Sharp combo melds LCD TV and Blu-ray player
Like pretty much every event here today, the Sharp Electronics press event featured a brief discussion of the economy and its inevitable impact on consumer spending and expectations.
Executive Bob Scaglione talked about how the company (and the entire industry) has spent the past couple of years focusing on making flat panel TVs bigger and thinner. Not this year.
“We are deeply aware of the times we live in,” Scaglione said, before launching into his description of what Sharp is bringing to the market this year.
Noting a desire by consumers for more convenient options, he said Sharp has melded two high-demand items: the LCD television and the Blu-ray Disc player. The smallest of the sets features a 32-inch screen, while the largest features a 52 inch screen.
The AQUOS BD series television/players should hit the market in February, with the cheapest model starting around $,1099.
One interesting thing that keeps coming up. Everyone wants to know which TVs are selling the best. TV makers like Sharp say one of the strongest categories is the smaller range - around 30 inches.
It’s tough to say exactly what that is. Is it because people have already upgraded the primary TV in their home and are now moving on to their secondary sets? Or are people - facing a tough economy - choosing to go smaller (and cheaper)?
Tim has covered a wide range of topics, including tourism, crime, aviation and gambling, since becoming a reporter in 1990. The Oklahoma native joined the Post-Dispatch in 2007 after spending nine years in Orlando. In his spare time, he's often exploring one virtual world or another. He can be reached at tbarker@post-dispatch.com. 
Not to make a blanket statement here, and this doesn’t apply to every woman, but I know several ladies who have upgraded to flat panels for themselves recently- not for husbands, boyfriends, etc, and all of them have gotten tv’s 42 inches or less. Men think about tv’s like rubbers. They all want to buy magnumns, even if they don’t quite fit the space they need to fill.