Sharp TV models number 2009-2024 decode, explained

Sharp, once the top seller of LCD TVs in the early 2000s, found itself in serious trouble by the end of the decade, battling stiff competition from Korean giants LG and Samsung, as well as Chinese manufacturers such as Hisense and TCL . In 2012, after years of financial losses, Sharp took the plunge to sell its television business, officially ending it in 2014. However, the company’s problems did not end there; In 2016, Sharp was acquired by Taiwanese conglomerate Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., commonly known as Foxconn.

The acquisition marked a new era for Sharp TVs, which have been manufactured under license by various companies around the world since 2015. In the United States, from 2015 to 2018, Sharp TVs were manufactured by Hisense. In Europe, the brand was licensed to SKYTEC UMC Management in 2015, which then sold Sharp TVs with varying degrees of success until 2017, when Sharp reclaimed the brand and its operations. Meanwhile, in Asia, especially Japan, Singapore and China, Sharp continued local production until 2017.

This complex web of licensing agreements and partnerships means that Sharp TVs have been sold by different manufacturers for the last ten years, resulting in a variety of model number designations. These designations vary depending on the year of manufacture and the specific manufacturer.

Find your Sharp TV model and serial number

The most straightforward method to identify the model number of your Sharp TV is to locate the sticker on the back of the TV. This sticker is a treasure trove of information, typically including the model number and other crucial details about the TV. If you prefer to find TV information in the menu, the process may be more complex due to the array of manufacturers and operating systems available for Sharp TVs. However, when using the menu to search for this information, the model number is usually found in the menu interface’s About TV or Support sections.

Similar to the model number, you can find your Sharp TV’s serial number on a sticker on the back of the TV or in similar sections of the menu. However, it’s crucial to note that the serial number serves a different purpose. Unlike the model number, which provides valuable information to the consumer, manufacturers and service providers primarily use the serial number for identification and support purposes.

Sharp AQUOS TV Model Number explained

Following the complete restoration of TV brand rights, Sharp (under the leadership of Foxconn) has implemented a standardized TV model number designation system, albeit with some regional variations to accommodate local preferences. For example, in Japan, it is customary for the model number to consist of two parts, such as “4T-C65FL1”, while Europe has adopted a model number format such as “75FQ8EG”.

A vital aspect of this unified model numbering system is including a unique identifier denoting the year of the model’s first release. This identifier allows consumers and retailers to identify the year the TV was manufactured quickly. The relevant identifiers for recent years are as follows:

• G stands for the year 2024
• F – 2023
• E – 2022
• D – 2021
• С – 2020
• B – 2019
• A – 2018

It is important to note that OEMs (Foxconn) usually start the next production cycle in the second half of the year. Consequently, TV models for 2024 may be on the market in late 2023. This practice explains why new TV models may be available earlier than the calendar year for which they are designed, so the appearance of a model with a “G” identifier at the end of 2023 should not be surprising.

Sharp TV Model Number Decoding 2018 – 2024 USA, Japan, Singapore

Let’s take a look at model 4T-C65FS1UR to see what useful information this model number contains.

• 4T – TV screen resolution
  • 8T – 8K
  • 4T – 4K
  • 2T – Full HD
  • T – HD
• C – type of device, in this case TV.
• 65 – screen diagonal in inches
• F – year of the TV model, for more information see the previous chapter.
• S1 – TV model, in this case it is an OLED TV model.
• U – type of digital tuner, in some countries it is not used, for example in Japan.
  • U – ATSC (USA)
  • E – DVB Europe
  • R – TV design.

Sharp TV model number 2018-2024, Europe

As of 2018, a new designation for the model number of your Sharp TV is used in Europe. The model code is unified and contains only basic information, in this number you can find out information about the screen size of the TV, the year of the TV and the model number. In the picture you can see the number structure in more detail.

Now I will explain how to understand the model number of a Sharp TV, such TV models you can find in stores in Europe. Let’s look at the model number 75EQ4EA.

• 75 is the screen diagonal size in inches.
• E – year of development
• Q4 – model
• E – DVB tuner
• A – design

Sharp AQUOS TV old model

During a certain period, Sharp TVs were produced and distributed without the direct involvement of the original company, especially in regions such as the United States and Europe.

In the US, from 2015 to 2018, Hisense produced televisions under the Sharp brand. The model numbers of these TVs, although bearing the Sharp brand name, followed Hisense’s own numbering system. This resulted in model numbers that did not match the traditional Sharp model number structures known before and after this period.

Similarly, in Europe, the production of Sharp TVs was licensed to SKYTEC UMC Management. This arrangement further diversifies the Sharp TV lineup. SKYTEC UMC has implemented its model numbering scheme on Sharp TVs produced under license. As a result, European Sharp TVs from this era also have model numbers that differ significantly from those typically associated with Sharp’s own model numbers.

Sharp TV model number US 2016-2018 ( by Hisense) explained

Here’s how to decode the model number of Sharp TVs from this period.

• LC – TV
• 55 – size screen
• N – year
  • Q – 2018
  • P – 2017
  • N – 2016
• 7000 – series
• U – country for sale TV

Sharp TV model number 2015-2018 decode Europe

From 2015 to 2018, TVs produced by UMC had their model numbers. The televisions were assembled from OEM components purchased from various companies, and most likely, the company purchased the complete development of television models, performing only minimal assembly at the factory; this minimized taxes. So, if you want to understand the model number of a Sharp TV in Europe, here is a picture and an explanation.

• LC – TV
• 55 – screen size
• C – display type, not applicable in the model number as of 2017.
  • C – LED
  • S – 3D support,
  • X – screen with 4 RGBW colors (red, green, blue, white).
• U – screen resolution, in this case UHD or 4K
  • U – UHD
  • F – Full HD
  • H – HD
• G – the year of the model’s development,
  • I – 2018
  • G – 2016-2017
  • F – 2015-2016
  • E – 2014-2015
• 8 – series
• 46 – model in series
• 2 – type of tuners in the TV set
  • 0 – DVB T/C
  • 1 – DVB T/T2/C
  • 2 – DVB T/T2/C/S/S2
• K – the region the TV is released for, for example K – means the TV is released in Ireland or the UK, it has support for the Saorview Ireland broadcast service or support for the similar Freeview HD service for the UK.
• S – TV color

Sharp TV model number before 2014 (made by Sharp)

Sharp had its own system for assigning model numbers to TV sets, this system was introduced in 2009 and its goal was to standardize TV model numbers in a consumer-friendly format. Let’s take the LC-60LE857E model number as an example

• LC – code assigned by the manufacturer to indicate the belonging of the product to the class of TV sets.
• 60 – screen size in inches LC-60
• L – LCD screen
• 8 – series LC-60LEE8*
• 5 – year of development LC-60LE85** (2013)
• 7 – Model
• E – region for which the TV set is made in this case for Europe.

year development TV Sharp:   

• 1 – 2009
• 2 – 2010
• 3 – 2011
• 4 – 2012
• 5 – 2013
• 6 – 2014