Sharp TU-T2 review

The BBC HD channel looks simply awesome through the TU-T2, with loads of close-up detail and some stunning, pristine colours. Motion is handled immaculately and fast-moving objects and camera pans don't interrupt a permanently crisp image.

There's little more to say than that; the TU-T2 puts in a faultless performance with high definition. A blast of ITV reveals that the TU-T2 doesn't have quality 1080p upscaling in its arsenal.

It's not bad – there are few jagged edges and there's little picture noise, so it must be up-rezzing to some degree – but we've seen much better. Pictures do feature blocking, while moving objects can present some problems – we spotted some mosquito noise around people, particularly during close-ups.

The TU-T2 also struggles to resolve finely detailed objects; in this case, David Dickinson's pin stripe black suit seems to have a life of its own.There's also a fine sheen over some of the lower-resolution channels that rounds-off a very average performance with standard definition fare.

This low point doesn't necessarily need to be a deal-breaker. The TU-T2 will work fine with a relatively small (sub-32-inch) LCD TV. And without wishing to be controversial, the SD pictures look a lot tighter and cleaner when sent into a plasma TV (and a 37-inch one, at that). But it's worth knowing that there are better upscalers at work in other Freeview HD boxes.