that Sony Corpwas planning to start buying TV-use liquid crystal display (LCD) panels from Sharp.

Meanwhile, shares of Pioneer Corpjumped 4.3 percent to 1,168 yen on an Asahi newspaper report that the electronics manufacturer plans to stop making 42-inch plasma display panels.

Such a move by Sharp, the world’s No.3 LCD TV maker, and Sony, the second largest, would underscore the importance of securing enough display panels to meet fast-growing LCD TV demand.

The deal would create a larger alliance between Sharp, Sony and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, which currently runs an LCD panel joint venture with Sony, along with Toshiba Corp, which said in December it would buy large LCD panels from Sharp. Meanwhile, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltdand Hitachi Ltdhold a large stake in joint venture IPS Alpha Technology, which makes large LCD panels. Matsushita also announced earlier this month it would spend 300 billion yen to build an LCD panel plant by 2010.

On the plasma television side, whose market share has gradually been eaten away by LCD TVs, Pioneer will procure 42-inch and smaller panels from Matsushita or Hitachi, the Asahi newspaper said on Saturday.

Pioneer will end output of such panels at a plant in southern Japan by March 2009 and focus on making panels 50 inches or larger at other plants, the Asahi said. (Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Chris Gallagher)

TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corpis planning to start buying TV-use liquid crystal display (LCD) panels from Sharp Corpas early as in the next business year that begins in April, a source close to the matter said on Saturday.A photographer takes a photo of a Sharp LCD TV at a news conference in Tokyo August 22, 2007. Sony is planning to start buying TV-use LCD panels from Sharp as early as in the next business year that begins in April, a source close to the matter said on Saturday. REUTERS/Michael Caronna

Sony currently runs an LCD panel joint venture with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, but procurement from Sharp is expected to help it secure enough panels to meet fast-growing LCD TV demand without heavy capital investments.

For Sharp, another major LCD TV maker, expanding a pool of customers for its LCD panels is important as it is ramping up its panel production capacity aggressively.

Sharp is also building the world’s largest LCD panel factory, spending 380 billion yen ($3.55 billion). The plant is slated to come onstream by March 2010.

Sony aims to double LCD TV sales to about 20 million units in the business year starting April, and the volume of its panel procurement from Sharp will likely come to the equivalent of 3 to 5 million 40-inch-class panels in the following year, the Nikkei said.

Global demand for LCD TVs is expected to more than double to 155 million units by 2012, the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Association said on Thursday.

In an effort to keep pace with strong sales growth, Japan"s Toshiba Corpsaid in December it would buy large LCD panels from Sharp, while Panasonic maker Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltdannounced earlier this month it would spend 300 billion yen to build an LCD panel plant by 2010.

The back is the home of most of the ports and sockets of the LC040E67UN.  For information about the ports on the back of the Sharp LC-40E67UN see our Connectivity section.

On the left side of the body of this display are the controls and additional inputs. For information about the ports on the side of the Sharp LC-40E67UN see our Connectivity section.

The rounded stand of the LC-40E67UN does a good job of holding the large panel of the display in place. It is secured by eight screws: four that hold the base together and four that secure it to the panel itself. Fortunately, a hex key is supplied with the display so you don"t have to find your own screwdriver.

We measured the deepest black that the LC-40E67UN could produce at 0.1 cd/m2, which is a very decent score for an LCD screen. Most LCDs favor brightness over the black level, but this one takes the opposite approach, which means that the black level is very decent compared to other LCD HDTVs.

At the other end of the scale, we measured the brightest white that this display could produce at 217.82 cd/m2. That"s a decent, but unspectacular measurement; other LCD HDTVs have produced much brighter whites. What this means is that the whites on screen won"t be as bright as others, and that the images won"t look as good as brighter TVs in bright light. So, don"t use this display near the hot tub unless you are a fan of midnight bathing.

Devices such as standard definition DVD players with HDMI outputs usually output 480p signals, and the LC-40E67UN did a reasonable job of displaying these. In our test sceens, we saw fairly sharp text and no major issues with glitchy or jagged edges. The image is overscanned (by about 4%) and this can"t be disabled, but this is pretty normal.

The LC-40E67UN performed poorly in our viewing angle test; we measured the angle at which the contrast ratio fell by 50% at a very weak 17 degrees, which means that people on the edge of the couch are going to see a much paler and less attractive picture than those in the center. Although LCD HDTVs typically have a rather poor viewing angle, this one has a smaller angle than most that we have seen.

Below is a chart that outlines the changes we"ve made. If a setting isn"t listed below, we left it at the default settings. Feel free to use these settings as the basis for your own calibration, but remember that these settings aren"t optimized for your own personal viewing environment, so your best settings may vary. In particualr, we test LCD TVs with the backlight at maximum, which is not an ideal setting if you watch in a dark environment. If you really want the best quality, you should pay a professional to bring their own CS-200 ChromaMeter into your viewing area and calibrate the TV