“Let our rigorous testing and reviews be your guidelines to A/V equipment – not marketing slogans”
Facebook Youtube Twitter instagram pinterest

Sharp AQUOS BD Series LCD with Integrated Blu-ray

By
Sharp AQUOS BD series

Sharp AQUOS BD series

Summary

  • Product Name: AQUOS BD series
  • Manufacturer: Sharp
  • Review Date: January 08, 2009 12:57
  • First Impression: Pretty Cool

SideSharp showed off an entire line of new AQUOS LCD TVs with built-in Blu-ray disc players, for a convenient all-in-one home theater solution. The Full-HD 1080p AQUOS BD series, which includes the 52-inch LC-52BD80U, 46-inch LC-46BD80U, 42-inch LC-42BD80U, 37-inch LC-37BD60U and 32-inch LC-32BD60U combines a high definition television with a side-loading multi-slot for Blu-ray, DVD and CD content. The series offers a single-step operation feature that turns on the TV and activates play when a BD disc is inserted. In addition, the BD series features a newly developed Advanced Super View "Superlucent" panel for a dramatically bright and crisp picture with reduced reflection and a new AQUOS Pure Mode for convenient optimized viewing of Blu-ray titles.

Sharp’s new ASV "Superlucent" panel applies an ultra-smooth finish that minimizes gloss while intensifying panel brightness and contrast. 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. The LC-52BD80U, LC-46BD80U and LC-42BD80U further improve picture quality with Fine Motion Enhanced technology for 120Hz Frame Rate Conversion, a 10-bit panel for Deep Color compatibility and “de-judder” technology that results in the smooth reproduction of film content. All five models offer fast pixel response time, ensuring that viewers never miss a detail of high-definition content.

Additionally, Sharp’s "Spectral Contrast Engine" provides deep blacks and high contrast ratios. This ultimate home entertainment series also offers impressive 176 degree viewing angles, enabling the color reproduction to appear bright and vivid from virtually anywhere in a room. Two components of the Spectral Contrast Engine, Optical Picture Control (OPC), which automatically adjusts luminance to room brightness and lighting conditions, and Brightness Preservation picture processing also make these models very energy efficient. In fact, all models in this series exceed the EPA's Energy Star certification requirement by at least 15%.

These full-HD 1080p models have four HDMI inputs on the LC-52BD80U, LC-46BD80U and LC-42BD80U and three on the LC-37BD60U and LC-32BD60U, as well as two component video inputs, all of which are 1080p compatible. The HDMI terminals all have 24p input capability for high-quality Blu-ray video processing. All the models house a built-in ATSC and QAM tuner for access to DTV channels. The units also feature an RS-232C connection for custom installations and a separate PC input so the TV serves a dual purpose as a PC monitor.

The LC-52BD80U and LC-46BD80U will be available in February while the LC-42BD80U, LC-37BD60U, and LC-32BD60U will be available this month.

For more information please visit sharpusa.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.

About the author:
author portrait

As Associate Editor at Audioholics, Tom promises to the best of his ability to give each review the same amount of attention, consideration, and thoughtfulness as possible and keep his writings free from undue bias and preconceptions. Any indication, either internally or from another, that bias has entered into his review will be immediately investigated. Substantiation of mistakes or bias will be immediately corrected regardless of personal stake, feelings, or ego.

View full profile