Sharp Unveils Industry's Largest Liquid Crystal TV Line

Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharp introduces its broadest and most innovative Liquid Crystal line at CES 2004 . Complementing Sharp's Liquid Crystal line is a broad range of products, including the world's first available 45-inch widescreen LC-TV, that fit perfectly with today's digital lifestyles.

"With flat-panel TV choices that simply cannot be matched by any competitor, Sharp intends to be the leading global manufacturer of LC-TVs for years to come," said Bob Scaglione, vice president of marketing, Consumer Electronics Group, Sharp. "When our new 100 billion yen factory in Kameyana, Japan opens this month, we will be able to build four times as many larger screen LC-TVs with unmatched picture quality."

Featuring a veritable forest of AQUOS Liquid Crystal Televisions ranging from 13- to 45-inch screen sizes, the CES 2004 Sharp Electronics booth is also packed with advanced digital technologies that complement the flat-panel TV revolution and one-of-a-kind new digital technologies sweeping the consumer electronics industry. Highlights include the stylish 1-Bit(TM) Home Theater audio systems that seamlessly blend aesthetically and technologically with flat panel TVs, DLP(TM)-based front projectors and HDTV decoders for AQUOS TVs. Also on display are camcorders designed for widescreen TVs and innovative combination DVD recorders with hard disc drives that let consumers easily archive their favorite TV shows and home videos.

Sharp will highlight the following key products at CES. For additional details, please see individual product press releases.

AQUOS GD4U Series (models LC-45GD4U, LC-37GD4U, LC-32GD4U and LC-26GD4U): Sharp is introducing the first widescreen 45-inch Liquid Crystal HDTV, one of the first models produced at the company's new state-of-the-art factory in Kameyana, Japan. Joining the LC-45GD4U are widescreen 37-, 32- and 26-inch HDTVs with Digital Cable Ready specifications. The GD4U series will be available in the early summer of 2004. Pricing will be announced at a future date. In addition, AQUOS TVs are currently available in 13- to 37-inch screen sizes in traditional 4:3 and widescreen 16:9 aspect ratios.

Open AQUOS (models LC-20PX1U and LC-15PX1U): The 20-inch LC-20PX1U and 15- inch LC-15PX1U are the first TVs that let consumers easily record, pause and play back their favorite shows at a touch of the remote using the product's basic Personal Video Recorder (PVR) functionality. Open AQUOS TVs have dual PC Card slots, which can offer wireless PC connectivity and the ability to show digital still images. The 20-inch LC-20PX1U will be available in April for a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $1,899.95. The 15-inch LC-15PX1U will be available in May for a MSRP of $1,399.95.

Advanced HDTV AVC System (model TU-GD1U): Consumers who purchase 2004 models of HDTV-compatible widescreen AQUOS Liquid Crystal televisions can now easily receive HDTV programs by upgrading the Audio Video Computer (AVC) system. The TU-GD1U has a built-in DTV Decoder with Digital Cable Ready specifications. The AVC System will be available in the second quarter of 2004. Pricing will be announced at a future date.

Wireless AQUOS (model LC-15L1U-S): Sharp makes wireless entertainment a reality by bringing high-quality TV, video and DVD content to virtually any room in the house. Consumers simply connect the supplied transmitter to a video source and the system will transmit digital wireless signals to the 15- inch television. The Wireless AQUOS TV will be available in February for a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $1,799.95.

High-Definition DLP Front Projector (model XV-Z12000): For those who love home theater at its biggest and best, Sharp has introduced the SharpVision XV- Z12000 high definition Digital Light Processing (DLP) front projector. This sleek-bodied, whisper-quiet powerhouse offers unprecedented contrast ratios and brightness levels for a more realistic-looking picture. The XV-Z12000 is available for an MSRP of $11,999.95.

Portable DLP Front Projectors (models XV-Z200U and DT-300): Weighing just over nine pounds each, these portable DLP projectors are easily moved from room to room, for instant home theater. The first truly widescreen portable projectors, they feature Texas Instruments' Matterhorn DMD(TM) chip set for excellent EDTV video quality. The XV-Z200U and DT-300 will be available in January for MSRPs of $4,499.95 and $4,299.95, respectively.

1-Bit Audio Systems (models SD-HX500/600 and SD-PX2): High-fidelity home theater sound finds a perfect match with the flat-panel TV phenomenon with Sharp's exciting new HX and PX series 1-Bit audio systems. The SD-HX600, SD- HX500 and SD-PX2 will be available in early 2004 for MSRPs of $1,499.95, $1,199.95 and $599.95 respectively.

Recordable DVD with Hard Disc Drive (model DV-HR300U): The new DV-HR300U with iLink input and VCR Plus+ programming combines a large 80 Gigabyte Hard Disc Drive (HDD) and a fast, flexible DVD-R/RW recorder. It also plays back DVD+R and DVD+RW media. The DV-HR300U will be available in April for an MSRP of $799.95. In addition, Sharp is announcing the new DV-SR3U DVD recorder. It records in "dash RW" and low-cost "dash R" formats and also plays "plus RW" disks. The DV-SR3U will be available in April for a MSRP of $499.95.

Viewcam Z Mini DV Camcorders (VL-Z800U, VL-Z500U, VL-Z300U): Sharp's new VL-Z800U is designed for widescreen TVs with high-quality wide TV recording mode. The new Viewcam line has enhanced "free angle shooting" grip and advanced 2.5-inch CG Silicon LCD monitors. The VL-Z800U will be available in March for an MSRP of $699.95. The VL-Z500U and VL-Z300U arrive in April for an MSRP of $599.95 and $499.95 respectively.

Source: Sharp Electronics Corporation
Web site: www.sharpusa.com