Improved color reproduction claims

This diagram shows the range of color, or gamut, the Quattron can produce compared with the standard HDTV color gamut (spelled out in Rec 709).

Is a bigger gamut better? Not from a color accuracy standpoint. Most critical viewers, including CNET, prefer to have the TV's color gamut match 709 as closely as possible (more info), and we take note of TVs that can't in the "color accuracy" section of the review. According to Sharp's reps, none of the TV's presets is designed to hit 709 without adjustment. It remains to be seen whether the sets' color management system allows correction of the gamut.

Sharp's reps expected our question on this topic, and claimed that the TVs' processing is specifically designed to translate incoming signals color space to best take advantage of the extra space in the displays' gamut. That might be the case, but our contention is that color should be reproduced according to an accepted standard to come as close as possible to the source material.

A rep also claimed that Quattron TVs will be able to produce more colors than current TVs, but we're skeptical that major differences will be visible. It's hard to say for sure, however, and since this technology is so new, there could well be other color-related consequences, beneficial or otherwise, to having an extra yellow pixel.