Engadget HD

ITC rules Samsung infringed on four Sharp patents, bans import of some LCDs

Donald Melanson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:52:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Misc, Regulatory, Displays, Samsung, Sharp

The US International Trade Commission already ruled in June of this year that Samsung had infringed on one patent held by Sharp, but it's now back with another ruling that finds Samsung violated no less than four LCD-related patents held by its rival. Once again, the ITC has also barred Samsung from selling the infringing LCDs in the US (still not clear on exactly what's affected), but Samsung seems more than ready to comply with the ruling, saying that there will be "no impact on our business and our ability to meet market demand." For its part, Sharp simply says that the ruling has "made it clear that ITC has consistently supported Sharp's claim that LCD products of Samsung violated Sharp's patents" -- Samsung, meanwhile, says it has no plans to negotiate with Sharp on the issue, so let's just hope its workaround is more than a quick fix.

ITC rules Samsung infringed on four Sharp patents, bans import of some LCDs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp AQUOS LC-52LE700UN impressions

Darren Murph — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:25:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews, Displays, Sharp, LCD

Sharp's LC-52LE700UN is the 52-inch member of the company's first-ever LED-backlit AQUOS range, and we were fortunate enough to give it a spin here recently. The LE700 series began shipping out to consumers this summer, packed with web connectivity (AQUOS Net), a trio of HDMI ports, a 1080p X-Gen panel and a dejudder feature for smoothing out jaggies. The set packed a starting tag of $2,799.99, though in the few short months that it has been on the market, the street rate has fallen to just south of $1,600. Without a doubt, the fall in price helps the screen's cause in terms of value, but is there enough to warrant a purchase? Head on past the break for a few of our thoughts.

Gallery: Sharp AQUOS LC-52LE700UN

Continue reading Sharp AQUOS LC-52LE700UN impressions

Sharp AQUOS LC-52LE700UN impressions originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp combines its latest LCD improvements in LX series HDTVs

Richard Lawler — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:12:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Sharp, LCD

Coming straight out of a brand new 10G production facility in Sakai, Sharp's line of LX HDTVs (in 60-, 52-, 46- and 40-inch sizes) are all sporting the latest in LCD technology with UV²A panels and LED backlighting. Unfortunately, like Sony, these new screens abandon the higher quality RGB LED technology of the pricey XS1 series for cheaper white LEDs. Still, with a price of around $5,000 for a 52-inch compared to the $12,000 sticker shock of the XS1, it's easy to see why the switch was made. Other improvements include a light sensor for auto-calibration, a six speaker (5 speakers on the 40-inch) integrated 2.1 channel sound system with "Duo Bass" subwoofer and the usual assortment of VOD and AQUOS network support in store for Japanese buyers this November. While already available on a few U.S. models expect the new tech to spread across Sharp's U.S. lineup shortly, not to mention Sony and anyone other parties interested in a piece of the company's suddenly expanded manufacturing muscle.

[Via AV Watch & Akihabara News]

Sharp combines its latest LCD improvements in LX series HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cake havers and eaters unite as Sharp promises better LCD contrast and efficiency

Steven Kim — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Sharp, LCD

Ah, the wonders of technology. Sharp's lab rats have come up with "UV²A" technology that should allow for tighter control of the liquid crystal shutters in LCDs; that's geek speak for "higher contrast and lower energy consumption." We know that simply calibrating your set can net you benefits in the same two areas, but this is the kind of incremental gain that will help push LCDs past plasmas in the long run -- a 60-percent increase in contrast with 20-percent less juice from the wall. We'll be ready to apply some salt to the 5,000:1 contrast ratio figure and leave it to the marketing department to handle the use of "UV radiation" to twist the crystals (a healthy suntan from your Sharp TV?). We're just excited to see some tech that's production ready, as in UV²A could be rolled out next month.

Cake havers and eaters unite as Sharp promises better LCD contrast and efficiency originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Blu-ray laser from Sharp burns triple, quad layer discs but can't cut red tape (yet)

Richard Lawler — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:04:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Sharp

Sharp stepped up at the 70th Autumn Meeting of the Japan Society of Applied Physics to promote its new 500mW Blu-ray laser that is reportedly production ready and waiting to churn out triple and quad layer (100GB) discs at 8x speed. The only thing holding it back from release now is the lack of an official spec from the BDA. Geeking out over details of the aluminum oxynitride film that enabled this breakthrough (pictured above) continues beyond the read link.

