Sharp AQUOS home theater fits HDTVs, built-in rack

Sharp on Wednesday took the unusual direction of building a compact home theater in its AQUOS Audio lineup that doubles as a complete stand. While larger models exist, the AN-ACD2 is designed not only as a 150-watt, 2.1-channel receiver and stereo but also as a stand for an HDTV set; with at least AQUOS HDTVs, any 37- to 42-inch set can be supported by the entire device. It also includes a deliberate gap that allows at least two devices such as a Blu-ray player or a cable set-top box, according to Sharp.

The ACS2 pipes content directly to the TV through HDMI and also includes 11 different presets to fine-tune the audio response to different formats, such as pure music, movies, or sports. It should be available in Sharp's home of Japan by February 1st for a flexible price. An American release has not been announced and would depend on Sharp expanding its home theater equipment choices in the Western country. [via Akihabara]