sharp 32-inch 4k igzo lcd monitors factory

Sharp’s professional-use PN-K321 LCD monitor heralds an entirely new generation of displays that incorporate Sharp’s cutting-edge IGZO* technology. This technology offers two major advantages: extraordinarily high resolution and energy efficiency. At 3,840 x 2,160 pixels (4K Ultra-HD), the PN-K321 boasts four times the resolution of 1080p full HD. Users can now view the content of four full HD screens on a single, seamless display. This super-high resolution makes the monitor ideally suited to a wide range of professional applications in settings where detailed information needs to be displayed with tremendous precision. IGZO technology supports increased pixel transparency and reduced current leakage, resulting in lower power consumption.

The PN-K321 owes its stylish and slender design to IGZO technology and edge-lit LED backlighting. Measuring only about 35 mm at its thickest point, this sleek and lightweight monitor blends in effortlessly in almost any location. The PN-K321 comes with a stand and offers a choice of landscape or portrait installation*, allowing users to select the mode that best suits their display content and application.

Sharp is currently a player in the nascent UHDTV business, but has also begun manufacturing smaller 4K LCD monitors. One of the first to ship is the PN-K321, a new 32-inch 4K workstation display. This monitor employs edge-lit, light-emitting diode backlight technology, just like all late-model LCD television sets. The actual pixel resolution is 3840 x 2160 pixels, otherwise known as “Quad HD” and the input interfaces are 100 percent digital—no VGA or component video connectors here.

Sharp was the first company to employ indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) in their LCD displays. Oxide TFTs have been in development since the 1980s and have many advantages such as smaller size, lower power consumption, and faster switching speeds. They also take up less room on each LC pixel, resulting in a larger aperture ratio. This means more light can pass through the pixel.

This “speed limit” is more of a limitation of the display interfaces—specifically, the HDMI format, which currently can’t handle a 4K signal with greater than an 8-bit color depth and a 30 Hz frame rate. That works out to be about 7.5 Gbps of data passing through each of the two HDMI interfaces. (HDMI 1.4 has a maximum data rate of 10.2 Gbps.)

The Sharp UHD monitor also comes with a DisplayPort input, similarly limited to a 30 Hz refresh rate. You can double up the two HDMI inputs to “stitch” together a Quad HD signal at 60 Hz, or run the DisplayPort input in multistream mode to accomplish the same thing. In effect, you wind up with two desktop images.

I found Sharp’s PN-K321 UHD monitor to be a really intriguing product. It can easily be used as a desktop multiviewer— Sharp has already demonstrated it in a post-production setting at the InfoComm event—and its grayscale and gamma performance, once calibration is performed, proved to be very stable and accurate across a wide dynamic range, making the unit suitable for gamma and color correction applications.

Even though the display’s EDID (extended display identification data) says that its maximum refresh rate for 4K content is 30 Hz, the monitor doubles the rate to 60 Hz—that’s OK for static images, acceptable for static video images, but somewhat iffy for use with fast-motion video. Computer graphics should be fine, as well as the checking of image parameters. Sharp really needs to upgrade the HDMI inputs to v2.0, so that 60 Hz 4K video can be displayed.

LAS VEGAS--Sharp kicked off its media event at the 2013 International CES on Monday by revealing the future of the electronics giant"s display portfolio.

Specifically, that strategy is being spearheaded by IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology as Sharp unveiled a 32-inch 4K resolution IGZO LCD monitor.

Kozo Takahashi, executive vice president of Sharp Corporation, remarked during Monday"s press conference that IGZO is the "key to future of next-generation organic LED (OLED) displays."

But IGZO isn"t being reserved just for TVs as executives highlighted new mobile devices sporting IGZO screens that were already unveiled in Japan last year.

Takahashi asserted that Sharp "will be first company to mass produce IGZO," but he acknowledged that "IGZO wasn"t made by Sharp alone." He cited Corning -- the maker of Gorilla Glass -- in particular as a major partner to help produce these IGZO displays for TVs, smartphones and tablets.

