Tour & Design
Another tour section, another opportunity for us to make a glossy black frame seem exciting. The bottom right corner has some indicator LEDs and the front center has the power light.
Back
The back of the LC-52LE700UN doesn't have many interesting features. The ports are towards the left side.**
Sides
The sides of the TV are a bit thicker than the average set, as illustrated by the picture below. In the above picture, you can see the controls are on the right side of the TV.
Stand/Mount
There were two sizes of the TV available. One was mounted (see above) and one was on a stand. The stand doesn't swivel and is pretty thick compared to the size of the TV.
Aesthetics
The LC-52LE700UN looks a bit bulkier than the rest of the TVs we saw at the show, and features the super-glossy black bezel we don't particularly like. This being said, these two elements are relatively minor compared to the overall aesthetic, which is the one every other TV has. This TV will fit into your home just as easily as any other we've seen here at CEDIA.
Performance Features
Display Size & Technology
The Sharp AQUOS LC-52LE700UN has a 52-inch LCD display. Its backlit using LEDs, in Sharp's UltraBrilliant LED system, which 'includes a unique 'double-dome' light amplifier lens and multi-fluorescents.' Apparently this will improve screen uniformity.
Formats & Resolution
The TV is 1080p, which means you can use it to play the highest HD content available in full 1920 x 1080.
Brightness, Blacks and Contrast Ratio
This TV has Sharp's super-special Spectral Contrast Engine, which does a lot of fancy processing to provide you with over 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Like all manufacturer-stated contrast ratios, this one is probably off by quite a bit. Typically manufacturers measure the black level with the backlight off and settings tweaked to enable the darkest possible black, then change everything to boost the brightness for the white measurement. Since this contrast ratio isn't possible with a single set of settings, you won't run into it during normal viewing. Check back for our full review, wwhere our robots will get to the bottom of this.
Color
The LC-52LE700UN doesn't have any color-specific features.
Motion & Refresh Rate
The 120Hz feature should help the LC-52LE700UN provide a smoother picture than the average HDTV. The demo video did seem smooth, but then again, that's what demo videos are supposed to do.
Viewing Angle
Sharp's LCDs all seemed to have great viewing angles. We were able to get out to about 60° or so before we noticed the contrast had fallen.
Connectivity & Media
Audio & Video Ports
The LC-52LE700UN has a good selection of ports. It has four HDMIs, three on back and one on the side. On the back you'll also find two component video inputs, one composite video ins, a VGA input, an S-VIDEO port, two analog audio ins, a 3.5mm audio jack, one analog audio output, and one digital audio output. On the side is another component video input and analog video in.
Media & Other Connectivity
The LC-52LE700UN has USB-based media playback as well as online capability via the LAN port. Although the online content doesn't look to be nearly as robust as Sony's line-up, we did think it was cool that you could browse what's available in split-screen mode. Now you can watch TV while browsing the internet, which is an incredibly efficient way to spend a lazy day.
Placement
The LC-52LE700UN keeps its ports on the back, close to the edge. They shoulnd't be too hard to reach, but we would've liked the screen to swivel.
Audio
Sharp had nothign to say about the audio.
Controls, Menu & Remote
Remote
Remotes are strangely rare on the show floor. We were unfortunately unable to catch a glimpse of the elusive creature.
Controls
The on-set controls will let you perform all the basic functionality. The buttons are pretty large compared to other TVs, which will be great for some people, but look slightly awkward.
Menu
We weren't able to see the menu on the show floor.
Conclusion
Series Comparison
E700 Series
The E700 Series has LED backlighting, 120Hz refresh rates, and internet connectivity.
Meet the tester
Mark Brezinski works on the Home Team, reviewing refrigerators, minifridges, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, air purifiers, and fans.
Checking our work.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
Shoot us an email