sharp lcd panel reviews manufacturer

Impressive picture performance characterized by good clarity and vibrant, rich color - is how I would introduce this Sharp LCD offering. This Sharp LCD runs warm as one of its only picture negatives. The major setting that needs toggling to correct the reddish appearance of flesh tones is the Color adjustment, which should be set at around -10 to give the viewer a more realistic picture especially in flesh tones. All other picture settings are better left alone as they render little change in result.

The second drawback of the unit is a motion trailer effect, which is prevalent in most LCD TVs. This is caused by a signal response time which Sharp claims is 15 milliseconds compared with a plasma display which has a signal response time of 7 milliseconds. On almost all LCD TVs fast motion scenes can display some trailer effect and that is true of this unit as well.

Viewing angle is a strong point of Sharp LCD TVs compared to other manufactures as the company is constantly striving to improve its LCD panel performance. Sharp is the dominant player in LCD manufacturing and many companies OEM the panel for their LCD display offerings from Sharp. For this reason Sharp is the leader, along with possibly Samsung in quality development in the LCD world. The three areas of major concern are contrast - which on this 20" unit appears solid, viewing angle - which I measure at about 60 degrees before loss of picture quality, and signal response time - which is improving but still lagging such technologies as plasma.

Sharp 20" LCDs are competitive but never strive to be the cheapest - believing their product to be superior. This unit can be found in the $1200 range and is a good buy at the price in today"s market.

I work in games and entertainment, and so I own and have owned several TVs, projectors, computers, VR headsets, etc. The Sharp Aquos tv is by far the worst television I"ve ever owned. Ever since I"ve owned the tv there has been very distracting brightness adjustments within any Amazon show I try to watch (that I cannot turn off even after turning off every "smart" gamma feature in the tv, and rebooting factory defaults). Then Amazon just stopped working altogether one day, and because it comes installed in the tv you don"t have the option to remove or reinstall it.

Furthermore, the experience with the customer care reps at Sharp and at Hisense, the manufacturer who would be in charge of any fixes has been like pulling teeth. I have had to relay the same information to multiple people via email and phone because they don"t keep track of their cases very well. Based on the service I"ve received thus far I have little to no hope of them fixing or replacing the tv, so I"ll probably end up just eating the cost and buying a new tv all together (a TCL, which womps Sharp in my experience). I will never again even consider a Sharp product, or a Google TV.Read full review

Back in 2016, to determine if the TV panel lottery makes a significant difference, we bought three different sizes of the Samsung J6300 with panels from different manufacturers: a 50" (version DH02), a 55" (version TH01), and a 60" (version MS01). We then tested them with the same series of tests we use in all of our reviews to see if the differences were notable.

Our Samsung 50" J6300 is a DH02 version, which means the panel is made by AU Optronics. Our 55" has an original TH01 Samsung panel. The panel in our 60" was made by Sharp, and its version is MS01.

Upon testing, we found that each panel has a different contrast ratio. The 50" AUO (DH02) has the best contrast, at 4452:1, followed by the 60" Sharp (MS01) at 4015:1. The Samsung 55" panel had the lowest contrast of the three: 3707:1.

These results aren"t really surprising. All these LCD panels are VA panels, which usually means a contrast between 3000:1 and 5000:1. The Samsung panel was quite low in that range, leaving room for other panels to beat it.

The motion blur results are really interesting. The response time of the 55" TH01 Samsung panel is around double that of the Sharp and AUO panels. This is even consistent across all 12 transitions that we measured.

For our measurements, a difference in response time of 10 ms starts to be noticeable. All three are within this range, so the difference isn"t very noticeable to the naked eye, and the Samsung panel still performs better than most other TVs released around the same time.

We also got different input lag measurements on each panel. This has less to do with software, which is the same across each panel, and more to do with the different response times of the panels (as illustrated in the motion blur section). To measure input lag, we use the Leo Bodnar tool, which flashes a white square on the screen and measures the delay between the signal sent and the light sensor detecting white. Therefore, the tool"s input lag measurement includes the 0% to 100% response time of the pixel transition. If you look at the 0% to 100% transitions that we measured, you will see that the 55" takes about 10 ms longer to transition from black to white.

All three have bad viewing angles, as expected for VA panels. If you watch TV at an angle, most likely none of these TVs will satisfy you. The picture quality degrades at about 20 degrees from the side. The 60" Sharp panel is worse than the other ones though. In the video, you can see the right side degrading sooner than the other panels.

It"s unfortunate that manufacturers sometimes vary the source of their panels and that consumers don"t have a way of knowing which one they"re buying. Overall though, at least in the units we tested, the panel lottery isn"t something to worry about. While there are differences, the differences aren"t big and an original Samsung panel isn"t necessarily better than an outsourced one. It"s also fairly safe to say that the same can be said of other brands. All panels have minute variations, but most should perform within the margin of error for each model.

If you"re looking for a big-screen TV of 60 inches or above, then Sharp should be one of the first brands you consider. Last year"s LC-LE640U was a very good combination of picture quality and value, and its replacement offers more of the same. In fact they"re almost identical, and that"s not a bad thing.

The Sharp LE650 boasts better overall picture quality than most competing LCD TVs. Black levels and shadows are dark and detailed, color is accurate, and the image maintains fidelity well in a bright room.

At its current price, the 650U is still a good deal, even if it does exact a bit of a premium over the likes of the Vizio E1i-A3 series, a worse performer that"s still its principal current competition. I expect that competition to stiffen further over the next nine months as more makers enter the 60-inch-plus mainstream, but if last year is any indication, the Sharp 6 series will continue to remain one of the best values.

Series information: I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 60-inch Sharp LC-60LE650, but this review also applies to the other screen size in the series. Both sizes have identical specs, and according to the manufacturer should provide very similar picture quality.

Apart from a new SmartCentral page, Sharp"s menu system is identical to those of previous years. Navigation is top-loaded and scrolls left to right, and it is fairly easy to find the things you need.

Features The 650 series is Sharp"s entry-level model and does without some of the more involved features like a 3D compatibility, and the four-color 8 series. The TV has an edge-lit display but lacks local dimming, and I wouldn"t be surprised if only the electronics (and not the LCD panel itself) received an upgrade over the LE640. Other features include USB and DLNA media playback and built-in Wi-Fi.

The LE650 sports a new "Wallpaper Mode" that can display preinstalled artwork or photos from a USB drive when the unit is powered down. It"s a nice touch, and the muted backlight level makes the image look less like a TV left turned on and more like room decor. Sharp assures us the power draw is minimal.