Las Vegas, January 7, 2013 – Brace yourself for a look into the future…today. This year, Sharp comes to CES with breakthrough technologies and exciting products that show the future isn’t that far off – Sharp is making amazing things happen now.

“Whether in your home or in your hand, display technology is everywhere,” said Toshi Osawa, CEO and Chairman of Sharp Electronics Corporation. “From game changing IGZO, to stunning Ultra HD products, and large screen televisions, the introductions we are making at CES 2013 will advance people’s lives at home, work and everywhere in between.”

For the first time in North America, the company will showcase the amazing possibilities of IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) and introduce the first new products that use it. Today and tomorrow, IGZO will engender a whole generation of display products that are dramatically more energy efficient, produce high-resolution images and are ultra-responsive to touch.

Sharp will take the lead in Ultra HD, the next generation of high-definition 4K display technology for the home, showcasing two lines of large screen Ultra HD TVs that will be introduced this year.

At CES, Sharp is also primed to continue its leadership in large screen LED TV’s by introducing its 2013 AQUOS LED TV lineup, featuring the largest commercially available LED TV in the world, more large screen models featuring Quattron technology and striking new designs.

Sharp is the first to successfully mass produce IGZO, an innovative compound that replaces the industry standard amorphous silicon material used for the active layer in thin-film transistors (TFTs).

· Super high-resolution and clarity: IGZO’s transistors are much smaller than traditional LCDs and have significantly higher electron mobility. Therefore, more data can be shown in a single display, creating a stunningly detailed image – up to four times that of conventional full-HD or 1080p LCDs.

· Ultra-low power consumption: IGZO can maintain the onscreen data for a certain period of time without refreshing the data, even when the current is off. This helps cut back the power consumption to achieve longer battery life for mobile displays.

· High performance touch response: Compared to conventional LCDs, IGZO displays have drastically minimized the noise caused by touch input. This allows for quick, easy, more natural-feeling writing and smooth lines.

While the possibilities for this technology are far reaching, Sharp is already implementing IGZO technology in its displays, tablet PCs, monitors and smartphones available today.

At CES, Sharp is revealing its state of the art 32”-class professional LCD monitors, the PN-K321 and a touchscreen monitor prototype, which feature IGZO technology with ultra-high-definition 4K × 2K resolution (3,840 × 2,160 pixels), four times the pixel resolution of full high definition. These models also boast the industry’s thinnest design at just 35mm. The touchscreen monitor prototype is capable of 10-point multi-touch option, allowing users to perform multiple gestures at once simply by touching the screen, which is especially useful for portraying and interfacing with images, graphics, complex visual elements or architectural designs. The PN-K321 is planned to launch in February.

Sharp is taking the lead in the development of the next generation of screen resolution: Ultra HD. Previously known as 4K, this significant leap in viewing is four times the pixel resolution of 1080p. At CES 2013, Sharp will demonstrate two large screen Ultra HD technologies that it will bring to market in 2013:

ICC Purios: Developed jointly with I-cubed Research Center Inc., ICC Purios combines Ultra HD resolution and the ICC (integrated cognitive creation) image processor, which reproduces the “cognitive” process by which the human brain interprets light stimuli. Employing this unique process provides a similar sense of depth, texture and perspective to what people experience when looking directly at an object for a stunningly lifelike viewing experience where everything is in sharper focus. The picture is so stunningly real, ICC Purios is the world’s first Ultra HD TV to receive THX® certification, confirming that the display not only meets industry 4K performance guidelines, but that it maintains content accuracy true to the original HD image. This model is scheduled to make its North American debut in summer 2013.

AQUOS Ultra HD: At CES 2013, Sharp will also showcase a prototype of the AQUOS Ultra HD TV, a new large screen product under the AQUOS brand. In addition to boasting Ultra HD resolution, this product features a new screen technology, introduced as Moth Eye that virtually eliminates glare while preserving color vibrancy.

