Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

On the whole, we’d say KURO plasma owners are pretty stoked about their sets. Those who’d prefer a KURO-branded LCD, however, have been waiting anxiously to hear something more from ole Pioneer for months. Thankfully, the firm has finally spoken, and while it doesn’t mention any brand / model names specifically, we can assume that those LCD HDTVs we saw emerge in Europe will be gracing US shores in mere months. During the first half of 2009, Pioneer LCD HDTVs will be loosed in North America and Asia, and unless plans change, the panels within will actually be supplied by Sharp. Might we be on the lookout for a sneak peek at CES ‘09?

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Filed under: Portable Audio

Ah, ha! So that XMp3 XM Radio player we spotted the other day in Popular Science was more than just a trick played by our eyes. PopSci has come forth with a few more details on the unit, but still doesn’t do it nearly as good as Best Buy’s product page. From the latter, we learn that the Pioneer-built unit plays back MP3 / WMA files stored on your microSD card, records up to 100 hours of XM Radio or digital audio, and comes bundled with a home dock, power adapter, home antenna, remote and assorted cables for $279.99. We’re also hearing that the device alone will go for around two bills when it arrives in under a fortnight, but we wouldn’t bet the farm on that just yet.

Read - PopSci writeup
Read - Best Buy product page

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Pioneer got official with its 50-inch KRP-500A and 60-inch KRP-600A over in Europe earlier this summer, and just as each set got set to ship, the firm felt it necessary to bring ‘em to Japan. Best of all, AkihabaraNews was able to see just how deep those blacks really were at a recent press event, and it was kind enough to host up a plethora of photographs for us common folk to gaze at. If we just rang your bell, pop down into the links below for specs and images galore.

Read - Camera flash, capture Pioneer’s new plasmas
Read - Formal introduction in Japan

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

Pioneer didn’t bring a whole lot of firepower to this year’s CEDIA (though it did toss in 16 new speaker models), but the star of its show was definitely the über-expensive Elite BDP-09FD Blu-ray player. Thankfully, the company had a couple of units setup for photographing, one of which was dissected within a glass case. Needless to say, we snapped images from each, giving you a rare look at what makes this thing worth $2,199. As with most of its Elite components (HDTVs notwithstanding), this unit was also on the chunky side, but it’s still a beauty in our eyes. The gallery awaits your attention.

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

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.

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Filed under: HDTV, Storage

Now here’s a rate of progress we could get used to. Nary a month after Pioneer trumpeted a 400GB Blu-ray Disc, out pops another press release from the firm boasting about a 500 gigger with a score of layers. Based on research at its Tokyo headquarters, specifications have been drafted for an incredibly capacious 500GB BD. Granted, this very company already had plans for a 500GB optical disc nearly four years ago, but there’s no time like the present to make this stuff a reality, right?

[Via TrustedReviews, thanks xdragon]

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Filed under: GPS

Just over a month after the internet got all fired up about the problematic AVIC F-Series navigators, Pioneer has come to the rescue (we hope, anyway) with a free firmware update. Aimed specifically at the US-based AVIC-F90BT, AVIC-F900BT and AVIC-F700BT, the update will reportedly “improve overall system performance and resolve certain software issues.” The outfit also notes that the AVIC-F500BT doesn’t need the upgrade, and even if your unit has been a-okay thus far, it still recommends applying the software. Take ten minutes or so and see what the latest firmware has to offer, and be sure to let us know if all (or some) of the kinks have indeed been ironed out.

[Thanks, Steven]

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

Blu-ray recorders have been on the scene for a while now, but now that the format war’s over, it looks like more companies are starting to commit to BD-R devices — like Pioneer, which announced today that it’ll have a Blu-ray recorder out in Japan by the end of the year. The company didn’t say what model it would be or what price point it was aiming for, but the tech is being jointly developed with Sharp, so hopefully it’s have a family resemblance to units like the 1TB AQUOS BD-HDW20 in everything but the $2,611 pricetag.

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Filed under: Storage

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Remember how your curiosity level shot through the roof when Pioneer abruptly discontinued the BDP-LX70A Blu-ray player in the UK? We’re willing to bet this is why. Announced over on Pioneer’s European website, we’re being treated to three fresh faces — the Profile 2.0-compliant BDP-LX91, Designer BDP-LX08 and BDP-LX71 — along with one familiar face (the BDP-51FD). All of the new units will feature 1080p24 support, HDMI 12-Bit Deep Color support, KURO LINK, DTS-HD Master Audio / Dolby True HD compatibility and professional-quality Wolfson Digital Audio Converters (DACs). As for pricing and availability other than Europe, your guess is as good as ours, but we are told to expect the BDP-LX71 in September, the BDP-51FD / BDP-LX08 in October and the BDP-LX91 “later on in the winter.” For more on Pioneer’s European onslaught, head on over to Engadget HD.

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Filed under: GPS

We aren’t suggesting that these problems are widespread or anything, but a fair number of users over at AVIC411 seem to be having all sorts of issues with their (admittedly pricey) F-Series navigators. According to owners, the issues range from complete lock-ups to distorted voice commands to quirky iPod interactions — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Have any of you taken the plunge only to find a litany of problems after installation? Or is your unit humming along just fine? Chime in below and let us know what’s up.

