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-52XL1E is the powerhouse and the show horse for this line. At 52-inches it will knock you out like the heavyweight that it is! 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, and you can see it from a moderately wide 176-degrees. But Sharp keeps the ball rolling with more features, including Freeview compatibility and Advanced Super view LCD technology!

The sound package that’s included with the LC-52XL1E is the typical XL1 lot which boasts 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.

If you truly want to be blown away though, just look at how many connectivity options Sharp has included with the LC-52XL1E. There are three HDMI ports, two SCART ports, a composite video in, a mini S-Video in, a component AV input, a 15-pin PC AV connection, and even an RS232C connection. Honestly, if this model can’t meet your device connectivity needs, you might want to invest in a television studio.

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-52XL1E 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.

Because this is the largest model in the XL1 line you can be sure that every other unit in the line is modeled to this one. If you’re looking to splurge on a giant, Full HD, digital LCD television, the LC-52XL1E from Sharp Electronics UK is a qualified competitor for your cash, but there may be newer options that are better suited to fulfill your needs.