Pioneer to no longer make plasmas

[btf1980]

I'm just heartbroken about this. I was really looking forward to the 9mm Kuro. First Fujitsu, and now Pioneer. The premier plasma manufacturers have called it quits within months of each other. For some like me, LCD is not an option if it's 50" or larger.

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUST22772520080304

[Kevin P]

That's a bummer. I agree--I too tend to favor plasma over LCD for larger sizes.

Maybe LCD prices are dropping faster, or 1080p is easier/cheaper to manufacture LCD.

At least Panasonic/Matsushita will continue making them, and Pioneer will still offer sets using Matsushita panels.

[littlesaint]

That's a bummer. I agree--I too tend to favor plasma over LCD for larger sizes.

Maybe LCD prices are dropping faster, or 1080p is easier/cheaper to manufacture LCD.

At least Panasonic/Matsushita will continue making them, and Pioneer will still offer sets using Matsushita panels.

New reports indicate they are considering exiting plasma displays altogether and produce LCDs exclusively.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080304/ap_on_hi_te/japan_pioneer

[BasementJax]

This saddens me as a Pioneer plasma owner. I was hoping they'd maybe go the Fujitsu route, purchasing the "glass" from Panasonic and adding value with improved controller electronics and image processing.

Bottom line, the price of large LCD displays has been driven down to the point that it's hard for most consumers to justify $1000+ more for a 50" Pioneer plasma (even for those that appreciate the better black levels and contrast ratio).

[aud19]

This sucks

[Lex]

bummer, I was waiting for the front projection plasma. Actually, no way I'd go anything but projection for my main viewing, but I do have a 32" plasma in the bedroom. Sony.

This is sad as I heard the Pioneer Elite was about best.

[David Meek]

Bottom line, the price of large LCD displays has been driven down to the point that it's hard for most consumers to justify $1000+ more for a 50" Pioneer plasma (even for those that appreciate the better black levels and contrast ratio).

Oh, it's not that hard. Just go look at one of each in a properly lighted environment, with each of them properly calibrated. Even J6P can see a difference. :nonod:

Before hopping to a conclusion, I'm waiting on Pioneer to confirm this. Those "industry sources" have been known to be wrong on occasion. It could well be a done deal, but I'm still gonna wait.

[Hdale85]

bummer, I was waiting for the front projection plasma. Actually, no way I'd go anything but projection for my main viewing, but I do have a 32" plasma in the bedroom. Sony.

This is sad as I heard the Pioneer Elite was about best.

A Sony plasma? I'm guessing your talking about an LCD I don't think Sony's ever made a plasma :B

[littlesaint]

Oh, it's not that hard. Just go look at one of each in a properly lighted environment, with each of them properly calibrated. Even J6P can see a difference. :nonod:

Before hopping to a conclusion, I'm waiting on Pioneer to confirm this. Those "industry sources" have been known to be wrong on occasion. It could well be a done deal, but I'm still gonna wait.

The "no more panels" is a done deal. Now it's just whether they continue using Panasonic panels, or drop out entirely. Maybe they sell Kuro tech to Panasonic.

[georgev]

Does this spell the end to plasma completely?

[H.T.C]

The "no more panels" is a done deal. Now it's just whether they continue using Panasonic panels, or drop out entirely. Maybe they sell Kuro tech to Panasonic.

If that occurs,then most likely,jvc will start using the tech.

[Race Car Driver]

I guess it doesnt really supprise me, with the cost of producing plasmas and the yearly cost of operating plasmas along with the cheaper production and operation of LCD along with the LCD displays getting better.

Ah well, kinda sucks, this could be a good thing.. Better and even cheaper yet LCDs in our future....? I am ok with that.

[aud19]

Ya but I would have preferred better and cheaper plasmas. Hopefully somebody does purchase the Kuro technology that already has the plasma capacity to make it profitable....?

[Hdale85]

Well cheaper and plasma is hard to achieve because isn't it the most expensive to produce?

[Lex]

No Dougie, I have a 32" Sony Plasma. I don't know who made the panel but it's a Sony TV.

http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatv/sony-ke32ts2.html

[littlesaint]

Sony exited the plasma market in 2005. In a way this helped seal Pioneer's fate since Sony was expected to source plasma panels from Pioneer.