[Via Blu-ray.com]

New Blu-ray laser from Sharp burns triple, quad layer discs but can't cut red tape (yet) originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp refreshes its top of the line Blu-ray player with the BD-UP52U

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:44:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Sharp

Sharp has waited for CEDIA to refresh its top of the line Blu-ray player and for good reason. You see although the older BD-UP50U was only Profile 1.1, and lacked most of the features we expect today, it was the only affordable BD player that featured RS-232 for home automation control. The good news is that control freaks won't have to make that much of a compromise anymore because the new BD-UP52U still has the aforementioned control interface, but also has has all the great Blu-ray features you're looking for -- you know like BD Live, a network adapter (apparently no WiFi) and the latest audio codecs. No fancy streaming services like Netflix or Vudu yet though, but the price and availability is all right at $379.99 this October. And the rep promised we'd see Netflix very very soon.

Sharp refreshes its top of the line Blu-ray player with the BD-UP52U originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HT-SB500 soundbar poised to overthrow HT-SB300 as Sharp's best yet

Steven Kim — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:46:00 EST

Filed under: Speakers, Sharp

Before the end of the year, Sharp will have a new entry at the top of its soundbar offerings -- the HT-SB500. The $350 model, due in December, packs LCR and sub drivers in one cabinet, thus one-upping its stablemates with a "3.1-channel" soundbar designation. The latest multichannel connectivity is a moot point on soundbars, so the HT-SB500 takes the reasonable (at least in our experience) approach and sticks with optical and coaxial SPDIF inputs, stereo RCAs and a 3.5-mm jack. The onboard decoders for DTS, Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II should cover the bases for the intended uses, and adding in a dash of Dolby Virtual Speaker or SRS TruSurround HD processing should help create a soundstage that's bigger than the soundbar itself. Sharp knows aesthetics really count in this segment, and caps things off with its Touch Panel (hey, it's trendy right now) controls up front. Full details after the break.

Continue reading HT-SB500 soundbar poised to overthrow HT-SB300 as Sharp's best yet

HT-SB500 soundbar poised to overthrow HT-SB300 as Sharp's best yet originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp, CEC partner up for cheap LCDs in China

Steven Kim — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:49:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Sharp, LCD

Sharp and Sony are planning to dazzle and amaze us with the latest and greatest 10G LCDs rolling off the production lines of their shared facility in 2011, but there will still be plenty of money to made on older tech. With an eye on the bottom line, Sharp has partnered up with the generically-named China Electronics Corp. (CEC) in Nanjing. Not only will Sharp be selling 6G equipment for smaller displays to the Panda group of CEC, but the two will also be firing up an 8G LCD plant in Nanjing in March of 2011. Thanks in part to government stimulus action, China's developed a voracious appetite for affordable LCDs, and the Nanjing plant will aim to serve up 80,000 cheap panels to the market. So far, this collaboration is all about LCDs, so don't expect any CHBD-infused toys from Sharp any time soon.

Sharp, CEC partner up for cheap LCDs in China originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIZIO keeps the LCD TV crown in Q2, but Samsung is closing

Richard Lawler — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Displays, LG, Others, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, LCD

Injunctions, hail, sleet or snow, VIZIO kept shipping its LCD HDTVs in large amounts during the second quarter, enough of them to account for 21.7% of the market, according to iSuppli. That was enough to narrowly hold off Samsung, which saw its numbers rise sharply from 17.8% in the previous quarter to 21.3%, reportedly due to its introduction and marketing of new LED sets, which contributed to 2.2 percent of all LCDs sold during the period. The analysts also see a growing trend of customers coming back for their second flat panel television to replace an older one, just the kind of people it thinks might gravitate towards features like skinny, power efficient LED designs. We'll see if that's enough to swing the balance Samsung's way, or if customers stick with VIZIO's approach.

