Sharp launched two new Blu-ray players during the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in their AQUOS line. The new players join the growing procession of stand-alone players from manufactures that add streaming Internet media services as value-added features to entice consumers. The Netflix®-ready BD-HP70U and BD-HP24U both offer Deep Color, Full HD 1920 x 1080p video resolution at 24 frames per second over HDMI, and with lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding built-in.
The new players are also Energy Star compliant using just 14 watts of power in operating mode and 0.4-watt in standby. Both players support BD-Live, along with direct access to Netflix as well as RSS feeds, allowing consumers to experience Sharp Product news directly on their LCD display.
The flagship model BD-HP70U offers upgraded audio and video performance over the BD-HP24U, including a grounded high-grade power supply along with high-grade capacitors and gold-terminals, and will come wireless ready via a second USB port making the BD-HP70U model wireless LAN ready. The player is also custom install-ready, with an included RS-232C port for management by external control systems. A reinforced anti-vibration cabinet design with a center-loading BD drive reduces vibration that can lead to errors in laser tracking. The rigid chassis frame construction, combined with a dual-shield metal top cover, reduces the amount of vibration to the Blu-ray drive, enabling a stable picture and improved operation and a grounded AC power cord for stable power which is essential for proper operation of audio system to prevent a ground loop conditions which can create noise.
The BD-HP24U utilizes the AQUOS PURE MODE found in all current-generation Sharp Blu-ray players, to recognize the connection to an AQUOS TV and automatically optimize the picture quality.
The two slimline Sharp Blu-ray players are finished in piano black with a blue media circle on the front, which illuminates to indicate the status of the player. Both models are compatible with a wide range of formats including BD-ROM/RE/R, DVD Video, DVD-RW/R, DVD+RW/R and audio CDs, as well as MP3 playback and a JPEG viewer to enjoy photos in slide-show format. Consumers can also playback high-definition digital camcorder video files with AVCHD.
Pricing and Availability
- The BD-HP70U will be available in Q2 2010 for a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $499.99.
- The BD-HP24U will be available in Q1 2010 for an MSRP of $279.99.
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