Edited sentence: Both problems significantly degrade the integrity of the picture and can begin to occur soon after a set is purchased.Customers have been known to spend extraordinary lengths of time on the (800) BE SHARP customer service line, only to be informed the they must submit photos of the problem the television is having, then have those photos reviewed by their technical committees who then dispatch technicians to review the problem and then have those technicians photograph the television again and wait for parts to be mailed so that the technician can return to install them.Further, Sharp is said not to be customer-centric.If the replacement part does not resolve the problem, arrangements are made for additional replacement parts to be sent out, all in a time-consuming trial-and-error approach that disregards the customer's interest in having what was paid for in the first place -- a functioning television.In some instances, the band can cover the entire screen, thereby blocking out all but small portions of the picture.Sharp makes it easy to purchase the Aquos, but excessively difficult to arrange for a repair or replacement.The "banding" problem has been articulated in several discussion threads on the Web, often with remarks that indicate that potential purchasers are deeply concerned about investing (the product costs thousands of dollars depending on size and features) in a device whose reputation for problems is growing.The opaque shadow is a defect that appears in the form of a dark brown or black band that spans the entire width of the screen.The quality of the Aquos line has been called into question.There have been numerous complaints about "banding" and "opaque shadows" of various types, even in models that are HD-capable.With its Aquos line, Sharp is becoming the exemplar of the "buyer beware" admonition