Read - VIZIO Again Ranked #1 in U.S. LCD HDTV Shipments
Read - Samsung Cuts Into Vizio's Lead in U.S. LCD TV Market in Second Quarter

VIZIO keeps the LCD TV crown in Q2, but Samsung is closing originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's AQUOS DX2 HDTVs don't need any help to burn Blu-ray discs

Richard Lawler — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:19:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Displays, Sharp, LCD

So, Sharp, you introduced the world's first HDTV line with integrated Blu-ray players last year, what are you going to do next? Only naturally, the Japanese lineup of DX2 series one-ups the original DX by adding Blu-ray recording as well. It doesn't appear that these pack the LED backlighting of the new X-Gen based displays headed our way this fall, so for now buyers will have to make do with the 15,000:1 contrast ratio shared with the other D-series televisions. Still, the big deal here is that the 1080p (52-, 46- and 40-inch) and 720p (32- and 26-inch) displays will burn up to 30 hours of HD video on dual-layer Blu-ray discs, by way of transcoding and compressing to MPEG-4 format without any messy external boxes or wires. The price range from ¥170,000 ($1,740) at the low end to ¥480,000 for the largest size when these ship September 15 but don't count on seeing them on this side of the Pacific (or the Atlantic.)

[Via AV Watch]

Sharp's AQUOS DX2 HDTVs don't need any help to burn Blu-ray discs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony, Sharp 10G LCD production plant deal officially official

Richard Lawler — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:18:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Sharp, Sony, LCD

Economic difficulties made things more complicated than expected, but Sharp and Sony have finally inked an agreement on a billion dollar joint venture that will see Sony initially taking a 7% stake later this year, rising to 34% by the end of April 2011. The key here is for Sony to get access to the production, while Sharp sees this as just the first of several deals that will allow it to sell half of the 13 million 42-inch TVs produced annually to other manufacturers. The Nikkei says deals with Toshiba and European manufacturers are on the table, so despite what your next TV says on the front, there's a decent chance it originates at the Sakai plant scheduled to open in October.

Read - AV Watch
Read - Nikkei

Sony, Sharp 10G LCD production plant deal officially official originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On again / off again Sony & Sharp LCD plant is still on, just delayed

Richard Lawler — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:52:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Sharp, Sony, LCD

It seems that the details of Sony and Sharp's LCD joint venture are still being worked out, but, by the end of the month Sony is expected to agree on investing around $1 billion to take a 34% share in the plant by next spring, though Sharp will be operating it on its own beginning in October. In case the 10-figure investment hadn't tipped you off, the first 10G plan is kind of like a big deal, which will certainly lead to plenty of progressively cheaper and larger flat screens headed our way in the coming years, whether they'll have the picture quality to satisfy vs. plasma is another question.

[Via Reuters]

On again / off again Sony & Sharp LCD plant is still on, just delayed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Numbers be damned, plasma eats LCD's cake in DisplayMate's tests

Steven Kim — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:38:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Reviews, Displays, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, LCD, Plasma

Even as the past year has been cruel to plasma, we've stood by the "old" gas capsule technology. The results of DisplayMate's controlled tests clearly show some of the reasons why we love us some plasma. The lineup of 2008-vintage, top of the line LCDs from Samsung, Sharp and Sony were calibrated and pitted against a top-end Pansonic plasma. You'll have to hit the link to get the full blow-by-blow results, but suffice it to say that the plasma set trumped the LCDs in the areas of contrast, color accuracy (to be fair, the Sony came close) and black level -- both on and off axis. Even for LCD fans, these results show that the side of the box with its inflated specs is no place to look for indications of picture quality. For those already in the know about plasma, though, there's a lot of reason to hope that even if the technology is in its autumn years, there's an Indian summer up ahead.
[Via TVSnob]

Numbers be damned, plasma eats LCD's cake in DisplayMate's tests originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp intros slate of new AQUOS LCD HDTVs, first LED models included

Darren Murph — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Sharp, LCD

There are just two months to go before CEDIA kicks off in Atlanta, but Sharp's obviously not down with waiting 'til the Fall to introduce its latest gaggle of AQUOS HDTVs. First off, we're taking a look at the outfit's first LED-backlit AQUOS television, which will be available in 52- (LC-52LE700UN), 46- (LC-46LE700UN), 40- (LC-40E700UN) and 32-inch (LC-32LE700UN) screen class sizes. Each of the sets boast 1080p resolutions, a new X-Gen Panel -- which supposedly leads to deep, dark black levels that could very well blow your mind -- a 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 176-degree viewing angles. Separately, Sharp also debuted the 65-inch LC-65E77UM and the 60-inch LC-60E77UN, 1080p sets that are joining the E77 series and offering up 120Hz dejudder technology, a 4 millisecond response time, four HDMI sockets and an RS-232 socket for custom installers. We should be getting a little face time with all of these here shortly, and if you're looking for specifics on any given set, hop on past the read link and have a look.

