Pioneer "reviewing" plasma business, probably on the way out

Pioneer is officially "reviewing the plasma business", according to a release today -- much like Toshiba's "review" of the HD DVD business in February when it had decided to quit in January -- while a Reuters source confirmed The Nikkei's earlier report that Pioneer is getting out of the plasma panel manufacturing game altogether. While Pioneer would keep building plasmas based on panels sourced from Panasonic, according to the report, this would mark the exit of the 5th ranked plasma manufacturer, and host to some of the best PDP displays and technologies around. We can't expect any official word until the company's press conference on March 7, but rumors have swirled recently that it is considering a switch to LCD. We'll find out on Friday (our money is on SED rising again), but for now we'll just look longingly at our lovely Kuros.

Read - Pioneer reviewing plasma business
Read - Pioneer to cease output of plasma panels, source says
Read - Pioneer press release [via Impress; warning: PDF link, Japanese]

[Montusama @ Mar 4th 2008 2:09AM]

Toshiba with HD-DVD, Pioneer with Plasma? Sony you're next

I really did want to see pioneer's absolute black display.....

[Mat @ Mar 4th 2008 2:16AM]

What? Sony backed Blu-ray and LCD, how is Sony next? How is Plasma even dead? What's for dinner tonight?

[Montusama @ Mar 4th 2008 2:18AM]

They all gave up something they "loved" :P

[Kamokazi @ Mar 4th 2008 12:14PM]

Maybe he's referring to the PS3?

[AJ in the East Bay @ Mar 4th 2008 2:11AM]

Rise, my beloved SED! Rise from the ashes! RISE!!

[Sean @ Mar 4th 2008 2:20AM]

No!!
They make the best TVs in the business hands down.

[Nate the Prophet @ Mar 4th 2008 11:55AM]

I'm confused by this article. Are they still making Kuro tvs and buying the parts from Panasonic, or are they exiting the plasm tv business altogether? That would suck, since they are the best.

[James C @ Mar 4th 2008 2:35AM]

I think it's time to revisit the question; when can I get my Laser TV on?

[marg @ Mar 4th 2008 3:02AM]

so what to do?? i held off buying the 60 inch 8th gen because i figured to wait for the absolute black display... is this thing ever going to be made?

[Elvar @ Mar 4th 2008 3:44AM]

After anouncing a new plasma with infinite black levels and increasing their stand as the best plasma producers in the industry by far they decide not to do plasmas anymore.... dont think so.

[why not the LS2/LS7? @ Mar 4th 2008 3:46AM]

It's pretty tough to make a business selling TVs with advantages that are largely theoretical and at a price of a couple times the going rate for their size. And the tough economic times aren't making it any easier.

It's sad to see customer choice go away though.

[chris @ Mar 4th 2008 3:52AM]

Okay, this is not the best journalism by Engadget. The Japanese release translates as "With regard to the corporate restructure we are currently condsidering, all decisions will be revealed in the March 7th announcement". The translated version from Inpress was not correct and should be discounted. There is no mention of the restructure rleating to the end of their plasma business, and they deny everything that came out in the Nikkei, saying no-one was quoted.

Given the company, as Elvar said, has put so much money into their Kuro panels and technology, it does not make commercial (or common) sense to just throw it all away to use Pana technology. Remember the company also signed a tie-up with Sharp a year or so ago and it could be that deal that comes to fruition on the 7th.

[marg @ Mar 10th 2008 6:42AM]

pleaseee be trueee... that this is NOT going to go down this way. i want that absolute display out in 09!

[Gero @ Mar 4th 2008 4:30AM]

If this is true,it´s very sad because Pionner is #1 in plasma displays.

[speedyrulz8 @ Mar 4th 2008 11:37AM]

Yeah, I just got a PDP-5010HD 50" KURO model and it is completely amazing.

[Gero @ Mar 4th 2008 4:31AM]

Pioneer it should be;)

[Syphon Filter @ Mar 4th 2008 4:32AM]

If this is true it completely blows.

