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Pioneer Elite HDTVs to ride again in 2011... as rebranded Sharp LCDs
It was a dark day when Pioneer announced its mighty Kuro HDTVs would be no more, but the Pioneer Elite brand still has significant cachet and will return in 2011 on new high end TVs. The bad news? They will be LCDs, not plasmas, manufactured by its partner Sharp, a not entirely surprising move since this was actually the original plan for the Kuro brand back in 2008. Apparently both see potential as Sharp will gain access to higher-end AV salesrooms and integrators for its products, while Pioneer will have TVs to match its continuing Pioneer Elite Blu-ray player and receiver lines. Despite an impressive local dimming demo at CES we're still not sure Sharp can create enough new pixels to replace what we once had, but we should find out for sure when the new models arrive the end of the year, check the press release after the break for more details.
Pioneer previews its trio of 3D Blu-ray players at CEDIA
Not quite as good as an actual announcement, but at CEDIA Pioneer was previewing its BDP-430, BDP-43FD and BDP-41FD 3D Blu-ray players which are expected to cost the same or less than the current models at $299, $399 and $499. The look and feel is pretty much what we've come to expect from Pioneer and the line includes the usual suspect of streaming options, with one yet to be announced option that should be revealed before they hit the street this December. The Entertainment TAP and Manage Copy demos from last year were no where to be found, sadly, but Pioneer did have a new line of HDMI cables and entry level home theater speakers they were very proud of -- and for good reason considering the price and quality of the items. %Gallery-103159%
Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player leaks out
Pioneer's last batch of Blu-ray players wasn't exactly earth-shattering, but if you're in the market for the highest of the high-end, it sounds like the upcoming Elite BDP-09FD might be worth waiting for. The first Pioneer unit to support Profile 2.0 and BD-Live, you'll also be getting 4GB of internal storage, eight independent D/A converters for each 7.1 channel (which means there are tons of receiver-caliber adjustments possible from the player), and 16-bit color output over two HDMI jacks. Should be out soon, for a whopping $2200.
Pioneer BDP-51FD Blu-ray players start shipping
A very lucky AVS Forum member found Pioneers latest Blu-ray player at a local Magnolia/Best Buy store and was nice enough to share some pictures and kick off an owners thread. Evidently the firmware running on the player isn't quite ready and the particular units in hand were meant to be in store demos that were inadvertently sold -- the update is available though. The initial impressions are good, overall, but load times don't seem much better than the last generation. Although we don't see this as a mainstream player -- since it costs more than the current Samsung or Sony player and there's no hope it'll ever feature BD Live (no Ethernet port) -- we do expect it to be in contention for the player of choice for videophiles, and can't wait to get a chance to play with it.
The HD Guru puts Pioneer's Pro-111FD plasma to the test
You've got to respect the effort that Gary Merson, a.k.a. the HD Guru, puts into his TV reviews. Thorough and technically savvy, he relentlessly exposes the weaknesses of displays passing through his lab. His latest review is a showdown between two 50-inch plasmas vying for the top, the new Pioneer Pro-111FD and the Panasonic TH-50PZ850U. We've long heard about these 9th generation Pioneer plasmas, the last to come off of Pioneer production lines, so our eyes perked up at the comparison. We won't spoil the outcome of the "two plasmas enter, one plasma leaves" showdown (and that pesky $1500 price difference between the two units is significant), but we will say that the Pioneer lived up to the Kuro name by displaying blacks too dark for the Guru to reliably measure with his test gear. Oh, and the 10th generation promises to be darker still.