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV

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[TM], 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]

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video, Transportation

Look out Microsoft, Pioneer’s Linc series of in-dash and “on-dash” systems have their sights set on your voice controlled Sync. The first thing you’ll notice is Pioneer’s pixy-dusted UI which easily trumps the Sync’s rather staid presentation. The videos show off Pioneer’s real-time data feeds and natural speech recognition with the help of some smarmy actor-slash-models who’ll probably be serving you lunch today if you live in LA. But we digress. Videos after the break… which, let’s be honest, is the best we can do until the DivX-happy, SD-friendly AVIC-F900BT, F700BT, and F500BT (pictured) are released in June.

Continue reading Video: Pioneer’s AVIC-F Series of in-car navigators to take on Sync

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Filed under: GPS

It’s times like these when holding our fingers back from buying that one-way ticket to Tokyo is so incredibly difficult. Just today, Pioneer has introduced the Air Navi AVIC-T10, a portable car navigation system that “supports communications modules and provides drivers with new communications services for the Japanese market.” According to the release, this bad boy is “clearly distinguished from conventional PNDs,” provides oodles of information about traffic, weather, local events, gas station prices, etc. and packs a pretty impressive list of specs. We’re talking a 5.8-inch WVGA display, 1-seg TV tuner, 4GB of flash memory, integrated gyro sensor and built-in Bluetooth to boot. Those lucky enough to be in the right nation can snatch this gem next month for a currently undisclosed price.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

We got to plant our eyeballs on Pioneer’s second-gen KURO plasma display (bottom center), along with all that other new gear Pioneer released today. While all by its lonesome the new flagship display is no doubt impressive, when stacked up against the competition it becomes quite clear that this new KURO is the one to beat. Granted, this was Pioneer’s own setup designed to make us believe precisely that, but we certainly did find the new display notably blacker than its predecessor, and quite a lot better than the competing offerings Pioneer had on display. The new KURO projector was also quite impressive, and we even got treated to the much-improved start times of Pioneer’s new Blu-ray players.

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Aw yeah, that sexy-on-paper Kuro projector you’ve been dreaming about the past few weeks just got real today in Munich, as Pioneer made official (even more official?) the KRF-9000FD. Said beamer will be packed with LCoS technology, twin HDMI inputs to go along with the component / composite / S-Video sockets, full 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 600 lumens and a 30,000:1 contrast ratio; you’ll also find a RS-232c control port, a noise level of just 24-decibels in normal operation and a striking likeness to JVC’s DLA HD100. Here’s to hoping you weren’t expecting this thing to be a bargain, however, as it’s all set to land in the next week or so for a stiff €8,000 ($12,460).

[Via Heise]

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Filed under: GPS

If Pioneer’s AVIC-F500BT satnav unit got you all hot and bothered, then big brothers NavGate AVIC-F900BT and AVIC-F700BT should totally wreck your lifestyle. The new units sport all kinds of funky functions, like a 5.8-inch WVGA touchscreen display, built in DVD player (CD for the F700BT), 3D mapping with text to speech, PMP functionality with playback of MPEG, DivX, MP3, and WMA files, plus Bluetooth support for cell phones and the ability to manage up to 300 contacts. The do-it-all units also feature SD card support and USB jacks. Both new models will go on sale in Europe, Russia, Australia, and the States sometime in June, no word on pricing yet. You can watch a demo of the unit in action in the video after the break. C’mon… you know you want to.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Continue reading Pioneer intros the NavGate AVIC-F900BT and AVIC-F700BT GPS units

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Filed under: GPS

So Pioneer’s cramming a 5.8-inch 800 x 480 screen into this AVIC-F500BT “portable” navigation device, and just got themselves some FCC approval for shipping it over to the States. In addition to that gargantuan screen, the F500 really excels at connectivity, with Bluetooth for hands-free calling, an optional traffic antenna, and some ND-BC2 add-on to hook the unit up to a rear view camera. You can also use it to control your iPod, but there’s an SD card slot if you want to handle those tunes with the F500. No word on price or availability, but this unit sells as the NavGate 500 over in Europe for a whopping 699 Euro — about $1100 US. Ouch.

[Via NaviGadget]

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

If you’re all broken up about Pioneer’s seeming exit of the plasma business, take heart. Pioneer Executive Vice President Russ Johnston claims Pioneer’s plans aren’t to abandon Kuro-quality plasma displays in any way. The move to an outside manufacturer (Matsushita, parent company of Panasonic) is designed to cut cost in plasma production, but Pioneer still plans to maintain its premium edge over competitors. “The number-one goal is to make sure we can maintain our differentiation,” said Russ, “and specifically our Kuro difference in the marketplace.” Apparently Pioneer will be still be responsible for the video circuit and processing, the color filter strategy and other such secret sauce, and the company is confident Matsushita can step up to the Pioneer level of panel production — even if it might involve sharing a few trade secrets along the way. Apparently Matsushita is slated to start providing the modules by 2009.

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Say goodbye to Kuro as we knew (and loved) it, as Pioneer officially announced it’s ending all in-house plasma panel production and will build HDTVs based on panels bought elsewhere. The source went unnamed pending a final agreement, but Panasonic will likely follow up the 42-inch its providing with plasmas of up to 60-inches. Due this fall are Kuro-edition LCDs, combining Pioneer’s ultra-thin speakers and exacting picture quality standards with screens built by Sharp (hopefully this time sans-banding issues) that should see release Europe first. Other businesses affected are car audio, DJ equipment and Blu-ray players, but by streamlining operations and working closely with Sharp, it expects a return to profitability in 2010. Fans of deep black levels and accurate color reproduction probably shouldn’t be alone right now, take look at the .pdf and let the healing process begin in the comments. You’re among friends, you’re strong, you will get through this.

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