Customer Reviews

Sharp Aquos LC37D64U 37-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

OK I've been holding out longer than most to acquire my first flat screen LCD television. I'm glad I waited until now as prices seem to keep dropping like a rock and quality improving far beyond the early models I've seen. After doing a lot of online research and seeing recent models I finally decided to take the plunge and picked up the newly released Sharp LC-37D64U. As I unwrapped the set from its packaging I realized that it was major leap forward aesthetically. Most noticeable is the thin black frame surrounding the screen that maximizes the amount of screen space and the slender width and depth dimensions making it perfect for wall hanging. I wasn't disappointed when I finally fired up the set for the first time and tuned into the HDTV National Geographic Channel. The images were just a stunning thing of beauty. I'm still putting the set through its initial paces but can't wait to get my new Blu-Ray player hooked up. I've also seen complaints on other forums about the sound quality with some of the Sharp LCD's but found this one to be more than adequate although not audiophile quality for those home theater enthusiasts out there. I would highly recommend this product to someone wanting a top notch but smaller footprint LCD.

3/15/08 Update - Well I finally hooked up my Sharp BPD-HP20U Blu-Ray player via an HDMI cable and much to my dismay I cannot seem to get the output set to 1080p. Right now all discs playback in 1080i. When I attempt to set the player to 1080p I get the error message "the attached equipment does not correspond to this format". I've got a call in to Sharp customer service to see if they can clarify the setup procedure for me. I'd be curious to know if other users have had the same issue or not. Funny thing is that when I hooked up the Blu-Ray player to my 19" Magnavox it outputs in 1080p just fine.

3/21/08 - Well still no response from Sharp with regards to my 1080p issue. Also, I have noticed at least 3 "stuck" pixels (not too bad with over 2 miliion) one of which is bright green and a bit irritating but only up to a viewing distance of about 3 ft. I don't know how common these are since this is my first large LCD but I only hope that more do not start to appear. I'm taking my rating down to a 4-stars. I'd still recommend this set but can longer say it's perfect. Is anybody else buying these?

3/25/08 - Bought a PS3 player. It plays 1080p just fine.

Choosing a new TV is not an easy task. There are so many of them these days. This one jumped out at me mostly because it looks nice. From the aesthetics standpoint I zeroed in on this Sharp, and one of the Samsung models. What about the size? I wanted something larger than 32 inch, but due to space limitation 40 inch was already too big, so this is why I settled on 37.

So how did I break the tie between Sharp and Samsung? Well, it's the reviews about the quality of speakers. Samsung supposedly had weak sound. I wasn't planning on setting up a bunch of speakers in my living room, so I wanted the TV to have adequate speakers. I have to say the sound is very nice, so I'm happy with my choice here.

By the way, since the pictures on Amazon are not the greatest quality, I actually went to Best Buy to get a better idea of how the TVs look. I recommend that you do the same. But then make sure to buy the TV through Amazon, because it will be $300 cheaper. If you don't want the extra $300, then you can send it to me :).

The picture quality is amazing. So far I've been only watching cable, but am really impressed with where technology has gone. The colors are vibrant, and the viewing angle is really as advertised. Initially I was afraid that LCD on a TV might be somewhat like LCD on a laptop, where a slight deviation in viewing angle makes the screen invisible. TV is completely different, and the video quality rocks.

I'm not a gadget junkie, so I can't give you too much detail here, but the bottom line is that I'm happy with my choice so far, and I recommend that you get this TV.

I purchased this television primarily because Amazon's description says that it supports DLNA and has an Ethernet port. To my disappointment, I can find NO Ethernet port or any mention of DLNA in the manual. I like the TV after one day and it comes with a fine remote (not like the piece of junk that came with my Philips). I have not decided what to do about the lack of DLNA though. Anyone have the same opinion?

Update: Amazon, as well as all of the other web retailers that I've found, have the sales literature incorrect. I called Sharp. You do not get DLNA or Ethernet with this TV, that comes with the larger 40+ inch displays.

