CES: While Others Do 3DTV, Sharp Focuses On Picture Quality First
Hello Yellow
January 27th, 2010 -- by Chris MartensSource: AVGuide
For many leading television manufacturers, CES 2010 marked an occasion for rolling out new 3DTV products. But in stark contrast to its competitors, Sharp Electronics Corporation instead elected to follow the “path less taken” at CES by focusing on new products and technologies specifically geared toward improving picture quality. Given that some show attendees felt 3DTV demos seemed more like examples of techno-gimmickry than an actual step forward for home entertainment, there may be great long-term wisdom in the approach Sharp has taken.
Sharp’s main vehicle for picture quality improvement is what the firm terms QuadPixel technology, described as a “proprietary four primary color technology, which will be employed in several new AQUOS LED LCD TV models introduced at CES, adds (Y) yellow to the traditional (R) red, (G) green and (B) blue, enabling more than a trillion colors to be displayed.” QuadPixel technology will be featured in Sharp’s new LE920, LE820, and LE810-series televisions. Accordingly, Sharp’s marketing slogan for CES, which adorned banners prominently displayed at the Las Vegas Convention Center, simply read, “Hello Yellow.”
An excerpt drawn from the Sharp press release on QuadPixel technology is presented, below.
“…Sharp is introducing a wide assortment of LED-backlit LCD TVs with increased performance, energy-efficient panels and contemporary new designs in the widest array of screen size offerings. Sharp’s four primary color technology truly expands the color gamut, faithfully rendering nearly all colors that can be discerned with the unaided human eye. The technology enables the display to reproduce colors that have been difficult to portray using conventional LCD displays, such as the golden yellow color of brass instruments. When combined with Sharp’s 1080p X-Gen LCD panel, which incorporates UV2A Technology, the displays offer dramatic reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional fluorescent-backlight LCD TVs.”
At its pre-show press event, Sharp showed a range of new QuadPixel sets alongside a comparable earlier generation Sharp model. One of the most readily discernible differences was that, on the new-generation sets, yellow objects or highlights appeared more naturally vivid and more deeply saturated—rather than having a faintly “bleached out” appearance, as on the earlier generation set. Of course, it’s one thing to produce an impressive trade show demonstration in order to make a point, and quite another to build production TV sets that offer meaningful picture quality improvements under real-world conditions. It will be interested to see how Sharp's new-generation sets perform vis-à-vis the suite of colorimetric and other lab tests The Perfect Vision performs as a standard part of its product review process. The Perfect Vision looks forward to reviewing Sharp’s new QuadPixel-equipped TVs once they become available.
For more information, visit: www.sharpusa.com
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1999 - 2011 NextScreen. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
Comments
While most of the press excitedly reports on 3D, or how the manufacturers are competing to make the thinnest screens, it is refreshing to see this report on a potential tech advancement that may actually produce something significant for our near-term viewing enrichment. Thanks, Chris. I'm not only intrigued here by the introduction of the yellow primary color, but the fact that Sharp is showing it on a 68" screen. I hope that's a trend: LARGER, please! 3D? Maybe in another decade, when we don't need the glasses and there is some inventory of films actually shot in 3D worth looking at. In the meantime, let's get bigger and better 2D we enjoy at an affordable price.
Ya know, I keep reading a lot of comments downing 3D HDTV written by people who haven't experienced the technology for themselves. The fact is, all of the comments I have read by the people who actually were at CES 2010, and who actually did experience it, have said that it is awesome...at least Panasonic (who, by the way, is the current leader of HDTV technology where picture quality is concerned). I will only vouch for Panasonic, because I believe that what they are doing in their displays is superior to the other companies. Everything that I have read about the Panasonic demos at CES claims that the new 3D is not gimmicky like it has been in every other instance in the past. Rather than stuff jumping off of the screen at you, it adds a third dimension and depth to the picture, which gives the impression of looking out of a window into the movie/program. Plus, it's interesting to me that someone who wants such a LARGE screen doesn't just invest in a decent projection system. I mean, surely if you have a need for a display that big, you have a dedicated room to put it in. Panasonic is releasing a 65 inch in both their 3D and 2D plasmas this year, so there is no need to fret. They also have a 103-inch plasma if you've got the cash. Hell, they've even got a 152-incher...but it's got 3D built in, so you probably wouldn't be interested. By the way, Panasonic's plasmas were the top performing tv's on the market last year, and I bet that doesn't change this year...even though they've added 3D tech. Oh yeah, and a lot of people are betting they'll be cheaper, too. Imagine that.
About the Sharp, it will be interesting to see about their PQ this year, because, according to several reviewers and calibrators, they have sucked in the past (http://www.displaymate.com/LCD_Plasma_ShootOut.htm - first four paragraphs). I think it would be awesome if they are turning over a new leaf and pursuing improvements in PQ, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the "four primary color thing", although it sure does sound good, is just another gimmicky feature that will further degrade PQ...we'll see.
One last thing...about LCDs, does everyone here know that the only real place to watch an LCD TV is front and center, as the color, contrast, and grayscale are severely degraded at any other angle? Somethin' to think about.
I attended the Panasonic demo of 3D TV at CES and left the 15min show with a headache. 3D just doesn't work for oh-so-many reasons, not least that it all ends up looking like paper-cut-outs, rather than a real scene with real depth.
I attended this year's CES and was mostly underwhelmed by all the 3D hoopla -- it has huge potential for gaming, but is too gimmicky to be enjoyable for movie/TV viewing. (Not to mention the expense and birth-control factors of those glasses.)
The ONLY HDTV's I was actually impressed by were at the Sharp display. Sharp has clearly placed a priority on improved PQ, a fact evidenced by the terrific performance of their current LE700 series. It was refreshing to see a company make a technical advancement that focused on moving LCD PQ capability forward, as opposed to jumping onto the 3D bandwagon with both feet (hello, SONY). Just as well, since the Sharp 3D demo was downright awful.
Well...It's good to know that there ARE in fact people who have seen the new 3D technology with their own eyes, and can therefore knock it based on actual experience. I'll wait and do the same with my own experience with the technology. Also, I think it's awesome that Sharp seems to be improving upon their picture quality; but until LCDs can produce the black levels and a consistent viewing angle, I will be sticking to plasma...but kudos to Sharp.