Pioneer intros 60-inch KRP-600M KURO plasma in Japan
Here in North America, we already saw Pioneer get official with its second-generation of KURO plasmas, but today is all about Japan. Said outfit has just revealed the dazzling KRP-600M, which checks in at 60-inches diagonally and 64-millimeters in depth. Pioneer is being its typical self when it comes to specs by simply tossing the 1,920 x 1,080 resolution out there and insisting that it pretty much looks better than any other TV on the entire planet. Not that we really dig that Bose approach™, but at least we're told that there are component, VGA, DVI, HDMI, Ethernet, RS-232C, IR repeater and audio in / out jacks. The set should hit Japanese shelves later this month for around ¥850,000 ($7,970), while the optional table stand, wall mount and speaker system will run you quite a bit less.[Via Tech-On]
Second-generation Pioneer KURO unveiled: 5x deeper black levels
Quite a lot has gone on in Pioneer's world since it wowed us all with the Project KURO at CES, but one thing hasn't changed: it's dedication to world-class black levels. Announced alongside several other fine pieces of kit today in NYC, the 2008 KURO family will posses black levels "five times deeper than the previous KURO." According to company bigwig Paul Meyhoefer, the ultimate goal is "pure, absolute black," and it's well on its way with the latest line. You'll also find a feature dubbed Optimum Mode, which "simultaneously monitors video and room light conditions" and then makes the most appropriate adjustments based on what it senses. Sadly, most of the nitty-gritty details have been omitted for now, but you can count on the June-bound models checking in at just 3.7-inches thick, sporting 1080p panels alone (no 720p), coming in 50- ($4,000) / 60-inch ($5,500) sizes (no 42-inch) and arriving with a new remote / redesigned HD interface. Jump on past the break for the full release, but we're warning you, there's an awful lot of gloating down there. %Gallery-22348%
Pioneer reveals 2008 Elite AV receiver family
You do know it's quite rude to stare, don't you? No worries -- we're pretty sure Pioneer fully expected its 2008 line of Elite AV receivers to catch a few eyes, much like its succulent Elite SC-09TX did last fall. The luxurious new crew consists of the Elite SC-07, SC-05, VSX-03TXH and VSX-01TXH, all of which were designed specifically to complement the second-gen KUROs and fresh new BD players. As expected, the whole lot handles internal decoding of DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus, not to mention support for 12-bit Deep Color and a Faroudja video scaler. If you're curious about dollars and ship dates, you can look for the SC-05 / SC-07 to land in August for $1,800 / $2,200, while the VSX-01TXH and VSX-03TXH will hit next month for $750 / $1,000. Then again, those obsessed with instant gratification could snag the VSX-94TXH right now for $1,600. Check the full release waiting after the break. %Gallery-22306%
Pioneer gets really official with $9,000 Elite KURO projector
Sure, those flashy new KURO plasmas or that new array of receivers may have taken you by surprise, but don't pretend you didn't know this one was coming. Known simply as the PRO-FPJ1, this 1080p beamer incorporates LCoS technology, dual HDMI 1.3 ports, wide lens shift capacity, a trio of viewing modes (standard, dynamic and movie) and a real semblance to JVC's DLA-HD100. According to the firm, it's designed for "high-end cinematic installations and supports advanced calibration," and of course, you can't escape a KURO release without a little bragging about black levels. We're still waiting on a finalized specifications list, but 'til then, you can chew on that $9,000 price tag and wait for these to hit dealers next month. %Gallery-22351%
Pioneer intros 2008 Signature Series Elite KURO monitors
Not content with just busting out a new pair of Elite KURO plasmas, Pioneer has separately introduced four 1080p Pro models for those with (even more) exquisite tastes and deep wallets to back it up. The whole lot enjoys the firm's highly touted Optimum Mode, which "simultaneously monitors video and room light conditions" and then makes the most appropriate adjustments based on what it senses, and "industry leading" calibration features. As for the 50-inch PRO-111FD ($5,000) and PRO-151FD ($6,500), you can expect a bolstered two year warranty and a ship date to be determined, while the Signature Series PRO-101FD (50-inch) / PRO-141FD (60-inch) units will arrive in October and August (respectively) with prices not yet disclosed.
Pioneer BDP-95FD Elite Blu-ray player unboxed
There are some days when we just can't believe we get paid to work for Engadget -- and a day when a Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD Blu-ray player and VSX-94TXH Audio/Video Receiver show up at our labs, is most definitely one of those days. Pioneer really knows how to make some nice looking hardware and as you hold them, there's no doubt you have a premium product in your hands. Our initial impressions of both components have us very impressed and while we slave away putting this high-end hardware through the paces, you'll have to wait for our full review. So enjoy the pics and if you think of any questions about this new hardware, drop 'em in the comments and we'll do our best to report back. %Gallery-17178%
Pioneer BDP-HD1 Blu-ray player reviewed
The Pioneer Elite BDP-HD1 Blu-ray player isn't on store shelves yet but it's already notable for having something no other Blu-ray player has. What that thing isn't, is a low price, out of the box support for advanced audio codecs or quick load times. HDGuru took a look at the player and found it to be similar enough to Sony's BDP-S1 that they suspect both are in fact being manufactured by Pioneer, with the only differences being the BDP-HD1's Ethernet port and piano black exterior. While it's not clear if BD Live interactivity will ever be supported, users can download the inevitable firmware updates and also utilize Pioneer's new Home Media Gallery feature to stream video, pictures or music from a PC. Despite the $1500 pricetag ($500 more than the BDP-S1 and $1000 more than the PlayStation 3) the reviewer was impressed enough by the picture quality, home media capabilities and extended warranty to recommend purchasing one when they become available by year end.
