Pros: Excellent picture quality, just as good as last generation's model with some good fixes.
Cons: Dynamic contrast feature might be annoying to some.
The Bottom Line: I was going to give it only 4 stars because of the dynamic contrast "feature", but since I didn't find it very bothersome, it didn't warrant the 1 less star
alanp's Full Review: Sharp AQUOS LC-32D4U 32 in. HDTV-Ready LCD TV
To start off, I want to let you all know that I have (had) the LC-32D41U and this TV is VERY VERY SIMILAR to that one. You can read my review on the LC-32D41U for more background information. But to sum it up, the LC-32D41U was a very good TV no doubt about it, I gave it 4 stars. However, like I mentioned in my review on the 41U, it did exhibit a red push and oversaturation of colors which prompted me to turn down the color setting quite a bit. It bothered me a little, but not enough to go through the hassle of returning it and looking for another TV.
Well, 2 months later, guess what? I saw the LC-32D43U, which is the newer version of the LC-32D41. And to my surprise, it was on sale for the same price as I paid for the LC-32D41U. So I figured, since I was still in the return window for the 41U, I might as well give the 43U a try, and if Sharp fixed the red push and color oversaturation, I'll keep the 43U instead.
Let me start off with a quick breakdown of what the LC-32D43U offers:
- 1366x768 resolution (not 1080p but with a TV this size, most say 1080p is not necessary)
- 1200:1 contrast ratio = very good blacks, and 6000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (more on this later)
- 2 component inputs, 1 s-video input, 2 HDMI (one with separate audio) and 1 RGB analog VGA input (note, the s-video and one of the component inputs also has the option of regular composite video)
- 10W per channel speakers
- NTSC/QAM/ATSC tuners (but only 1 coax input)
- 1 digital optical audio out
- 1 analog audio out
- The sleek black piano finish plus the slightly smaller form factor of the 43U vs 41U make it look MUCH more aesthetically pleasing IMO
Since this TV is so similar to the 41U, I will concentrate more on the differences in this review. So how does this TV stack up to the 41U? Functionally, they are almost identical. Picture quality-wise, I can't tell a difference either, it still looks excellent on the 43U. Here is a summary of the differences:
1) I did not see the red push or color oversaturation on the LC-32D43U! Hooray, the biggest thorn in my side was fixed!
2) 2 component inputs on the 43U vs 1 component on the 41U. As I stated in my review of the 41U, I wish it had 2 component inputs. I got my wish!
3) The DVI-I input of the 41U has now been replaced by the analog VGA input of the 43U. This is kind of a setback, but I can attest the analog VGA input doesn't look much worse than DVI. And for you digital purists, don't fret, the HDMI inputs can be used as a DVI-D input if you have a DVI=>HDMI converter/cable. And since one of the HDMI inputs has a separate analog audio input, you can still have your computer output sound to the TV speakers while using the HDMI for video.
4) 3:2 pulldown and deinterlacing are now manually controllable only while watching a 480i signal. When viewing 480p, 720p, or 1080i, they are automatically controlled. I actually like how they simplified this, it makes much more sense to me.
5) Dynamic contrast. This is probably the biggest "improvement" of the TV (well aside from the red push fix IMO) over the previous year's 41U. I put "improvement" in quotes because I can see why it can be annoying. To claim a 6000:1 contrast ratio, Sharp added a new (undocumented) feature to automatically adjust the contrast setting according to what is being viewed on the screen. So in darker scenes, the contrast automatically increases and in brighter scenes, decreases. Most of the time, this is not really noticeable, especially in a brighter room. But when watching in a darker room, you can see some fluctuations. While it does improve dark scenes, the fluctuation might be noticeable and annoying to some. I find it tolerable in most cases, and it definitely doesn't bother me as much as the red push bothered me on the 41U.
6) Channel changing times seem to be improved a bit. Delays between channel presses are still present, but they aren't as long.
7) The remote control looks a bit sleeker and it feels sturdier. However, the overall shape and button layout remains pretty much unchanged.
So aside from what was mentioned above, all the pros and cons listen in my review of the 41U still apply to the 43U. Still has excellent picture quality and very good blacks. Like I said, they are VERY VERY SIMILAR TVs.
I'd still recommend this TV as the best bang for the buck in terms of name brand LCDs. For the same price as the 41U, which it replaced, it was a no brainer for me. There is no reason to by the older 41U model, unless there is a considerable price drop in the 41U over the 43U.
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