Displays that support 1080p/24 signal at multiplies of the original frame rate

[HDTV1080P]

New Samsung LCD flat panel’s added to the list and some moved to the discontinued list

The following Samsung LCD flat panels have been moved to list 3 of 3 which is the discontinued out of production 1080P/24 displays

Samsung LN-T4069F (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-T4669F (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-T4071F (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-T4671F (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-T5271F (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)


The following new Sasmung LCD flat panels have been added to list 2 of 3 which is the current in production 1080P/24 LCD flat panel displays.

Samsung LN-40A630 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-46A630 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-52A630 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-46A850 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-46A950 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)

Samsung LN-55A950 (1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ when Auto Motion Plus (AMP) is turned off)


According to the official Samsung PDF spec sheet links all the above displays use the Auto Motion Plus feature. When Auto Motion Plus is turned off 1080P/24 is correctly refreshed on the screen at 120HZ without using the 3/2 pulldown process.

Warning about the Samsung spec sheets:

I have noticed many errors with incorrect information while reading Samsung spec sheets. For example the Samsung flat panel displays have only 1 RF input but the spec sheets mention 2 RF inputs.
A few error examples with the Samsung official spec sheets:
Samsung LN52A750 and LN40A650 has one RF input when one looks at the back of the display just like all the rest of the 2008 Samsungs I have seen.
The spec sheet lists two RF inputs which is in error.
http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consumer/product/2008/05/27/ln52a750r1fxza/LN52A750_spec.pdf

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consumer/product/2008/03/28/ln40a650a1fxza/ln40a650_spec.pdf

The error on listing an extra RF input jack on the Samsung LCD flat panels is not the only error that can be found. The latest Samsung BD-P1500 BLU-RAY player official spec sheet mentions that an S-Video output terminal is included. The spec sheet is in error again. Just take a look on the back of a Samsung BD-P1500 and there is no S-Video jack at all for people that have old legacy 480I TV sets like the official spec sheet mentions.

http://www.samsung.com/us/system/consumer/product/2008/05/22/bd_p1500xaa/bdp1500_spec.pdf

[HDTV1080P]

Panasonic 800U and 850U series have been removed from the list

Panasonic TH-50PZ800U (48HZ Plasma) (Warning unwatchable flicker at 48HZ)

Panasonic TH-46PZ800U (48HZ Plasma) (Warning unwatchable flicker at 48HZ)

Panasonic TH-42PZ800U (48HZ Plasma) (Warning unwatchable flicker at 48HZ)

Panasonic TH-65PZ850U(48HZ Plasma) (Warning unwatchable flicker at 48HZ)

Panasonic TH-58PZ850U(48HZ Plasma) (Warning unwatchable flicker at 48HZ)

Panasonic TH-50PZ850U(48HZ Plasma) (Warning unwatchable flicker at 48HZ)

Panasonic TH-46PZ850U(48HZ Plasma) (Warning unwatchable flicker at 48HZ)

