New Pioneer Plasma TVs Boast "Deepest Black"

Over the past 12 months, LCD TV marketers have done a very good job convincing a lot of customers that LCD is a better display technology than plasma, which is slowly becoming passé. At a press conference yesterday in New York, Pioneer fired back, unveiling a new line-up of improved plasma HDTVs it says will up the ante for flat-panel TV performance.

The new line, which starts rolling out next month,  will have the deepest black levels in the industry, and richer, more vivid colors, Pioneer claims. The introductions include both 720p and 1080p models, the latter a high-end segment in which plasma TVs are playing catch-up with LCD sets. Last fall, Pioneer introduced the industry's first 1080p plasma, the $8,000 50-inch Elite PRO-FHD1, which now selling for about $5,000.

The company also announced a new $1,000 Blu-ray player, a $299 outboard Blu-ray PC drive that can also record to standard DVDs and CDs, and four new audio-video receivers that range in price from $650 to $1,600.

Four of the TVs will come out under the Pioneer label, and four will be part of the step-up Pioneer Elite line. The 42-inch PDP-4280HD and 50-inch 5080HD Pioneer sets, which will have 720p (1024 x 768) resolution, will arrive in June at prices of $2,700 and $3,500, respectively. They will be followed by 50- and 60-inch Pioneer-brand 1080p models--the $5,000 PDP-5010FD and the $6,500 PDP6010FD--which hit in September.

Two new Elite models with 720p resolution will arrive in July:  the 42-inch PRO950HD, $3,200, and 50-inch PRO1150HD, $4,500. They will be followed in September by two 1080p sets: the 50-inch PRO-110FD, $6,000, and the 60-inch PRO-150FD , $7,500.  (Click the image above for a larger view.) All models have HDMI 1.3 inputs.

The new plasma models were developed as part of a research project dubbed “Project Kuro,” which challenged Pioneer’s engineer’s to redefine plasma TV performance, in the process helping the company to avoid what it called the “commoditization model” embraced by many other manufacturers. Among the changes in the new sets is a new panel cell structure, which has reduced “idling luminance”--the slight charge that exists even when the TV is off--by 80%, resulting in “three times the gradations in dark scenes.”

A newly designed direct color filter helps reduce unwanted reflections and enables the TV to perform better in ambient light, the company said, while new video processing circuitry’s high-performance video scaling, deinterlacing and video noise reduction offers better clarity for both HD and standard-definition sources. In addition, an “optimum” mode can detect differences in both signal content and room light conditions--a light sensor is embedded in the front of the panel--and automatically adjust the picture parameters for optimal performance.

The TVs are also equipped with new digital amps and upgraded speakers for those who don't plan to add a sound system but will instead rely on the TV’s sound system.

Based on our cursory views, the results were impressive, although it’s always tough to make definitive judgments at a press conference. We’ll be reviewing one of the new models in the near future to see how it stacks up against its competition.

In other news, Pioneer’s new Elite-brand Blu-ray player, the BDP-94HD (Click on the image at left for a larger view.) will be available this month for $1,000.  The players has HDMI 1.2, and the company’s Home Media Gallery networking capability, which allows music, photos and videos stored on a PC to be displayed on a TV.

All of the new Pioneer A/V receivers have built-in Sirius and XM satellite radio tuners, and direct access to music and photos stored on an iPod.  Three have HDMI 1.3a support and the ability to pass through 1080p 24Hz video to a TV, with built-in decoding of the new Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD Master Audio formats. The new models are:

• VSX-90TXH 110 watts x 7, $650, July availability
• VSX-91TXH 110 watts x 7, HDMI 1.3a, $1,000 July availability
• VSX-92TXH 130 watt x 7, HDMI 1.3a $1,300 August availability
• VSX-94TXH 140 watts x 7, HDMI 1.3a $1,400 August availability (Click on the image at right for a larger view.)

The two higher-priced models have a Faroudja video scaler chip with upconversion to 1080p, plus THX’s new Neural-THX Surround, which can decode 7.1channels of sound from a two-channel stereo broadcast. All the receivers have some version of Pioneer’s MCACC auto room calibration feature.

--James K. Willcox

Comments

[JWalsh]

I have an opportunity to buy a used 42" PDP Plasma TV. The manual has the following names on it: Daytek and DCDi by Faroudja. Who is the manufacturer and what is the brand of this TV? Do you have any consumer advice on it?

Thanks

John Walsh
Whitehorse, Yukon

[jas rai]

What will be the main difference between the the 50' pioneer 1080p and the 50' elite 1080p ?

[s downs]

To dk....yes, non Elite (broadline) PDP's do feature HDMI1.3, not that it really matters.....
To Robert....Depending on the product, 1080P may be able to be recieved thru component. The previous gen Elite PDP's could, can only assume the new PDP's will also.
Hope I was helpful. Shawn

[dk]

Do the Non-Elite models also HDMI 1.3 inputs?

[Robert Gresia]

I have a question about 1080P TV'S. After reading CR articles about this format, I understand that it is only possible to receive 1080P thru the HDMI input. Is this correct?