Smart TV: If there"s one major change to this TV, it"s better brains. While only select Sharp models from last year got the full Smart TV suite, in 2013 it has now been rolled out to the entire range -- with the exception of the 50-inch 6 series. Every other 2013 Sharp, including this one, can receive access to Hulu Plus, Pandora, and a Web browser in addition to old favorites like Netflix. Check out our

The TV now includes two smart modes too. Hit the Smart Central button and you"ll see the marquee look of before, hit it again and you"ll get a more traditional interface divvied up into categories -- video, music, games etc. Like most Smart TVs the games aren"t much chop, and Sharp hasn"t yet erected a store to buy new ones.

The Sharp 650U features five tweakable picture modes, a gamma slider, a full color management system, and an upgraded 10-point grayscale control. Also included is the ability to tweak the strength of dejudder, aka

Is the LE650"s picture quality a significant improvement on the TV that came before it? No, but that"s perfectly OK since its predecessor was one of the few LCD TVs last year to earn a "7" or higher in this category. The LE650 has better color accuracy, particularly with skin tones, and it can render shadow detail a bit more successfully than the 640, but conversely its 1080i film de-interlacing got worse. The 640"s strengths, including solid black level performance and the ability to handle ambient light well, remain intact, allowing this Sharp to outperform competitors like the Vizio E1i-A3.

Black level: Black levels are very similar between the old and new Sharp, with the LE650 showing an ever-so-slight edge, particularly with high-contrast scenes. The two Sharps were the darkest in our lineup, apart from the Panasonic ST50, and the Vizio and LG were the weakest in terms of having the lightest black levels.

During "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow Part II," however, something unusual was happening between the two Sharps. The LE640 showed a preference for shadow detail on the right side of the screen (45:55) while the LE650 illuminated the left. In the LE640"s case this turned out to be a matter of the TV creating false details in dark areas -- none of the other TVs in the lineup exhibited the same "unmasking". Shadow detail on the LE650, on the other hand, was very good, with both punchiness and subtlety in equal measure.

Color accuracy: Overall the color balance of the Sharp LE650 was very good, especially in the cooler end of the spectrum. Blues and cyans on the Sharp were closer to the Panasonic ST50 during the images of oceans in "The Tree of Life." Greens and reds showed a tendency for desaturation, but skin tones were quite good.

Uniformity: Uniformity was an issue for the previous year"s television, and it"s no surprise that the issue hasn"t changed on the LE650. While it was acceptable there were some issues in the top-left corner -- both black and color uniformity were off. However, both Sharp TVs performed better than the LG LM7600, which had very poor uniformity with yellow blotches of leaking light. When viewed off-axis the LE650 also performed identically to the LE640 with desaturated colors and blueish blacks.

Bright lighting: The big Sharp is well suited to a bright space. It has a matte screen, and like the LE640 before it, performs well in a lit room with contrast and deep blacks equal to its peers".

However, with rock music and action movies there has been a slight improvement in bass response. Compared to the other TVs in the lineup, the LE650 was nearer the bottom while the Panasonic ST50 came out best with full bass, clear vocals, and plenty of treble. The only TV that was worse than the Sharp was the LG LM7600, which distorted our Nick Cave test track. GEEK BOX: Test Result Score

Sharp showcased its 108-inch LCD today at CES in Las Vegas. This HUGE display measures 52.9-inches high by 93.9-inches wide, and features a Black Advanced Super View Full-Spec HD LCD panel manufactured at Sharp’s Kameyama Plant No. 2, the first plant in the world to use 8th generation glass substrates. With this development, Sharp has demonstrated that it is possible to produce LCD TVs in sizes ranging from 13-inches to super-large sizes like the 108-inch, and that LCD is the predominant display device in the flat-panel television market, which is forecast to grow dramatically in the future.

Sharp is working to further the evolution of LCD TVs based on the success of developing the 108-inch model, and as the world’s leading manufacturer of LCD TVs, will continue to develop state-of-the-art products.

For more information on Sharp’s full line of Liquid Crystal Televisions, contact Sharp Electronics Corporation, Sharp Plaza, Mahwah, N.J. 07430, or call 800-BE-SHARP. For online product information, visit Sharp’s Web site at sharpusa.com.

Sharp lcd panels are easy to install and have the most basic features. When looking for lcd panels at wholesale prices, Alibaba.com offers a wide variety of sharp lcd panels that are easy to install and maintain, and are the perfect option for those looking for a new option.

Small lcd panels for sale are great for those looking for a new option, but be sure to stock a variety of sharp lcd panels for business owners. If you are looking for a sharp lcd panel for your business, consider buying smaller businesses.

Sharp lcd panels are versatile and have the same functions as a flexible smartphone. It"s great for first-time buyers to find the lcd panels that are versatile and have the same functions as a flexible smartphone display. Lcd panels are versatile and have a wide range of functions, such as displaying Tft displays, and for smart- screen displays.

Alibaba.com offers a wide variety of cheap lcd panels and lcd panel printing. Different materials are available, such as wood, laminate, and glass, and metal lcd panels. Although different materials are available, different materials are used, and can be found to satisfy the needs of their customers.

Sharp Corporation(シャープ株式会社, is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products, headquartered in Sakai-ku, Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. Since 2016 it has been majority owned by the Taiwan-based Foxconn Group.mechanical pencil, which was invented by company founder Tokuji Hayakawa in 1915.

In 1912, Tokuji Hayakawa founded a metal workshop in Tokyo. The first of his many inventions was a snap buckle named "Tokubijo". Another of his inventions was the Ever-Ready Sharp mechanical pencil in 1915. The product became one of the first internationally available mechanical pencils (while concurrent US design replaced it soon and became a modern type), and due to this big success the Sharp Corporation derived its name from it.1923 Great Kantō earthquake, the company relocated to Osaka and began designing the first generation of Japanese radio sets. These went on sale in 1925.

In 1964, the company developed the world"s first transistor calculator (the Sharp CS-10A), which was priced at JP¥535,000 (US$1,400). It took Sharp several years to develop the product as they had no experience in making computing devices at the time. Two years later, in 1966, Sharp introduced its first IC calculator using 145 Mitsubishi Electric-made bipolar ICs, priced at JP¥350,000 (about US$1000). Its first LSI calculator was introduced in 1969. This was the first pocketable calculator priced at less than JP¥100,000 (less than US$300), and turned out to be a popular item.

