Finally, Sharp introduced its LE700 line of LCD TVs that make use of edge-lit LED backlight technology instead of CCFL. The LE700 line will cost of 32 (LC-32LE700UN), 40 (LC-46LE700UN), 46 (LC-46LE700UN) and 52-inch (LC-52LE700UN) sizes costing US$1099, $1699, $2199 and $2799, respectively. The LCD TV panels are manufactured from the company’s latest G10 TFT LCD fab located in Sakai, Japan. Sharp announced that these LCD TV panels will feature deeper black levels than previous models. Response time is a respectable 4ms and all feature a motion-blur-busting 120Hz. An ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the screen based on the room’s brightness levels. Dynamic contrast ratio is a staggering 2,000,000:1, but don’t let that fool you; it doesn’t have local dimming. Gizmodo Australia’s Matt Buchanan is flabbergasted at the lack of local dimming.
It must be noted that edge-lit LED backlighting and local dimming do not go together, at the moment. I am sure engineers at LG Display, Samsung, AU Optronics, Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), Sharp, etc. are working on it to make sure that Matt and others who are eagerly waiting this combination of technologies are happy. I have heard from an industry source that we should expect edge-lit LED backlit LCD TVs to sport local dimming capabilities in 2010.
Source: Dealerscope, Gizmodo Australia
