Sharp LC-45GD5U AQUOS 45-Inch Flat Panel HD-Ready LCD TV
Great monitor - but same issues as GD4U and GD6U
Like its predecessors the LC-45GD4U and LC-45GD6U, the Sharp LC-45GD5U and the LC-45GD7U are great LCD HDTV monitors. Unfortunately, despite a slight upgrade to their electronics they still don't support 1080p input to a monitor that is perfectly capable and quite good at displaying it. As such, you're better off either trying to find the now-discontinued LC-45GX6U or waiting until March or April 2006 when the LC-45PT90U offers 1080p support.  <br /> <br />This review is to explain the confusing differences between the units rather than a full review of the set versus its competition; please read my reviews of the GD4U, GD6U, and GX6U to explain why these are some of the best sets on the market.  <br /> <br />First and foremost, you're buying the same display panels on all 5 units - they are identical 1920x1080p capable displays with 12ms response time manufactured at the same plant. Second, the cosmetic differences are minor. The GD5U is gloss black (versus silver on the GD4U) with detachable side speakers, and the GD7U is almost identical to the GX6U and GD6U with detachable bottom speakers and titanium coloring.  <br /> <br />The only real difference between them is a minor change in the electronics. The GD5U and GD7U have a TV Guide function which, when given a proper input, displays programming information on shows much like Tivo or an enhanced digital cable box do - versus the older units, which given the same input only display the basic channel title. This is slightly useful if you're watching on a Cablecard or over-the-air, but if you have a Tivo or such its largely useless. There have also been reports that this feature is incompatible with a number of systems. <br /> <br />Unfortunately, this upgrade wasn't the one the sets really needed. The major problem with all of these units is that the electronics do not support the 1080p capability of the panels (even on the GX6U, where the trick is that you can just bypass them).  Granted, there's not much out there currently that outputs in native 1080p - except for some PC and XBox games that will simply wow your friends and a couple Windows PC-based movie like Terminator 2 - and with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD looking like they'll be in 1080i there's no rush. Furthermore, with Hollywood getting more and more antsy over encryption there's no guarantee the GX6U will even work with 1080p native signals for broadcast media when they eventually come out. However, the way to look at it is that by buying anything except the now-discontinued GX6U you're guaranteed obsolescence at some point.  <br /> <br />There is some hope on the horizon; Sharp is finally going to put out a couple of sets next year - the 45\\" LC-45PT90U and 37\\" LC37PT90U - that will accept and display 1080p input.  <br /> <br />Until then, the Sharp G series displays today's signals beautifully, but just know the limitations. It's worth noting that most of the nominally capable direct-display 1080p units on the market (like the JVC LT-40FH96) have the same problems with actually displaying 1080p, so don't get me wrong - the G series is still at the top of the heap in display quality. (There are also some recently released sets with full 1080p compatibility, but as they use different technologies like rear-projection you're comparing apples and oranges.)  With the recent price drops, I continue to recommend them, especially if you can land one of the earlier models in a closeout sale.   Just know what you're buying first!