Continue reading Sharp intros slate of new AQUOS LCD HDTVs, first LED models included

Sharp intros slate of new AQUOS LCD HDTVs, first LED models included originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer & Sharp Blu-ray joint venture officially official

Richard Lawler — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:29:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Pioneer, Sharp

Pioneer and Sharp have officially finalized their deal to combine Blu-ray operations, completing the joint venture planned since Pioneer began navigating its way out of several businesses including its Kuro plasma HDTVs. The official PDF has all the details, but the salient points are that Pioneer will have 66% ownership and 3 of 5 seats on the board of the 450-employee joint venture, ready to start up on schedule October 1, for the development, design, manufacture and sale of optical disc products, primarily Blu-ray.

Pioneer & Sharp Blu-ray joint venture officially official originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp says ITC ban on LCD imports won't affect US consumers

Nilay Patel — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Samsung, Sharp

We just spent some time talking to Sharp's reps about that ITC ban on its LCD panels, and while they certainly didn't sound happy about the ruling, they made it clear that it shouldn't have too much of an effect on US consumers -- Aquos TVs and Sharp professional LCD displays currently on shelves are fine to be sold, and updated models have been hitting the channel as of last month. As you'd expect, the new displays have been re-engineered to workaround the Samsung patent in question, but here's where it gets confusing: the basic model numbers haven't changed. Instead, the new units have an "N" at the end, so a TV like the Aquos LC52-E77U will now be labeled LC52-E77UN. Sharp says the updated models have exactly the same specs as the outgoing ones, but we're waiting on a detailed list of spec changes -- or better, a side-by-side comparison -- so we can decide whether or not the HDTV equivalents of a pre-CBS Fender are floating around out there.

Update: Sharp hit us back with some revised information, so we've changed the post slightly.

Sharp says ITC ban on LCD imports won't affect US consumers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp LCD panels banned from US import until further notice

Nilay Patel — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:17:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Samsung, Sharp

Chalk up another huge win for Samsung in its long-running patent dispute with Sharp: the US International Trade Commission has just issued a ruling banning importation of Sharp LCD panels that infringe one of Samsung's viewing-angle patents. As you might imagine, the ban covers a wide swath of Sharp's consumer products, including the Aquos TV line, but it's not clear on how it'll affect other companies that use Sharp panels -- this ruling could potentially have a huge impact on the entire tech market. On the other hand, we'd bet that Sharp's lawyers are furiously putting together a request to have the ban delayed while an appeal is sorted out, so this is far from over -- in fact, we'd say the real fireworks are just beginning.

Sharp LCD panels banned from US import until further notice originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp BD-HP22H takes a green approach to Blu-ray in the U.K.

Richard Lawler — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:11:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Players, Sharp

The UK is getting its own taste of Sharp provided BD-Live Blu-ray playing tech with the BD-HP22H, complete with DTS-HD MA, Dolby TrueHD and 1080p24 support. Still, to get buyers to come up with the £199.99 pricetag, its touting a 0.7W/standby 20W/playing energy rating. Buyers should be able to decide if that's worth a few quid later on this month.

Sharp BD-HP22H takes a green approach to Blu-ray in the U.K. originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp adds cyan and yellow to its RGB displays, laughs scornfully at magenta

Tim Stevens — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:21:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Sharp, LCD

Sharp is taking some cues from the nearly dearly departed print publishing world for its next line of LCDs, adding two colors to the typical RGB gamut. Cyan and yellow, half of the CMYK spread that makes your Sunday Garfield sketch pop, are going to be added to the company's displays to make up what it's dubbing "Multi-Primary-Color Technology." The tech is said to be able to reproduce 99 percent of all colors able to be perceived by the human eye -- because apparently 1.7 billion colors from a traditional LCD wasn't enough. The displays will be on display at the Society for Information Display Symposium in San Antonio starting next week. So, lucky Texans, prepare to get your cone cells massaged.