Sharp produced the first LCD calculator in 1973. Sharp had a working relationship with Nintendo during the 1980s, and was granted licensing rights for the manufacture and development of the C1 NES TV (1983, later released in North America as the Sharp Nintendo Television), the Twin Famicom (1986), the Sharp Famicom Titler (1989), and the SF-1 SNES TV (1990). All of these units are considered collectors items on the secondary market. One of the company"s main inventors of LCD calculators was Tadashi Sasaki.

Sharp introduced low-cost microwave ovens affordable for residential use in the late 1970s. Sharp ventured into the high end stereo market in 1976 with the introduction of high end receivers, amplifiers, speakers, turntables and cassette players. The Optonica line as it was called, consisted of high quality and technically advanced components, that was expanded in 1979, to cover a broader selection of high end equipment. During this run, Sharp introduced digital technology to some of the Optonica products, along with the traditional analogue products, and offered a complete selection of models ranging from low power high end receivers to very powerful models. The line was again changed, in 1981, and moved mainly into digital high end, complete stereo systems with advanced technological features setting the trend towards the digital age. The line was discontinued after 1981, but the Optonica line was again re-introduced in the late 1980s for a high end line of television receivers and higher quality mass market audio products such as VCR"s, surround sound receivers, CD cassette boom boxes, and portable cassette players.

Since 2000, Sharp heavily invested in LCD panel manufacturing plants: Kameyama in 2004, Sakai in 2009. The Sakai plant is still the only 10th generation LCD manufacturing plant on the globe and its best fit for production of 60-inch or larger panels. However, the 2008 financial crisis and strong Yen (especially against Won) significantly lowered world demand for Japanese LCD panels. Furthermore, the switch to digital TV broadcasting was virtually completed in Japan by the middle of 2011. Via Japanese government issued coupons for digital TV sets, consumers were encouraged to purchase digital TV sets until March 2011. This hit the Japanese LCD TV market, reducing it almost by half from 2010. All of those events strongly hit Sharp"s LCD business. As the result, the Sakai LCD plant suffered a reduced operating rate until Q3 2012.

From 2005 to 2010 Sharp was the biggest mobile phone brand in Japan. Since then it has been constantly switching places through financial quarters against rivals Fujitsu, Apple and Sony.

On 25 June 2009, Sharp and Pioneer agreed to form a joint venture comprising their optical businesses, called "Pioneer Digital Design and Manufacturing Corporation".

In 2012 Sharp unveiled the largest production TV at the time, with a screen size of 80 inches. It is part of the Aquos range and went on sale in Japan at around JP¥950,000.

2012 was the 100th anniversary for Sharp but it announced the worst financial record in its history, with a loss of JP¥376 billion (US$4.7 billion) in April 2012. In September, Sharp announced job cuts.

In March 2012 the Taiwan-based electronics company Hon Hai, trading as Foxconn, agreed to acquire a 10% stake in Sharp Corporation for US$806 million, and to purchase up to 50 percent of the LCD displays produced at Sharp"s plant in Sakai, Japan.

After years of huge losses in its overseas TV business, Sharp sold its Mexico TV factory to Chinese electronics manufacturer Hisense for $23.7 million in July 2015. The sale includes rights to use the Sharp brand name and all its channel resources in North and South America, except Brazil. This meant that Sharp has exited the TV market in the Americas (except Brazil).LCD TVs a decade earlier.

Sharp began selling the world"s first commercially available TV with a 8K resolution in October 2015.NHK will have test broadcasts at 8K starting 2016, with regular services expected by the time of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

On 25 February 2016, Foxconn announced its intent to acquire a 66% controlling stake in Sharp for 700 billion yen (US$6.24 billion).contract manufacturer.

In September 2016 Sharp unveiled the Sharp INTELLOS Automated Unmanned Ground Vehicle (A-UGV) at the ASIS International 62nd Annual Seminar and Exhibits (ASIS 2016) in Orlando, Florida.

In June 2017, Sharp sued its Chinese licensee Hisense for damaging the reputation of its brand, seeking an exit from its licensing agreement. Sharp accused the company of producing "shoddily manufactured" televisions under the Sharp name, including products they believed were in violation of U.S. safety standards for electromagnetic radiation, and the subject of deceptive advertising over their quality. Hisense denied that it engaged in these practices, and stated that it planned to defend itself in court and "will continue to manufacture and sell quality televisions under the Sharp licensed brands."

In March 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Sharp announced it would use a TV factory with high-end clean rooms to manufacture surgical masks.

Sharp acquired the remaining shares of Dynabook from Toshiba in August 2020, making Dynabook a wholly owned subsidiary of Sharp. Sharp had first purchased Dynabook from Toshiba in 2018.

The first commercial camera phone was also made by Sharp for the Japanese market in November 2000. Recent products include the ViewCam, the Ultra-Lite notebook PC, the Zaurus personal digital assistant, Sidekick 3, and the AQUOS flat-screen television.

Sharp manufactures consumer electronic products, including LCD televisions, sold under the Aquos brand, mobile phones, microwave ovens, Home cinema and audio systems, air purification systems, fax machines and calculators.

For the business market, Sharp also produces projectors and monitors and a variety of photocopiers and Laser Printers, in addition to electronic cash registers and Point of sale technologies.

For the private security industry, Sharp produces an Automated Unmanned Ground Vehicle (A-UGV) named INTELLOS, which utilizes a navigation surveillance platform also developed by Sharp. The system combines automation, mobility, and a variety of monitoring and detection capabilities to extend the impact of a traditional security force.

For the corporate meeting room market, Sharp was the first company to bring the Windows collaboration display to market, which is a 70inch interactive display with built-in unified communication equipment and an IoT sensor hub for measuring environmental room conditions. The Windows collaboration display is conceived to be seamlessly compatible with Microsoft"s Office productivity products, as well as make use of the Microsoft Azure cloud services with the IoT sensor hub generated data.

It operates from 64 bases in 30 countries and its products are distributed in 164 countries worldwide. Many of its regional subsidiaries trade under the name Sharp Electronics.

Sharp"s headquarters are at 1 Takumi-chō, Sakai-ku, Sakai, Japan. Until the relocation to Sakai in 2016, the headquarters were in Abeno-ku, Osaka where Hayakawa restarted the business in the 1920s.

In September 2014, Sharp announced that Slovakian electronics company UMC (Universal Media Corporation /Slovakia/ s.r.o.) was acquiring an exclusive brand licence from Sharp and its European television and audio business UMC will also acquire Sharp"s Polish factory. As part of the deal, Sharp will support the design and development of televisions sold by UMC under the Sharp brand.

