The television, as with other models, receives both analog cable and digital DVB-T transmissions through one common antenna interface. Anyone wishing to take advantage of both signal sources simultaneously will require an additional adapter that is readily available from suitably equipped specialty stores.

Teletext looks modern and renders quickly according to Level 2.5. The interfaces available to connect external video sources include three HDMI inputs, two Scart sockets, one YUV terminal and side mounted standard video (composite and S-Video) input along with a VGA interface for PC connectivity.

Apart from a light sensor to automatically adjust the backlight control to suit the set's environment, there aren't any other features to mention. A real shame the engineers did not integrate a USB port or card reader into the design to playback digital pictures on the 52" screen for the ultimate digital slideshow.

Disturbing Time Lags:
The operation is sluggish, but is this because of the physical size of the unit? When frequently switching between channels, the length of time required is agonizingly slow. Approximately two seconds are required when switching between analog stations, and some three seconds elapse until the content of the new digital station appears. Zappers will not be amused despite the convenience of the channel preset list and the controller button to spring back to the last viewed channel. The screen menu is sassy and the chosen fonts are easily legible, but there is some noticeable and disturbing time lag to inputs coming from the remote controller.

Very annoying:
The television does not store the optimum settings separately for each input source. When switching inputs, the stored values for brightness and contrast have to be readjusted every time.

Remote Control:
The remote controller itself not only looks good, but it sits well in the hand and can be used as a universal controller to operate other equipment. Impractical: The most important functions are hidden under a cover, such as the button to switch between picture formats.

When in "Film" mode, the rendered picture appears the most natural although somewhat muddy and gaudy at the beginning. The reason for this lies with the excessive level of noise filtering and unreasonably high brightness and color saturation settings. Once the noise filter has been deactivated in the screen menu and the appropriate adjustments carried out, then a clean picture is displayed on the screen.

Attention is drawn to the faithful reproduction of skin tones, and despite the slight outlining of contours, details are rendered crisply. Marquee texts, in the form of stock market tickers and news announcements or fast moving objects such as a briskly moving ball, are crisp but only once the "Film" mode is set to its strongest setting.

In more complex scenes, certain objects have some jaggedness around them. This rather disturbing effect, occurring particularly with TV films, DVD or Blu-ray material, should be eliminated if the picture correction setting is positioned to "Standard".

Video material from other sources, such as set-top boxes or DVD players, that is played back through the Scart socket are crisp and almost free of any false edge effects. Luckily, movies are exempt and therefore free of these ugly artifacts since the TV has exceptionally good de-interlacing functions. More detailed video reproduction can be observed from external material played back in the 576i (interlaced) format through the digital HDMI interface.

Progressive signals in 576p format have a certain amount of jaggedness associated with them resulting from the scaling up of the progressive scan imagery. Hence, for optimum DVD quality, an external player should be selected that is capable of playing back video material at 1080 lines of vertical resolution.

The Sharp is in its element when it comes to playing back HDTV material. The finest of film details from DVD or Blu-ray equipment are rendered with crystal clarity. The latticework of the cranes is clearly visible in the construction site scene at the beginning of the "Casino Royale" Bond movie.

When playing back 1080i formatted material from an HDTV set-top box, the television reproduces the content perfectly and without flicker thanks to outstanding de-interlacing procedures. In particular, the boundary lines of sports grounds are clean and discernable without any unwanted artifacts. Judder-free reproduction of cinematic material in 24 Hz format is accomplished effortlessly by this giant LCD flat-panel television, as evident in the computer animated opening credits of the Bond film.

Although the color temperature of 5,800 Kelvin produces pictures a touch on the warm side with a slight red cast, both dark and light scenes are portrayed in an agreeable fashion. Dark and contrast rich scenes are in their element: Here the Sharp excels, and delivers a contrast ratio that is unsurpassed in today's LCD technology. The measured 2,000:1 ratio is accomplished without any kind of electronic wizardry such as dynamic backlight control. Just like a cinema: The broad contrast range, the large screen and the somewhat dark (2.4) gamma characteristic do perfect justice to Blu-ray movies.

Computer Operation:
At 52", the set is a little excessive for use as a computer monitor and is more suited for presentation purposes. In this context as a digital picture projector, even more fun can be gained, especially given its size, and even if a larger viewing audience is also present.

Still, the maximum screen size that can be attained by the Sharp when used as a computer monitor is the full 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, but only if using the digital HDMI interface. Older hardware equipped with just an analog VGA interface can also use the Sharp as a computer monitor but at a reduced screen resolution of just 1360 x 768 pixels.

Sound Quality:
Compared with the picture quality, the caliber of the sound delivered by the Sharp is not its best feature. Speech is clearly understandable such that announcers, commentators and discussion forums are comprehensible. However, film soundtracks and music clips are lacking bass, and even the treble sounds unconvincing. An external AV receiver would certainly rectify the problem and is definitely recommended.

AV Mode: Movie

Contrast: 32

Brightness: 1

Color: -7

Sharpness: -1

Color Temperature: Low

100 Hz: On

Film Mode: Standard

Active Contrast: Off

Noise Reduction: Off

* applied to realistic playback from HD DVD/Blu-ray material through the HDMI interface in a darkened environment. Manufacturing and HDMI playback device deviations could necessitate slight adjustment.

Super contrast: The Sharp is the first LCD flat-panel television to depict highlights on a dark background with a contrast ratio of over 2,000:1.

Easily accessible: The three HDMI interfaces are mounted on the side panel making them fully accessible even if the television is mounted on the wall.

Posh but not very well thought out: The attractive remote controller has important features hidden under a cover.

Natural colors: Despite being a touch on the warm side, the Sharp succeeds in rendering near perfectly natural colors.