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(More customer reviews)Shazaaam! We went from a 15 year old, 28-inch Hitachi CRT to this puppy and couldn't be happier. Granted, the cheap thrill is less than a week old (Boxing Day special) but the screen speaks for itself. Why didn't we jump at the better rated Samsung or Sony 46 inchers? Price! I honestly can't see that big of a difference -- if any -- in picture quality over the others and they normally cost hundreds more. To calibrate your 46D65U, start with the online CNET review of the LC52D65U and use the recommended settings given in the blog link. Then fine tune the levels as you get better acquainted with the big screen. The banding issue of the older models? Gone. Or at least I haven't seen any bands so far and neither have recent reviewers. I find the remote control very easy to use once you know where everything is and can't believe the reviewers who whine about the remote's size etc. If you don't like the color in a particular show or movie, it's extremely easy to pull the menu down on the screen and quickly adjust things to improve the picture quality.
We set this black beauty up in less than an hour (getting it safely out of the box and onto the stand took most of that time) and have been watching our old DVDs and VHS tapes as a test before purchasing a newfangled Blu-ray player. Sure the old stuff isn't as sharp as a 1080p hi-def source but it was still more than acceptable to our old eyes -- surprisingly so. In fact, I've decided to go with the Toshiba DVR7 DVD/VCR combo player with the upconvert feature so I don't have to abandon my huge pile of old VHS tapes and DVDs. If the DVDs upconvert to a better quality image that's even half close to hi-def we'll be more than happy. The VHS tapes will have to play as they are since they can't be upconverted. Hopefully, Blu-ray players will be significantly improved in the coming year or two and tempt us out of our old ways. [UPDATE: See my review of the Sharp BDHP21U blu-ray player...we went that route instead and are happy we did.]
Bottom line: With this TV you get a nice big screen and full HD capability. If you're traditionalists like us, you may be delighted to find that the LC46D65U also brings new life to old technology!
UPDATE UPDATE (early February): New firmware available online for the companion BDHP21U Sharp blu-ray player which will fix any current play issues with the latest blu-ray DVDs. What I LOVE about the Aquos Advantage is that they phoned me and personally alerted me to that new update after I lodged a complaint about not being able to view my WALL-E blu-ray several weeks ago. Tip to Sharp: Keep those firmware updates rolling in on a weekly basis, not every few months!!
Also note that if you are wavering between the Sharp LC46D65U and the similar 85U (the more expensive 120Hz model), CNET noticed no discernible real life difference in blurring between the two. Verdict? Save your money and go with the 65U. I watched the Superbowl with it and saw no blur. My family is loving it! UPDATE on blur comparison late March: Went into Best Buy yesterday for the latest Bond DVD and had a critical look at the 65U and 85U which were conveniently wall-mounted side by side. Quite frankly, I couldn't see any difference between the two in terms of color, saturation or blur during sports sequences including twirling snowboarders midair (and the 85U has 10-bit color and 120Hz). I did think the top-end 800 series Samsung beat them both hands down, but then it's more than double the retail price (and three times what I paid for my 65U on sale). Does that Samsung provide triple the viewing pleasure? Not in my (pocket)book!
I also note a recent reviewer handing the 65U a pitiful 1-star rating because it was "Very contrasty, lots of digital noise". Huh?? I suggest learning how to properly calibrate your set before low-balling this beauty with a trash score. See above for info on CNET link.
Along the same whining "1 star" lines comes a reviewer who says the unit is contrasty and pumps out heat. Well, again, I'd use the CNET review to tweak your settings. If that didn't turn your crank then go spend double or triple on another make. Pumping heat? I live in a cold climate and if the unit actually did produce heat, I'd be more than happy to report it! Holding my hand a few inches from the set, I felt virtually nothing. I should point out that all recent Sharps are Energy Star compliant and are produced in a solar powered "green" factory to boot. That's one of the reasons I bought a Sharp. Although plasmas are known to have better darks and contrast, they're also bulky, suck energy and pump out heat. Last week, the 65U was going out the Amazon doors for under a thousand bucks with free shipping for cripes sake. It may not be perfect, but you can't beat that for value.
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The AQUOS LC46D65U sets a new standard for large-screen flat panel TVs. With Full HD 1080p resolution and an elegant new design, it produces a breathtaking picture quality that is second to none. The LC46D65U utilizes Sharp's proprietary Advanced Super View/Black TFT Panel with Spectral Contrast Engine, providing high Dynamic Contrast Ratio, 6ms response time and wide viewing angles (176¿H x 176¿V). The LC46D65U is HDTV with built-in ATSC / QAM / NTSC tuners and include 5 HDMI¿ inputs, compatible with 1080p signals, and 2 HD 1080p component video inputs. The LC46D65U features a sleek piano black cabinet with subtle recessed bottom-mounted speakers. The included table stand easily removes for wall mounting applications.
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