The same month, Sharp also announced a tie-up with Vestel in Europe for white goods. Vestel will sell Sharp-branded white goods (except air conditioners), such as refrigerators and microwave ovens manufactured by Sharp in Thailand and China. Sharp will also license its brand name to Vestel for volume home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and ovens. Sharp"s remaining European business will then focus on the business-to-business sector including multi-function printers and energy solutions.

Malaysia : Sharp has an export-only Television factory at the HICOM Industrial Park in Shah Alam, Selangor.Batu Pahat plant in Johor that manufactures audio-visual Equipment like television sets and Blu-Ray players, and the Sungai Petani plant in Kedah that manufactures radios as well as kitchen appliances like blenders and rice cookers.Petaling Jaya that manufactured television sets, VCRs, microwave ovens, washing machines and refrigerators, this plant was hit badly by the 1997 Asian financial crisis and shut down as Sharp moved the productions of the appliances to either Batu Pahat (TVs and VCRs) or Sungai Petani (microwave ovens), or out of the country altogether (refrigerators and washing machines) in a bid to reduce operating costs.

(former) Mexico : LCD plant (Sharp Electrónica Mexico S.A. de C.V. SEMEX) – established as a color CRT TV plant in 1997; began LCD production in 2003; a second LCD plant on site was opened in 2007.Hisense in 2015.

On November 8, 2008, the United States Department of Justice announced that Sharp had agreed to pay $120 million (United States Dollar) as a criminal fine. According to the announcement, Sharp participated in conspiracies to fix the price of TFT LCD panel for Dell"s computer monitors and laptops (2001–2005), Motorola"s Razr phones (2005–2006) and Apple"s iPod (2005–2006).

On December 18, 2008, Japan Fair Trade Commission ordered Sharp to pay JP¥261 million (US$3 million) as criminal fine. According to the order, Sharp and Hitachi Display participated in the conspiracies to keep the price for TFT LCD panels for Nintendo DS and DS-Lite. The fine for Hitachi Displays was waived by JFTC leniency program.

However, Sharp disagreed with the JFTC order and announced it would begin an appeals procedure against it on 2 February 2009.JFTC dismissed Sharp"s appeal.

In November 2011 Sharp was ranked in 11th place by Greenpeace"s re-launched Guide to Greener Electronics that ranks 15 electronics manufacturers according to their policies and practices to reduce their impact on the climate, produce greener products, and make their operations more sustainable. Greenpeace summarizes the corporation"s environmental record thus: "Sharp supports a new renewable energy law in Japan but scores poor on all sustainable operations criteria".

Sharp scored 3/10 and received most of its points on the Products criteria where the company was praised for the energy efficiency of its products with all of its TVs meeting the latest Energy Star standard. It also gained some points for having a relative long term target to reduce CO2 emissions by two percent (per production unit) compared to the previous year, yet sets out no clear target for absolute reductions. The company was also praised for its public support for a clean energy policy, after advocating the Japanese Government to increase the use of renewable energy.

Sharp scored the fewest points in the guide in the Sustainable Operations category, scoring no points for chemical management due to not communicating commitments made on phasing out hazardous substances in its supply chain. The guide also notes that Sharp had lacked any initiative to address the issue of conflict minerals and the exclusion of paper sourced from suppliers involved in illegal logging or deforestation.

In 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute accused at least 82 major brands, including Sharp Corporation, of being connected to forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang.

Sharp was the principal sponsor of Manchester United Football Club from 1983 until 2000, in one of the lengthiest and most lucrative sponsorship deals in English football.logo was on the front of United"s shirts over these 17 years, during which the team won seven Premier League titles, five FA Cups, one Football League Cup, one UEFA Cup Winners" Cup, and one UEFA Champions League title.

OSAKA -- Japanese electronics maker Sharp has been reaping big gains from its strengthened ties with U.S. tech giant Apple, the key client of its liquid-crystal display panels.

Sharp"s group net profit rose 290% to 53.2 billion yen ($487 million) in the 12 months to end-March, from a year ago. That growth is expected to continue, with the company forecasting a 43% expansion in net profit to 76 billion yen this fiscal year.

It’s probably safe to say that Sharp have, for whatever reason, slipped off the LCD radar to some extent – at least here in the UK. However, Sharp are pioneers in the field of LCD technology, and not too long ago, their distinctively designed AQUOS televisions dominated the ever-growing LCD TV market.

Sharp’s B20E series proves that the Japanese manufacturer hasn’t stopped moving with the times. Highlights of this series include a 1920×1080 LCD panel of Sharp’s own making, a quoted response time of just 4ms, and 3 HDMI inputs. So, does it all gel together? To find out, today we’re going to test the Sharp LC42B20E.

Although it’s not quite as small as Toshiba’s “Picture Frame” style bezel, the surround on Sharp’s “Slimline design” is undoubtedly very sleek, and despite succumbing to the irritating gloss-black trend, the slim border frames the screen beautifully without feeling overpowering. The bottom of the front panel features a curved “lip”, which partially covers an all-black speaker grille. Dividing these two elements is a nicely placed silver border. Hidden out of sight and out of mind to the right are power, menu, volume and channel control buttons, and side AV inputs.

The Sharp LC42B20E includes a standard mix of both analogue and digital AV inputs. You’ll find two SCART inputs (both of which are Composite/S-Video and RGB capable), a set of Component video and stereo audio jacks, 2 HDMIs, a VGA/PC input, and on the side panel, the remaining HDMI input and S-Video/Composite inputs with accompanying audio jacks. As a new owner of an HDV camcorder, I was glad to see the side HDMI input: it’s now a standard feature on flat panel TVs, but a much-appreciated one all the same.

It’s little touches like this that I’ve always appreciated with Sharp’s displays: rather than going for a standard “box in the middle of the screen” approach, Sharp’s on screen menus are laid out much like a computer’s operating system, appearing as drop down menus from the top of the panel. This means that much of the viewing area is kept nice and clean, so you can see exactly what you’re doing. The day, date, and time are displayed at the top right, too, which is surprisingly handy.

