The XL1 family is one of three lines produced by Sharp UK that caters specifically to those who are looking for a 1080p Full HD experience. The LC-46XL1E is the mid-sized model for this line, and at 46-inches it will blow you away! Displaying a 16:9 aspect ratio image at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, you can expect an immensely sharp image from this digital LCD television. Plus, you can view it from a relatively large 176-degree viewing angle. But Sharp keeps the ball rolling with more features, including Freeview compatibility and Picture in Picture operability!

The sound package that comes along with the LC-46XL1E is your typical XL1 lot, boasting 30-watts of power, divided into two channels at 15-watts each. Considering that some smaller Sharp digital LCD television models have puny 2-watt speakers, it’s clear that the XL1 line was meant to be a cut above. SRS TruSurround XT surround sound processing gives maniacal surround sound output, and even a three-dimensional stereo or mono experience. You can even put your super-expensive home theatre system to good use because this model carries a digital optical output for just such purposes. Headphone connectivity provides convenient privacy.

Sharp has included with the LC-46XL1E one HDMI port, two SCART ports, and a 15-pin PC AV connection. This is not exactly a robust set of interconnectivity options, but it should serve its purpose just fine. This line of Sharp UK digital LCD televisions has already been surpassed by the XL2 series, so you may want to look at those new models first.

A life expectancy is not given for this model specifically, however the website of a competing manufacturer denotes that modern standards put the lifespan of most models in both the plasma and LCD categories at around 60,000 hours. That comes to just about 360 weeks of continuous use, but that kind of wear is unlikely. If you watch television for four hours per day, seven days a week, a modern digital television set like the LC-46XL1E should last for roughly 40 years according to my calculations! There will most definitely be new broadcast and display technologies available for mass consumption before these things stop working, barring some kind of defect and assuming that Panasonic’s estimates are correct.

If you want a high quality, mid-sized, Full HD, digital LCD television, the LC-46XL1E from Sharp Electronics UK is a qualified competitor for your money but there may be newer options that are better suited to fulfill your needs.