OTHER TECH

Resolution is 640 x 480 pixels, and picture quality was on par with that of other Sharp LCD TVs, which is to say very bright and detailed. Even at extreme viewing angles, there was very little loss of brightness. Battery life is rated at 3 hours max with the panel's brightness set to Dark. I kept it set to Normal, which provided roughly 2 hours before I needed to recharge.

Transmission range is listed as "about 15 meters" (45 feet), but real-world results will vary. In my 2,000-square-foot home, reception in the farthest rooms (about 50 feet and through three walls) dropped out - resulting in a stuttering video image. But this was with the Wire­less Center located near my A/V gear, not centered in the home. As the TV's distance from the Wireless Center increased, remote-control reaction times also became more sluggish.

Of course, the real test of the Wireless Aquos is how well it works out on the patio. I fired up DTS's new Demo Disc #8 on my DVD player and settled in for a little poolside viewing. The clips from The Two Towers and Pirates of the Caribbean are dark, while the one from Gangs of New York has lots of smoke - two conditions that can give fixed-pixel devices fits. The set handled these scenes with aplomb and had the range - just barely - to provide coverage around the entire pool.

I loved being able to transmit infrared (IR) commands back to my main gear - that's real remote control. Not only can you change TV channels with the Aquos remote, but you can also operate your DVD player, VCR, cable box, and so on - provided you have the correct remote handy. This is an awesome feature!

We've become accustomed to wireless phones and wireless Web access, and now Sharp has broken the final wireless boundary, giving us fully wireless TV. If you have a large home, or one with concrete or steel construction, you'll have to be careful where you place the Wireless Center for best results. Everyone else, the line forms behind me.