Originally the Panasonic 800U and 850U series were added to the list since technically the displays do bypass the 3/2 pulldown process and display 1080P/24 correctly on the screen at 48HZ (with an unwatchable flicker). When I added the 800U and 850U series to the list there was a big red warning link that let people know that the display is unwatchable when a 1080P/24 signal is applied at the native 48HZ refresh rate mode. It is ridiculous to have the 800U and 850U on the list since one cannot use the 48HZ refresh rate of the display since it is unwatchable. I was hoping that Panasonic would have issued a firmware update to correct this problem.
The fact remains that the only watchable Plasma screen on the market that correctly refreshes 1080P/24 at multiplies of the original frame is the Pioneer brand of Plasma screens. The very first Plasma screen with true 1080P/24 is the Pioneer Elite PRO-FHD1 Plasma and it was introduced back in 2006. For two years Pioneer has been the only watchable Plasma manufactory that correctly refreshes BLU-RAY 1080P/24 signals just like a 35mm film projector. Pioneer is also the only flat panel that automatically selects the correct multiplies of the original frame rate when a 1080P/24 signal is applied regardless of the menu settings. So far every single 120HZ 5:5 pulldown LCD flat panel screen requires the consumer to make special adjustments inside the menu so that 1080P/24 is displayed correctly on the screen.
In the future any other brand or model that has an unwatchable picture when a 1080P/24 signal is applied will not be added to the list. Most consumers are not educated enough on how to setup their displays. Most people that purchase the 800U or 850U and connect it to a BLU-RAY player just leave the Panasonic at the default setting of 60HZ which has no advantage of 1080P/24 signals. The smarter consumers will place the Panasonic 800U and 850U in the 48HZ mode and their BLU-RAY player in the 1080P/24 mode. Then in the 48HZ mode the Panasonic 800U and 850U series has a unwatchable flicker and most consumers will place the display back in the 60HZ mode.

Click on the red link for the 800U and 850U above to see more detailed information about this problem.

[HDTV1080P]

Panasonic TH-50PZ800U September 2008 Sound and Vision review link
(800U will not be added to the list because of unwatchable flicker issue)

Here is another review on the Panasonic 800U that mentions the flickering problem when a 1080P/24 signal is applied. Hopefully future models of Panasonic will correct this issue so that BLU-RAY videophiles will have more then one brand of true 1080P/24 Plasma displays to choose from.


Quote from Sound and Vision (September review)


“Although the TV's 24p input mode mostly worked well, smoothing out picture judder in movie scenes with camera pans when the 48-Hz option was selected, it also caused the screen to flicker a bit. The effect could mostly be seen in shots with bright backgrounds such as snow or sky. Once I noticed it, the flickering was tough to ignore, so I decided to use the set's 60-Hz display option for all of my viewing.”

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hdtvs/2906/panasonic-th-50pz800u-performance-page2.html

[HDTV1080P]

Toshiba LCD Flat Panel 52XF550U (second review link)

Originally in a prior post I mentioned that according to Sound and Vision review link and Toshiba’s spec sheets that the XV540U and XF550U series are both true 5:5 pulldown displays.

Quote
“When sending a 1080p/24 signal to the TV from a Blu-ray player, the Standard mode engages 5:5 pulldown (each original film frame that's been encoded to video is displayed five times to hit the TV's 120-Hz refresh rate).”

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hdt...-lcd-hdtv.html

New comparison review mentions that the Toshiba 52XF550U has better picture quality compared to Sony XBR4 (black level) but the Samsung LN52A750 is still the best LCD display reviewed in terms of picture quality

The new Samsung LN55A950 LCD flat panel in theory once reviewed should have better picture quality compared to the existing Samsung LN52A750. I am sure Sony will also release some new XBR displays to try and beat Samsung and Toshiba LCD displays black levels. It is great to see so much competition in the LCD world to keep improving true 1080P/24 display picture quality. It is too bad Pioneer is the only Plasma brand to choose from when it comes to the true 1080P/24 feature. Plasma screens still have a better picture quality then LCD screens I just wish there was more Plasma screens to choose from that offer 1080P/24 refresh rates.

Toshiba new LCD screens are excellent quality

Quotes from Ultimateavmag

“At $3300, the Toshiba is $100 more than the Samsung LN52A750 and $700 less than the Sony KDL-52XBR4. Of the three, I prefer the Samsung with its better blacks, frame interpolation, connectivity features, and user interface. The Toshiba beats the Sony's effective blacks, and while their menu systems are very different, I don't particularly like either one. The Toshiba has a much thinner bezel than either of the others, which could be important for buyers with limited space.
There are many things to like about the Toshiba 52XF550U, including detail, color, shadow detail, and black level, the last of which was better than most LCD TVs can manage, at least with a low backlight setting. The 120Hz frame interpolation caused some artifacts in some test patterns, but not with real-world content. Then again, it didn't seem to help much, either.
On the downside, I was unable to fully calibrate the grayscale, though I didn't see any big problems in real-world material because of it. And while the color points were way off out of the box, the ColorMaster controls let me dial them in beautifully—just don't try it at home unless you have a colorimeter and know how to use it.
All in all, the 52XF550U is worthy of serious consideration.

Highs
Great color and detail
Excellent blacks and shadow detail
Color points can be shifted to near-perfection

Lows
Frame interpolation doesn't seem to do much
Standard-def processing not great
Grayscale can't be fully calibrated”
http://ultimateavmag.com/flatpaneldisplays/708tosh550u/index4.html

[HDTV1080P]

Should the Panasonic 800U and 850U be added to the list again?

I have received an email from a person claiming to be a Panasonic 800U owner. This person informed me that the unwatchable flicker problem that the professional reviewers have mentioned does occur at 48HZ but then after around 75 hours after the Panasonics Plasma break in period the flicker issue improved and the display was watchable again. I do realize that film even in the theaters when refreshed at 48HZ has a small amount of natural flicker. If the Panasonics 48HZ refresh mode is watchable after 75 hours then the display should be added to the list again.

This is a complicated issue. Technically the Panasonic has 48HZ refresh but then since it was reported that the mode makes it unwatchable I decided to remove it from the list after making a policy change to remove any display that is unwatchable when a 1080P/24 signal is applied at multiplies of the original frame rate.

Here is a copy of the comments I received in email from a Panasonic 800U user

"I wanted to add something about the flicker in the Panasonic 800U plasma's 48Hz mode. I was bothered by it at first with the brightest scenes, but the effect is essentially non-existent after about 75 hours of use. I have experience with CRT projectors that refresh at 48Hz, and the flicker with this plasma is nowhere near on the same level.

Anyway, you'll find that a lot of 800U owners use the 48Hz mode for 1080p/24 signals. I can no longer notice the flicker at all when viewing in a darkened room. It seems that one's eyes adjust to it and/or the display breaks-in where the effect is significantly mitigated. If I were a reviewer and had limited time with the display like CNET did, then I would definitely note the 48Hz mode as being "unwatchable." But, as an owner who's spent a good amount of time with it, I will now say that the 48Hz mode is desired. The clarity and smoothness that this mode provides with virtually no artifacts is quite impressive.

I just wanted to add my perspective on this issue as an 800U owner who can be obsessive over audio/video quality.”

[HDTV1080P]

Panasonic 800U and 850U added to the list again

Important list Policy change info

The list will continue to include only USA displays that offer an option to bypass the 3/2 pulldown process and refresh the image on the screen at multiplies of 24 frames per second when a 1080P/24 signal is applied. The list will also continue to include the brands and models of displays that some professional reviewers feel do not offer much improvement in quality between 60HZ and true 24P BLU-RAY film mode.

Changes made to the list policy

I have decided to once again add any brand and model of display that a professional reviewer mentions as being “unwatchable” or “unwatchable flicker”. What I will try and do is mark the displays on the list in red with a link to the quote that mentions the display is unwatchable when the true 1080P/24 film mode is turned on. It is possible that to some people a flicker on the screen for some brands and models of displays is watchable and to another group of people the image is unwatchable.
I never thought I would run into a review that mentions a display is unwatchable in true 1080P/24 mode at 48HZ. This has been a difficult decision for me but I think it is in the best interest for the individual consumer to determine if a flicker on the screen is watchable or not watchable. Still since every review on the Panasonic 800U and 850U has mentioned a flicker problem or “unwatchable flicker” problem at 48HZ the list needs to have a warning with a link mentioning the issue. It would be awesome if a future firmware update could some how fix this issue.

[HDTV1080P]

3 New Hitachi 48HZ Plasma flat panels have been added to the list

· 50-inch S-Series (model P50S602): $2,699

· 50-inch V-Series (model P50V702): $3,199

· 50-inch X-Series (model P50X902): $3,699

Hitachi P50X902 (48HZ Plasma) Click link to the left to see Hitachi spec sheet

Hitachi P50V702 (48HZ Plasma) Click link to the left to see Hitachi spec sheet

Hitachi P50S602 (48HZ Plasma) Click link to the left to see Hitachi spec sheet

Quote from Hitachi press release

"The new PictureMaster™ VI digital video processor features the second generation of Hitachi’s Reel60™ technology, a patented innovation that eliminates “judder” for the ultimate in smooth, clear motion. The new HDTV’s also debut a new feature for film fans called Cinema48™. Working exclusively with 24p HDMI inputs, Cinema48™ provides viewers with the same visual timing and feeling that they experience in movie theaters.”.

http://www.hitachi.us/Apps/hitachicom/content.jsp?page=PressReleases/details/06122008_2.html&path=jsp/hitachi/aboutus/Press-Media/

The Hitachi P50X902 and P50V702 include a free weekly on screen TV guide. The Hitachi P50S602 includes a free daily on screen TV guide. I would like to see a review on the Hitachi P50X902. The P50X902 appears to be a high quality display with a two year parts and labor warranty and custom white balance with digital color management control. The Hitachi’s only have 3 HDMI inputs. Other brands like Pioneer and Samsung flat panels have 4 HDMI inputs.

[HDTV1080P]

The Samsung LN52A550 will not be added to the list since it is a 60HZ only display

Quote
“The set's HDMI ports are also compatible with the 1080p24 (24 Hz) video signals that some Blu-ray disc players, such as the Panasonic DMP-BD30, can provide. However, the 60-Hz display technology lacks the frame interpolation/repeating capabilities of the more costly 120-Hz–enabled sets such as the LN52A750 and the LG 47LG60, capabilities that can minimize the judder that occurs when 24-Hz material is converted for display at 60 Hz.”

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2326476,00.asp

[HDTV1080P]

2 New Mitsubishi LCD flat panels have been added to the list

The Mitsubishi 149 series flat panels bypass the 3:2 pulldown process when a 1080P/24 signal is applied and smooth film motion is turned off.

Mitsubishi LT-46149 Simplay HD certified for maximum HDCP compatibility

Mitsubishi LT-52149 Simplay HD certified for maximum HDCP compatibility

149 SERIES SPEC SHEET

http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/img/696202/LT-52149%20Product%20Specifications.pdf

1080P/24 correctly refreshed at 120HZ without 3:2 pulldown (also called 2:3 pulldown) when Smooth Film Motion is turned off.

According to the spec sheet above the 149 series has the same smooth 120HZ film motion that CNET reviewed in detail on the 148 series. The major difference between the 148 and 149 series is the 149 series has a built in cable card (one way cable box) and on screen interactive TV guide.

Quote from CNET on the 148 series review
“We also checked out how the Mitsubishi handled a 1080p/24 source by setting our PS3 in that mode and turning off the TV's Smooth 120 dejudder processing. The result was the best we'd seen so far from the set. Like the Sony and the Samsung, the 120Hz Mitsubishi displayed the 24-frame source faithfully, with standard film judder but without the characteristic extra hitching motion caused by the 2:3 pull-down process (which isn't necessary with 120Hz TVs displaying 24-frame content). Compared with the Panasonic, which we set at the standard 60Hz mode, the pan over the aircraft carrier, for example, looked more natural and smoother (in a good way!) on the 120Hz LCDs than on the Panasonic plasma. Of course, to most viewers the difference will be subtle, but for people with Blu-ray players who pay attention, it's worth it.”

http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/mitsubishi-lt-46148/4505-6482_7-32924014.html

[HDTV1080P]

Pioneer Kuro PDP-6020FD Plasma

Sept 2008 Home Theater review info

On page 68-71 of the September 2008 Home Theater magazine, Thomas J Norton has written a review on the Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD. Overall the picture quality is better on this new 9th generation display compared to the 8th generation display but the cheaper priced 9th generation comes at a cost with reduced features compared to last years model. In a prior post I went into details about the inputs in the back that were eliminated and other features that were eliminated to cut cost on the new 9th generation Pioneer’s. Thomas J. Norton over at Homer Theater magazine mentions the remote control is not as good this year and the menus on the non Elite’s this year offer no color-temp control and other menu settings are not included to simplify the menus. The new Elite and Signature series which cost more will offer these advanced adjustments.
An excellent feature that only Pioneer offers is that it is currently the only flat panel brand that will automatically turn on the true 1080P/24 film mode when one inputs a 1080P/24 signal from a BLU-RAY player, then the flat panel refreshes the image properly at 72HZ regardless of any menu settings. All other Plasma and LCD flat panel screens so far that I have seen and have read reviews of all require consumers to mess around with the motion features or other settings need to be changed in order to properly display 1080P/24 like a film projector. It is so nice and easy for the consumer to just place their BLU-RAY player on 1080P/24 and the Pioneer will automatically do the rest in terms of properly displaying the 72HZ film rate.

Highlights from the Home Theater review

“However, if your program material is already at 1080p/24, the Pioneer automatically converts it to a display frame rate of 72fps (using repeated frames, not interpolation), regardless of the PureCinema control setting.”

“State-of-the-art black level, shadow detail, and contrast ratio”

“Color temperatures are inaccurate and cannot be calibrated”

“Some video processing artifacts”

“The Pioneer remote lacks backlighting, and it has smaller buttons than the remote that came with last year’s model.”

“Pioneer clearly made a concerted effort to simplify the operation of its standard sets. However, this simplification comes at a price. The set includes few specialized controls:no color space options, no gamma settings, no noise reduction, no enhancements, and no other special tweaks.”
“Perhaps most important, none of the picture modes offers any color-temperature control. They don’t even provide fixed settings such as Low, Middle, and High. Plus, according to Pioneer, you can’t calibrate the gray scale, even via the hidden service menu. You just get what the factory ordered, no more and no less. This would not be a problem if one or more of the modes adhered closely to the D65 color temperature standard. But none of them does.”
“Potential buyers should know that the new Pioneer Elite sets and the new Signature Series monitors will offer extensive adjustments. Thankfully, they will both include full calibration controls for color temperature.”

Conclusions
“The Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD excels in far more than just blacks. But I can’t overstate the importance of rich blacks, particulary if you are a movie fan. I never once wished for deeper blacks or better shadow detail. “
“Yet, I do wish that the set’s color temperature were more accurate. And I don’t like to see any manufacturer eliminate the ablity to correct color-temperature deviations. I particularly don’t like to see Pioneer do it, since its sets are arguably the best on the market. For that reason, my recommendation here is less enthusiastic than it might have been otherwise.”
“But unless another manufacturer springs an unexpected surprise, Pioneer’s ninth-generation plasma will be the sets to beat this year.”

Updated with weblink
http://hometheatermag.com/plasmadisplays/908piokuro/

[aaronwt]

No point in even having a display where the “Color temperatures are inaccurate and cannot be calibrated”

I wouldn't want any TV that can't be calibrated properly.

But I even wonder if that statement is actually true? It would seem odd to have a 2008 TV that can't be calibrated.

[HDTV1080P]

Pioneer Elite PRO-111FD Plasma flat panel August 2008 review link

Scott Wilkinson over at UltimateAVmag.com has written an excellent review on the new Pioneer Elite PR0-111FD. The Pioneer Plasma’s still are the best flat panels in terms of picture and sound quality. The built in stereo speakers are excellent compared to other displays. Of course a surround sound system sounds better, but sometimes one may want to do causal TV surfing and not mess around with the surround sound system.

Pioneer displays are the only flat panels on the market that have 72HZ refresh rates for 1080P/24 material. The film quality is excellent at 72HZ refresh rate on Pioneer Plasmas’s with a better quality film look compared to 120HZ LCD screens. LCD screens still suffer from some motion blur at 120HZ with some fast moving film images.


1080P/24 feature quote


“It bears repeating that all Pioneer TVs have the ability to display 1080p/24 at 72Hz, repeating each frame three times. This avoids 3:2 pulldown altogether and results in much smoother motion on film-based material. I know of no other flat panels with this rare and important feature.”


Unique calibration features on the Elite series


“Unique to the Elite line—and, presumably, the upcoming Reference monitors—are ISF Day and Night modes, which can be calibrated only from the service menu or by using special software developed by Sencore. These modes let a calibrator lock in the calibration so they can't be messed up by inveterate but unskilled tweakers.”


The Pioneer Remote control is not as good as last years models


"Pioneer changed the design of the Kuro remote this year, and it's a step backward for the most part. The buttons are smaller and more uniform in size and shape, which makes them harder to find by feel. It's illuminated, but some of the labels are on the body, so they can't be seen in the dark even with the backlight on.
Like last year, the remote is a universal type that can control up to six devices in addition to the TV. However, the buttons for other devices are now on the main body, not behind a flip-down lid, making the button layout more cluttered. At least it still has dedicated input-selection buttons, though the HDMI buttons are not identified as they are on the PRO-110FD remote—the input buttons are identified only by number.”

Harder menu's compared to last year

"This year, there is no button for accessing Home Media Gallery—it is accessed from the menu. Speaking of which, the menu system has been slightly redesigned, and like the remote, it's a step backward. Whereas the picture controls were buried fairly deep last year, they are even deeper this year, taking many button pushes to get just about anywhere you want. “

Positive picture quality comments for the Pioneer PRO-111FD

“However, in the Pure AV Mode with Color Space set to 2, such adjustments proved unnecessary—the primary and secondary color points were as close to the HD standard as any set I have yet reviewed. “
“Amazingly, the PRO-111FD achieved even an lower black level than the 110FD—in fact, the new model’s black level was only 25% of the 8G’s, reaching the lower limit of my Minolta LS-100 light meter.
As I was taking these measurements, I noticed one odd thing. When switching from a white field or white window to a black field, the black level dropped to literally 0 after maybe 10 seconds, making the TV look like it was turned off. (In a totally dark room such as we have at Grayscale Studio, a black field on the Pioneer can still be seen, except after this strange phenomenon.) I didn’t notice this in real-world content, but I thought it worth mentioning.”
“All of the moving resolution tests on the FPD Benchmark Blu-ray test disc looked excellent, with very little loss of detail. These tests illustrate the superior motion resolution of plasma over LCD. Gradation in the 0-100 ramp showed only slight banding, with a bit more in the 0-25 ramp, and differentiation in the mostly black and mostly white shots was superb.
This was confirmed on Pioneer’s own Blu-ray demo disc, which includes lots of mostly black shots as well as bright, saturated colors. The blacks were super-rich, and differentiation in the mostly black photo studio was excellent. The colors of flowers, cars, and skin tones were completely natural, detail in leaves and petals was exquisite, and the contrast in shots of fireworks was stunning.”
“During this test, I discovered that Pioneer seems to have fixed the bug I found in the PRO-110FD, which behaved unpredictably if the film mode was set to something other than Off when the set received a progressive signal. In the PRO-111FD, all film modes are available all the time, and when the set gets a progressive signal, it doesn’t do anything even if one of the modes is engaged. “
“Despite the few minor imperfections I found, the Pioneer Elite PRO-111FD upholds the Kuro tradition admirably. Black level, detail, and color are second to none. If you insist on the best at any cost, look no further.”