Sharp adds cyan and yellow to its RGB displays, laughs scornfully at magenta originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 29 May 2009 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yahoo Japan fires up video delivery service for Sharp AQUOS TVs

Darren Murph — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Media streamers, Sharp, LCD, Internet

With Akihabara, mobile TV that works and games like this, does Japan really need another nicety to remind us of how awesome it is? Starting this week, Yahoo Japan has started to deliver free video services to loads of Sharp AQUOS HDTVs. The so-called Douga Channel currently offers some 3,000 videos gratis, and absolutely no member registration is required to tap in. At least initially, the service will target Sharp's AQUOS DS6 family of products, which are equipped with a revised Sharp GUI and an 'Ex System' for handling the video processing. Better still, the material coming through can be viewed in SD or HD, which has to make local cable companies cringe. At any rate, the company is still trying to hammer out a business model before delving into pay-TV, and it's hoping to service at least one million TV sets in the not-too-distant future. So... any news for North America?

Yahoo Japan fires up video delivery service for Sharp AQUOS TVs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 28 May 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's 20-inch AQUOS DX LCD HDTV has a built-in Blu-ray player, no 1080p panel

Darren Murph — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:39:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Displays, Players, Sharp, LCD

Cute Sharp, real cute. Brag about releasing the world's first 20-inch LCD HDTV with a built-in Blu-ray player, but don't even mention to consumers that they won't have the luxury of seeing their flicks in full resolution. For reasons unknown, the latest set in the AQUOS DX range does indeed pack a remarkably convenient integrated BD player, but the 1,366 x 768 resolution makes the whole thing sort of pointless. As Liz Lemon would say: "That's a deal-breaker, ladies." At any rate, folks who snap one up in Japan will also find a digital TV tuner, DVD support, a 1,500:1 contrast ratio and 450 nits of brightness. It'll be available in black (LC-20DX1-B) and white (LC-20DX1-W) for ¥150,000 ($1,593) at the tail end of next month in the Land of the Rising Sun.

[Via Engadget German]

Sharp's 20-inch AQUOS DX LCD HDTV has a built-in Blu-ray player, no 1080p panel originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 22 May 2009 07:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's AQUOS D series 10 gets hip with the online kick

Tim Stevens — Mon, 11 May 2009 06:41:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Sharp

Bargain LCDs are selling like hotcakes, but apparently folks are still buying the higher-end models too. Just a few weeks after announcing its new A series, Sharp is now releasing another new selection of sets, the AQUOS D 10 series. Ranging in size from 32- to 52-inches, the new LCDs have similar specs to the A, including a 1080p resolution, 15,000:1 contrast ratio, a judder-hating 120Hz mode, and the ability to automatically adjust contrast, but will sport one potentially major addition: compatibility with online video content services. Right now streaming seems limited to Yahoo! Japan's online offerings, but if and when these come Stateside here's hoping they have a little Hulu up in there. All are said to be shipping in Japan right now for an undisclosed price.

[Via Akihabara News]

Sharp's AQUOS D series 10 gets hip with the online kick originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 11 May 2009 06:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Solar-powered 'guiltless green' home theater system makes your Wall-E Blu-ray very happy

Ross Miller — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:42:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Other hardware, Sharp, Projector

When Home Theater Specialists of America (HTSA) executive director Richard Glikes wanted a home theater system, he didn't just max it out with the best high definition equipment. He also thought to run it entirely from solar energy from four roof-mounted panels that produce an aggregate of 700 watts per hour in sunlight. It'll reportedly run things for 19 hours straight without having to dip into your traditional power grid. Hardware-wise, we're talking about a 100-inch screen, Sharp projector, six SpeakerCraft in-wall speakers, Integra AV receiver, Lutron lighting, and a universal remote. See how it was made, with the help of time-lapse photography and 1980s infomercial-genre background music, in the video after the break.

Continue reading Solar-powered 'guiltless green' home theater system makes your Wall-E Blu-ray very happy

Solar-powered 'guiltless green' home theater system makes your Wall-E Blu-ray very happy originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's 10th generation LCD plant opening ahead of schedule this fall

Richard Lawler — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 08:47:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Sharp, LCD

Make a little more space on the wall, Sharp announced that its new 10G plant, will open in October. Originally scheduled to open next year, the new process can produce 6 60-inch LCDs in one substrate, 60% larger than the old 8G plant. When it open it will be capable of manufacturing 36,000 substrates per month, and go up to 72,000 later, which should mean nothing but bigger and cheaper HDTVs on store shelves.

