Yesterday Sharp introduced the world's first high-definition LCD TV with a built-in Blu-ray player to attendees of CES '09
Sharp's AQUOS BD series provides full HD 1080p and includes the 52-inch class (52-1/32" diagonal) LC-52BD80U, 46-inch class (45-63/64" diagonal) LC-46BD80U, 42-inch class (42-1/64" diagonal) LC-42BD80U, 37-inch class (37" diagonal) LC-37BD60U and 32-inch class (31-35/64" diagonal) LC-32BD60U. According to the company, the new BD series features the Advanced Super View (ASV) Superlucent panel with reduced reflection, a crisp picture, and super bright colors. The BD series also sports the new AQUOS Pure Mode for "convenient optimized viewing of Blu-ray titles."
As for the integrated Blu-ray player, the disc is inserted in a side-loading multi-slot, however the player can also accept DVDs and CDs as well. The BD series incorporates a single-step operation that turns on the TV and activates play when consumers slip in a disk. The AQUOS Pure Mode automatically senses the Blu-ray disc content and intelligently adjusts display settings such as aspect ratio to optimize the movie image.
“We created this series to offer consumers a product that provides the same high-quality, clear picture they’ve come to expect from a Sharp AQUOS, but with the added convenience of a Blu-ray player for a unique combination solution that allows playback of the latest HD Blu-ray movies,” said Bob Scaglione, senior vice president and group manager, Product and Marketing Group, Sharp Electronics Corporation. “This product is a one-stop, stylish home theater and the built-in side-loading Blu-ray slot is also a space-saver for style-conscious consumers, eliminating the need for a separate box and extra cables.”
Sharp says that the LC-52BD80U, LC-46BD80U, and LC-42BD80U utilize the company's Fine Motion Enhanced technology for 120Hz Frame Rate Conversion, a 10-bit panel for Deep Color compatibility and “dejudder” technology. The company also mentions its proprietary Spectral Contrast Engine, providing "deep blacks and high contrast ratios." Optical Picture Control automatically adjusts luminance to room brightness and lighting conditions. Brightness Preservation picture processing make the BD series energy efficient, exceeding ENERGY STAR certification requirements by 15 percent.
The 52-inch LC-52BD80U, 46-inch LC-46BD80U, and 42-inch LC-42BD80U feature four HDMI inputs and two component video inputs; the 37-inch LC-37BD60U and 32-inch LC-32BD60U feature three HDMI inputs. All five models are 1080p compatible, and the HDMI terminals have 24p input capability. Sharp's AQUOS BD series also features a built-in ATSC and QAM tuner for DTV channels, an RS-232C input and a PC input so that the TV can function as a PC monitor.
