Sharp LC-32GA4X AQUOS

Sharp's 32" AQUOS LCD TV offers an appealing blend of features, image quality and connectivity. The entire unit measures 98 x 57 x 31cm with stand and speakers, and weighs a respectable 23.5kg. The sleek silver design features a swivel stand and can be wall mounted if desired. Two 20W bolt-on speakers can be attached to each side of the screen, and these provide surprisingly punchy audio. They can be removed if you'd rather pipe the sound through a home-theatre instead.

The sleek front fascia has no buttons to speak of--they're hidden away at the top of the screen--but the rear panel includes just about every connectivity option imaginable. Inputs include serial, DVI, composite, S-Video and component, while the screen can output to S-Video and composite.

The 32" LCD screen is both clear and bright, and runs at a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. This LCD TV can handle content right the way up to 1080i by downscaling, and does a good job of dealing with non-native images. The panel runs has a 16:9 aspect ratio by default, but offers normal, 16:9 and 14:9, zoom and panorama display modes. A display angle of up to 170 degrees vertically and horizontally also ensures that the picture remains clear from extreme angles.

The grey metallic remote control is well laid out and easy to use, and the on-screen menu is responsive, but it takes a while to learn how to navigate it. The TV features an analog tuner and natively supports PAL broadcasts. We managed to have it tuned into all local channels within a few minutes of turning it on, but manually reassigning the channel numbers took longer. Dolby Virtual Surround is supported, and the TV can integrate neatly with a home stereo.

The panel is rated at about 60,000 hours' life, which is substantial. All up, clear sound, a massive array of output options and a three-year warranty rounds out a top-notch TV. If only it had an integrated digital tuner...