The Sharp LC42B20E comes set to the eye-scorching “Dynamic” mode, and to solve this problem, we had to press the AV MODE button on the remote: changing to a more sane picture mode doesn’t seem to be possible through the menus. Cycling through the various options (“Standard”, “Movie” and “Game”) eventually brought us to “User”, which already looked a lot better. From here, we were given free reign over the following controls:

[OPC] is one of the Sharp LC42BE20E’s “Dynamic Contrast” features. It adjusts the backlight brightness on the fly, in an attempt to make blacks look blacker, and whites look whiter. We personally find the fluctuations of such systems irritating, so left this one off. Moving on, the user is given manual control over the intensity of the Backlight, Contrast, Brightness, Colour, Tint (on all sources, not just NTSC), and Sharpness. Each of these sliders defaults to the middle position, and can be taken left into the negative figures, or right into positives.

The next feature is interesting: [Action Mode], which drives the panel in a different way, which increases flicker, but decreases motion blur. If you enable this option immediately after viewing the TV in its usual flicker-free mode, you might find the sudden difference jarring, but it’s worth seeing if it’s suited to your personal preference.

The [Film Mode] option actually features two different settings. The [Standard] setting activates cadence detection, meaning that the LC42B20E LCD TV will recreate clean progressive video when fed with Film content buried inside an interlaced signal. [Advanced] goes one step further, as it uses these recovered progressive frames as a starting point, and then generates new in-between ones, creating a smoothed, video-like appearance. [Off] forces the TV into Video mode constantly, but we could rarely find a reason to use this setting. This writer left the Film Mode setting at [Standard], if only out of the perversity of programme makers trying to emulate a “film look”, only for the end viewers’ TVs to reverse it!

The EPG is typically the area where TVs begin to demonstrate some usability quibbles. The Sharp LC42B20E is no different, because navigating the EPG requires a little patience due to the time it takes to display a new channel’s programming information. It could sometimes take around 2 seconds to change the highlighted programme, which sounds trivial, but can become irritating quickly. Furthermore, there appears to be no way of jumping up and down a page: you’re required to scroll through one channel at a time, with delays of up to 2 seconds with each press.

On the bright side, though, the EPG is nice and crisp. Unlike many other TVs, Sharp’s implementation makes full use of the 1920×1080 panel resolution, rather than being passed through the TV’s standard-def video circuitry. Better yet, there’s three different viewing modes, one of which strongly resembles a TV listings magazine with its vertical column layout.

Sharp’s TVs used to have delightfully odd looking remote controls that, despite looking a little strange (and we mean “sci-fi prop” strange), fitted into the hand wonderfully and worked just as well. Here, the most eccentric design features have been simplified, but the nice feeling is fully intact. The buttons are well-laid out, with directional and “OK” buttons just under the thumb, and a Volume control and MENU button nearby.

The remote control also features buttons for enabling subtitles on Digital TV programmes, displaying programme information, and, under a flap, controls for controlling another Sharp device through the “AQUOS LINK” feature.

Unfortunately, the cryptic service menus – which have been known to send away even the most dedicated full-time calibration experts running for the hills – prevented us from fully fine-tuning the Sharp LC42B20E (never mess with a service mode you’re unsure of). However, this does not prevent us from commenting on the pre-calibration measurements.

As with seemingly all panel displays, greyscale was heavily blue-tinted out of the box. Not surprisingly, the “Low” colour temperature option brought us closest to the desired D65 standard:

Like previous Sharp LCD TVs, even with this setting, there was an excess of blue in the image until around the 80% grey point. Here, the blueness dipped, making way for a slight boost in the reds instead. We can only assume that this is designed to make the image appear psychologically brighter, whilst minimising blue tint in the brightest, most noticeable shades. If you’re used to calibrated displays, though, then you will certainly notice it.

Earlier, we mentioned that the Sharp LC42B20E features different “AV Modes”, which come set up to produce different results. There’s more to this than meets the eye, though, because the Gamma characteristics of the MOVIE mode are different to that of the USER mode, even when both are configured with the same settings. Neither mode perfectly matched our desired target of 2.2. However, the MOVIE mode gave more consistent results, albeit closer to 2.1.

The Sharp LC42B20E’s colour performance is, again, similar to previous Sharp displays. Whilst red and blue colours were fairly close to the desired Rec.709 standard, green, like on many HDTVs, was oversaturated and pushed in the direction of cyan. There is not a lot that can be done to rectify this problem, as the TV, like most, doesn’t have a Colour Management System. However, this green inaccuracy is not uncommon, and while not ideal, is far less severe a problem than similarly inaccurate reds would have been.

The review sample we were sent sadly suffered from a problem which has become known as “banding”, and has appeared on Sharp’s panels in the past. The easiest way to detect this was to input a 20% grey screen to the TV. What should have been a flat colour appeared slightly brighter on the left of the screen, and slightly dimmer on the right, with noticeable variations in between. The screen looked as if it were a little “dirty” as a result. Also, as is common with large LCDs, very slightly brighter patches were visible at the top and bottom left side of the panel with dark content.

We measured the Sharp LC42B20E’s calibrated black level at 0.09 cd/m2. Although this is a few notches behind the levels of the newest SPVA panel LCD TVs (such as those from Toshiba, Samsung and Sony), it’s still relatively deep. Thumbs up go to Sharp for their inclusion of a backlight adjustment, to allow the panel to reach these levels (and beyond, at the expense of some brightness!).

Horizontal and Vertical on-off-on-off line patterns – as well as some real world PC usage – allowed us to confirm that the LC42B20E’s “Dot By Dot” mode works correctly, and correctly maps each pixel in a 1080-line video signal to each of the panel’s pixels, for maximum detail.

Although 720p content naturally can’t be made to perfectly match the 1080p panel, you can still enable [Just Scan] mode on such signals, to keep scaling to a minimum. This is all the more important, because the scaling in the Sharp LC42B20E isn’t the best we’ve seen.

A colleague of mine pointed out that this pixel structure is actually quite similar to that of a CRT display. I’ve always walked by Sharp displays in stores and thought that, while still obviously LCD displays, they did possess a more “TV-like” appearance. This would appear to be the reason.

As a result of the triangular configuration, horizontal lines have an ever so slightly “serrated edge” look, which would appear to have a tiny impact on perceived picture detail – but only if you’re using the display for applications where you’re likely to be sitting right up in front of it, such as video games. It also means that Sharp’s panel has quite a distinctive look, which some viewers might well appreciate.

Using our trusty FPD Benchmark Software for ProfessionalBlu-ray Disc, we measured the Sharp LC42B20E’s motion resolution at around 250-300 lines. This is standard for an LCD TV without 100hz functionality.