[Hdale85]

Wow...learn something new every day Sorry Doug just never had seen a Sony plasma before.

[joetama]

Wow this is a shock.

I love my PRO-940HD and was hoping someday to buy a new version and move that one to my bedroom.

Guess I'll be looking at something else now.

SO, who makes the best TVs now?

[David Meek]

Sheesh, I guess maybe I'll get back on the SED wagon. :unsure:

Although my PRO-1140 is doing just fine AFAIC.

[Lex]

no worries Dougie, I guess they were in such a short period of time, is not recalled by to many. Thanks for the date of 2005 as exit point saint.

I am not sure what drew me to these, but I liked the set's appearance, and actually bought mine off ebay. The dude was in Nashville, and he actually delivered it to me!!! LOL. I paid him cash on the spot. strange ebay deal. He had packing material for it, manual and all, so it was legit. He'd been a student, bought that while working, and decided he wanted to go back to school, so he needed the money.

Seems like mine was ~ 3K, I can't recall for sure. 3400-3700 new maybe?

[Gump]

Curious what the long range effects of this will be from a service standpoint on those of us that purchased the Kuro's.

Disappointing news.

[aud19]

Sheesh, I guess maybe I'll get back on the SED wagon. :unsure:

This news got me thinking about SED again as well. In the last year or two we've now lost two promising and far superior consumer TV tech's because nothing can currently compete with LCD's VAST production capabilities and hence pricing. Kind of sad actually. Hope this doesn't create a bit of a vacuum where new promising tech's/methods can't succeed as they'll never get to a high enough capacity to be financially successful

[Hdale85]

Didn't SED fall through because of the licensing of the tech where someone was trying to do a partnership and the technology wasn't allowed to work that way or something? Like Canon and whoever were working together on it and the developer wouldn't allow it.

[aud19]

It got tied up in litigation which delayed it's arrival. LCD's pricing continued to drop in the mean time and the longer the delay the worse the picture got for being able to scale production fast enough to keep it cost competitive. My guess is THAT killed it more than a comparitively simple re-negotiation with the company they licensed the tech from.

[Hdale85]

I thought that SED was supposed to be cheaper to produce then LCD and Plasma? You'd think they would be able to go back and revamp the technology to make it cheaper to produce and what not. I'm not sure just sucks that our only option is starting to look like LCD as far as flat panels go.

[aud19]

Well at an equal scale yes they said it would be cheaper but LCD has such HUGE head start on capacity and efficiency that nearly nothing can catch it. Hence my fear of a technology vacuum.

[H.T.C]

There is mitsubishi laser sets on the horizon and perhaps that type of technology will catch on,then prices will become consumer friendly.

[aud19]

There is mitsubishi laser sets on the horizon and perhaps that type of technology will catch on,then prices will become consumer friendly.

That's the problem though. Seems to me the prices have to START OUT consumer friendly or the technology is doomed to failure. That's awfully hard to do with a new technology/start up costs/economies of scale etc.

[whoaru99]

Does this spell the end to plasma completely?

I'd say probably not, considering Pioneer sales volumes were only 10% of what Matsushita/Panasonic are selling.

[cneville]

Now what do I do?

Argggggggg!
My JVC 63 incher died and GE is finally coughing up the replacement cost, but the no brainer replacement (yes, you guessed it) is no longer being made. My retailer says there are no Kuro's in the US! Now what do I get 60" or larger???????
Blankity, blank, blank!
<;-)

[aud19]

There's alwaysthe Panny's. The new Samsung LCD's with addressable LED backlighting are supposed to be good if you don't mind LCDs?

[Hdale85]

I'm sure there is somewhere you can still get a Kuro that sounds a little far fetched.

Edit:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8483456&type=product&id=1186003258555&ref=06&loc=01&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=8483456

http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?omid=103&ref=froogle&utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PRPDP6010FD&sku=PRPDP6010FD

http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=88794

http://www.google.com/product_url?q=http://www.abt.com/product/29896.html%3F%26source%3Dfroogle&fr=AGSb2Jdlg-hNJGTschkOoUipnKWTZqobQaMzua2H3Gel---3o451OvLqc3hhtwDNPLXrhg6iTg_eDy_R82AbSGZT4YLrtg1XBni-dkWAy7dgnPqSroOI6JmUzAiH-4Ow0AAAAAAAAAAA&gl=us&hl=en&sa=title

All reputable places.

