Pioneer announces 8th-gen plasmas with 20,000:1 contrast

Pioneer has announced its 8th generation of plasmas in Europe, with six 720p sets available in June in 42- and 50-inch sizes, and four 1080p sets in 50- and 60-inch flavors coming in September. All models have integrated DVB-T tuners and detachable speakers, with the 720p sets sporting a 16,000:1 contrast ratio, and the 1080p sets stepping it up to a whopping 20,000:1. Pioneer claims that it redesigned the sets from the ground up with improved color reproduction and contrast in mind, and have improved over older plasmas by up to 80%, including Intelligent Brightness Control, which promises to display the best picture regardless of lighting conditions. Prices and exact release dates have not been set, but Tech.co.uk is reporting potential model numbers of PDP508 for the 50-inch 1080p set and PDP4280XD / PDP5080XD for the 42- / 50-inch 720p units.

[Thanks, Martin B]

[Jonathan Keim @ May 8th 2007 3:23PM]

Thanks for the post engadget, you can mail me the plasma at the address I just sent you via email :D

[Lucas @ May 8th 2007 4:00PM]

Correction, an eye can sense contrast from 100:1 to 1,000,000:1 its adaptive

[jrepetti @ May 8th 2007 4:10PM]

Will the new 1080p models be superior to the Elite FHD1?

[Brandy @ May 8th 2007 4:22PM]

I wonder how that will compare to Samsung's current plasma offerings that currently have 1080p with 15,000:1 contrast? I was hoping we would have those 50,000:1 constrast ratio's that were showcased last year by now.

[b0wser @ May 8th 2007 4:44PM]

I do not see a reason why tech companies are so driven on increasing the potential display quality, as demonstrated by this Pioneer unit. Our media content is garbage-- so why do people insist on getting a clearer picture when the content is the real problem? I can see crap-- and thanks to Pioneer, I can see it a whole lot better.

[Matthee @ May 8th 2007 5:18PM]

@b0wser

Wow someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.

[SimbaDogg @ May 8th 2007 9:46PM]

b0wser...i'm not sure how discerning your eye is, but taking a shot in the dark...i'm guessing you're exactly the person that pioneer is not marketing their product to. When i have a pioneer plasma, and when i look at it, there are a lot of things that are great about the picture, but then there are other things, such as it not being able to reproduce deep dark inky blacks.
I for one cannot wait to see this TV. I've had my product specialist from pioneer stop by a few weeks ago, and i believe there is a road show either this or next week that he's going to be attending in So. Cal, i also had my regional sales manager from pioneer drop by on Monday and give me a few more details about it. I really can't wait to see all their new tvs, and their new audio receivers as well. I also got word that they've going to have two blu ray players out next year. Both elites, one going for 1000 which will be the replacement for their current model, then another model going for either 700 or 800 which will be the same thing but w/out their DLNA.

[J @ May 8th 2007 4:48PM]

So b0wser, what would you have them do?

Your statement is like saying Intel shouldn't increase performance of their chips because there isn't any good software available. I'm not sure what Pioneer providing content would solve.

[Camperton @ May 8th 2007 5:14PM]

@ bower

when Criterion releases a 1080p transfer of The Seven Samurai one day wouldn't you rather watch it on one of these if at all possible?

Don't be negative.

[Joe Smith @ May 8th 2007 5:14PM]

Why isn't anyone commenting about that hot girl?!

[Camperton @ May 8th 2007 5:15PM]

That girl is hot.

[Meltz; @ May 8th 2007 5:57PM]

Yeah, those are quite the eyelashes!

[b0wser @ May 8th 2007 5:27PM]

I'm of the Negropontean approach that would suggest we have a more-than-adequate display capacity, and should shift to more content and delivery-oriented development. Our digital transmission of content allows for much more interactive and personalized methods of delivery, and that's where I believe our research should be going. For me, it almost comes down to an idea of "progress vs. profit".

This display is an impressive unit for sure, I just won't be buying it.

[BillyBob @ May 8th 2007 5:56PM]

I love my Pioneer plasma, but contrast ratio is a worthless spec. The manufacturers do not use the ANSI standard tests, and there isn't any standards for the ambient lighting conditions used during the tests. If you can't compare contrast ratios from one mfr to another, or even from one model year to another, what's the point?

[tcc3 @ May 8th 2007 6:39PM]

Say what you want about video quality - I love the clarity of my HDTV.

The "flat" type displays had a long way to go to match the quality of the CRT HD sets. So improvement is not unwarranted. Thats the real challenge now is quality picture without 500 lbs of glass.

[Key @ May 9th 2007 8:30AM]

Last i checked through work there was no standard for measuring the contrast ratio on television sets, so why the hype when companies can technically claim to have whatever ratio they want to?

[NSidePioneer @ May 9th 2007 9:08AM]

when it comes to contrast...it's all the marketing departments fault...having seen this display at CES I cannot wait to head out to roadshow next week to see these things in person. Pioneer just took the plasma game to another level.

[Mike @ May 9th 2007 11:06PM]

Pointless........ Look up information on SED monitors. Those have a contrast ratio of 100,000:1. Response time of less than 1ms. Blacks just as good as Plasma. So, when SED monitors and TV's are released, this TV will be FAR behind.

[cybrsage @ May 21st 2007 12:24AM]

The SED monitors pale in comparison to the true-life holographic monitors When true-life holographic monitors and TVs are released, the SEDs will be FAR behind.

Point is, whatever is just over the horizon is always better than what is available right now. You can wait your entire life for that next best thing to arrive, and there will always be a next best thing just about to arrive.