Sharp Aquos LC 15" TV: Mr. Hooterville Shops, Drops $1,100

One lovely Sunday a few weeks ago, my husband expressed his growing discontent with the dark picture on the television in our kitchen -- a development that I found annoying as well, but could have lived with.

He decided to go look at televisions that would fit in the space allowed, but get maximum viewing pleasure and sound quality. He measured and planned and eyeballed before he left, jotting down equations and even a diagram.

"Do you care how much I spend?" he asked me before departing. I told him I knew he would probably spend around $800, but that the TV/VCR combination with a 13" screen I bought for my bathroom had a great picture, and I paid $129.00 for it -- and mentioned that it might be nice to have a similar combination in the kitchen.

"But you know what you want, you get what you like since you watch television in there more than I do," I said. And I knew that he already had a fairly specific idea -- the measuring was a good clue.

The Most Expensive TV We've Ever Owned - In the Kitchen

After 22 years of marriage, I'm estimating that we have purchased six or seven televisions of various sizes, and most of them not costing more than $500.00. And I've been happy with every one of them. My expectations are not that high, as long as the color and contrast are good.

But my husband left the receipt sitting on the steps from our garage -- the tab for $1,209 (with tax and warranty protection) greeted me at the door. My daughter and I looked it over and gaped.

"Damn, I shouldn't have left that there," he said, laughing. He knows when he's made an uncharacteristically extravagant purchase and his fear is that I'll say I want something of equal value -- not true!

It Must be a Y-Chromosome Thing

Immediately I liked the look of the Aquos 15" television on my counter. Even though the width is considerably more than the other television, the boomerang-shaped pedestal supporting the screen actually gives me more space.

But as far as the picture quality is concerned, I immediately decided that it was a little too light for me. My husband thought it was "perfect!".

He said I could adjust the contrast when I was watching it -- not difficult to do with the sleek remote. But there are only two instant settings -- BRIGHT and DARK. To my eye, the bright is too bright, and the dark is too dark. You can use the "Menu" button on either the set or the remote to set incremental preferences such as Tint, but it's hard to get a good feel for true color when combined with other settings.

One factor in the contrast in brightness seems to be from which angle you view the screen. It seems to improve when I stand to one side rather than looking head on.

And there is absolutely no glare, even though a kitchen window is just a couple of feet away. That's a major advantage compared with the old set. This is a wonderful option if lighting reflection off the screen is an issue for you.

Small Speakers, GREAT Sound!

The whole family loves the sound from the Sharp Aquos, even in this smaller unit. The built-in speakers are just far enough apart to give an almost concert-like effect on almost every station, especially music stations.

It's also ready for any HDTV stations we may receive in the near future, although I haven't seen them yet to see how much better the picture might be.

Very Few Wires or Cables

The wires in this television are hidden, and can be encased to help you avoid that "spaghetti" problem. We haven't added any additional equipment, like a VCR or DVD player, but the capabilities are there. Some models of this unit can be configured to work with your computer, but ours doesn't.

Also available is wall mounting hardware, which is great for those who have more wall space than counter space -- but wall mounting may limit the ability to swivel and tilt the screen, which is a valuable feature. We prefer being able to move the unit easily on its pedestal -- a hidden handle behind the screen makes this very simple.

If It's Not In Your Budget Now, Don't Feel Bad

Overall, the Sharp Aquos is a fine piece of electronic workmanship and style. However, I can't honestly say that I wouldn't have been equally happy with a less-sexy television for about 75 percent less money. Yes, I think my husband is a little crazy.

But he's also ecstatic with every detail about the Sharp Aquos LC Television. At least that's what he keeps telling me -- or maybe he's telling himself because he spent $1,100 on it. I'll never know the truth!