Pioneer Looks Toward LCD as Kuro Project Leads to Losses

[nevilles]

I'm with HiDefBob...was really looking at the Kuro sets as my first jump into flat panel tv's (have been living with a circa 1998 Mits RPTV for 8 yrs.) Very sad that the market has killed the Kuro off for now....!

Neville Sarkari M.D.

[xorbitman]

I wonder what's going to happen to the price of the remaining inventory at the retail level...Is Costco going to take the lead and cut the price of it's Pioneer Plasmas forcing the small retailers to do the same...perhaps forcing Pioneer to offer rebates to all its retail distribution network.....If so this may be our last chance to grab one of these fine sets at what very well may be a very discounted price...so that the big retailers don't get left holding the bag. Sort of HD DVD type effect....Kind of like a format war between LCD and Plasma instead of an optional competitive product offering. That would be weird to see a Kuro price drop to $1,000 for a 50" set! ....where do I sign up?!

[jbk]

Here's is a different story related to Pioneer's plasma production from Russ Johnson exec VP at Pioneer.


http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/fea...ts-plasma.html

[adr5]

Originally Posted by i30krab

As usual it's about the $$$. Most people will not pay for quality no matter what!

On the AVS form there are some guys complaining that anything over $200.00 for a bluray player is over priced and a waste of $$$.

AVS forms should have discussion groups at different levels so one can discuss the real world of AV to separate the wheat from the chafe. Some forums do try to have separate discussion levels but most of the time these discussions turn into fights.

It's about value for money spent. Bluray is not a good value. Unfortunately now that HD-DVD is dead, Bluray will not be a good value for a long time to come. I really wish the HD-DVD and Bluray backers could have merged the technologies to one standard. I probably won't get a Bluray player for a long time because it is not a good value. I am about to buy a new LCD TV and I am considering the Sony XBR line because I know I am getting a good value for my money, especially since I know I can get a pretty substantical discount off of list price.

[meatyb0y]

Maybe there's a bright side!

I dislike LCD's for my own viewing environment. I need good off-axis viewing and deep blacks with good shadow detail. I have a Pioneer plasma in the LR and was looking to replace my BR plasma w/ an Elite 42". Although I still have time, I have heard that Pioneer may share some of their technology w/ Matsu****a so that they can still create Plasma's at equivalent or better quality to what they are doing now (please, please, please let that be the case). This could mean that Panasonic plasmas end up even better, while Pioneer still puts in all that excellent standard def and hi-def processing that I love so much, so they remain a premium brand, a cut above.

Doesn't this give both brands a boost in the economy of scale arena? Maybe this will actually lead to lower cost at equivalent or better quality, and allow both companies to continue to develop plasma technology even further? I'm crossing every single appendage I have available...it's painful.

And then the question of LCD - I understand that Sharp is a major shareholder in Pioneer. Maybe, but what I HOPE to see come out of this is that Pioneer can eventually elevate LCD performance to the range of the Kuro line plasma line. That would be really great, and it may get us further along the path to a good tv being a good tv, and who cares about what kind of hamster is spinning the wheel inside.

I hope...

[i30krab]

News flash; Ford motor company is buying a majority interest in Pioneer and all other plasma technology companies in the far east. They will market their sets in the USA under the name kuru Edsel. They're will be a 2 sizes, the 150" citation and the 200" corsair both built on the ford F150 based frame.

Anyone else have a story about Pioneer getting out of the plasma business?