TV

I have used this TV for a week now. I ordered it from Amazon, but shipped by Audio and Video Center. I now use it in India.

First, about the vendor who sold the TV. I had never even heard about Audio and Video Center, but they were offering the best price on Amazon for this TV. I called them a couple of times to verify the price and how/when they would be shipping the item. Their customer service folks were courteous and informative, and they shipped the item the same day I ordered on Amazon. It arrived some 3 days later in top-notch condition. I would use them again, and I have put them on my list of trustworthy online retailers.

Now, about the TV. I was looking at both LED-lit LCD as well as plasma models. I would have picked up a direct LED backlight LCD TV, but I couldn’t find any in the 60″ range. The reviews of edge-lit LED TVs all mentioned issues of uneven backlighting and black-level deficiencies. The plasmas I looked at on the other hand had high power consumption (almost twice that of regular LCDs) and were heavier by 30% – 40%. Plasmas also seemed more fragile during shipping – I saw a number of cases of cracked front panel being reported, which was not good for me (as I wanted to move the TV to India). Overall, I was looking for a TV with great picture quality at a reasonable price in the 60″ range, and I took a leap of faith on this Sharp model based on the (few) reviews I had read here in Amazon and elsewhere.

I am glad to say that so far I have found the TV to be extremely good – true to the reviews I had read. It still needs a few refinements, and I would have given it a 4-1/2 star rating if possible. Spefically, the good parts:

- Picture quality: It took me some time to tweak the settings and get the kind of picture I like, but the end result is excellent. With 1080p 24Hz sources (blu-ray movies), the picture is outstanding, with deep enough blacks, natural colors and even backlighting. I do not notice any 3D effect, but even at low backlight settings, the picture is bright enough for me. I have since gone to local stores and looked at edge-lit LED TVs (Sony, Samsung, etc, set to showroom level super-bright pictures). I feel that the PQ of this TV is no less in comparison.

- User interface: Is elegant and simple. There are many settings to manage the PQ and there are several pre-defined A/V modes. You’re most likely to be happy with one of the pre-defined modes with some tweaking. I found it useful to both use the settings on the TV and those on the Blu-ray player to get the optimum quality for my tastes.

- Power: The TV can be set in automatic power save mode, which adjusts the backlighting based on ambient light. This works well most of the time. The rated power consumption is 390W at the highest level, and I think most of the time you’ll be using much less than this. You can also set the TV to turn off automatically based on no input signal or no activity.

- Advanced features: Active Contrast (which automatically adjusts picture contrast based on the scene) is very useful. I don’t find any visible improvements with the 240Hz “Fine Motion” setting. The picture is generally smooth, and where there is very minor motion blur, the 240Hz setting doesn’t seem to help. A number of color adjustment settings are given, which one finds best to leave at default values. The “Film Mode” setting – in conjunction with a 1080p 24Hz source – seems to produce smooth picture.

- Panel: The X-gen panel in this TV is dark black (not grayish). This is a different kind of panel than the one in my 4-year old Sony Bravia, which doesn’t reflect any light at all. The Sharp panel does reflect some light, but not anywhere close to plasma glass panels. I haven’t found this to be an issue, even though the TV is in a room with a lot of ambient light (large windows and glass patio doors).

- Looks: With the dark black panel, the piano-black glossy frame, and the (color-matched) sturdy stand, it looks very nice and classy when it’s not running. The speker positioning makes the frame looks slim. The back of the TV is also nicely rounded and very slim.

- Remote: Remote is pre-programmed, universal type, with minimalistic design. Nothing extraordinary about it. Some keys can be lit by pressing a “light” button.

- Unexpected bonus: This TV supports the PAL color system for two of its (composite) video inputs. This is a great feature for me to have in India, where the cable and satellite programming is in PAL. Another bonus is an excellent comb filter, which shows clear picture even with composite video input (which is the case with my satellite box). The TV, however, doesn’t have univeral power supply (100-240V), which would have been nice. I have to use a step-down transformer (240 to 120V), but otherwise the TV works fine.