[joetama]

I've talked to two dealers now that says Pioneer is continuing to make displays...

What is the true story?

[Hdale85]

I believe they are switching technologies. LCD instead of Plasma.

[littlesaint]

I don't think they have abandoned plasma displays, unless there's been more news since the announcement earlier this month. They have stopped producing plasma panels, and will source the panels from Matsushita (Panasonic).

[JohnA]

I've talked to two dealers now that says Pioneer is continuing to make displays...
What is the true story?

I believe they are switching technologies. LCD instead of Plasma.

In a nutshell.....

The new 9G plasma panels that will first start coming out in a few months fron now, will still be made 100% by Pioneer. It's not until you go even further into the future when the 10G panels come out, (which will be almost 2 years away from now) is when just the actual plasma panel itself will be outsourced to another company, but it also will be made to Pioneers own designs and specs. So it's not anything like they will be just using someones elses off the shelf parts for panels, because they will be made to Pioneer's own design specs. Reports are it probably will be Panasonic who will make them, but there also is some talk that it could be Hitachi. But even when the panel production is outsourced, all the other internal electronics as well as the entire circuitry design will still be made by Pioneer, and the entire set will still also be assembled by Pioneer. As for the matter of LCD's. They also are coming out with a entire new line of LCD sets starting later this year, and the reports are that those will be for all their under 50" sets. So there will be no more plasmas in anything under 50" from Pioneer. But they also in no way are dropping all future plasma sets! It's only those in less than 50" that will be LCD's.

[Pookie007]

When I first read about Pioneer not making plasmas a few weeks ago, I was concerned about being able to get a good display.

I just added a Panasonic plasma to my collection this past weekend. I got the 58" 1080P Panasonic for 1/2 the price of the 60" Pioneer. I did a side by side comparison of my 50" Pioneer and the gap has definitly narrowed. Out of the box the Panasonic picture was way too bright and had "over the top" colors. I ran through the calibration DVD and it solved all the problems.

I don't know about anyone else's viewing room, but in my space I could not see the Pioneer black level advantage post calibration. I'm sure someone could find a scene where the difference is noticible, but for everyday watching it isn't there.

That leaves $3000 for ????

[aud19]

Good to hear JohnA, thanks for the clarification :T

[JohnA]

Good to hear JohnA, thanks for the clarification :T

No problem.
However. What I posted, was mostly from bit's and pieces that I put together from several different sources. I also forgot to mention that for the LCD sets, is that Pioneer will be working with Sharp to make them.

Anyway, here is a much more official statement, from Sound & Vision magazine. That pretty much says some of the same things, that I did above. Except that they do not really mention anything much about how the 10G panels, as being the ones that start out with the Panasonic partnership.

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/features/2803/pioneer-stands-by-its-plasma.html

Also they do not say much about the projected release dates of the new upcoming 9G models. Which might start as soon a late this May/June in Europe for the non-Elite models, and in June/July for the US and Canada. And with staggered release dates for the Elite line in the US and Canada, starting with the 151FD Elite in late July to mid August. As with anything else I've said, those realease dates are not anything that is set in stone, and they are in no way official.

[Snap]

Also they do not say much about the projected release dates of the new upcoming 9G models. Which might start as soon a late this May/June in Europe for the non-Elite models, and in June/July for the US and Canada. And with staggered release dates for the Elite line in the US and Canada, starting with the 151FD Elite in late July to mid August. As with anything else I've said, those realease dates are not anything that is set in stone, and they are in no way official.

The 9G 50" and 60" will be hitting the stores in June

Gen 9 Kuro 2008 Model 2007 MAP
PRO151FD $6,500
PRO111FD $5,000

As far as the whole glass thing.... Fuji was having Panny make their glass for years and Fuji was an awesome plasma. Pioneer is doing the same.

I agree with another poster that was upset about the 42" going away. If you like the Pro 940HD the PRO 950HD made the 940 look like a vizio. (Ok so I am stretching it a bit! But the 950 was AWESOME)

Also in June Pioneer enters the front projection market! That should be really cool. I can not wait to see that.

9K MAP I believe for the Elite PJ.