Design
The Sharp Aquos LC52XD1E is an imposing piece of kit, but its sleek lines complemented by a silver wave at the bottom of the screen create a stylish presence that belies its size and will bring admiring glances from friends and neighbours.
A fixed pedestal comes as standard, but there are also optional wall mounts if this is the preferred option. A useful feature is that all of the screens connections are available through a section in the side of the rear panel, which allows easy access.
Features
The LC52XD1E has a Full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 with a one-to-one pixel mapping option allowing sources such as Sky TV (1080i) to be shown without any need for rescaling. Full HD on smaller screens has not been quite as impressive, but should really come into its own on such a large panel.
The LC52XD1E boasts good connectivity, with 2 HDMI inputs, two Scart terminals (1 RGB), composite, S-video and PC input. In addition there is a Common Interface (CI) port for adding subscription services.
The Sharp LC52XD1E also comes equipped with a built-in freeview tuner and 7-day Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) with a small window which allows the viewer to carry on watching tv.
There is no doubt that if you are lucky enough to posses a Sony PlayStation 3 with its 1080p output, it will look absolutely stunning on the LC52XD1E. We are hoping that Sky's 1080i TV source will give us the wow factor with Standard Definition (SD) as well as High Definition (HD) sources.
Picture processing on the Sharp LC52XD1E comes in the shape of truD technology, which enhances detail and contrast while creating more progressive movement from external sources and also minimizing motion judder. In addition there is Sharp's 4-Wavelength Backlight System, which adds crimson to the standard RGB spectrum to improve natural red reproduction and skin tones.
Sharp claims that its dynamic contrast function is able to boost contrast ratio from 2,000:1 to an impressive 10,000:1.
A couple of interesting sound features include surround mode and a "Clear Voice" function that improves speech if you're watching programmes which are dialogue heavy such as chat shows.
Performance
The LC52XD1E is a hugely accomplished performer, with its handling of High Definition (HD) content a match for any large LCD. The most impressive aspect of the LC52XD1E's performance is the black level reproduction. Pitch black scenes are as they should be, rather than blue or grey in their hue. Pictures are pin sharp, and show an incredible level of detail. Colours are truly outstanding, showing a realism of tone and texture that is a reflection of the capabilities of the Full HD format.
TruD image processing has the desired effect, especially in the area of motion handling. A combination of a 4ms response time with truD technology produces remarkably blur-free pictures even with the fastest sporting action.
Standard Definition (SD) pictures on the LC52XD1E highlight the shortcomings of the format rather than the panel itself, but there is no getting away from the fact that a screen this large is just not suited to SD sources. The Sharp LC52XD1E is better than most large LCD's in this respect, but there is noticeable noise and dot crawl with SD output.
Inevitably, pictures suffer from some jaggedness as a result and motion smearing is apparent on fast moving scenes. However, the SD performance of Sharp's LC52XD1E is as good as its competitors, especially if you prefer the 'vivid' approach rather than the 'softening' approach.
Sound is not the strongest feature of the LC52XD1E with a lack of depth in the bass department, but it never detracts from the overall experience.
Conclusion
The LC52XD1E is one of the finest HD performers currently available. SD performance is not so good (a reflection of the source rather than the display).
If the majority of your viewing is going to be High Definition, then the Sharp LC52XD1E is a very serious proposition.
Sound doesn't impress, but neither does it detract too much from the all round performance of this highly desirable package. Add a decent sound system and the LC52XD1E suddenly looks like a solution to everyone's big screen flat panel needs, especially if the majority of your viewing is in HD.