Brace yourself for an all out visual thrill ride. Sharp is showcasing its full line of 2013 AQUOS LED TVs, with striking new designs and large-screen sizes such as 60” (diagonal), 70” (69 ½” diagonal), 80” (diagonal) and 90” (diagonal), the world’s largest commercially available LED TV. This year, Sharp Canada, the leader in large-screen LED TVs, will once again introduce the most choice in the industry for screen sizes of 60” size or larger.

Sharp is demonstrating two exciting audio products at CES 2013. The HT-SB60 is the only soundbar system on the market designed from the ground up to be used exclusively for 60” and larger TVs. The system provides clear and powerful sound via a 2.1 channel arrangement with 310 total watts of power and a wireless subwoofer. Its flexible design offers options for horizontal and wall mounted use. Exposed drivers and a rich black-brushed aluminum finish offer a striking visual element.

Sharp is also demonstrating the next generation of Quattron technology at CES 2013. Using a specialized sub-pixel signal processing for Sharp’s red-green-blue-yellow Quattron pixel panel, the next genesis of Quattron will allow the control and use of these colours individually, enabling the reproduction of double resolution in one singular pixel. As a result of this breakthrough feature, the next-generation of Quattron can increase the effective resolution of a 1080p panel to Ultra-HD-like for video and still image content as well as web-based text. The next generation of Quattron technology also includes specialized signal processing for scaling up from 1080p to 4K images. Sharp expects to introduce products with the next generation of Quattron technology in 2014.

The company is showing a glimpse of the high definition future with a demonstration of 8K resolution on an 85” (diagonal) screen size class TV. Sharp was the first brand to showcase this groundbreaking technology at CES 2012. 8K is an astounding 7680 x 4320 resolution, the equivalent of 16 times the pixel resolution of HDTV and presents an unprecedented level of incredibly detailed, high-quality images.

I still think 4K should mean 4### x ####JizzlerNice. Now I really hope I win Powerball tomorrow!Haha me too $500 mill would be nice, I never play, but I"m gonna give it a try.

The price really doesn"t worry me, at all. Remember when 1080p TVs used to cost just as much? It really wasn"t that long ago, like 4-5 years... Now you can buy one for under 500$ and I think the same will happen with 4k monitors - people are tired of 1080p and want 4k, but not at prices like that, so sooner or later they will drop the prices so they actually sell these beasts. :D

Master_of_TimeThe price really doesn"t worry me, at all. Remember when 1080p TVs used to cost just as much? It really wasn"t that long ago, like 4-5 years... Now you can buy one for under 500$ and I think the same will happen with 4k monitors - people are tired of 1080p and want 4k, but not at prices like that, so sooner or later they will drop the prices so they actually sell these beasts. :DEXACTLY... 1080p will be around for a bit, but this price will of course drop as well. :toast:

When you"re surrounded by huge 4K TVs cranked to retina-damaging brightness, it"s easy to get desensitized to the high resolution. But, when you are standing in front of a 32-inch monitor (31.5-inch to be exact) at that same resolution, it"s a whole different story. In the gargantuan halls of CES, Sharp is showing off the 4K-resolution low-power IGZO LCD panels it announced November last year. They had two touchscreen versions on show -- one for Windows 7 and another for Windows 8 -- as well as one non-touch model. The touch versions were also slightly different in that you can lie them horizontally if you need to. Honestly, the resolution and color reproduction on the panels were absolutely incredible. They looked so good, in fact, that I fantasized about tearing it from the table and making a break for it, if only for a second.

