Sharp P50 Series: UK's perfect PAL

By Guy Cocker on 13 July 2005, 11:08am

We can't get enough of new technology at Crave, and it's got to the point where we could accurately be described as junkies. And we admit, in the constant pursuit of the new, we might sometimes overlook the fruits of today's televisual bounty. So it's a good job that Sharp's here to remind us that high-definition TV and DVD is still quite a way off, which is why it's got a whole new range of LCD TVs that are designed specifically for the TV and DVD we're watching today.

We're always complaining that analogue and digital TV on flat screens makes us want to sandpaper our eyeballs, but it's usually down to the high resolution of the panel (usually 720 lines or more) and the low resolution of the PAL signal (576 lines). Sharp's ingenious idea is to make the Aquos P50 series exactly match PAL resolution, so the television doesn't have to fill any gaps. As we saw at Sharp's demonstration, the results are nearly as good as CRT TV, with significantly fewer artefacts and sharper details.

Of course, the disadvantage is that high definition can't be displayed in full resolution, but if you're willing to make a compromise, the screens will still accept all high-definition signals (including Sky HD) through an HDMI input. You won't see a much better picture, but you won't be completely shut out of the upgrade cycle.

The new P50 series will be available in 26-inch, 32-inch and 37-inch sizes, with the 32-inch model available now followed by the other two sizes in September. Some gentle prodding also revealed that Sharp is planning Freeview models for early next year, with a £150 premium.

If you're a high-end home cinema fan, Sharp is still very happy to take your disposable income in return for a brand-new version of our favourite LCD, the LC32GD1E. We lavished praise on this LCD, but its lack of HDMI input and a poor Freeview interface meant there was definite room for improvement. The LC32GD7E has ditched the separate media box but miraculously still kept the Freeview tuner. The slightly darker chassis also houses an HDMI connection, and if they can upgrade the electronic programme guide, we could be looking at our new favourite LCD TV. We'll let you know once Sharp releases the screen on a demanding public later in the year. -GC