Sharp LC32GD1E review

A number of features mark this out as a premium television. First of all, there are independent picture memories for each of the main inputs, so you can set your preferred contrast and brightness levels differently for each source. You may like to have the brightness level set slightly higher on videogames, for example.

Similarly, there are a lot of changes you can make to the television's colour balance. It may not be a category many people will dip into, but this is a set aimed at more experienced users and they can use the Digital Video Essentials test disc to attain a perfect picture.

There are also some features that can be employed if you're using a poor-quality input source. A 3D comb filter noticeably improves the stability of television and composite inputs, plus you can switch between interlaced and progressive inputs if you're running a games console into the component inputs.

Also of interest is the Common Interface (CI) slot that sits on the back of the media box, which means you can upgrade your Freeview programming by subscribing to TopUpTV. The service has had a couple of high-profile losses recently, with the move of E4 and Men & Motors to the standard service, but TopUpTV has some attractive channels for £8 per month. The other use for the slot is an upgrade that lets you record from the television in MPEG4. While the upgrade will be of relatively little use to most people, it's a real indication of the attention to detail that has gone into the television at every single stage.

Performance
To use a broad analogy, if you give the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra a Mozart symphony, you're in for a treat. But replace the sheet music with the Crazy Frog's latest ringtone, and even Britain's finest won't stop the Albert Hall emptying. The same goes for the LC32GD1E -- treat it with some high-definition material or a DVD movie from a decent player, and you'll be in AV heaven. However, malign it with a poor signal, which includes Freeview, and the visual artefacts are hard to ignore. The smooth motion and contrast range of a high-quality source simply aren't present when switching from component to a Scart input, and the amount of image grain increases exponentially.

It's difficult to be too harsh on the Sharp for this weakness, because the same problem afflicts most LCDs. Sharp is by no means the worst offender, and essentially you have to accept that progressive-scan feeds are the only way to make these screens look their best. And with the Sharp LC32GD1E, high-definition material really looks unbeatable.

Aural performance is exemplary. The speakers evoke real power, while providing the sort of treble detail that's essential for television and movie viewing alike. They can also go loud without distorting, and offer great vocal clarity, which really benefits the experience.

Edited by Mary Lojkine
Additional editing by Nick Hide