- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 68 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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36 out of 46 people found this review helpful
1.5 stars
"Sharp has some serious issues to address."
Pros: Great value, nice looking bezel
Cons: Awful "banding"/uneven backlighting causes darker lines during camera pans, buzzing emits from panel, somewhat limited inputs
Summary: I am now on my second 46" 62u, and unfortunately my second fares no better than my first. I really thought this TV would be outstanding, and at first glance in-store (never a good way to judge a TV) everything is great. However, getting it home and playing stuff on it was a different story.
This panel has some major issues with "banding" (the quotes are used because that may not be technically what it is, but the effect is the same) - essentially, whenever the camera pans up to down or vice-versa, you will see multiple darker horizontal lines appear on the screen. Some people have also reported right to left/left to right vertical "banding," but I have not experienced this. Yes, the stationary picture can be fantastic, but the effect is ruined whenever the camera moves.
The other major issue I've noticed is a buzzing noise emitting from the back of the panel. Now, if you are in an area where there is other noise (PC, people talking, XBox 360, whatever) you may not notice it, but if you are in a quiet room watching a movie, during quiet parts it is very noticeable and very distracting.
Again, this is my second set as I've already exchanged once. I'd expect this quality from a second/third tier brand like Westinghouse, but not from Sharp. Until Sharp addresses these issues, I VERY strongly urge people to NOT purchase this set. Sharp may very well address these issues in the coming months, but as of yet there has been not a peep from them.
You can check around on various popular home theater forums like AVS to read about many people having similar problems. While I have seen a few people satisfied with the 52" model, I've yet to see one single person satisfied with this 46" model.
- 8 replies to this review
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Had similar problems, banding (becoming progressively worse) power off and no picture with flashing green lights. Set lasted for 2years only cost $1250/annum. Must be berrter choices out there. No more Sharp for me.
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Your report was helpful and unfortunately, typical. See below:
Out-of-box failures for this series of Sharp Aquos products are chronic. After plugging it in, most complaints reference a blinking green light and the failure to display any picture --going dark after "flashing" a menu on screen once. The problem appears to relate to defective power supply component that ships in the product.
After our experience with the LC-37DL2U model, we researched reviews online. Literally hundreds of online reports on the LC-D62U series (particularly the 37" and the 46" models) describe a 4 to 6 week response to obtain a repair or replacement. Sharp's locally contracted RTA service makes an initial house call to verify that there is no shipping damage and then orders a replacement power supply from Sharp. These replacement power supplies are apparently back-ordered at Sharp and typically take 2 to 4 weeks to arrive and install. The average mean time for Sharp to agree to replace the Sharp Aquos (following a trial and error examination of each internal module) appears to be 6 weeks based on our research. A few consumers have reported similar problems or banding issues with the 2nd (replacement) TV.
Google "Sharp Aquos complaints" to view numerous--but consistent--experiences with this out-of-box failure. (epinions, amazon, NY Times, CNET, etc.) However, those whose product is not DOA, DO report a good-looking picture.
Although Sharp reps brag about customer service when they sit as panelists at industry events, the company has a real problem that it needs to address regarding responsiveness and employee training. -
Not sure where people are seeing this banding
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I called Sharp while doing my research on LCDs and they stated there is not a banding issue? I called again and got a different rep but the same response. I then asked about all the review sites and individuals who are experiencing the same banding issue. The rep went so as far as to tell me: "Well sir, not everything you read on the internet is true." I'm a little worried. I love the LCD but I'm worried about how they are addressing the issue.
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I find your rating terrible. Im sorry on Sharps behalf that your situations are not addressed. Have you tried calling sharp @ 1800 BE SHARP? These people are very helpful. I own the 46 and the 52, also the original 45" 1080p set from a few years ago and have experienced none of the problems you describe. I sell these sets for a living and have no complaints for anyone that has purchased one, including my set. I am on my way to the consumer electronics show in January. I have scheduled appointment with Sharp on the 9th and I will bring up these problems people are reporting. I will post their comments and see if there is a firmware upgrade that may be needed to correct the issues. My email is CH8832@gmail.com is anyone is interested in my sharp report when I come back from CES.
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I agree the sharp picture quality is awful .Gave it style on the frame but lost it by all the picture noise .
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I appreciate the honest feedback, I was ready to purchase this TV today. After reading this report, I'm going to hold off until Sharp cleans up the banding issue.
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I admit it, I think Sharp makes some of the finest if not THE best LCD TVs on the market. I had a 26" Sharp (cannot remember the model) that I gave my son that looks fantastic. However, I recently purchased a Westinghouse LTV-40w1 HDC for my master bedroom (got a really good deal on it) that will surprise you in terms of build and picture quality. Once I got the settings just right, it is an impressive LCD TV/monitor. hdtvexpert.com thought so too http://www.hdtvexpert.com/pages_b/LVT-40W1.html
You need to learn how to be more open about electronics. You may get a surprise.
Sharp AQUOS LC-46D62U:
