Panasonic are set to launch its latest KURO high-end home entertainment component at a trade show in Munich, with the KRF-9000FD offering full 1080p resolution imagery. Thanks to LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) technology the 9000FD manages an amazing 30,000:1 contrast ration, courtesy of JVC’s D-ILA reflective light crystal system. Full 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution at 600 lumens should offer up a decent fight to Sony’s BRAVIA VPL-VW40.
Pioneer have released a number of high-end in-car entertainment systems for their AVIC-F range. The three models – AVIC-F700BT, AVIC-F900BT and Premier branded AVIC-F90BT – all feature XM and satellite radio compatibility, Bluetooth with conversational voice recognition that can be used to control navigation, voice control of a connected iPod and a 5.8-inch WVGA touchscreen. The latter two models also have DVD playback and a built-in MSN Direct tuner.
No more value and budget size Plasma, It’s Kuro or we’ll get it from someone else. While many of us are still struggling to get the first value medium size flat screen, manufacturer like Pioneer is ceasing the production of a 42-inch plasma TV by end of March next year. They will continue to market and sell displays of that size for now, but Pioneer will focus solely on pushing displays with 50-inches or larger.
The 140w x 10ch Ice-powered Pioneer AV receiver was announced back in last October with December release. The schedule was pushed to February due to specification changes in production level, now is looking at another postpone to late March.
Is a TV too thin when you can cut yourself on it? We’re not quite at that stage yet, but Pioneer are getting there with their Project KURO plasma TV: at just 9mm deep it’s the thinnest yet. They’ve also managed to achieve ‘extreme contrast’ – i.e. black sections of the screen emit no light whatsoever – and all in something a whopping 50-inches across.
The pricey line of Pioneer Elite Blu-Ray player, BDP-LX80, reported as US equivalent BDP-95FD, gets an update to version 3.2 at Japan. It improves subtitles usability as well as BD-Java menu. Current 95FD version at Pioneer US’s site is 3.15. It’s a 1.0 profile player so one could only hope continued support on the troublesome Java menu. Frankly, I think all this java interactive menu is piece of costly garbage. I just want to watch the movie with best audio and video quality available, finish it and probably never watched it again. I don’t fancy picture in picture nonsense much like the multiple angle crap they have in legacy DVD and who is using it anyway?
Pioneer, BD player “BDP-LX80” Update – Interactive features such as improved stability [via impress]
Sure, it works with CD’s too, but that’s about as analog as it gets. It will read, and work with, MP3’s off of both a computer and CD-R/RW discs.
If you are using it with a computer, it apparently navigates through your file system to find the files you want similar to an iPod. There are “Scratch Jog Effects” which I assume is what they have created to simulate scratching since you are using media where there isn’t anything to scratch.
I enjoy listening to music when I’m on the go, however, I’ve had difficulty finding a pair of earbuds in the past that are comfortable enough. If you’re picky about your earbuds, you might check out these new ones from Pioneer.
“Talk about an impressive ass!” That was my first thought on seeing Pioneer’s new Elite SC-09TX flagship amp, which has a rear-panel positively bristling with connectivity. Things round the front are no less exciting, however; there’s a huge LCD as the centrepiece, which is all the more necessary when you consider that not only will the Elite work as your surround sound amp (pumping 200W out of seven channels simultaneously) but access media on a connected iPod and any networked PC.
First let’s start with the fact that this thing costs $1600 and can’t do navigation and music at the same time. Nor does it have any integrated storage, which means for probably the same money or less you could by a better receiver and then get a TomTom.
However this unit does tuck things away nicely with its motorized 7” touchscreen LCD. Just don’t ever lose that navigation DVD. Oh yeah, that’s another function of the unit, not only can it play DVDs but it can play several other media sources including iPods, compressed audio (which formats?) discs.
If you were looking for high quality audio at a middle of the road price, Pioneer has got what you want. Their new HTP-S717 system offers up 5.1 channel DTS with a wireless rear speaker for under a grand.
The wireless rear speaker isn’t really completely free of wire, its still need power, but it doesn’t have to be connected to the receiver through wires. The two main speakers have 7.7cm cone woofers and 2.5cm semi-dome tweeters (no mid?).