Here's a six month user review, good and bad:
Good - Brightness, color, remote control, display of analog tv signals
Disappointments - All software related - does not support the display digital broadcast of the TV show description, no onscreen clock, no way to get the name of the program that you are watching without changing channels, favorite channel selection only allows you to toggle through the selected stations, you cannot jump to favorite channel out of sequence.
Comparison to my 47 inch Philips - Philips has better software related features like the clock, display of OTA onscreen program information, the ability to pull up a selectable onscreen display of your favorite channels, but the Sharp has a hands-down better remote (but with less features).
- Joe

This TV excels where it counts most, the screen. Out of the box it looks pretty good and with a little adjusting it looks fantastic. It's a shame most stations are still broadcasting the majority of their programming in SD but I guess it's only a matter of time before that changes. I was worried most about dead or stuck pixels but the one I recieved had none, the color reproduction is excellent and the contrast is very good, though not the best in the LCD world. All in all I can't really find any faults with the picture quality. Similarly, I love the elegant design of the case and it's one of the slimmest TVs available. I did quite a bit of research before I bought this and it seemed to offer one of the best screens around for the price, plus I just liked how it looked.

There are, however, some areas I think Sharp could have done a better job on. I do not like the included remote, it feels cheap, it's unnecessarily long and doesn't utilize space efficiently plus the buttons are small and stiff. It's also lacking the ability to easily enable/disable some features which are only available by going through the menu such as individual sound input selection for those of you planning to hook your PC up to it. The TV is also fairly slow at changing channels and the menu for customizing them is cumbersome and lacking compared to my Sony tv.

There's also no picture in picture or HDMI port on the side from which I understand the earlier models had, why were these removed? So while most HDTVs have at least 3 or 4 HDMI ports, this one only has 2. It would also be nice if they changed the VGA DSUB to a DVI, I don't understand why this isn't common place nowadays with everything going digital and the drive for communication between devices.

If not for those mostly minor issues I would have given it 5 stars. Now blu-ray prices just need to drop.

I've had the LC37D64U for almost a month now, and I am very pleased with the TV. The TV's relatively light weight makes it simple to move around when wiring things up. The picture looks good right out of the box, and after some tweaking using a couple of picture calibration DVDs, it looks even nicer (there are a lot of picture control settings if you want to dig in). I get HDTV channels over an antenna and the 1080i broadcasts look amazing if the broadcaster hasn't compressed them too much. I don't have Blu-Ray yet, but my DVD player upconverts to 1080p and makes the movies look terrific. My Xbox 360 games look better than ever. The best part about this TV is that it is the narrowest 37-inch LCD on the market, which means it can barely fit into my entertainment center with a whisker to spare. I was almost resigned to buying a 32-inch until I happily discovered this model just in time.

I send all the audio to my 5.1 surround receiver, so I can't comment on the quality of the TV speakers.

One important thing you should know if you are sending 1080p signals to this TV via the COMPONENT inputs: the screen would occasionaly 'black-out' briefly when playing some content on my Xbox 360. Scouring some user-groups, I discovered that I was not alone, but there is a fix. Check the version number of your firmware in the menu. Mine was S0804011 or something similar. Sharp has another version on its website (version S0801101) that you can easily download, put on a USB stick and update your TV. The manual explains how to do it. Once I updated, the problem was solved.

There are a couple of very minor things that could make this TV a bit more friendly:
1. You can set it so the title of the TV program you are watching appears when you change channels, but there is no way to check the title again unless you change channels again. Ideally, this should appear whenever you press the 'Display' button on the remote.
2. Channel changing is a bit sluggish.
3. You can only name inputs to the preset names they have chosen. Unfortunately, they didn't see fit to put 'Game 1, Game 2," etc. as presets, so my game systems just get 'Input 1' and 'Input 2.' A minor annoyance, but it would help the members of my family figure out which input is which.

Overall, this is a very nice TV with a great picture. Just put in Pixar's 'The Incredibles' and you will know what I mean. I did a lot of research before buying this model, and I have no regrets. Amazon had a very competitive price when I bought this, and with free shipping and their excellent 'white-glove' delivery service, it was a no-brainer purchase.