That"s the only way I could end up "owning" one, as the non-touch model will be "at least" $5500 when it launches in February, and the touch models will be "at least" $1000 more when they arrive sometime in Q2. They aren"t really intended for general consumption, anyway, but for the medical sector, serious design pros and other commercial uses. The pics we got of them can be found in the gallery below, but unfortunately, it was hard to do the displays justice in the crowded, dimly lit Sharp den. %Gallery-175376%

We"ve been waiting to enjoy the promised extra detail and low power consumption of IGZO-based LCD panels for a few years now, and they"re finally starting to appear. The latest on the docket is Sharp"s new PN-K321 monitor, built for professional use with 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160) plus HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, and what Sharp claims is the industry"s thinnest frame at just 35mm thick. With an expected price of 450,000 yen or so (about $5,500 US) when it debuts in February 2013 it"s still too pricey for our desks but if you"re doing CAD work you may be able to design a budget it can fit into. We"re seeing them in phones, tablets and now monitors overseas, here"s hoping we"ll see plenty of these high pixel density yet power-sipping panels with US release dates at CES in January.

More realistically, there"s a new 4K2K display from Seiki (a Chinese manufacturer) for $1199 (available from TigerDirect and a few others). It"s 50" and you can only run it at 30Hz (3840x2160x30p) because it has an HDMI port and not a display port. (HDMI 1.4 only allows up to that bandwidth.)

In any case, it definitely seems 2013 is the year we"ll start to get affordable 8MP monitors, which is great news for those of us running 2-3 30" panels.

Sharp has announced full OS X support for its 32-inch 4K IGZO touchscreen LCD LED monitor (aka PN-K322B). Who will use a 32-inch 4K IGZO touchscreen display? Well certainly not your average Joe. First off, it will be way too expensive and your arms will probably get tired after playing a few rounds of Angry Birds.

During the weekend at the CEATEC Japan 2013 tech show, tech blog Macotakarareported the Sharpe’s announcement of the 32-inch 4K touch screen running OS X.

Earlier this year, Australian manufacturer Kogan launch a 32-inch LED TV running Android Ice Cream Sandwich. This means that you get direct access to all your Google Play content. It was then followed-up by the Kogan 55-inch Agora Smart 3D LED TV running Android 4.2. The touch compatibility is excluded for both though.

Windows 8 Touchscreen displays, on the other hand, are all over the place. It’s gone from the 55-Inch 1080p to the 82-inch last year and then the 84-inch 4K earlier this year.

Although it’s been mentioned that Sharpe’s 32-inch 4K IGZO display has been shipped, the OS X software update would have to be downloaded within the next two months manually. No price has been mentioned yet.

Sharp, the struggling Japanese consumer electronics maker, is finally taking its low-power IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) panels off the ground, announcing Wednesday a 32-inch monitor built around this proprietary display tech. And with 4K resolution of 3,840-by-2,160 pixels, it’s a marvel of cutting-edge display engineering.

Sharp’s proprietary IGZO technology incorporates a thin-film transistor that allows for thinner devices while reducing power consumption and increasing image quality.

“Because 4K2K displays enable clear, crisp display of large amounts of information ranging from small text to detailed images on one screen, they boost operational efficiency by sparing users the need to scroll frequently”, explains Sharp.

Pricing and availability info was unknown at press time, but Wikipedia thinks the monitor will cost a cool $5,500. Sharp underscored the PN-K321 will first launch in Japan on February 15, 2013, with initial production limited to just 1,500 monthly units.

Another major upside to IGZO is that unlike LCDs which need a constant power stream, Sharp’s tech uses extra power only briefly, when the user presses the screen.

The Japanese company last month hinted IGZO devices will surge as it announced own Aquos Pad SHT 21 tablet rocking a seven-inch IGZO display, a tell-tale sign Sharp solved problems that had been limiting its ability to manufacture IGZO panels in volume.

We know Apple wanted to use IGZO panels for new iPads and iPhones, but couldn’t due to yield issues. Now that Sharp is incorporating IGZO panels into various form factors ranging from tablets to big monitors, perhaps Apple will take another look at implementing IGZO tech into the next wave of iOS devices, where Sharp’s technology could triple battery life while offering higher touch sensitivity.

