Pioneer intros 2008 Signature Series Elite KURO monitors
By Darren Murph 
posted May 7th 2008 9:00AM
posted May 7th 2008 9:00AM
posted May 7th 2008 9:00AM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Where are the Elites?
Whoops, I see now.
For 5k I think I'd just finish my media room, and ensure the lighting conditions never change instead of relying on "Optimal Mode".
http://pixblix.com
Amen!
A Pioneering virus invaded Engadget's home page today...
If by 'virus' you mean paid advertising, then yes.
Optimum Mode? Sounds exactly like what my Samsung has...called Auto Power Saving Mode. It changes the light from the display based on the light in the room. Appears to be the same to me...
Perhaps, but this is a Pioneer KURO. Please don't try to convince anyone that Samsung is even in the same class as a KURO.
true, but auto power save mode sounds cheap, and elite sounds rich bastard money grabbingly expensive.
reminds me of when i was buying some speakers, the guy was touting how the amp he was using (£800 denon) could autocalculate the centre of the room with microphones and it was way better than my £200 yamaha, which I'm sure it was until i said 'oh yeah, I've got a microphone thing too, works really well, sounds amazing'. he wasn't impressed I'd broken his sales pitch on his assumption that anything under £400 he didn't sell clearly was inferior.
@Loban
Very good? Yes...
Better than Samsung and Panasonic? Yes...
Worth the money? No...
They are amazing sets, but definitely not worth the price they demand for them. And most consumers in the world feel the same way, considering Pioneer is like #6 in sales.
i have an elite kuro... best purchase hands down... I play my 360 and ps3 on it constantly... zero-signs of burn-in or image retention...
Upconverted DVDs look a shit-load better than on any TV i've seen... And ive had a samsung plasy before this one... (thank god for bby service plans :-))
As long as you can turn those "optimizers" 100% off I'm fine with them, though I'd rather have r&d focussed on making these displays less hungry for power.
Pioneer already has lowest in class power consumption. They're anywhere from 20-40% less power hungry than similar plasmas.
Pioneer released today lots of new products and made a sent out several world-wide press releases .... and you're reading the press releases.
How do you know that engaget is being paid to print this? You don't .... so why say it?
How do you know they're not, so why dispute it?
@Frank
You're obviously a moron, just do the world a favor and kill yourself.
You're making borderline libelous against Engadget and your only defense is 'well if you can't prove I'm wrong then don't question me'? How about YOU provide one shred of evidence to back up your very serious, pointed claims?
Aho.
I doubt Engadget gets paid to print this.
Pioneer makes very good products. Very expensive but very good products.
It's because there so good lots of people know about them and want to know about new models. The Pioneer Kuro HDTVs are some of the best HDTVs you can buy. If it was my tech blog I'd post all the Pioneer press releases too.
New Kuro releases make a lot of people excited, many people have been waiting for these 2008 models to buy.
I got to get one of thee for my next display.
Shouldn't a monitor be cheaper than a TV - I mean - no tuner, no speakers, higher pricetag... wtf?!?
The prices of the monitors are TBD. The prices you are looking at are the Kuro Elite's. A even higher end version of the Kuro's.
Who even uses the tuner or speakers in the actual TV anymore? If you're spending $5000 on a KURO, the least you can do is spend $500 more for surround sound.
You are giving up sound and a tuner in lieu of a better display with better display capabilities than a TV with the tuner built in to it.
I should also add that omitting the speakers means Pioneer can make the overall dimensions of the display smaller, allowing it to fit in to spaces where previously a smaller display with intergreted speakers would have resided.
My Sony KD-34XBR960 has speakers but I opt to use my Onkyo-Integra (Pioneer Elite audio is worth considering) reciever with Paradigm speakers instead. Most people buying a high end set will have their own preferred audio equipment to begin with. It's a better experience.
I just wish they still had a 40" model. My apt. would be a bit overwhelmed by anything much bigger. It kills me that the 40" was discontinued. I've heard similar complaints by others like me that are living in smaller NYC apartments.
KUROSAWA!!!
oh wait.. wrong forum
Should I get this or try to buy a Pro 150FD discounted?