There's a revolution happening in high-definition televisions. Plasma and LCD flat panel displays are on the verge of dominating the market. CRTs still sell in higher numbers, but primarily in smaller and cheaper models. Once you get much over $1000 and 30-inches diagonal, CRTs are dying off like flies.

I've never been all that impressed with the picture quality of LCD flat panels. I'm primarily a nighttime, controlled light environment movie watcher, and the poor blacks and lack of contrast just do me in with these things. On top of that, many LCDs have a "painted" digital look that never suspends disbelief, and the worst of the bunch have response time issues that make motion blur.

Reviewing Sharp's '62 and '92 series AQUOS sets has been an amazing experience- and I'm not even talking about image quality yet. As soon as web entries came up here and at our sister site for Home Theater magazine, declaring these reviews on the way, the emails started. The response to this news was a startling statement on the power of the flat panel. I've never received so much email about any pair of reviews, let alone two that weren't even written yet!

A Worthy Contender

Many companies have gotten into the LCD HDTV game over the last few years, hoping to capitalize on the high demand for flat panels. But most are newcomers compared with Sharp, which was one of the first companies to offer LCD TVs in Japan back in 1988. Since then, Sharp has remained ahead of the curve in terms of manufacturing and environmental concerns. It has invested billions of dollars in new plants and processes.

• $9,995


• Technology: LCD


• Resolution: 1366x768


• Size: 40"


• Inputs: One HDMI, one non-HDCP compatible, four RGBHV/component, two each composite and S-video, one RGB on 15-Pin DSUB


• Faroudja deinterlacing w/DCDi, separate video processor/switcher, dynamic black enhancement, attractive wood veneer back panel, tabletop stand

SIM2 has proven over the first ten years of its existence that it's a company remarkably adept at keeping pace with the rapidly changing home theater display market. Starting in CRT front projection, this Italian company has rapidly assimilated into the digital display world with triumphs of both form and function, offering outstanding DLP front and rear projection TVs with gorgeous pictures and aesthetics to match. The wait for SIM2 to jump into the flat panel market ended with the introduction of the $10,000 HTL40 LINK.

Two years ago you would have paid over $10,000 for a large, widescreen flat panel LCD display. And "large" might well have meant 32" diagonal. The picture would have been bright and crisp, but a pale reflection of the overall image quality available from still-plentiful CRT direct view sets. Its resolution would have been 1280x720, tops, or one of those bizarre resolutions like 1365x768 that are still featured in many flat panels.