Audio Video News

Sharp Electronics today unveiled its first Ultra HD TV, the 70-inch AQUOS LC-70UD1U LED-based LCD TV, which will sell for $8,000 when it hits stores in mid-August. Hailed as the company’s “finest television ever,” the set has four times the resolution of standard high-definition and is the first Ultra HD TV to receive THX 4K certification.

The TV is said to use advanced technology to upscale any content—even YouTube videos—to Ultra HD resolution. The TV is equipped with pre-calibrated THX Movie viewing modes and passed 400 rigorous performance tests to ensure THX’s high certification standards were met.

A modern, open-base stand supports the TV’s sleek metallic black frame. The TV has a six-speaker sound system with separate midrange drivers and tweeters and a dual subwoofer system plus a Wallpaper Mode that turns the TV into a frame for photos or artwork.

The TV incorporates Sharp’s Wi-Fi-enabled SmartCentral platform that lets viewers stream video content from the Web and online services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Vudu and music from Pandora and Rhapsody Plus. The platform includes built-in social apps for sites such as Facebook, supports Skype video chatting, and has a Flash-enabled Web browser. It also has a split-screen option for browsing TV and Web programming simultaneously.

Sharp’s Beam app enables viewers to control the TV from smartphones and tablets as well as send photos, movies, and videos to its big screen.

Rounding out the LC-70UD1U’s features are four HDMI inputs that accept native 4K (3840×2160) signals and 4K photo viewing via a built-in SD-card reader and two USB ports. The 3D-capable set comes with two pairs of Bluetooth-enabled active 3D glasses.