Sharp's 10th generation LCD plant opening ahead of schedule this fall originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 08:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer, Sharp agree to joint Blu-ray venture

Richard Lawler — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:19:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Pioneer, Sharp

As mentioned during Pioneer's reorganization, it's combining forces in the optical disc biz with Sharp, and have signed a basic agreement to start combined operations October 1. The aim is to strengthen the joint venture's stance in the Blu-ray market, but what exactly this means for Pioneer's Elite line of players is unknown. Negotiations are still underway and we should likely hear more by the time a final agreement is reached, anticipated by June 25. [Warning: PDF read link]

Pioneer, Sharp agree to joint Blu-ray venture originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Mets' Citi Field set to be loaded with AQUOS HDTVs

Darren Murph — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Sharp, LCD, Sports

It's still up in the air whether the New York Mets will have a solid 2009 season, but one thing is for certain: locals are stoked to see Citi Field open up on April 13th. Sharp has just pushed out a press release that gives baseball loving HD junkies even more reason to go check out a game in person, as we're told that over 800 AQUOS HDTVs will be littered about the new venue. There will also be a gigantic 108-inch Sharp LCD in Citi Field's main lobby, which ought to complement the 12,000 square-feet of Daktronics HD signage quite well. Man, stuff like this really makes us rethink the whole "stay home vs. see it live" debate. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading New York Mets' Citi Field set to be loaded with AQUOS HDTVs

New York Mets' Citi Field set to be loaded with AQUOS HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp Display Products emerges from Sharp / Sony joint venture

Darren Murph — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:09:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Sharp, Sony, LCD

It's been just over a year since we first heard that your next Sony LCD TV may actually be a Sharp, and while the joint venture has been flipped on and off again during the past 13 months, it seems that the stars are finally aligning in order to make this thing happen. Sharp is preparing a unit that will be launched on April 1st in order to act as "a base to be transformed into the joint venture." The unit will be christened Sharp Display Products Corporation, with Sharp owning 66 percent (and thus, the namesake) and Sony taking the remaining 34 percent. The two currently plan to start up production of LCD panels by March of 2010, which gives Sharp a solid dozen months to construct the facility in Sakai, Japan. Better hurry, folks -- it's not like OLED is breathing down your neck or anything.

Sharp Display Products emerges from Sharp / Sony joint venture originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung declares victory over Sharp in LCD patent dispute

Darren Murph — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Misc, Displays, Samsung, Sharp

Samsung and Sharp, like any good pair of competitors, have been slapping each other around for years now. Specifically, Sharp tagged Samsung with an LCD patent infringement lawsuit back in the latter half of 2007, and at long last the courts have made a decision. In short, Samsung wins. The Wall Street Journal has an exceptionally brief writeup noting that Sammy has declared victory in the case as a Tokyo court "upheld a Samsung Electronics' countersuit filed last June that claimed that Sharp LCD TV products infringed on Samsung's patents." There's no word on what affect this will have on either firm, but feel free to cheer / cry at the office today in order to truly show your fanboy colors at work.

Samsung declares victory over Sharp in LCD patent dispute originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp debuts AQUOS A series LCD HDTVs in Japan

Darren Murph — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Sharp, LCD

Sharp already introduced us to its BD and E series at CES this year, but this here A team is something different. Debuting first in Japan, this threesome is comprised of the 52-inch LC-52AE6, 46-inch LC-46AE6 and 40-inch LC-40AE6, all of which sport 1,920 x 1,080 resolutions and a digital TV tuner. The whole crew also includes 120Hz de-judder technology, a 15,000:1 contrast ratio, 450 nits of brightness and 176-degree viewing angles. Moreover, each one features an integrated ambient light sensor to adjust the backlight automatically depending on surrounding light, and they also pack a pair of stereo speakers in case your surround rig is currently out of order. The larger two are expected to ship on May 15th, while the small fellow heads out on April 10th; as for pricing, we're hearing ¥390,000 ($4,048), ¥260,000 ($2,698) and ¥200,000 ($2,076) from largest to most diminutive.

[Via Impress]

Gallery: Sharp debuts AQUOS A series LCD HDTVs in Japan

Sharp debuts AQUOS A series LCD HDTVs in Japan originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Four new Aquos Blu-ray DVRs on the way from Sharp

Richard Lawler — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:04:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, DVRs, Sharp

Sharp's back again with four more Blu-ray DVRs unlikely to ever see release here in the U.S., but all the rage in Japan. The main upgrade from last year is improved compression, going up to 7x, squeezing HD down to 3.4Mbps MPEG-4 AVC to fit up to 30 hours of HD on each disc. The top of the line BD-HDW40 features 1TB of hardware storage, dual digital TV tuners, 1080p/60 output, BD-Live, and all the oxygen-free copper cabling and anti-vibration tech one would expect, with the other three spec sheets causing predictably lowered paroxysms of pleasure for slightly lower prices.

