KDS-60A3000
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Pioneer Kuro PDP-5080HD tops Home Theater Mag's HDTV shoot-out
With price differences shrinking, all we want to know is which HDTV tech provides the best picture quality. Home Theater Mag has tried to throw personal bias out the window in its 2008 HDTV Technology Face Off, with a blind test of DLP, LCD and plasma sets, the only requirement being a price around $3,000 and size of 50-inches or so. If you're thinking a 1365x768 resolution Pioneer Kuro could best competition featuring 120Hz technology, 1080p resolution and all the other latest buzzwords in high definition -- you'd be right. Deep black levels made the difference, boosting the PDP-5080HD over the second place Panasonic TH-50PZ750. Those looking to purchase the winner might be in for a tough search, as rumors indicate retailers are out of stock (this goes for the PDP-4280HD as well) and not expecting new shipments anytime soon, pending new product announcements from Pioneer. Which HDTV deserves to hang on your wall? Hit the read link to get the details and let us know which one you like.
Sony updates SXRD line with five new sets
Sony didn't limit its Bravia updates to LCDs today, as it also dropped five new SXRD rear-projection units. Like the other new Bravias, the three new A3000 and two new XBR SXR sets feature 1080p resolution, Motionflow 120Hz high-framerate technology, and the x.v.Color extended color gamut system. The SXRDs also get Sony's new PhotoTV HD feature, which Sony claims "brings the look of actual printed photography to the set." We're not sure what 70-inch prints of our vacation photos would look like, but sure. The new units, which are 40% thinner than the models they're replacing, are also compatible with Sony's Bravia Internet Video Link, for streaming HD video directly to the set, and feature the XMB crossbar interface that Sony hearts so much. The $3,000 50-inch KDS-50A3000 (pictured), $3,300 55-inch KDS-55A3000, and $3,500 60-inch KDS-60A3000 units all run the Bravia Engine EX scaler (which only scales up to 1080i), and have interchangeable-color speaker grilles, while the $5,000 KDS-Z60XBR5 and $6,000 KDS-Z70XBR5 feature Sony's "floating glass" look and up the scaler to a 1080p-capable Bravia Engine Pro chip. The A3000s should drop in August, while the XBRs are due this fall. Peep the super mod KDS-Z70XBR5 after the break.
