Sharp LC46LE821E LCD TV Review
From the oldest television in black and to the latest in 3D, we sure have come a long way. What used to be an evening with a whistling black and white Mickey Mouse in a rather large box has transformed slowly into an immersive and colourful House of Mouse experience with a system that is sleek enough to blend into the wall behind it. We have incorporated the latest technology which further enhances the way we watch and perceive. With technologies like High Definition and built in software like DLNA networking, television sets have evolved into nothing short of a theatre offering an amazing viewing experience.
Sharp, the well known Japanese company has always put in an effort to modernise and improve the quality of electronics that we use. Mastering in innovation, it has come with many trendsetting appliances since the beginning. Sharp is synonymous with quality LCD televisions and the likes. Sharp takes on a new challenge and introduces an LCD television backlit with LED. This is not what is new about it though. Even as everyone is scuffling about raising a hue and cry about the next big thing in television being 3D, Sharp decided to follow its own path. The television Sharp LC46LE821E is one of three in its new line of Quattron television sets and boasts the usage of the quad pixel technology, designed to spice up the way you watch. Sharp has become the first to venture with this. Why don’t we find out more?
Design:
Sleek:
Sharp has done away with its usual unique look and has come to terms with looking like most of its competitors. The 46 inch screen is quite slim and sleek. The glass coating makes it a bit heavier than most but on the other hand it is scratch-proof. LC46LE821E 46″ LCD TV is also the first of Sharp’s to use LED lighting and hence the slenderness. It weighs around a hefty 30 kilograms. The dimensions are 785 X 1127 X 39 mm (H x W x D) without the stand and just the depth varies as 340 mm including the stand.
Display:
As with the case of every LED backlit LCD television, the LCD is either illuminated from behind or from the side by the LEDs. Its touch sensitive controls are located at the bottom edge and blend in without troubling the elegant design of its exterior. The stunning display of the LC46LE821E is attributed to its one of kind and the very special quad pixel technology which we will explain in detail later on.
Features:
Quad Pixel Technology:
We guess that if the Sharp LC46LE821E LED Backlit LCD TV had any special feature to mention, it would definitely be the 4 colour pixel technology that Sharp had decided to throw in. This has won an award and plans to give 3D a run for its money. Now what do we know about the usually used pixel technology? Well, generally there are only three colours used, i.e. red, blue and green. This means we will be able to view the colours that fit into that particular colour triangle.
What Sharp has done here is, they have introduced a fourth colour, yellow. This translates to a wider triangle meaning you can experience more vibrant colours and vivid images. The company worked four hard years to perfect this technology. They had to make space for the fourth colour by reducing the size of the other three and it is probably not as easy as it sounds seeing as they took four years.
The Quad Pixel technology is truly exhilarating and also very rewarding. The introduction of this has brought it on par with the display and video performance of the Philips 9000 series and that is truly an achievement. We expected slight improvement in the vividness of the images but we got so much more. The colour and detail was animated and clearly on a whole new level.
Connectivity:
The connectivity options that are provided are also quite impressive. The Sharp LC46LE821E Full HF LED LCD TV comes with HDMI ports, an Ethernet port and RS-232 jack all to be connected at the side reducing the chaos behind the system. The Ethernet port is used to access files on a DLNA enabled computer. DLNA allows you to sync between other such enabled devices without much physical hassle. Sadly, this innovation lacks built Wi Fi that every other system seems to be coming with nowadays.
FreeView:
Enjoy Freeview HD which offers free high definition programs minus the extra cost. Just plug in and watch your favourite programs. Afraid you will miss one? Then you can also record them onto the built in 8GB hard drive.
Performance:
Video Performance:
In this regard, the quad pixel is the star of the show. It beautifully crafts the image onscreen making it more lifelike. The yellow sub pixel is everything it was hyped to be. With motion judder reduction and the 100Hz processing, you can perceive a clear image without motion lag.
Audio Performance:
Audio performance in LC46LE821E 46-inch LCD Television is decent. It is similar to what you would experience with other slim televisions and such. It is satisfactory within a certain level and turn it up beyond that, you might get hints of disoriented sound.
Power Consumption:
The X Gen panel allows a wider aperture and therefore there is more intake of colours which reduces the needs for more backlighting elements. This also helps reduce leakage current. Overall, the X Gen panel coupled with LED backlighting helps reduce power intake by a fair margin. The introduction of the quad pixel technology supposedly helps cut your power costs too.
7 Eco Technology:
7eco technology designed by Sharp features seven solutions for reducing power consumption and being environmental friendly. This consists of the X Gen panel and LED Brilliant which have already been mentioned. The next is ECO Picture Control which helps in controlling the backlight brightness. The OPC or Optional Picture Control reacts automatically modifies the brightness according to the ambience of the surroundings. The No Signal Off/ No Operation Off function also automatically acts. It switches the television into standby if there is no signal detection for more than fifteen minutes or no operation for a preset time. The last two are the main power switch and the eco power switch on the control.
Warranty:
A limited warranty period of 12 months is offered from the date of purchase. A repaired or replaced Product will be warranted for the balance of the original warranty period or for ninety days from the date of repair or replacement, whichever is the longer.
Verdict:
This is a first for Sharp, be it the cutting edge design or the technology, it has pulled off a decent innovation. The Quattron technology which was awarded the Best Innovation of the Year 2010 is bound to enthral you. Though the deeper blacks seemed rather gray and dull, it still offers a viewing experience that is perhaps better than 3D. The Freeview feature is enjoyed. Have we mentioned the Time Shift option that allows you to replay or pause whatever you are viewing? Well, it does that and also allows you to record 150 minutes of standard television and up to 60 minutes of high definition footage.
Its onscreen menu is also quite appreciated as it does not disturb your viewing while going through it. Instead, it takes care of all your needs from a corner. The huge selection of connectivity options is certainly welcomed. Also, the cost might make you want to reconsider but at the same time, it offers you a chance to experience something unique which might set a trend for the years to come.
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Sharp LC46LE821E LCD TV – Technical Specification Table
| Manufacturer | Sharp |
| Model Name | Sharp LC46LE821E LCD TV |
| Dimensions (H X W X D) | 1127 x 734 x 39 |
| Cabinet colour | Piano black and mirror glass front, silver frame |
| Weight | Set weight with stand: 18.5kg |
| Display | |
| Size | 46 inches |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| LCD 100Hz | Yes |
| Audio | |
| Sound Effect System | HD Sound system MPEG4 AVC / MPEG4 AAC, Virtual / Dolby Surround |
| Sound Output RMS | 2 x 10 watts |
| Input and Output (Back) | |
| HDMI | HDMI V1.4 / HDMI V1.3 |
| Composite (AV) | No |
| PC input (D-Sub) | 1 |
| Component (Y/Pb/Pr) | 1 |
| RF Input | 1 |
| Headphone | 1 |
| RS232C | 1 |
| SCART | 1 |
| Swivel | Yes |
| Features | |
| Picture in Picture | 1 Tuner PIP |
| Other Features | Quad pixel technology, 7eco technology. |
| Power Consumption | 0.2 W in standby mode |
| Warranty | 12 months |
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