CES: Sharp shows off 65-inch LC HDTV

Sharp Electronics will release a liquid crystal high-definition TV wider than 50 inches some time this year, a company executive said Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where the company will show a 65-inch model of its Aquos LC HDTV when the convention floor opens Thursday.

Sharp isn't offering price, delivery information or a specific size for the monster LC HDTV that it will actually ship this year, but the company pledges it will be out in 2005, said Bob Scaglione, senior vice president of Sharp's Consumer Electronics Marketing Group.

While he wouldn't say if the 65-inch Aquos is the LC HDTV that will be out this year, the company is billing that set as the largest LC HDTV in the world -- right now, at least. It will come with a CableCard slot so that cable subscribers can get high definition without a set-top box. Although other details of the new Aquos were not provided in advance of the official opening of CES on Thursday, Sharp did say that it will be displayed at the show in two "stunning" finishes -- titanium and "piano black."

Like other vendors at CES this week, the company is forecasting a sharp drop in the price of HDTVs this year, saying it expects its sales to nearly double those of last year in the hotly competitive market. More than 70 companies offer HDTVs in the U.S., where the Consumer Electronics Association forecasts sales of 9 million HDTVs this year.

Besides the 65-inch Aquos LC-HDTV, Sharp announced and will be showing two new widescreen sizes of DLP (digital light processing) rear-projection HDTVs, a 56-inch version due out in March for $3,299.95 and a 65-inch version out in May for $3,799.95. The company also announced:

• Aquos GA5U series HDTV monitors in 26-inch and 32-inch models with fixed side speakers. The monitors come with HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) and DVI-I (digital video interface-integrated) capabilities, two high-definition component terminals, a high brightness level and a high contrast ratio of 800:1. The 26-inch model is available now and costs $2,299 and the 32-inch model, also shipping, costs $3,299.
• A 37-inch Aquos LC HDTV with fixed side speakers and WXGA (wide extended graphics array) resolution of 1366 by 768, the company's proprietary Advanced Super View LCD Panel and a TFT (thin film transistor) coating to decrease glare. The TV will be out in March for $4,999, Sharp said.
• Aquos D7U-D5U series LD HDTVs that will have 1366-by-768 resolution and come with a CableCard slot and an enhanced interactive program guide and video circuitry. Both versions of the new TVs will be available in March with prices ranging from $2,299.99 to $5,399.99, depending on the model.
• Aquos B9U-B8YU series TVs, which range in size from 13 inches to 20 inches and have high brightness so they can be near light sources and still have a clear picture. B9U models in 20-inch and 15-inch screens will be out in the second quarter of the year, while B8YU models in 20-inch, 15-inch and 13-inch screens will be out in the third quarter. Prices aren't yet available.
• Two new models in the Aquos S4U series will be out this year: the LC-20S4U in February for $999.99 and the LC-15S4U in the third quarter, with the price not yet set. The series includes an optical picture control function that automatically adjusts the TV brightness depending on the room's ambient light.
• An all-in-one audio home theater system, the HT-X1, with a flat design for placement in a narrow space or to be mounted on a wall. The single-disc system will have multiple format playback, including DVD, DVD-video, CD, CD-R/RW and MP3, and will be available in the first half of the year for $229.99.
• A vertical format 1-bit home theater system for use with flat-panel TVs is available now for $699.99.
• A new bookshelf audio system will be out next month for $169.99, offering 220 watts and a multicolor fluorescent display.
• A progressive-scan combination DVD player-recorder and VCR that lets users record TV shows straight to DVD or transfer home videos from VCR to DVD. It will be out in February for $349.99.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.