Apple, as Ed told you, may have bailed out Sharp to the tune of $2 billion. And with ongoing rumors asserting Apple is mulling a strategic investment in Sharp’s high-tech IGZO plant in Osaka, Japan and talk of an Apple-branded HD TV set among analysts, fans and Hollywood moguls, the possibility of Apple’s next big thing grows with each day.

Apple has made clear its intent to support ultra high-resolution displays with the latest Mac and OS X products, but without a 4K display of its own (yet) the company sells only one UHD monitor as a go-along with its flagship Mac Pro: Sharp"s PN-K321.

Still largely the domain of professionals and well-heeled prosumers, 4K displays are expensive and often considered overkill for the everyday consumer. In fact, with the current OS X 10.9.2, browsing the Web and checking email on a 3,840-by-2,160 pixel monitor is a less than ideal experience.

From resolution to color gamut, these ultra high-definition monitors — specifically the 32-inch Sharp PN-K321 — offer specs far surpassing those of mass produced displays, and for that you pay a premium. They are tools, not consumption devices.

Being a monitor targeted at professionals, the Sharp puts function over form. This is not to say the display is ugly, but its unassuming exterior design and no-frills construction may make it less appealing to the average user accustomed to flashing lights and glossy screens.

Where a Dell or Samsung product would have bright front-facing LEDs or a polished bezel, the PN-K321 makes do with matte finishes and a muted color palette. The bezel is neither ultra-slim, nor is it unduly thick, but just the right width to adequately provide support for the 4K panel below.

For those users who prefer portrait orientation, the Sharp can be mounted upright by removing four hex screws on the back of the unit. The setup is more permanent than other products as there is no way to easily switch between landscape and portrait, though we don"t imagine many users will need to do so with such a large screen.

An official number for panel life expectancy is not published, but because it is a professional product, Sharp tells us lifetime is one step below tolerance for a 24/7 duty cycle. Basically, it is more likely that a new resolution standard will be adopted before the monitor needs replacing.

For anyone who hasn"t seen a 4K monitor in action, the Sharp is quite the spectacle. Even for pros accustomed to working with super high resolutions, this display is special and what we would consider best in class.

Sharp was the first manufacturer to successfully roll out efficient indium, gallium, zinc-oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistor technology, which lets more light generated from the LED backlight to pass through the LCD and onto the user. Combined with bright, even edge-lit backlighting and a matte LCD panel, the IGZO PN-K321 offers startling results.

We can"t help but imagine what a full-array backlight with local-dimming would do for color consistency and brightness, though adding such components would no doubt increase thickness, thermal levels and power requirements. As it stands, the IGZO panel, manufactured by Sharp"s Seibi factory in China, grossly outperforms the competition.

Product specifications claim an output of 350 candelas per square meter (cd/m2) and a contrast ratio of 800:1. Compared to other high-density screens we"ve seen (and even some 1080p monitors) the Sharp is noticeably brighter and can easily be viewed even in sunlit rooms.

Perhaps more important than sheer brightness, Sharp did a great job in enhancing backlight transmission without degrading color accuracy, something that has been troublesome for other brands. Without the correct color saturation — and a wide color gamut — a bright display is not even worth looking at for most professional applications.

We ran the usual battery of tests when trying out the Sharp, connected to the all-new redesigned Mac Pro and late-2013 MacBook Pro with Retina display.

In addition, the upcoming maintenance update adds new "pixel-doubling" scaling that solves a lot of the issues we saw in graphical and native app assets. After testing out the new features, we can say 10.9.3 will be a drastic improvement over Mavericks" current 4K support.

As for apps themselves, Final Cut Pro X and Photoshop are joys to use at high resolution. As expected, working with native 4K footage on the Sharp is significantly better than lower resolution displays. Intricate details and flaws are easy to spot, while the huge pixel count offers a large easel on which to work.

