Sharp on Thursday unveiled eight new models of its ultra-thin Freestyle AQUOS F5 series of LCD TVs, available in sizes of 20", 32", 40" and 60". All models are very light and slim, so they can be hung on a wall or taken to any room in the house for convenience, Sharp said. The 32-inch model, for example, is only 4 centimeters thick and weighs a mere 5.5 kilograms, while the 20-inch model is 2.5 kg, 30-50% lighter than current models.

Sharp integrated the bezel of the LCD TV and that of the LCD panel module and used aluminum alloy as its material to reduce the weight of the product.

Also, the company used an edge-lit LED backlight for the LCD panel module to reduce the thickness of the display. The display of the Freestyle Aquos F5 is separated from its tuner. The new models operate wirelessly, as the tuner sends the program signal wirelesly to the TVs, so there is no need for antenna cables. For the transmission of video between the display and tuner, Sharp employed the IEEE802.11n/a wireless LAN standard.

Because the tuner has not only an input terminal for digital broadcast but also a USB port and Ethernet port, it is possible to record digital broadcast programs in an external HDD and to connect to the Internet.

The expected retail prices of the 60-, 40-, 32- and 20-inch models are about ¥380,000 (approx US$4,910), ¥150,000, ¥110,000 and ¥80,000, respectively.