SHARP LC-15L1E WIRELESS TV

Wireless connectivity may be old news to some, with more and more people taking advantage of user-friendly cable-free networking in order to share printers, files and Internet access between several computers. The home entertainment world has been lagging somewhat behind, with a handful of basic audio streaming devices just about the only Wi-Fi equipped items available to consumers. But that's all about to change, beginning with the Sharp LC-15L1E wireless television (£1400 inc. VAT).

Make no mistake about it; although it has a 15-inch TFT screen, it is a television rather than a monitor. The low resolution and lack of standard computer inputs make it unsuitable for use with a laptop. The inputs that are provided are mostly located on a small, separate wireless media box: there are two SCART sockets, an S-Video input (which could accept a video signal from a laptop with a TV-out terminal) and a composite video input, along with a stereo audio input via a pair of phono plugs. The idea behind this setup is that the user plugs one or two devices - such as a DVD player, VCR or digital set-top box - into the media box, which will then transmit the picture and sound to the screen using the 802.11b wireless networking standard. The user can control these items with their original remote control units from the screen's location, feeding backwards via the wireless connection.

HANDLE THIS
The screen itself is nicely styled, and finished in a handsome shade of silver. It comes on a removable stand and features a handle around the back, which obviously comes in useful. It also has its own array of connections - S-Video, composite video, stereo audio, headphone minijack - allowing users to bypass the media box entirely if they wish. Most important is a battery capable of providing around two hours worth of power for mobile use; this can be speedily charged back up any time the screen is plugged in to the mains.

The range of the wireless connection varies depending on factors such as the thickness of walls, but Sharp's literature states a figure of 15 metres. We think this is a little conservative, and provided there aren't many obstacles, you should be able to get a working range of around 20 metres. The link isn't perfect, unfortunately, and the picture tends to freeze for a split second every so often. It isn't a showstopper, but it can be a little annoying at times. This happens at even very short transmission ranges (under a metre), but gets worse the further the screen is carried away from the media box. To lessen the effect, the user can select one of three different transmission qualities: near, medium and far. The latter pair of settings trade off some of the image quality for a stronger overall signal, and therefore fewer freeze-ups.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS
The LC-15L1E's wireless capabilities make it one of the few TVs suitable for outdoor viewing, and Sharp has even added a special screen to cut down on glare from the sun. It doesn't make much of a difference in direct sunlight, but eliminates most of the off-putting reflections that come from ambient light. Despite the somewhat low resolution, the screen did create a very engaging image when we hooked up a DVD player. Even on the 'far' transmission setting, picture quality was sharp and reasonably detailed. That said, you can pick up similarly sized wired LCD screens, many of which can double up as PC monitors, for less than half the £1400 (inc. VAT) you'll pay for the Sharp. While the Wi-Fi capability is useful, we're not convinced it's worth the extra outlay. The Sharp LC-15L1E is a very expensive LCD television, but its smart use of Wi-Fi bodes well for the future.

RATING: 6

PRICE: £1155/£1400 (EX/INC. VAT)
SCREEN SIZE AND TYPE: 15-INCH TFT
DISPLAY RESOLUTION: 640 X 480 PIXELS
DIMENSIONS: 494 X 228 X 445MM
WEIGHT: 6.3KG (WITH TABLE STAND)
CONTACT: 0800 138 5051 WWW.SHARP.CO.UK