Although the Sharp LC42B20E doesn’t feature 100hz functionality as such, there is always the [Action Mode] feature. Enabling this upped the motion resolution to around 550 lines, meaning that its effect is actually similar. Better yet, it doesn’t create interpolation artefacts like 100hz systems do, instead giving the screen a slightly more CRT-like flicker. Combine this with the unusual pixel layout, and you have a display that might be that little bit easier on the eyes for CRT die-hards who, for whatever reason or another, can’t accommodate a Plasma (which is still the most “CRT TV-like” of the technologies).

The Sharp LC42B20E’s built-in video processing is a mixed bag in terms of quality. The good news is that it correctly detects and adjusts for 3:2 and 2:2 film cadences, provided the [Film Mode] option is set to “Standard”. Additionally, the LC24B20E is one display out of only a handful which correctly handles 1080i/60 film content, which is perhaps less useful given that 1080p output is standard on Blu-ray Disc players, but is very impressive all the same. The bad news is that the quality of its scaling leaves something to be desired, and does little in the way of interpolation. This means that computer-generated content and on-screen menus look brilliantly crisp and clean – as do simple test patterns – but almost any photorealistic real-world content will appear slightly pixellated. However, we’d wager that a good number of people these days will own an Upscaling DVD player, which would sidestep this issue.

Here, the ASV panel’s unique pixel layout did give the image a very slightly dithered appearance. Whilst I would welcome this on low detail content, this particular disc has no shortage of crispness, and while sitting closer to the TV (as high definition allows you to do), I did sometimes wonder what the image would look like if the panel were to feature a more traditional pixel layout instead.

The Sharp LC42B20E also correctly handled the 24p signal, which is output from the Playstation 3, as well as many other Blu-ray Disc players. There was no judder present when using this option. Conveniently, the TV’s on screen display informs you when you’re being sent a 24hz signal, as it states the scan rate as well as the input resolution.

Over-the-air digital TV channels looked suitably good on the Sharp LC42B20E LCD TV. There appeared to be a small amount of “hidden” MPEG artefact reduction going on behind the scenes, which is subtle: given the option (which we think there should be), we’d probably choose to leave it on anyway. Programmes from the more technically competent broadcasters actually stood a chance of looking quite good, especially those originating from a film source: as the LC42B20E’s video processor correctly engages 2:2 cadence handling, none of these high-budget programmes appeared jaggy.

Gaming was fantastic fun on the Sharp LC42B20E, thanks in no small part to its lightning-quick response time, which we measured in the range of 0-10ms. The LCD panel’s speedy response time was beneficial too, which meant that motion blur was kept to an absolute minimum.

Sharp’s LC42B20E admirably delivers big-screen 1080p high definition for a price that represents excellent value for money. Although it is not a class-leading LCD display in the strictest sense of the word, it comes incredibly close in several areas. In the future, we’d like to see Sharp provide more accessible adjustment over greyscale, be it through the means of a user-accessible menu, or simply an improved hidden one.

However, in the meantime, Sharp have a display which features commendable black levels, winning usability and connectivity, and a fantastically low level of input lag, which means it earns a qualified recommendation from HDTVTest.

Sharp founder Tokuji Hayakawa coined this phrase to embody the management concept at Sharp. In 1912, he invented the snap belt buckle and three years later brought the Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil to the market. Since then, Sharp has been on the cutting edge of technology, consistently innovating new appliances, industrial equipment and office solutions, and changing the lives of people around the world.

In 1962, Sharp expanded outside of Japan and established Sharp Electronics Corporation in the United States—the company"s first overseas sales base—and in 1979 it set up the Sharp Manufacturing Company of America to create a manufacturing base in the U.S.

Sharp didn"t limit itself to sales and manufacturing in the U.S. In 1995, Sharp opened Sharp Laboratories of America, its U.S.-based research and development laboratory designed to take advantage of American ingenuity and research.

As the array of products offered by Sharp grew, Sharp Electronics Corporation expanded to include a new sales office in Los Angeles, California, in 1996. In this same year, Sharp made its presence known on the Internet, with the creation of www.sharp.co.jp and www.sharp-world.com.

As a manufacturer, Sharp contributes to society by being the first to make unique products that meet the new needs of each decade. Successive generations of Sharp leaders have, in their own way, pursued this concept by making products that contribute to society, in the process creating a corporation known and trusted around the globe.

From the first solar-powered calculator to the largest commercially available LCD monitor, from copiers to solar cells, from air purifiers to steam ovens, and from microelectronics to microwave ovens, Sharp covers all of the needs of the contemporary lifestyle.

Sharp aims to realize its business philosophy throughout all its activities. Possessing a "gene of creativity" since its foundation, Sharp will continue to offer one-of-a-kind products and new lifestyles as a corporation trusted around the world.

Tokuji Hayakawa invents, manufactures and sells the Ever-Sharp Mechanical Pencil, one of the most innovative and popular writing instruments of its time.

Cooperative agreement with Rockwell Corporation of the United States leads to production of extra large-scale integrated (ELSI) chips that form the core of Sharp"s popular cutting-edge Microcompet calculator.

The Company changes its name from Hayakawa Electric Industry Co., Ltd. to Sharp Corporation. The new name reflects the Company’s broad vision and competencies.

Sharp establishes Sharp Manufacturing Company of America (SMCA) in Memphis, Tennessee. This is the company"s first overseas manufacturing facility in the industrialized world. Production of color TVs and microwave ovens gets under way the same year.

Sharp begins to produce VCRs in Japan as part of an integrated audio-visual lineup of products. The Company includes an arsenal of innovative features in its new products, such as a proprietary APSS (automatic program search system) and front-loading configuration.

Sharp completes conversion to a full-range electronic office equipment manufacturer and distributor by having products in the categories of computers, word processors, copiers and facsimiles.

Sharp completes a plant in Shinjo (Katsuragi), Nara Prefecture, devoted entirely to manufacturing solar power-related products such as solar heat collectors, water heaters, heat regeneration chambers, and solar cells for use in outer space, and to conducting research into energy utilization technology.

Sharp becomes the first company in the world to successfully mass-produce thin film EL panels. These devices are ideal for displays in office equipment and measuring instruments. Because of their thinness, reliability and low power consumption, they are chosen for use in the US Space Shuttle.

An industry first, Sharp establishes a Creative Lifestyle Focus Center to discover consumers’ true preferences in order to guide development of demand-generating “new-lifestyle” products.

Sharp launches the Liquid Crystal Display Group and establishes Liquid Crystal Display Laboratories within the Corporate Research and Development Group.