“Highs
Unbeatable blacks
Excellent shadow detail
Gorgeous color
Stunning detail
Displays 1080p/24 at 72Hz
ISF calibration modes

Lows
Picture controls associated with AV modes, not inputs
Menu controls buried several levels deep
Remote not as good as previous generation
Above-white partially clipped”

All quotes taken from the following review link
http://ultimateavmag.com/flatpaneldisplays/808pio111/index.html

[cardpetree]

Is the biggest size you can get in the Pioneer PRO-111FD, 50 inches? I'm finally upgrading to a plasma and I'm worried about going down in size. I'm so used to my 65" Mitsu RPT that 50 inches looks small to me. If you can, please recommend a 60 inch or bigger Plasma.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by cardpetree

Is the biggest size you can get in the Pioneer PRO-111FD, 50 inches? I'm finally upgrading to a plasma and I'm worried about going down in size. I'm so used to my 65" Mitsu RPT that 50 inches looks small to me. If you can, please recommend a 60 inch or bigger Plasma.

The Pioneer Elite PRO-111FD is a 50 inch Plasma. The Pioneer Elite PRO-151FD is exactly the same as the PRO-111FD in terms of specs accept for being 60 inches in size. The 60 inch PRO-151FD only difference is the weight and physical dimensions. The suggested list price on the PRO-151FD is also $6,500.
Here is a link to the Pioneer spec sheet for the PRO-151FD
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/ephox/StaticFiles/PUSA/Files/PRO-151FD.pdf
60 inches is currently the larges Plasma Pioneer makes. If you have a dedicated dark home theater room, a step up from the 60 inch Plasma would be the 200 inch ceiling mounted front projector. The Pioneer Kuro front projector can project a image between 60-200 inches. It costs $9,000.
PRO-FPJ1 (screen size between 60-200 inches)
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/ephox/StaticFiles/PUSA/Files/PRO-FPJ1.pdf

[HDTV1080P]

Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD 50-inch plasma HDTV (October 2008 Sound and Vision Review link)

This new review from Sound and Vision regarding the Pioneer PRO-111FD is a very good review. I did want to mention one small error they made in the review under key features. The 9th generation Kuro’s have only one 1 component input, 1 S-Video input and one RF input, the review mentions 2 component inputs by mistake, 2 S-Video inputs by mistake, and a dual ant/cable RF input by mistake. The 8th generation kuro's had more inputs and features like TV guide with cablecard but cost $1,000 more. Of course the 9th generation has a better picture quality which is the most important feature. The Pioneer 9th generation also has 3 composite inputs, the review only mentions 2.

Quotes from Sound and Vision magazine

”24p input mode with 3:3 pulldown (72-Hz display)”

“Deeper blacks and a host of refinements make this year’s Elite Kuro even better than its award-winning predecessor”


“You’d expect a 50-inch plasma TV that sells for five grand to be packed with bells and whistles, and the PRO-111FD doesn’t disappoint. Its Optimum picture mode uses internal and external sensors to make automatic picture adjustments — including brightness, contrast, color, and even color temperature — based on ambient light conditions in your room. “

“Moving from the interiors of Mad Men to the outer space of 2001: A Space Odyssey so I could check out the Pioneer’s handling of really deep blacks, I noticed that the dark star field that the Jupiter Mission ship cruises through was only the faintly lighter than the TV’s black bezel. This made the image look both seamless and endlessly deep — even more so than on the PRO-110FD, which was named S&V’s Product of the Year for 2007. “

“After testing last year’s PRO-110FD Kuro set, I didn’t think a plasma TV could get any better. I was wrong. The PRO-111FD delivers even deeper blacks, and its natural-looking color, clean video processing, and powerful noise reduction contribute to a picture that’s nothing short of breathtaking. “

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hdtvs/2949/pioneer-elite-kuro-pro-111fd-50-inch-plasma-hdtv.html