streaming netflix dtv-day is coming IS roku's $99 Solution are you ready for the the future of home ? 2009 transition? new LOOK

www.hometheatermag.com Electronically reprinted from November 2008 Volume 15 No.11 H networking made easy with dlna P20 flat panel hdtv buyer's guide P36 World's Best HDTV? pioneer's elite plasma

sleeping beauty th

50anniversary blu-ray

Iron Man with Robert Downey Jr.Disney's available first Platinum on Blu-raySeries release Septemberon Blu-ray, 30th. available now.

plus elevating breaking the avr the blu-ray barrier Pioneer's latest 's $399 Player and greatest High End

By Thomas J. Norton Photos Cordero Studios Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD Plasma HDTV price: $5,000 Highlights: Blacks to die for • Precise color and excellent resolution • 72-hertz operation on film-based sources for judder-free motion • could be better TOP Once More, With Feeling PICK y review schedule doesn’t have this limitation. In fact, connection and an RS-232C use the Home Media Gallery is starting to its feature set is nearly the same as terminal to supplement its stan- feature to display your own photos look a bit like the that in the generation-8 Elites. The dard video and audio connections. and . You can even display Pioneer Channel. biggest changes are in the onscreen The latter connections are generous your HD videos if they are recorded But timing is menus and the remote control. enough, apart from the single in a compatible format. The Meverything. Pioneer is introducing The new menus aren’t all that component input. PRO-111FD also includes a Multi- a boatload of interesting new different than before, but they aren’t As in earlier Elite models, Screen function that displays products, including the newest distinctly better, either. For Pioneer packs the speakers for picture-in-picture or two images KURO flat panels. These include example, it takes longer to get into the above-average onboard audio side by side, as well as a three- the upcoming Signature Series the new Picture menu. It’s system separately from the set position Energy Save control. KURO monitor plasma models. located in a separate Setup menu itself. Most users will mount the KURO Link is Pioneer’s version Pioneer says these models will offer rather than the Home menu as it speakers to the left and right of the of the industry-standard HDMI enough adjustments to inspire was in last year’s models. The multi- screen. But the speakers are wired Consumer Electronics Control video calibrators to set up shop in component remote still works externally, so you can leave them (CEC), which most manufacturers buyers’ homes. “Will calibrate for well, but many of its important but- off or move them to a different now offer under various names. room and board.” tons are smaller than the previous location if you have limited space. This feature is designed to provide These products will be around model’s. Pioneer includes a USB interface integrated control of equipment until next summer (at least), but The PRO-111FD offers an for the Home Media Gallery, in linked together via HDMI. But we didn’t think you’d want to wait Ethernet port for a home network addition to the Ethernet. You can not all CEC-capable equipment until then to read about them. That’s particularly important this year. This series of KURO plasmas—generation 9—will be the last models built completely by Pioneer. Next summer, if things go according to plan, the company will roll out its generation-10 sets with some components supplied by Panasonic (although the sets will reportedly still include Pioneer- exclusive features and technologies).

The Lay of the Land Pioneer has long offered two plasma lines: Pioneer and Elite. Both offer similar performance in many ways. They both provide the best black levels in the flat-panel business—plasma or LCD. But the two lines have differed in some of the features they offer. This year the differences are even more pronounced. In particular, the Pioneer sets have no color- temperature options in the User menu, nor any way to calibrate the factory setting (not even in a hidden service menu, according to Pioneer). The company says this further distinguishes the two lines and makes the Pioneer line easier to operate for the average user. The Elite line, which includes the