Four new Aquos Blu-ray DVRs on the way from Sharp originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's 32- / 37-inch Blu-ray AQUOS LCD HDTVs up for pre-order

Darren Murph — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:23:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Displays, Sharp, LCD

Right on cue, Sharp has offered two of its new Blu-ray-equipped AQUOS HDTVs up for pre-order. The 32-inch LC-32BD60U and 37-inch LC-37BD60U both feature 1080p panels, a trio of HDMI inputs, six millisecond response times and a slot-loading Blu-ray player on the side. Best of all, the 32-incher is coming up a dollar under a grand, while the 37-inch sibling will only run you $1,199. Sure, they're a bit pricey compared to optical drive-less alternatives, but if you've been holding off on simultaneously scratching the BD + new TV itch, here's your sign.

[Via GadgetReview]

Sharp's 32- / 37-inch Blu-ray AQUOS LCD HDTVs up for pre-order originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screen Dreams bringing HD imagery to Sharp's AQUOS Net

Darren Murph — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:35:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others, Sharp, Internet

Artwork on HDTVs is nothing new, but Screen Dreams is the first HD imagery provider (that we know of) to take advantage of the incoming rush of connected HDTVs. Starting this April, the company's high-def imagery service will be ready for Sharp's line of AQUOS Net displays. Rather than having to insert a DVD, Blu-ray Disc or flash card into a set in order to get high-res screensavers running, users can simply hook their HDTV to the internet and watch the magic happen automatically. Yeah, we know -- this totally isn't the most exciting thing when one thinks about connected HDTVs, but if Screen Dreams can cut it, can you imagine the possibilities? The full release is after the break.

Continue reading Screen Dreams bringing HD imagery to Sharp's AQUOS Net

Screen Dreams bringing HD imagery to Sharp's AQUOS Net originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp and Sony delay LCD joint venture, not that it matters

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 06:06:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Sharp, Sony, LCD

The global economic downturn and rising Yen have claimed another victim: the LCD partnership between Sony and Sharp. The joint venture to make and sell large LCD panels has now been pushed to March 2010 -- the same date that Sharp's new LCD factory in Sakai is still scheduled to open. So one way or another you'll be able to snag the next generation Sharp- or Sony-branded LCD television. Assuming a) the companies survive, and b) you still have a job. What, too pessimistic?

Sharp and Sony delay LCD joint venture, not that it matters originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 06:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's LC-52D85U LCD HDTV reviewed: at least the image quality rocks

Darren Murph — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:24:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews, Displays, Sharp, LCD

When it comes to HDTVs, there's really only one thing that matters most: picture quality. Evidently Sharp's engineers took this to heart, as the 52-inch LC-52D85U was harshed on in just about every other area. The remote was picked apart for having minuscule buttons and a near-worthless backlight, while the on-screen menus were lambasted for being difficult to navigate. Heck, critics even blasted the omission of an SD card slot, Ethernet jack, USB socket and picture-in-picture functionality. One thing they couldn't slam, however, was the quality of the images coming from the screen, with critics noting that "at $2,300, this model provides the best picture for its price among the 50- and 52-inch sets." So, do you stare at your HDTV, or tinker with it? That, friends, is the question.

Sharp's LC-52D85U LCD HDTV reviewed: at least the image quality rocks originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will TV makers consolidate during downturn?

Darren Murph — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:05:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Displays, LG, Mitsubishi, Others, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba

It's a question that's always asked during downturns, but we actually believe there's a remote possibility of it happening this go 'round. A recent Wall Street Journal report suggests that industry experts anticipate only the top-tier brands -- Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Sharp, LG and Toshiba, for example -- making it through the current economic slowdown without consolidation. They also suggest that everyone else could be "forced to either pull out of the TV business or join forces with a surviving entity." Quite frankly, we feel that's probably a bit extreme, as we can't imagine names like Insignia and VIZIO vanishing (or crazier still, merging) when it's price that matters most. Still, we can appreciate that the big firms could likely outlast the others in terms of coping with weak sales, but we still refuse to believe that Westingneer is even close to becoming a reality.