We purchased this set for my dad for Father's Day. The set was delivered exactly on time by CEVA who brought it in, set it up, and moved the old one for us. When we set it up, we were impressed right away. Very easy set up using the auto feature. We connected to the DVR HD box via an HDMI cable, set the box up for this, and we were off and running.

The picture both on standard and hi def were impressive. Probably one of the best looking standard pictures I have seen on an LCD. As my dad said when we went to hi def, "it looks like you could peel the picture right off the set". Overall he said it was one of the two best sets he has ever had (the first being their first set in the 50's...a 10" black and white!).

This set is highly recommended. Great picture, good sound, easy menu's, and nice settings. So far no con's at all. A definite winner!

I currently have a 32" Sharp Aquas 1080p, but wanted something a little larger that would fit into a 36" space. The LC37D64U has a thin cabinet and the only 37" LCD 1080p on the market to date less than 36" wide. This TV is great for tight spaces. You get good color, sound and function settings. I give this TV four stars out of five because it only has two HDMI connections.

I have used Amazon for several years for anything from toys, to electronics, and to date, have never been disappointed. This was my highest dollar single item purchase, and I was nervous buying this big ticket item over the internet. NO PROBLEM. It arrived several days before expected. Still no shipping, and it was the cheapest by far compared to the same TV from other sources. The seller Amazon uses for this TV is 2nd to none. They even gave me a personal phone call, to let me know my TV was on it's way to me, and to let me know if there was ANY problems, to please let them know. The first time I was EVER called to offer info on my item, and to establish communication. I was very impressed.

Now, on to the actual TV. This is my very first HD, LCD TV. I have done lots of research to find the right one. This one, seemed to be a good balance for ease of use (not overly complicated that needs an electrical engineer to get working right). Picture quality, and all other points. From what I noted, it lacks on some minor things (bells and whistles), but makes up for it where it counts, picture, color, angle of viewing (which was a big one for me). This unit went from in the box, to watching direct tv, and playing on the XBox 360 within 15 minutes. I have't done any "custom" adjustment yet, and to be honest, I am in no hurry to, because the image looks awesome right out of the box. VERY easy to set up, with little to no reading of the manual (its a man thing you know). I did browse the manual some, and it is very easy to understand. I haven't read ALL the settings, and bells and whistles yet, but will eventually. The point is, it doesn't take an electrical engineer to figure the thing out. It just hooks up, and works, just like the TVs I knew from yesteryear.

Our entertainment center is one that we bought while I was serving over in Germany back in the early/mis 1980s, LONG before TVs of size were around. This TV is PERFECT for it, and looks like the wall unit was built for, and around this TV.

XBox 360 looks awesome in 1080p. I can even read the little print that I was never able to read before in games.

As I use this TV, I may add more to this, but for now, and 1st impression, this is a winner, and I will continue to use Amazon, especially when I see the seller they use for this set is involved.

Specs have been talked about at length here. Yep, the remote is weak but after programming my Charter remote, I don't even need the Sharp model and stuck it in the drawer.

There were other models - the 40U, 44U and 62U that were good in their day, the 65U seems to take away a few features.

I waited for the 64U 1080p model (vs the 720p 44U still available in some places) to come down in price for a few reasons:

- The 64U is *thin* and I believe one of the better models they've put out in this 37" form factor. All the bells and whistles are reserved for 42" and up but this one had a good bunch.
- 6ms response time + updated panel and circuitry.
- my Magnavox 1994 CRT-style TV (25") - built in the USA - wouldn't die and *I* would probably end up in a wooden box *before* it died of natural causes...

Aside:
The marketing info for this set's response time copied all over the web is incorrect. (looks like someone in Sharp marketing was lazy and took the 42D64U marketing copy (4ms) and cut-and-pasted it for the 37D64U without making corrections)

Sharp's own site reflects the correct information - and the typo - implying this 37" set was 4ms. It's 6ms.

How I use my TV:
The set has 2 HDMI inputs - not enough for some people - but enough for what I use it for. I don't have a Wii or XBox so the number of input sources and types isn't a detractor for me. This is a true TV replacement, not a game center for our family.

How I connected up my TV to input sources and why:
- Input4(HDMI) Cable box to TV.
Scientific Atlanta 3450HD cable box Charter.

