Sharp Introducing New LED Backlit HDTVs

Tweet

More and more, we’re seeing LCD displays move away from being backlit by fluorescent lamps to white LEDs. Sharp’s Japanese division unveiled four new HDTVs that are being backlit by LED lamps. In addition to slimmer designs, these TVs can offer impressive contrast ratios.

The sizes of these new models are 52-, 46-, 40- and 32-inches, and they’ll all be sold under Sharp’s AQUOS line of HDTVs. They’ll all be sporting white LED backlights, and they’ll all be capable of full HD, save for the little 32-inch model, which maxes out its resolution at 1,366 x 768. However, they’ll all have an impressive contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 and web connectivity.

We’ve covered Yahoo’s “Yahoo! Connected TV” feature before where certain HDTVs will come with internet connectivity, allowing users to run web widgets and other apps on their TVs, and these Sharp HDTVs will carry the same feature, albeit, it’s being slightly renamed “Yahoo! Japan for Sharp”.

All new models will have three HDMI ports and 2x10W speakers. Here’s something interesting, Sharp has included a “move sensor” that is programmed by the user. It (attempts to) detect when you leave and enter the room, and shuts off the TV accordingly. No idea how this works, but it’s got a range of 3 meters.

Sharp says that their move sensor cuts the power consumption of the TV by 30% by turning itself off. How it doesn’t turn itself off when you’re sitting on the sofa or when the wife walks past is beyond me.

These HDTVs will start at $1,200 for the 32-inch model and max out at $3,200 for the 52-inch model. They’ll start shipping in Japan on February 25th. No word on international release.