We found positive results for Photoshop and Illustrator as well. Once again, the 4K resolution is a boon for detail-minded professionals looking to squeeze perfection out of every pixel of their work. In most cases, we found ourselves manipulating images without the need for in-app magnification as the smallest details were readily apparent.

As for basic apps like Web browsers and Mail clients, the software has not yet caught up to 4K. We saw undersized formatting, font issues and aberrations not befitting UHD displays. OS X 10.9.3 makes things much more usable, however.

Put simply, if you"re in the market for a 4K monitor, Sharp"s PN-K321 is the one to get. Even Apple chose the display to showcase the new Mac Pro"s abilities in its retail locations and is the only 4K display option to "add to cart" when purchasing the new pro-level desktop from the Online Apple Store.

While we did not experiment with older Macs, the PN-K321 takes a powerful graphics card to drive. As noted by Apple, only the new Mac Pro and late-2013 Retina MacBook Pro can officially handle 4K output. As with many cutting-edge products, the display is not built to be an all-around general purpose device and is unlikely to work perfectly with older software and hardware. If you do have the right equipment and suite of professional software, however, Sharp"s monitor is highly recommended.

Overall, after spending some quality time with the PN-K321, we came away with the impression that Sharp"s pro A/V team poured a majority its R&D money into panel tech rather than creature comforts; in bleeding edge display technology, not modern design. Whereas other brands cobble together parts from various manufacturers, Sharp tells us the technology in the PN-K321 — from the IGZO chip to the LCD array — was developed entirely in-house. And we are more than OK with the results.

As a side note, Sharp has just announced a touch-enabled version of the PN-K321, dubbed the PN-K322B, that we are told is shipping out to distribution channels. With an edge-to-edge glass design and funcitonal rocker/slider stand, the multitouch version looks to have a lot of potential. Pricing is set at $4,675.

Sharp"s PN-K321 has a manufacturer"s suggested retail price of $3595 and it"s currently available at only a handful of select online electronics stores. As of press time, the lowest prices we could find were $2,990 from B&H Photo (tax-free outside of NY) and $3,088 from Amazon.com (tax-free outside AZ, CA, KS, KY, MA, NC, NJ, NY, ND, PA, TX, and WA.). It"s also available at MacMall for $3,079.99 (tax-free outside of CA, NY, IL, WI, MN, CO, TN, NC and GA).

The clunky IGZO name is derived from indium gallium zinc oxide, the semiconductor material on which the screen is based. Each pixel in an LCD screen is controlled by its own transistor and making those transistors on IGZO brings several favorable characteristics over the amorphous silicon that is used in today’s LCD panels.

Electrons move faster in IGZO and that brings benefits in current flow that mean the transistors can be made much smaller. Because the size of the transistor directly affects the size of the pixel, a smaller transistor allows for smaller pixels and so more can be crammed in per inch than today.

One prototype 6.1-inch screen on show at IFA crammed in 2560 pixels by 1600 pixels, or 498 pixels per inch. That’s a 50 percent increase on the 326ppi screen used in Apple’s iPhone 4S and roughly double that of the new iPad. The difference is easily apparent: the Sharp screen displayed a stunningly detailed image. (See video of the IGZO prototypes at IFA on YouTube.)

This difference in current flow inside the screen also means that transistors don’t have to be continually refreshed when a still image is on the screen. That leads to lower power consumption and, for touch panels, much less interference from the screen’s electronics so the touch panel becomes more accurate and sensitive, said Nobuhiro Okan, a manager with Sharp’s display device group.

Okano pointed to a comparison the company was showing between twin 10.8-inch panels that were cycling through a series of still images. A prototype IGZO panel consistently drew two third less power than an amorphous silicon panel and the amount of energy used by the backlights on each panel was always lower on the IGZO screen, sometimes by more than half.

Higher resolution in a small screen, lower power consumption, more accurate touch panels — these are all things in high-demand by the portable gadget industry so it should come as no surprise there’s been a string of speculation about when IGZO will make it into products, particularly those from Apple.

