Much like the dreaded DVD regional coding scheme, TV programs broadcasting are segmented into two predominant formats. Phase Alternation by Line (PAL) backed by the majority of European and Asian countries, and National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) deployed in the US, Japan, and others.
While the line between PAL and NTSC was blurred by the introduction of multisystem TVs back in the late 1980s, optimal picture quality is seldom realised without the use of PAL/NTSC's video resolution-friendly picture tubes and display panels. This is also where the latest Sharp LC-37AF3M PAL-optimal TV comes into the picture.
Upside
The latest addition from the Japanese company features an in-house manufactured 920 x 540-pixel resolution LCD panel which faithfully reproduces the broadcasted PAL's video signal. Just like a perfect-fitting garment, the pixel-to-pixel mapping eliminates the needs for video scaling which maintains signal integrity for a sharper and artefact-free picture quality.
Another advantage of the 540-pixel horizontal resolution is its correlation with high-definition signals. At exactly three-quarters of 720p and half of 1080i horizontal resolutions, enhanced hi-def playback performance can be achieved using a relatively simple and efficient video-scaling algorithm.
Even though the LC-37AF3M is marketed for off-the-air program aficionados, the unit is not shy of external connectivity. For starters, it is future-proofed with the highly-sought after HDMI input, which is capable of carrying both video and audio in a lossless digital format. There is also not one but two high-definition compatible component-video inputs for DVD players/recorders, set top boxes, gaming consoles, etc.
Downside
While light on features, the LC-37AF3M is certainly not one of the cheaper 37-inchers available in the market. Priced at AU$4999, it costs similar to or higher than other high-end Japanese and Korean models sporting a slew of advance features such as built-in memory card slot, direct JPEG playback and MPEG-4 recording.
Outlook
With the majority of TV owners spending more time watching TV programs than DVD movies, Sharp's latest innovation offers the best bang-for-buck for your investment. However, the LC-37AF3M's high asking price may hamper demand for such specialised display devices.
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