subject: A Review Of The Sharp Quattron LC46LE811E [print this page] Adding a fourth color to the typical three colours is Sharps chosen innovation this year for its Quattron sets instead of following the 3D frenzy of other manufacturers. The yellow sub-pixel addition produces new shades that havent ever been viewed on RGB (red, green, blue) sets, according to the companys claims.
Yellow on the 46-inch Quattron LC46LE811E produces a more vibrant picture with sharper details and better skin tones, even when visually contrasted against bright scenery It took four years to develop the yellow pixel, which Sharp claims increases brightness by 20 percent over other standard TVs.
Sharp invented the LCD TV 22 years ago and long has been an innovative company No forecast can be made about whether the Quad Pixel design will catch on with other manufacturers as readily as LCD TV.
Sharp has followed Samsungs lead and used LED edge lighting to offer crisp picture quality with a slim design, making it easier to mount the set on a wall. Edge lighting also reduces the TVs power consumption up to 40 percent from standard LCD sets.
Somewhat reduced picture quality, as with the Samsung TVs, is a consequence of using the edge lighting instead of a full backlit LED. The sets design also features a piano black cabinet with a mirrored glass front, rounded corners with silver trim and a strip of fluorescent symbols along the bottom.
Four HDMI ports, a USB port, and an RS-232 control jack make for strong connectivity. The set also includes an audio return channel that allows the hookup of a quality audio receiver. But the LC46LE811E does not include a direct Wi-Fi connection, unlike some competitors.
The sound system is top notch with its virtual Dolby surround sound, two quality speakers and a subwoofer.
The picture is reduced to accommodate on-screen menus so programme information can be accessed and the picture can be adjusted with the remote control without covering up the picture. The range of the LC46LE811Es picture adjustments is impressive with fine motion and advanced picture controls.
The LC46LE811E has many fine qualities, but it also has a few flaws. Like many LCD sets, the viewing angle is limited so that picture quality degrades as the angle increases.
The 100HZ processing is less than the 200HZ of some competitors, making the set somewhat underpowered even though the yellow pixel helps cut power consumption. The consequence of lower processing power is some blurring of fast action scenes. Processing power increases to 200HZ when Sharp begins selling its new 60-inch, 46-inch and 40-inch LE921 sets.
Another problem is the colour matrix sometimes produces greyish blacks and uneven backlighting, although colour adjustments improves these issues.
Despite its flaws, the LC46LE811E overall is a groundbreaking product that offers some great features.
