Very Nice LCD TV
Pros:
lots of features, great picture, easy to use
Cons:
no cable card slot, bigger size plasmas available for similar price
The Bottom Line:
This is an excellent choice for an LCD TV if you don't need/want a cable card slot and are not considering a plasma TV.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Back in April, I was looking for a nice HDTV to replace the 27" TV I had in my bedroom. I was looking for either a plasma or an LCD TV in the 37" - 42" size for around $2000. I finally settled on the Sharp LC-37D40U. I chose an LCD over a plasma for the sharper picture and zero chance of image burn in.
I paid $2025 + tax for the TV, which includes the TV + base, power cord, remote control + batteries and the manual. The TV comes with a nice variety of input connections, as can be expected:
2 component, 1 composite, 1 S-Video, 2 HDMI, 1 RF
On a side note, I actually need a 3rd set of component inputs, but I haven't seen any HDTVs that have a 3rd set.
The operation is pretty simple. Pressing the menu button on the remote brings up a very nice menu that allows you to make most necessary adjustments. Making adjustments is fairly straightforward. Pressing the "Input" button changes between the various input connections. There are a few other things worth noting:
- Changing the screen modes is done using the "View Mode" key. This is for choosing either widescreen, sidebar, zoom or stretch. This was hard to find in the manual and I had initially thought it would be somewhere in the main menu.
- There is a "Quick Shoot" option in the menu, which is supposed to reduce blurring that often occurred with (mostly older) LCDs when watching any fast action on the screen. I don't notice any difference with this option turned on or off. Since the TV has a 6ms response time, everything looks very smooth. There is no blurring whatsoever.
- There is a hidden area at the bottom of the remote that hides 4 buttons. This was a bit confusing since the manual referred to these buttons and I couldn't find them until I flipped a plastic cover at the bottom of the remote.
I currently have a high definition cable tuner and an Xbox 360 hooked up to my TV. So, I see plenty of high-definition video on my TV. Both the 720p and 1080i signals look excellent. There is simply no comparison to a standard definition signal. The TV specs state that it supports 1080p, but I have yet to see a 1080p signal on my TV. The TV automatically switches to 16:9 widescreen mode when it detects an HDTV signal. However, it does NOT retain settings for a standard definition channel. This means that if I change the mode to ZOOM for one standard definition channel, then change to another channel and come back to the original channel, then I have to manually change it back to ZOOM again. This is slightly annoying, but not a major issue.
As excellent as this TV is, I see a few disadvantages. For one, there is no CableCard slot. So, if you want to watch HD cable, you'll need to use a 2nd remote to change the channels. The other thing is this LCD is more expensive than a similar size plasma. More accurately, you could get a bigger plasma TV for the same price as this one. I came very close to buying a 42" plasma instead of this one. With the increased manufacturing of LCD panels, this may change in the future. However, right now, the plasma TVs are still cheaper and look great. Unless you've already come to the conclusion that you definitely want an LCD TV, it's worth considering a plasma. I won't go into the pros/cons of each, but they are both decent options. The colors on plasma TVs in particular look more vibrant.
If you're looking for a high quality LCD TV, this one is an excellent choice. It offers just about everything that's important in an HDTV. It's easy to use and the picture quality is outstanding. On the other hand, if you want a cable card slot or if you think a plasma TV may suit your needs, consider other options as well.