- Input5(HDMI) Sony DVD upconverter for older DVDs
(decided not to let the Sharp TV do the upconvert. Blu-Ray isn't in my future yet - $$$)

- TV - Use up ANOTHER INPUT with component cables from the cable box to the TV. This sends the signal to the TV and let's the TV upscale Standard Definition content.

Why use up 2 cable box signals (HDMI + Component) to the TV?
Content type. I've got kids. The Charter cable TV box through HDMI caused image ghosting on cartoons and made them unwatchable.

The upconverting in the HDMI setup is done by the Charter *Cable box* to 1080i and handing off to the HDMI input to the TV. The cable box I have (and probably most) does a lousy job of upscaling cartoons.

This isn't specific to the TV. The same would happen if you used the same cable box + HDMI on a Sony, Samsung etc. Many people just leave it this way but it makes cartoons look awful.

What I did was use the "Input1" => TV - or low-def if you will - "Component Video" setup ( 3 cables) to let my kids watch cartoons and still have a decent picture. Using Component Cable input passes the Standard Definition signal (480) DIRECTLY to the Sharp and let's the TV upconvert it to 1080p.

This setup also requires switching source input back and forth using the "Input" button on the Sharp remote to the FIRST INPUT (TV).

FINAL RESULT: Composite Video = No more ghosting on cartoons.

NOTE: My one gripe with this "cartoon" setup is it makes you very conscious of what you're watching (cartoons, HD, SD) and which input works best with which type of content. So you're switching [input] sources a lot. It shouldn't be this complicated - but it is, if you want the best picture for the current state of "mixed" content (HD, SD) mess that is cable television today.

What about HDTV or HI-DEF?
For anything HI-DEF, I use either:
- "Input5" (tied through HDMI input to my Sony upconverting DVD player. This brings my regular DVDs up to 1080p)
or
- "Input4" - the other HDMI input from the Cable box - to watch HD stations Charter has (782,784, etc).


=============================
Calibration of the Sharp TVs
=============================
For brightness and TV setup, the factory settings were too dark for us so it was time to do some calibration.

There's a good site on the web "http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/" that has a review for a Sharp LC37D40U - a 37" Sharp model from 2006. One thing this site does well is publish "suggested" calibration settings for sets they review.

The "40U" reviewed on the site was a 720p model, but also one of the highest rated sets ever reviewed on that site. The suggested calibration settings for the 40U were very close to perfect for our 64U set.

http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com/lcdtvreviews/sharp-lc37d40u-review.shtml

Sharp LC-37D40U Optimal Calibrations using Digital Video Essentials
OPC On
Backlight +2
Contrast 25 / 40
Brightness +8
Color +12
Tint 0
Sharpness -4 <== update: 2/28/09 - another reviewer thought "-4" was a typo and after fiddling with it, I chose either +3 or +4 for a better picture, so I agree.

The HDTV channels are stunning and the upconverter Sony DVP-NS700H/B 1080p - ~$65 - does a good job too. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015VW3BM

All in all, I've very satisfied with my purchase and the quality of the set and the ability to use my old DVDs with this new set.

I did a lot of homework reading technical reviews and user reviews and found that the best reliability was Sharp, Panasonic, and Sony.
I saw the Aquos on a TV commercial and checked it out and this thing seemed to have everything I wanted, plus it got very good technical write up's.
I ordered it and got it a few days later. After the initial set up problems I got it all ready to go.
When I turned it on and started watching all I could say was WOW. What a picture. The clean, deep, and crisp colors blew me away, and I had not yet found an HDTV program yet. When I did it made this purchase worth every dollar.
First was auto racing, and then football. The picture had a natural flow to it. The 4ms response time of this TV eliminated any flashing or jumping I have seen on other HDTVs.
This cotton picker has a picture that is second to none, and moreover, the sound is clear and clean.
There were a lot of choices that made it very confusing on which TV to buy. I am very glad I did m homework and goth the Sharp Aquos. The 1920x1080 resolution, quick response time, and the great contrast has made a believer out of me. I would recommend this TV without hesitation.