The name Sharp becomes inextricably linked with LCD. The Company creates a TFT LCD module containing 92,160 pixels, the most in the industry, and incorporates it into an LCD color TV.

After a two-year development, Sharp debuts its electronic organizer (known as the Wizard in the US). The new organizers give users a calendar, memo pad, phone book, scheduler and calculator, all in a single unit. Also, users can add to the built-in functions by inserting IC cards for specific applications.

Sharp pledges to become a full-range electronics company with optoelectronics as its core technology. Optoelectronics, which fuses light and electronics, surpasses conventional optical data transmission technologies. Its major advantages are data compression, excellent reliability and high transfer rates.

Sharp made an early start with optoelectronics research. Spinoffs have included LCDs, solar cells, laser diodes, EL devices, CCDs (charge-coupled devices) and LEDs. Today the company is number one in the world market for optoelectronics, which is the key to growth in fast expanding areas such as audio-visual and data communications.

One Sharp success in the optoelectronics field at this time is the development of the world"s first 14-inch color TFT LCD. A mere 2.7 cm thick, it boasts a sharp, bright picture.

Sharp takes a lead in the field of LCD-based products by developing a 100-inch large-screen LCD video projector consisting of three 3-inch color TFT LCD panels and unveiling a high-definition television (HDTV) LCD projector.

The Company continues to reinforce its leadership position in the LCD field by completing a new LCD plant in Japan and a facility for mass-producing LCD panels in the US.

Ahead of the popularity curve, Sharp polishes its credentials as an ecologically responsible corporate citizen by addressing global environmental problems as a priority, and establishing product quality and reliability, and ecological responsibility as key corporate themes. The definition of product quality is expanded to include all aspects from design to after-sales service.

The Zaurus creates whole new markets and joins the ViewCam as one of Sharp"s flagship products. The Zaurus is a PDA that incorporates new features such as facsimile transmission, PC linking, handwriting recognition, and multimedia.

Sharp makes waves by introducing a reflective-type TFT color LCD that can be viewed clearly in natural or normal room light. Compared to conventional transmissive-type LCD, which required a backlight, this new display uses just one-thirtieth the power and boasts a wide viewing angle. The reflective TFT LCD becomes popular as a display for mobile devices.

Sharp announces development of a 21-inch TFT color LCD, the world"s largest. This is 1.5 times larger than the 17-inch model Sharp introduced in 1992, showing the world Sharp"s high standard of LCD technology. Sharp finally breaks the 20-inch barrier with this wall-mounted TV.

Sharp announces the establishment of Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc. (SLA) in Camas, Washington, to give Sharp a global tripolar research network linking Japan, the US, and the UK. SLA is founded so that America"s superb researchers could use rapidly advancing multimedia technology to create original products for Sharp.

Sharp introduces the Mebius notebook PC, a culmination of the company’s expertise in several technologies: LCD, high-density and downsizing technologies fostered in PDAs and word processors, and user-friendly interfaces.

Japan"s leading economic daily chooses Sharp as the second best domestic company for fiscal 1995, out of a total of 1,054 companies. Using a multivariate company evaluation system, the newspaper rates Sharp highly for the development of key devices and original products with unique features such as the company"s LCDs, its continuous effort of releasing demand-creating products, and increased sales and profitability for four continuous years.

Sharp launches the Environmental Protection Group and promotes a 3G1R strategy company-wide. (The three Gs stand for Green products, Green factories, Green mind, and the one R stands for Recycling business.) Sharp aims to become the No.1 environmentally responsible company from product planning, factory operation, and work processing to employee actions.

Using new CG-Silicon (continuous grain silicon) technology developed through a joint venture, Sharp makes a splash with its prototype ultra high-definition 60-inch rear projector that uses three 2.6-inch CG-Silicon LCD panels.

Sharp takes advantage of its core competencies and establishes itself as a leading brand in notebook PCs by unveiling a model equipped with an 11.3-inch high-definition LCD, the largest in its class, despite the entire unit being half the thickness and half the weight of conventional notebooks of that time. The notebook could be run for an amazingly long time (approximately 8.5 hours using the separately sold battery) and had revolutionary specifications for its era, such as a 3.2 GB hard drive.

Sharp announces the world’s first 20-inch LCD TVs in February and begins sales the following month. The large 20-inch screen is the ideal size for a main TV in a home. With a thickness of only 4.95 cm, these TVs save space and use only 43% of the power consumed by conventional models.

Sharp releases the world"s first Internet-capable microwave oven. This one-of-a-kind microwave oven lets users download recipes from the Internet. These recipes include automatic heating instructions, allowing even novices to cook like a pro.

Sharp announces the introduction of a 1-bit amp, which uses the world"s first high-order delta-sigma modulation 1-bit amplifier technology to reproduce sounds that are as close as possible to the original. The technology produces ultra high-fidelity sound by digitally extracting and processing audio signals at 64 times the sampling rate of standard audio CDs, while also making possible smaller and more power-efficient equipment.

Having provided many world-first and industry-first copiers since entering the market in 1972 with a wet-type electrostatic copier, Sharp"s total worldwide copier production reaches 10 million in 2000. Sharp becomes the second copier manufacturer to achieve this outstanding milestone.

Sharp starts production of a high-definition TFT LCD that has the ability to faithfully display objects in fine detail. Sharp"s original UHA (ultra high aperture) technology enables ultra high definition that is difficult to achieve with conventional CRT monitors. The new LCD can be used in a wide range of fields, including digital broadcast-compatible LCD TVs and displays for highly intricate medical applications.

Sharp successfully developes the world"s first Plasmacluster ion air purification technology -- a technology that emits positive and negative ions into the air, thus deactivating impurities.

Sharp introduces the world"s thinnest and lightest (as of May 2001) 12.1-inch notebook PC. In addition to a thickness of just 16.6 mm and a weight of just 1.31 kg thanks to an enclosure-integrated display unit, the notebook PC’s proprietary retractable keyboard, metallic casing and structure make it portable, easy to use and rugged, giving users a new generation of mobile PC.

Sharp strengthens its foundation for future success by starting construction of new manufacturing facilities including the highly efficient Kameyama Plant (in Japan) as a site for the integrated production of LCD TVs—from the LCD panel to the final assembly of large-screen TVs.

Sharp announces a new plant to produce System LCDs. System LCDs make it possible to display higher resolution images and build ICs such as LCD drivers onto a single glass panel. They contribute to more compact devices with thinner profiles and lower power consumption, enabling equipment such as handsets to be thinner than ever.

