Sharp Aquos LC-15L1U-S 15 in. Flat Panel Television: Wireless TV- Does It Work As Advertised?
Written: Sep 12 '04
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Pros: Great picture, good sound, lightweight, works well, great reception, decent battery
Cons: A few minor nags, expensive
The Bottom Line: A very good TV that makes life easy. I would wait until the price drops, but a great option nonetheless.
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| hwz1's Full Review: Sharp Aquos LC-15L1U-S 15 in. Flat Panel Televisio... |
I recently moved and found that I needed a new TV. The movers managed to drop- imagine that- my old cheap TV that served as my workout room TV. Hence, I needed something new. Since we moved from a cold climate to a warmer climate (Philly to Atlanta) and loved our deck and the fact that we would now be able to spend so much more time outside, we thought about how much time we would actually spend in front of a TV. Did we need a second TV?
But then my male instincts clicked and I thought about how nice it would be to sit on the deck in October, in 70 degree weather, while drinking a cold beer and reading the paper and watching football. Hmm, how could I pull that one off? How could I pull it off and not have to purchase a TV that would limit me to just the workout room or family room?
Well, we happened to be window shopping in one of those gadget type stores (Brookstone or Sharper Image- I cannot remember which) when we saw a sales rep demonstrating how the Sharp Aquos Wireless TV worked. I was amazed and figured that it fit right into what I was looking for; A TV that I could literally take anywhere around the house and yard. Hallelujah! A TV that I could carry from the workout room to the deck and anywhere in between. A TV that meant that I really did not have to have a second TV. In other words, a guys dream TV.
As always, I am not real technical with my electronics reviews. I write about what I like and what I find to be the negatives, but skip the stuff that I know nothing about. I am not a technically minded guy and focus on what most people can and do understand when it comes to electronics. That being said, here goes:
THE SPECIFICS:
* 15" screen size
* 3" in depth
* Wireless capabilities 50 feet from the base
* Three hour TV or DVD battery power
* 60,000 hour lamp life
* 170/170 degree viewing angles
* 500:1 contrast ratio
* 480 x 640 resolution
* Weight of 13.9 lbs including docking station and battery
* One year warranty on parts and labor
WHAT I LIKE:
1. The flexibility. Like I said, I move this TV around from the workout room to the deck and in between without a moments hesitation. I am able to view DVD's, Tapes, and cable programs. The TV works and functions just like a normal TV only it is wireless. This is a huge advantage if you are in a situation where you may need to be buying two TV's in the coming years. If my wife got her way we would have one in the workout room, one in the bedroom and another in the kitchen. Now we have a single TV that can perform in all of these areas and still have our larger screen for movies and primary viewing.
2. It is easy to move around. At a weight of just 14 lbs the TV is easily moved form one room to another. There is a built in handle that looks attractive and a docking station that provides a solid base so that you will not easily be able to knock the TV over. The whole thing can almost fit on a window sill. Not quite, but almost.
3. The size means that you can place it almost anywhere. Yeah, you can watch in the bathroom with the TV on the sink or from your bed with it on your dresser without having to move anything around. The entire thing only weighs around 14 lbs and has a thickness of three inches.
4. The picture is quite good. The screen provides a solid clarity and a good picture. The sound is also quite good. Are we talking theater quality? No, but we are talking as good as what you would have received a few years ago. In other words, more than acceptable when it comes to sound. The picture is as good as any medium priced flat screen you will find.
5. Stylish. The TV looks stunning and is certainly a conversation starter. The screen is surrounded by two built in speakers on either side and the handle on the top. All of which is built in a manner that you do not notice. The TV has a silver trim reminiscent of the silver used on so many automobiles these days.
6. The battery life is pretty good. I expected that everything would work wonderfully, but for not a very long time. Actually I can go three hours without charging the battery. This is longer than workout that I have ever dreamed of attempting and probably longer than I will ever spend sitting on the deck watching a game and drinking a beer- the beer would either get too warm or I would be bombed. Three hours of consecutive TV watching is a long time. How often do you actually watch for three straight hours? The battery provides more than sufficient time.
7. The reception is quite good. I was worried that physical barriers would cause problems when it came to reception. However, this is not the case. You have to have a docking station for the transmitter where your main TV is located and then have 50 feet from there to roam. This may not seem like much, but you can go to another floor or outside and be fine. Within our townhouse, there is nowhere that we cannot go without receiving virtually perfect reception.
WHAT I DO NOT LIKE:
1. The distance with reception is not further. I am nitpicking, but I would love to be able to go anywhere in a house as large as my parents. But, I cannot go go from the first floor to the third and be ok with reception. Steel reinforced concrete or metal frame homes may result in a troubled reception.
2. I want a bigger screen. Though the picture quality is wonderful and the screen is decent sized, I would love it if it was twice as large. Then I could really, really enjoy games on the deck with a beer.
3. Battery deception. I get three hours of reception and that is plenty. I workout for an hour or maybe a little longer. A football game lasts three hours or so. The battery lasts a full three hours with brightness set to dark. With brightness set to normal, you get two hours. My suggestion is purchasing a second battery in order to be able to be able to maximize your viewing pleasure.
4. The price. The TV will run you around $1700.00. OUCH! And all for a 15" TV. The price will fall and should do so fairly quickly. In electronics, the price falls as soon as competition emerges and it is already doing so in this space.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
I am a big fan. I wish I would have waited until the price fell a little bit, but I also would have needed two TV's in the interim. My two suggestions are to wait until the inevitable price collapse. The TV is likely to be 25% less in early 2005 as competition emerges and it will. Heck, Sony already has a competitor ready to roll out soon. The other suggestion is to hold off on purchasing a TV until this time. This is a wonderful TV option that makes all the sense in the world and will be the future of TV.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1700.00
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Epinions.com ID:
hwz1
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Location: Philadelphia, PA
Reviews written: 845
Trusted by: 923 members
About Me:
Just got a big promotion that will move my new wife and I to Atlanta.
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