Now for the areas where more work is needed from Sharp:

- Picture: Although Sharp claims a wide viewing angle – and many people have said that the viewing angle on this TV is better than the Sony EX models – the black level does get affected as you move from the exact straight line from the TV. Specifically, you can see the picture getting lighter even from a few degrees to the side. This is not a big concern in a family room setting, but the folks sitting right opposite get the best picture as per your setting. Also, in a fully dark room, you can see the border areas around the movie frame as grayish. In other words, the black levels are best with some ambient lighting and not in a dark room (perhaps as to be expected in a LCD TV).

- Sound: The TV’s sound output is weak, but usable in a moderate sized room. There is no bass at all to speak of, and the audio settings like simulated surround and bass enhancer are useless. The speakers in this TV are recessed (behind the frame and down-firing), and this doesn’t help the cause of good audio either. I use the TV’s speakers only when watching Satellite programming, and find it to be tolerable.

- Build quality: While the stand is solid, and the back is well-done, the frame has a loose feelng when you press it (with some movement). Sharp could have done this better.

- Lack of swivel: This TV cannot be swivelled to suit your sitting position. This is a drawback due to the picture issue mentioned above.

- No S video input: A minor irritant. But with the excellent processing of composite video signals, this doesn’t seem to be a big issue.

- No earthing in power cord. Not sure if this is a problem. The power cord supplied is also very short.

The AQUOS® LC-60E88UN 60″ Class (60-1/32″ Diagonal) is a high-performance large screen LCD TV. With Sharp’s Full HD 1080p X-Gen Panel and true 240Hz Fine Motion Enhanced, it produces a breathtaking picture quality that is second to none. The LC-60E88UN has built-in ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuners and 4 HDMI® inputs, compatible with 1080p signals, as well as 2 HD 1080p component inputs. It features a sleek piano black cabinet and subtle recessed bottom-mounted speakers. read more.

I am not here to review this item in particular but to advice people who is thinking on purchasing something from Electronics Expo, DON’T DO IT. This company is straight up garbage. I highly do not recommend buying something from them. Their customer service is terrible and if in case the product is defective or change your mind about it, there are no returns, just exchanges; so you can forget about getting your money back if that’s the case. I would recommend on purchasing a product straight from amazon, which has an excellent customer support if something were to happen. Don’t put yourself in a bad situation that you could regret.

With the introduction of the LC46LE700UN, Sharp combines its legendary AQUOS LCD panel technology with a newly developed, proprietary Full Array LED backlight system to create picture quality that is second to none. The LC46LE700UN illustrates Sharp’s LCD technology leadership while also demonstrating its LED engineering advantages. Sharp’s Ultra Brilliant LED system illuminates the TV to extremely high brightness and contrast levels and enables significant environmental benefits such as longer life expectancy, no heavy metals and lower power consumption. At the same time, the new XGen LCD Panel utilizes an ingeniously devised pixel design that permits more light to pass through even while minimizing light leakage, with the result being the deepest black levels that AQUOS has ever achieved. Overall, the LC46LE700UN shows that with Sharp, it’s not just LED… it’s AQUOS LED.. read more.

I bought this product to use it as a monitor for my laptop, but when i try to use the Full HD resolution (1080) the icon’s edges looks very bad.

Also the sound when you are using the TV is depressing.

