Sharp rolls out AQUOS SB budget 1080p sets

Sharp on Tuesday grew its AQUOS TV range slightly by launching a larger version of the SB series. Competing against VIZIO and other budget TV producers, all the sets push a true 1080p image but shed 120Hz panels and other extras that often inflate the price. Despite this, they still manage an average pixel response time between 6ms and 6.5ms and have between two and four HDMI inputs on each model. Dual component inputs and a lone VGA port are also present to attach other HD sources.

The line starts out with a 42-inch base model (LC-42SB45U), which comes with three HDMI ports and a relatively modest $1,400 price; a 46-inch SB model (LC-46SB54U) drops to two HDMI ports but keeps the cost to $1,700 as a result. At 52 inches, the LC-52SB55U has enough room for four HDMI jacks and is relatively inexpensive for the size at $2,300. Both of the larger sets should be available now, while the 42-inch starter set will be ready by September.