I work in the custom installation industry and Pioneer plasmas are, as others have already said, the best screens on the market. I have one at home myself and probably wouldnt consider any other screen to be honest. Lets hope Pioneer can make those Panasonic panels (probably the panels they will start using as they already use them for 42" screens) sing as best they can.

They may even give Panasonic license to produce the ultra-blcak and super thin panels they (Pioneer) developed.

[gazdude @ Mar 4th 2008 5:56AM]

Aww man this is really terrible news. I saw a Kuro and was knocked back by how immense the picture was, the blacks were black and the definition was amazing. Bear in mind this was only a 720p and it knocked the socks off the 1080p sets which it was next to.

[Max @ Mar 4th 2008 7:40AM]

My dad runs an audio/visual service centre, most of their business is from fixing plasma's he says they only get a few pioneer televisions in because they are so expensive.

[bugatti23007 @ Mar 4th 2008 7:56AM]

Why would they go to LCD there are still people who prefer Plasma over LCD.If Pioneer really does pull out of Plasma will their plasma tv's be on sale and if so for how long?I want to buy their plasma when I move this Summer.I have a Sony LCD 46XBR4 its above average which is after I replaced my first set.My still have problems like dead pixels on the side of the screen on 1 channel and swiggly lines at the top on some channels when there's commercials and there is a huge flashing white light only when I watch hockey and basketball.

[stankychicken @ Mar 4th 2008 9:03AM]

Damn dude LOL....

[KC @ Mar 4th 2008 8:19AM]

Oh, well it looks like I'll be waiting half a decade or more for OLED to become available in a relatively large size and not require a second mortgage as the entry fee to upgrade from my rear projection TV to a flat panel now.

Though I might consider entering the flat panel game now once more manufacturers bring LCDs with LED back lights with local dimming to market. Though the Samsung 81 series is nice, competition from Sharp, Sony, and LG will make things even better and cheaper.

[andyg8180 @ Mar 4th 2008 8:55AM]

LCD's were never designed to run TV's on them... They were designed for business computing and energy savings... Whats a person to do with an LCD with a popped pixel? You gotta have something that runs the entire screen smoothly... and LCD just doesnt do it... Ghosting, terrible black levels, popped pixels... I see no advantages of LCD over plasma besides glare... And if you complain about glare, what were you doing the last 40 years when tube TV's were the big thing???

gosh, consumers are so stupid... ESP those gosh dang blu-ray fans... lol

[Gandalf @ Mar 4th 2008 11:23AM]

andyg, I totally agree with you, tehre's nothing more true that could be said, but hey! not all users are so intelligent, and i prefer this way: let most of the ppl watch TV on their crap LCDs paid also too much, and we will keep enjoying our plasma :-)

[Daniel @ Mar 4th 2008 7:08PM]

friday cant get here soon enough. i hope it sed, i also hope they contuie with there plasma plan onbuying the 50 or 60 inch kuro to hole me over untill the extreme contrast ones come out. or oled screens come out.

[shaliron @ Mar 5th 2008 1:29AM]

No, Pioneer no. They're the best plasma manufacture in the business. Great quality. Great warranty and service (they come over and install it for ya!).

Say it isn't so.

[David B @ Mar 5th 2008 12:19PM]

It would really be too bad, given the potential of the Kuro "super-black" idling pixels technology they got such great response to at CES... Perhaps, like Fujitsu (who made excellent PDP's, but got tired of the race to the bottom), they see the writing on the wall in the PDP/LCD "war". Unfortunate for us systems designers, as there are still situations where PDP is the choice over LCD...but ultimately the market will decide, and rarely in the electronics world do these guys make decisions based on 10% of the market's interests.

[julz007 @ Mar 5th 2008 3:51PM]

i HOPE for SED!!!

a widescreen, flatscreen, full hd crt tv? awesome on both SD and HD signals? YES PLEASE

either that or OLED