ViewSonic’s VT2230, 21.6-Inch Black Full HD LCDTV 1920×1080 Diagonal with Multi Function immerses you in the action with Full HD 1080p resolution delivering 100% of your HD signal for incredibly precise images. Revel in the unparalleled definition and detail delivered by 8000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and the high brightness panel. Super-fast video response and advanced image processing ensure extreme clarity in all your HD entertainment. The integrated ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner and multiple connectivity options including HDMI with HDCP give you all the inputs you need for game consoles, DVD and Blu-Ray players and computers. Get maximum enjoyment in kids’ rooms, dens, kitchens and other small spaces in your home with the beautifully styled, highperformance VT2230 LCD HDTV.Great for use in small spaces such as bedrooms, home offices and dorm rooms, ViewSonic’s stylish, high-performance 22-inch VT2230 widescreen HDTV provides a Full HD 1080p resolution that delivers 100 percent of your HD signal for incredibly precise images. The integrated ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner and multiple connectivity options including HDMI with HDCP give you all the inputs you need for game consoles, DVD and Blu-ray players and computers. And its fast 5 ms (millisecond) response time produces blur-free fast action movies, sports and games.

The 22-inch double-duty ViewSonic VT2230 allows you to watch high-def programming as well as use it as a PC monitor. Additionally, the VT2230 can be used as a computer monitor, enabling you to stay productive with your PC–as well as watch streaming Internet video amazingly crisp detail. Other features include an anti-reflective coating on the LCD screen to reduce glare, digital ATSC tuner for watching over-the-air HD programming, and a QAM tuner for tuning into unscrambled cable channels. Key Features Experience a new dimension in movie viewing and gaming with Full HD 1080p resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio for optimum richness and clarity in picture quality. Vivid graphics, clear text, stunning TV with high brightness of 300 nits, ultra-high dynamic contrast ratio of 8000:1, and 1920 x 1080 optimum PC resolution provide vibrant video and crisp data images in the living room or on the desktop. 3D digital comb filter performs field-by-field comparisons of the television image to accurately separate the color from the black-and-white information and remove both horizontally and vertically hanging dots, as well as dot crawl, resulting in a razor sharp image. ClearPicture electronics eliminate noise, increase contrast and detail and optimize color for rich, vibrant images. High-definition images look amazing and even standard television images are unbelievably smooth and sharp. Plug-and-play connectivity with integrated HDTV tuner and one HDMI input for HD set-top boxes, DVDs, game consoles and camcorders. Versatile OptiSync connectivity with support for HDMI with high-definition content protection (HDCP) and analog (VGA) signals, plus component, S-video, composite, and TV/cable input (see a larger schematic image of the rear jack pack). Integrated stereo speakers complete the multimedia experience. Warranty: One year on parts and backlight Specifications Size: 21.6-inch LCD screen (diagonal) Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Input signal: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p Contrast ratio: 1000:1 (typ) static; 8000:1 dynamic (typ) Response time: 5 ms (milliseconds) Brightness: 300 cd/m2 (candela per square meter) Viewing angles: 160 degrees horizontal, 160 degrees vertical Speakers: 2 x 3 watts (6 watts total power) TV mode features: Auto scan, set channel, channel delete, label, favorite, fine tune Video mode features: Picture (contrast, brightness, color, tint, sharpness, color temperature), sound (volume, balance, bass, treble), input menu (TV, AV, S-video, YCbCr, YPbPr, HDMI, VGA), parental control (caption, change password, V-chip temporary disable), setup menu (time out, language, memory recall) PC mode features: Auto adjust, contrast, brightness, H position, V position, fine tune, color temperature, picture mode VESA mount: 100 x 100 Energy Star qualified Connections HDMI: 1 (with HDCP and audio support) Component (Y/Pb/Pr): 1 Composite A/V: 1 S-Video: 1 PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1 (with PC audio input) RF input: 1 Headphone: 1 (3.5mm jack) Analog audio input: 2 (1 for component; 1 shared by composite and S-Video) Dimensions TV with stand: 20.9 x 16.6 x 8.4 inches (WxHxD); 10.4 pounds TV without stand: 20.9 x 14.8 x 3.4 inches (WxHxD); 9.8 pounds What size TV should you get? What’s in the Box ViewSonic LCD HDTV/monitor, . read more.