Will TV makers consolidate during downturn? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The HDTVs of CES 2009

Darren Murph — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Industry, Displays, JVC, LG, Others, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Westinghouse

It's easy to see that a whole slew of new HDTVs were introduced to the world at CES, but actually keeping up with 'em is another thing entirely. In an effort to make sure you aren't duped into thinking that set you're about to buy is actually a CES '09-announced set, we've laid out the entire line of newcomers (ones that'll actually see store shelves -- we avoided the concepts to save you some grief) just past the break, complete with scheduled release dates and prices where applicable. Nah, you won't find any big screen OLEDs in there (maybe next year, kids), but there's plenty of Hz, pixels and inches to go around.

Continue reading The HDTVs of CES 2009

The HDTVs of CES 2009 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp gets with the Profile 2.0 program with the BD-HP16U & BD-HP22U

Ben Drawbaugh — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Sharp

Many thought that Profile 1.1 players should've died last year, but that just wasn't the case. But those internet content lovin' fools can finally get behind Sharp's Blu-ray players. At this point Sharp realizes that with all the Blu-ray players available, you gotta do something special to get noticed, so Sharp is striving to make its players work better with its line of TVs by automatically putting configuring the display the optimal viewing setting -- like dot by dot. The only thing that distinguishes these two players from each other is that the BD-HP22U will be out in May, includes 2GB of USB memory, and retails at $299, while the BD-HP16U is due in March for $229.

Sharp gets with the Profile 2.0 program with the BD-HP16U & BD-HP22U originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp delivers Blu-ray-packing BD-series Aquos LCDs for the US

Richard Lawler — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:53:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Displays, Sharp, LCD

Credit Sharp for still coming through a few surprises, sure you knew 32- and 42-inch Aquos HDTVs with built-in Blu-ray players, but they filled out the line with the 37-, 46- and 52-inch variations previously seen in Japan (no 26-inch love?) Built around the latest Superlucent ASV panel for reduced glare and bright, crisp picture quality, they didn't forget 24p support on the HDMI jacks, just in case you still want to plug another Blu-ray player in. No price, but with ATSC and QAM tuners plus RS-232C inputs, for a TV in a locations where a connected player doesn't make sense, these aren't a bad option when they ship later this month (32-, 37-, 42-inch) or in February (46-, 52-inch.) Press release is after the break.

Continue reading Sharp delivers Blu-ray-packing BD-series Aquos LCDs for the US

Sharp delivers Blu-ray-packing BD-series Aquos LCDs for the US originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp Aquos E Series hits the stage

Richard Lawler — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:26:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Sharp, LCD

Want Sharp's newest ASV Superlucent 1080p panel, but don't want a Blu-ray drive jammed in the back? Say hello to the Aquos E series. The E77U line packs 120Hz technology, a 4ms response time and Sharp's Spectral Engine XD for all manner of XD (Extreme Dark)or UD (Ultra Dark) situations -- eyeshine no longer necessary. Five HDMI 1.3 jacks, OPC function that automatically adjusts for lighting conditions and a soft gold accent towards the bottom of the frame signal your upscale tastes to all who haven't seen the prices ranging from $4,499 for the 65-inch to $1,399 for the 40-inch. The E67U gives more frugal buyers four HDMI jacks and a copper tone go along with the new ASV panel. Check after the break to see when your preferred model ships, with most due in February or March, and the LC-65E77U slipping out in June.

Continue reading Sharp Aquos E Series hits the stage

Sharp Aquos E Series hits the stage originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp debuts Blu-ray HTIB, soundbars and iPod docks

Richard Lawler — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:23:00 EST

Filed under: Blu-ray, Players, Sharp

Providing some audio punch to go along with all the video, Sharp's taking the wraps off of two new 5.1 HTIBs with Blu-ray included , the BD-MPC40 and BD-MPC30, plus two new 2.1 channel sound bars, the HT-SB300 and HT-SB200. Since no AV rollout is complete without an iPod dock, the DK-AP7N and DK-CL6N. Why, you ask, is only the soundbar pictured? To peek into the eye of the $799 piano black Blu-ray packing home theater units would be madness, ditto for the $99 - $129 iPod docks, ready to give you two channel audio (DK-CL6N) and 2.1 ESound processing, video out packing DK-AP7N. The theme here is convenience and quality in small packages, some hands and ears-on time should give us enough info to safely pass judgement.

Sharp debuts Blu-ray HTIB, soundbars and iPod docks originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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