The shift to high-resolution LCDs for mobile devices rapidly progresses, and Sharp begins full-scale production of System LCDs, which enable an ultra-high-resolution display on a par with photogravure printing. System LCDs quickly find applications in mobile phones and PDAs.

Sharp begins solar production in US: Solar module assembly operations begin at Sharp Manufacturing Company of America in Memphis, Tennessee. The facility produces a variety of modules for commercial and residential solar installations.

Sharp develops and puts into practical use a technology to enable the repeated recycling and reuse of waste plastic as material for use in new products (air conditioners, TV sets, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.), an industry first.

Sharp develops the Mobile Advanced Super View LCD and LCD Panel Speakers for portable devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, and digital cameras. The Mobile Advanced Super View LCD represents a breakthrough in high-resolution displays, making it possible to attain crisp, clear images with super-wide viewing angles. The LCD Panel Speakers integrally formed audio circuitry on the glass substrate of a System LCD panel. Both of these technologies received high ratings as technologies to simultaneously enable high-resolution image display and high-quality audio without the need for external speaker components.

Sharp’s state-of-the-art Kameyama Plant becomes fully operational. It integrates production of large-screen LCD TVs – from fabricating the LCD panel to final assembly - and is the first such facility in the world.

Sharp introduces Illuminating Solar Panels that integrate high-luminance LEDs (light-emitting diodes) with transparent, high-conversion-efficiency thin-film solar cells. In addition to using the solar cells to generate electricity during the daytime, the solar panels are transparent and allow natural light to pass through. At night these panels can provide illumination using the embedded LEDs.

Sharp introduces a Superheated Steam Oven using a technology that achieves low-calorie, low-salt cooking using superheated steam at about 300°C. The process enjoys three major features—reduced fat, lower salt, and preservation of vitamin C in foods.

Sharp achieves the world’s highest solar cell production total for the sixth year in a row, and Sharp receives high ratings as a leading environmental company.

4.5 kW Sharp solar system is installed at Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants’ AT&T Park. The system generates 120 kW of clean electricity that is fed back into the grid serving PG&E"s customers throughout northern and central California.

904 kW Sharp solar system is installed at FedEx’s hub at Oakland International Airport. The system provides about 80 percent of the facility’s peak-demand electricity needs.

Sharp initiates a system to ensure a consistent supply of large-format LCD panels in the 40- and 50-inch class by adopting eighth-generation glass substrates (2,160 x 2,460 mm), a world first, and sets up a global five-base production system with the goal of producing products in the region in which they are used.

Sharp acquires the Eco Mark, the only Type I environmental labeling in Japan, administered by the Japanese Environment Association, for a photovoltaic module, an industry first.

Sharp developed and begins sample shipments of a blue-violet laser diode with 20-mW maximum power that achieves a 10,000-hour service lifetime, among the longest in the industry, with power consumption of only 168 mW, the industry’s lowest. This diode is ideal for playback of next-generation DVDs, such as Blu-ray Discs and HD-DVD.

Sharp develops a 108V-inch LCD TV that it shows at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. This 108V-inch LCD TV, the world’s largest at that time, uses a Black Advanced Super View full-HD panel, measuring 2,386 x 1,344 mm, that is made at Kameyama Plant No. 2 from the first-ever eighth-generation glass substrates.

Sharp continues to develop new LCD technologies such as the Mobile Advanced Super View LCD, an ideal product for One-Seg-compatible mobile phones with its 2,000:1 contrast (industry’s highest for the two-inch class at the time), one of the industry’s widest viewing angles (176°), fast response speed (8 ms); and System LCD technology with embedded optical sensors which offer input through touch-screen and scanning.

Sharp solar system is installed on Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA. The 1.6 MW system is the largest commercial solar installation at that time. In addition to roof-mounted arrays, the system also features a new structure that encompasses two carports under which employees can park – and if they drive a plug-in hybrid - recharge their car.

Sharp wins Stevie Award (American Business Awards) “Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program” for the SOLA in NOLA charity reconstruction project. Sharp donated and arranged for the installation of ten solar systems on homes being rebuilt in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward to demonstrate the role solar power could play in the community’s rebuilding efforts.

Sharp breaks ground on a new manufacturing complex to include a LCD panel plant that will be the first facility to use tenth-generation glass substrates (2,850 x 3,050 mm), the world’s largest. A solar cell plant will have an annual production volume of 1,000 MW (one million kW) for thin-film solar cells.

Sharp releases Next-Generation X Series AQUOS® LCD TVs that feature Sharp’s newly developed next-generation Mega Advanced Super View LCD. The Mega Advanced Super View LCD offers amazingly superb picture quality, an innovative thin-profile design, and outstanding environmental performance. This new LCD boasts “mega-contrast”—a TV contrast of more than 1,000,000:1 —producing deep, rich blacks, expanding the reproducible color gamut to 150% of the NTSC color space, and enabling a display that is only 2.28 cm thick at its thinnest part. For optimal sound quality, X Series models incorporate Sharp’s original 1-Bit digital amp.

Sharp and Italy’s largest power company, Enel SpA (Enel), agree to establish a joint venture to operate as an independent power producer (IPP). As such, they plan to develop a number of solar power plants with a total capacity of 189 MW by the end of 2012.

2 MW Sharp solar system is installed at Denver International Airport. Spanning seven and a half acres, the system will generate over three million kWh of clean electricity annually.

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum and Sharp Electronics Corporation announced a technology partnership. Sharp, in addition to providing future audio/video techonology support, has donated a new video installation at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site. The 13" x 7" video wall, comprised of nine Sharp LCD monitors, features animated renderings of the Memorial and an official "opening day counter." Stop by the Preview Site to see for yourself!

Display detailed 4K UHD signage content with theSharp PN-UH501 50" Class 4K UHD Commercial LED TV. It has a 49.5" LED-illuminated LCD panel and features a 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 native resolution for viewing detailed high-definition content. The 400 cd/m² brightness output and 4000:1 contrast ratio help enhance visibility in areas where ambient lighting can"t be controlled. The PN-UH501 is suitable for use in 16/7 environments and is equipped with HDMI and two USB inputs for multimedia playback.

It was over a year ago that I visited Sharp Laboratories Europe, located near Oxford, where Sharp had developed its 3D-screened laptop the Actius RD3D. I got to take a look at this laptop on that day, as it made a rare visit to th