The Panasonic SC-DP1 DVD/CD micro system
With about $250 left over, I looked for a compact, inexpensive system with a DVD player. The Panasonic SC-DP1 micro system filled the bill nicely. The SC-DP1 had a receiver, AM/FM radio and DVD player in one very small package and had the ability to play not only regular DVDs, but also DVD-Audio and a number of other audio and video disc formats. Most importantly, it could send a progressive-scan video signal to the TV. The two speakers, while substantial, didn't require an excessive amount of room. Best of all, the price tag got me in under the wire. For $999.98 I had assembled what I hoped would be a killer system for a small space. I spent the next several weeks testing that assumption!

Panasonic's SC-DP1 — the micro system with major sound.

Getting a visual
As I tried out my new system, I was continually struck by the picture quality of the Sharp. The LCD screen displayed images that were cleaner and more vivid than those on our old CRT. Even though the TV was small, details were very easy to make out on the screen.

Cable and broadcast signals looked much better than they did on the old CRT screen, although quality varied somewhat. The cable signal was still coming from an RF cable directly into the TV. Some cable channels came through better than others, but those problems were inherent in the transmission source, and not the Sharp.

When I first hooked up the system, I used the composite cable provided by Panasonic to connect the TV to the DVD player. The DVD images run through composite were better than the best signals coming through the RF cable; and certainly good enough resolution for casual viewing, the set's primary purpose.

In order to further improve the image, I had to improve the connection. To enjoy progressive-scan video, I needed to make a component video connection. Fortunately, I had a spare set of component cables — I could now use the progressive-scan feature on the Panasonic DVD player.

The composite image was good on the Sharp, but the progressive-scan signal was noticeably better. It was quite simply the best viewing experience I had ever had with a set under 19". I didn't have to work to make out tiny details. I could watch full-length movies on a small set without eyestrain!

The only drawback to my new LCD TV turned out to be very minor. Because of the way an LCD screen refreshes, sometimes images change faster than the screen can react. This can create some ghosting, or motion lag as it is called. As technology has advanced, this reaction time has decreased, and so has the problem (with LCD TVs; LCD computer monitors are a different story). Occasionally the Sharp blurred during very active scenes, but not to a significant extent. Motion lag seemed more obvious watching DVDs (which were showing at a much higher resolution) than with cable and broadcast programming.

DVD and TV sound
For broadcast/cable programming, running the sound through the Panasonic improved it a little — although it also tended to bring the flaws in the signal to the forefront. Even so, Panasonic's larger speakers (set farther apart than those on the Sharp panel) made the soundfield seem more expansive and encompassing.

With DVDs, there were even some choices as to how the sound was processed. There were two different surround simulation settings; one emphasized sound effects, while the other presented a more natural sound (I could also turn this option off). For DVDs recorded in 5.1 surround, I could also use the dialogue enhancer, which raised the center channel (where most dialogue is placed) a bit in the mix.