Although Sharp seems to have a slightly shaky grasp on the number of primary colors - last time we counted, there was only three - it has come up with a fairly breath-taking LCD television that made its debut at CES. The Aquos LED LCD TV series are set to revolutionize television color as we know it. They boast an industry-first four-color filter that can create brilliant blues and sparkling yellows. Called quad-pixel technology, this means that colors which were difficult to reproduce on conventional LCD screens will now be available for your viewing pleasure. And for a total home-theater experience, one of the models has an industry-first 68-inch screen.
By adding yellow to the colors red, green and blue, the televisions are capable of rendering nearly all the colors a human eye can discern. The televisions also feature a 1080p X-Gen LCD panel. This panel incorporates UV2A technology which helps to reduce energy consumption in comparison to traditional fluorescent-backlight LCD TVs. Also included is Sharp’s Aquos Net, enabling users to receive streaming video via Netflix, access to customized web-based content and Aquos Advantage Live customer support.
Mikio Katayama, president and chief operating officer, Sharp Corporation, said, “As a pioneer in the LCD industry, Sharp continues to advance the technology, introducing it’s first LED-backlight LCD TV on the market less than two years ago and paving the way for larger screen sizes, thin designs and Internet connectivity. We have changed the way an LCD TV produces an image with the new four-primary-color technology, allowing us to broaden the visual experience and immerse consumers in a new world of color.”
The LE920 and LE820 series also have an ultra thin, (1.6 inches) full-frontal panel glass that caresses the border of the television and creates a slim-line, subtle edge. The models also have a function that automatically adjusts the unit’s brightness depending on the lighting in the room. All lines are also compliant with the Energy Star version 4.0 standards which will become effective in May 2010.
LE920 series
This full high-definition LCD series screens come in 68-inch, (LC-68LE920UN) 60-inch (LC-60LE920UN) and 52-inch (LC-52LE920UN) screen class sizes (68 1/32”, 60 1/32” and 52 1/32” diagonals respectively). Also incorporated is AquoMotion 240, which assists in eliminating blurring on fast-moving video and a USB media player. The series is expected to be released in May, with pricing to be advised.
LE820/810 series
These models are available in 60-inch (LC-60LE820UN and LC-60LE810UN), 52-inch (LC-52LE820UN and LC-52LE810UN), 46-inch (LC-46LE820UN and LC-46LE810UN) and 40-inch (LC-40LE820UN and LC-40LE810UN) screen class sizes (60 1/32”, 52 1/32”, 45 63/64” and 40” diagonals respectively). The models feature fine motion enhanced technology for 120hz frame rate conversion and fast response time (4 ms). There are four HDMI with Instaport quick switching so when switching between sources, delays are avoided. Included are an Ethernet jack, PC input, USB input and a 1080p component video input. The 820/810 series will be available from Sharp in March 2010. Pricing is expected to range from USD2,199.99 for the 40-inch model (LC-40LE820UN) and USD3,999.99 for the 60-inch model (LC-60LE820UN).