For now, that remains just speculation. Sharp hasn’t announced any customers and no companies have said they’re using the technology, but if Sharp can deliver on all the promises at an affordable price, it could be making its way into gadgets soon.

IGZO technology has its roots with Tokyo Institute of Technology professor Hideo Hosono, who first synthesized transistors using the semiconductor in the mid-’90s. Since then it’s been the subject of research and development at scores of companies in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

Prototype LCD and OLED screens based around the technology have been shown, but it’s not until now that a company has seriously talked about commercialization of the technology.

Sharp began sample production of three IGZO panels at its Kameyama plant in central Japan earlier this year: a 7-inch panel for tablets and e-book readers, a 10-inch panel for laptop computers, and a 32-inch panel for professional monitors.

Sharp said it will be ready to begin full production in the fourth quarter of this year and will initially target the professional market. At IFA the company was showing for the first time a prototype monitor with a 31.5-inch IGZO screen with 4K resolution (3,840 pixels by 2,160 pixels) that will be targeted at the CAD/CAM, broadcast and medical imaging markets.

Pricing of the screens hasn’t been announced, although Sharp’s Okano said it wouldn’t be substantially more than current LCD panels because the basic manufacturing cost is similar.

The 8M-B32C1 32 inch 8K IGZO LCD monitor adds a whole new category to Sharp/NEC’s range of 8K professional displays as it is the only 8K 32 inch HDR Colour Management monitor with 1000 cd/m² peak brightness. This highly innovative display gives you absolute confidence that you are always seeing the true picture. So it is the perfect choice for professional applications and content creators in photography, broadcasting, post production, imaging, medical education, CAD studio, defence, gaming production environments and more that demand supreme colour accuracy and image quality.

The Sharp 8M-B32C1 is an LCD that relies on a high-end 31.5-inch (presumably IPS/IGZO) panel featuring a 7680 × 4360 resolution, a 800 nits typical brightness (a 1000 nits peak brightness in HDR mode), a 1300:1 contrast ratio, a 60 Hz maximum refresh rate, 9 ms GtG response time, and 176°/176° horizontal/vertical viewing angles. The unit is equipped with a direct LED backlighting.

While there are a number of 8K LCD monitors on the market today, only Sharp"s 8M-B32C1 supports a 1,000-nits peak luminance and numerous HDR transports, including HLG and PQ. There is no word about HDR10 or Dolby Vision. Furthermore, Sharp opted not to obtain VESA"s DisplayHDR badge, which some of the best computer monitorsfor HDR carry.

Being a professional monitor, the Sharp 8M-B21C1 uses a panel that can display 1.07 billion colors and reproduce virtually all color gamuts that are in use today and for the future, including Adobe RGB, BT.2100 (HLG), BT.2100 (PQ), BT.2020, DCI-P3, and sRGB/BT.709. The monitor can reproduce 85% of the BT.2020 color gamut. In general, the monitor can be used equally well for photo and video editing. The LCD should come factory calibrated, but it can also be calibrated manually.

To meet requirements of photo and video editors, the Sharp 8M-B21C1 supports numerous professional features, such as luminance clipping, out-of-color warning, peaking, and false color.

As far as inputs are concerned, the new professional LCD from Sharp has one HDMI port that supports an 8Kp60 input over an HDMI 2.1 cable (yet the manufacturer does not call the input HDMI 2.1 for some reason, perhaps because an 4Kp120 mode is not supported) from an appropriate source, four HDMI inputs that can get an 8Kp60 image from four ports, a DisplayPort 1.2, and an HDMI 1.4. The monitor also has a 3.5-mm audio output and a USB Type-A port for firmware updates.

Sharp plans to start sales of its 8M-B21C1 sometimes in late June. The company does not disclose pricing of the monitor, but with a monthly output of around 150 units, it is pretty obvious that the product will be expensive.