The Sharp Aquos LC52D65U 52-inch 1080p LCD HDTV is one of the larger televisions that you can find on the market, but it’s also one of the cheapest for its size.  At only around $1,350 online, it’s quite less expensive than the higher end televisions, but you also give up some features for the price.

The first thing that stands out about this television is that it comes with 5 HDMI inputs as opposed to the usual two or four.  This is rather surprising for a television that is definitely lower rated in comparison to many other televisions in this size range.  This means that you can hook up your digital camera or camcorder and watch videos and your photos on your television.

The television does have true HD 1080p.  It has wide viewing angles so that you can watch the television from the side and still have a clear, crisp picture.  The system comes with a nice looking black cabinet that hides speakers that are mounted at the bottom of the speakers.  But, this is easily removed if you plan on mounting your television on a wall.

If you are planning on mounting the television on the wall, you should probably get a helper.  At 63.9 pounds with dimensions 33.7 X 49.2 X 12.8 inches, it would be awkward and heavy for you to do by yourself.

The Aquos LC52D65U is relatively responsive with a 6ms response time.  You can plug in your computer right into the television and access all your files or even use it as a nice, large monitor.

For a television that’s way under the $2,000 mark, the picture is surprising clear and crisp.  HD programs work great on it, and Blu-ray DVDs look wonderful on it.  The sound is above average for a lower-end model.  So, if you’re buying this unit because you’re on a budget, you won’t have to jump right in and buy a home theater sound system right off the bat.   The sound is crystal clear.

You can also use this model for videogames.  PS3 games showed up clear and vibrant on this television, and the television responded well to the fast-paced action of videogames as well as sporting events.

The customer service from Sharp is one of the best in the business.  So, if you do have a problem, you won’t have to go through hoops to get it fixed.

The television is one of the slimmest that you can find at this size.  The television is 3.0 Energy Certified, which means you won’t use a lot of additional power.

Overall, there are very few complaints with the television picture.  It’s very clear, the colors are quite vibrant, and the blacks are just as true as the more expensive models.

But, with the lower price, you are also sacrificing some quality.  The contrast ratio is drastically lower than other similar brands.  At 10,000:1, it’s much lower than the 50,000 or even 100,000:1 ratios that can be found on similar units.  This unit also doesn’t have many of the features that the more expensive models have.

The remote control also takes some time to get used to.  It’s a little confusing and may require a thorough reading your instructions manual.   Setup is a little more complicated because of the extra parts that come with it, but not terribly so.  You should be able to figure it out with just a little work.

Overall, for anyone on a budget, this is a great model  that is going to give you hours of enjoyment.  The picture quality is great and can be viewed at angle.  So, you’re only sacrificing a minimal amount of quality for the price.