Sharp Showcases Largest LCD Television

Sharp is preparing the 45-inch Aquos 45G1U for mass production and is showing the product off at the InfoComm 2004 trade show.

From Sharp’s press release:

Sharp Electronics showcases the world’s largest widescreen Liquid Crystal HDTV today at InfoComm 2004. With sales scheduled to begin early this summer, the new AQUOS 45-inch LC-45G1U is part of Sharp’s rapidly-expanding family of ultra large-screen, elegantly-designed flat-panel TVs. Sharp’s AQUOS collection offers consumers the widest choice of screen sizes, speaker placement and unit colors.

“Once again Sharp has demonstrated why we are the global leader in Liquid Crystal Television.* We understand what our consumers want and are committed to delivering it,” said Bob Scaglione, Vice President of Marketing, Consumer Electronics Group, Sharp. “The new 45-inch AQUOS with built-in HDTV is designed for the consumer who wants outstanding picture quality with an effortless set-up.”

The LC-45G1U is not only the world’s largest available widescreen LCD HDTV, it is also the only one that delivers a 1080p (progressive) image, the pinnacle of the high definition TV standards. The television offers a bright 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution with improved contrast and faster response time, and upconverts 1080i (interlace) and 720p signals to the finer image.

In addition to the LC-45G1U, Sharp is introducing 11 other large screen LCD HDTVs at CES, all part of the new G series AQUOS lineup, ranging from 26- to 45-inches. These new models have built-in HDTV tuners to receive over-the-air digital broadcasts and are compatible with the new Digital Cable Ready specifications. Now consumers can simply connect their Digital Cable Ready AQUOS television to their cable provider** and enjoy high-definition TV without the need for an outboard set-top box. The new G series models mark the introduction of three new screen sizes to the AQUOS family, 26-, 32- and 45-inches, expanding the already numerous selections currently available to consumers. There is also a 37-inch unit in the G series, providing more design choices for the most popular size of AQUOS.

The LC-45G1U has a striking titanium finish with high-quality built-in 1-Bitâ„¢ digital audio amplifier and removable speakers built-in under the screen. It also has a PC Card slot for viewing digital stills (taken by digital camera for example) and MPEG4 video, as well as an advanced HDMI connection for the latest digital source on the separate Audio Video Computer (AVC) system.

“Our new AQUOS G-series LCD TVs are one-stop HDTV solutions for the fast-growing Liquid Crystal TV market,” said Scaglione. “Sharp created the category with the introduction of LCD televisions in the late 1990s and recently declared that the company will invest 100 billion yen in a new state-of-the-art factory in Kameyama, Japan, where the integrated manufacture of LCD panels to LCD TVs is implemented. The sixth-generation facility goes online this month and increases Sharp’s overall capacity by 100,000 units per month. No other factory comes close in its ability to meet the demands of sophisticated consumers who want the largest high-quality flat-panel TVs.”