Sharp Aquos LC-30HV4U 30-Inch LCD Flat-Panel HD-Ready TV
The best money can by
Well, I'm an unhappy shopper!  This 30\\" widescreen LCD from Sharp was the one I really wanted to buy, after salivating over it many times at my local Best Buy, but because it was well over two grand (plus I was unemployed), so I could only look but not own.  Finally I got a cheaper Olevia set, which I'm happy with, but now that Amazon has lowered the price on this Sharp, I wish I had waited.  The Sharp's image quality and overall reliability makes it worth the several extra hundred dollars.<br /><br />Ok, enough venting from me.  In case you haven't compared the various LCD TVs from different brands in person, there's no doubt that Sharp's LCD offerings are among the best.  Compared to other brands (including my beloved Syntax Olevia), Sharp offers these following advantages:<br /><br />- Top-of-class image quality.  Well some other companies may cite higher contrast or brightness in their tech specs, none offers the same kind of image quality that you'll perceive *subjectively* as Sharp's high-end LCD TVs.  Whether it's live sports or the latest DVD movies, the Sharp just does it better.  Maybe they use better liquid crystals, or (more likely) better signal processors, Sharp LCDs just give you a better picture.<br /><br />- Better black-level details than other brands.  LCD TVs are notorious for failing to reproduce details in the dark end of the spectrum.  If you enjoy movies with lots of dark scenes, you should probably stick with a CRT like Sony's Trinitron.  The new Sharp models are better than most, though.<br /><br />- More refined styling and user interface.  Older Sharp Aquos models had the typical first-generation bland looks, but the latest models are stylish and cool.<br /><br />- Better reliability.  I speak this from experience (my own and my friends').  LCD monitors (like all other monitors) have limited bulb life.  Almost all LCD TVs you'll encounter now claim \\"up to 60,000 hours\\" of bulb life.  But when you compare the Sharp with a Syntax or Westinghouse or HP or LG, you'll notice that the Sharp has a more solid feel, which gives you more confidence over its life span than with the other brands.  (If you are a Mac or Sony fan, you know what I'm talking about.)<br /><br />I think if money is tight but you still want an LCD TV, you should consider the Syntax Olevia model.  But for the best LCD TV money can buy, get a Sharp.  This 30\\" is good if your viewing distance is less than 8 feet -- a rule of thumb is the you should get a screen size four times the viewing distance.  If you want a bigger screen, LCD TVs aren't the answer yet -- the 37\\" Sharp Aquos costs twice as much as this 30\\" model!  For bigger screens you may want to consider a plasma (Hitachi and Panasonic and Pioneer are the best) or (gasp!) DLP or LCD-based rear projection TV.  But for freedom from screen burn-in, better image quality than plasma, and thinness, LCD is the way to go, and this Sharp, at the new price, is simply the best.or Westinghouse or HP or LG, you'll notice that the Sharp has a more solid feel, which gives you more confidence over its life span than with the other brands.  (If you are a Mac or Sony fan, you know what I'm talking about.) <br /> <br />I think if money is tight but you still want an LCD TV, you should consider the Syntax Olevia model.  But for the best LCD TV money can buy, get a Sharp.  This 30\\" is good if your viewing distance is less than 8 feet -- a rule of thumb is the you should get a screen size four times the viewing distance.  If you want a bigger screen, LCD TVs aren't the answer yet -- the 37\\" Sharp Aquos costs twice as much as this 30\\" model!  For bigger screens you may want to consider a plasma (Hitachi and Panasonic and Pioneer are the best) or (gasp!) DLP or LCD-based rear projection TV.  But for freedom from screen burn-in, better image quality than plasma, and thinness, LCD is the way to go, and this Sharp, at the new price, is simply the best.