Elite KURO PRO-111FD, of courtesy image Screen 20th Century Fox

November 2008 www.hometheatermag.com Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD Plasma HDTV provides full CEC interactivity with power draw in standby mode, from setting). On less-than-pristine all manufacturers’ gear. about 25 watts in last year’s gen-8 program material, I also liked a The PRO-111FD has seven sets to less than 0.5 watts in the touch of one of the four flavors different AV Selections—Pioneer’s gen-9 models. of noise reduction (3DNR, Field, name for the usual preset picture The Pro Adjust submenu offers Block, and Mosquito). modes. Although most of the a wide assortment of specialized The other Pro Adjust controls settings for Dynamic and Optimum controls. Some are useful, others, offered little or no benefit. In my are fixed, you can change the not so much. The PureCinema opinion, some of the controls controls for the other modes control automatically detects film- degraded a properly adjusted and from the factory settings to your based sources and offers three calibrated picture. I recommend preferences. The User mode is options (plus Off): leaving them off or in their neutral the only mode you can set up • Standard (interlaced inputs settings. differently for each input. You can only) converts the input, as The set also includes the ISF • The PRO-111FD’s speakers are externally use the other modes for more than necessary, to feed the panel CCC feature, which provides a wired and detachable, so you can mount one input, but the same settings will at 60 frames per second (or hertz), special, code-locked setup menu them to the cabinet or leave them off. apply to all of them. complete with 3:2 pulldown for that calibration technicians can The Optimum mode uses a film-based sources. use. This menu offers separate Day, and The Day the Earth Stood Still, room light sensor and a color • Smooth (for all sources except Night, and Auto ISF AV Selections the PRO-111FD performed well. sensor to automatically and 1080p/60) reportedly produces (modes), much more flexible gray- The results on -to-1080p dynamically adjust the picture “smoother and more vivid moving scale adjustments (at 10 positions tests were only fair, as well. The for both the room and program images.” As far as I could determine, across the brightness range, rather set deinterlaced well, but it didn’t material. It also adjusts the audio though, it offered no real benefits. then the usual high and low), and recognize 3:2 pulldown. It produced and even takes the characteristics of • Advance (also for all sources separate adjustments for each input. moiré on many of my tests, the video into consider-ation when except 1080p/60) converts film- You can’t change the settings in the including the Vatican wall and steps it makes its sound adjustments. An based program material (as ISF modes once the calibration is on Mission: Impossible III. onscreen menu displays the current required) to 1080p at a display complete, but you can still access The PRO-111FD reproduced status, but it’s an information rate of 72 fps. First it eliminates and adjust the other modes. above white and below black, but menu only. You can’t make manual 3:2 pulldown (if present) and then Of the available aspect ratios, just barely. There was enough of changes in the Optimum mode; converts the 24-fps result to 72 fps Dot by Dot (available only in 1080i each to properly set the Brightness they’re locked into the internally by repeating (not interpolating) and 1080p) offers the lowest (zero) and Contrast controls, but calc-ulated and constantly changing each frame three times. overscan. The Full option slightly little more than that. Many sets picture settings. If the program material is already overscans a 16:9 image (an aver- (including Pioneer’s own gen-8 Pioneer designed the Optimum 1080p/24, as is the case with nearly age of about 3 percent, peaking at PRO-110FD and PRO-150FD) and Standard modes to comply all films on Blu-ray and HD DVD, 4 percent), which may be useful if push deeper into below black and with the newest Energy Star stan- the Pioneer converts it to a display there’s unwanted noise at the edges above white. Fortunately, this had dards. Pioneer also reduced the set’s frame rate of 72 fps automatically. of the picture. However, overscan little or no visible impact on most It will do this regardless of the does sacrifice some resolution. program material. But if the source PureCinema control’s setting. Pioneer also designed a number includes significant information You’ll also find the display’s five of features to minimize the risk of above 100-percent white (it preset color-temperature settings in image retention or burn-in, such as shouldn’t, but some programming Pro Adjust. There’s also a Custom its Orbiter mode. In my experience, does), it will be crushed out. option that allows full calibration Pioneer sets resist visible image These concerns were not with the User menu’s red, green, retention more than other plasmas distracting in normal viewing. and blue adjustments (both High I’ve tested. Still, you should exercise Moreover, the Pioneer’s exceptional and Low). Only an experienced a reasonable degree of caution. In color, resolution, and contrast calibration technician with the particular, you should always avoid completely overshadowed my appropriate test tools should use the extended display of still images. concerns. The colors were accurate, Custom option. This is a good practice with any not just fleshtones and greens The only other Pro Adjust phosphor-based set (plasmas and (the latter, in particular, were controls I found useful were CRTs). more natural-looking than on Gamma (three options), Enhancer most digital displays), but in every (set to either 1 or 2), Color Space (2 No Surprises other respect as well. It’s true that provides the most accurate color), The Mid-Low color-temperature we can’t always tell if a specific and I-P mode for interlaced sources option produced a very respectable, color is “right.” This is particularly only (2 is the standard—and best— out-of-the-box gray scale. But I did the case if it’s on an unknown most of my testing and viewing object or something we don’t see in the Custom setting, after a full every day in the real world. But Features calibration. I also worked primarily nothing in the Pioneer’s color Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD in the Pure mode, which produced looked wrong. Its nearly flawless Plasma HDTV the most accurate color gamut technical performance (see the Type: Plasma (with the Color Space set to 2, as Measurements) confirms that I Screen Size (diagonal, inches): 50 noted above). wasn’t just seeing pretty but false 1,920 by 1,080 Native Resolution: The Pioneer’s -to-1080p representations of the real thing. HD Tuner(s): 8VSB/64QAM/256QAM, ATSC, QAM (cable in the clear) video processing (tested with a 480i Casanova (Blu-ray) may have Rated Half Life: Not specified component input) produced a fair its flaws, but picture quality is not Wall Mount or Stand Included?: Stand result, at best. It displayed more one of them. Its eye-candy alone Dimensions (W x H x D, inches): jaggies than usual on my standard is worth the price of admission, 56.9 x 28.5 x 3.7 (without stand); slate of torture-test patterns. While and the PRO-111FD showed its 56.9 x 31.1 x 13.8 (with stand) it did recognize 3:2 pulldown, brilliant production design. The Weight (pounds): 82.4 (without stand); it was a little pokey in doing so. images pop with color, but it never 88.0 (with stand) But on real-world tests, including looks overdone. The resolution is Price: $5,000 Gladiator, Star Trek: Insurrection, exceptional, as well. The Pioneer

www.hometheatermag.com High End Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD Plasma HDTV

PRO-150FD may have been an HT Lab above-average gen-8 sample, keep in mind that our light meter rounds Measures off to three decimal places. Even assuming absolute meter accuracy at its minimum sensitivity, that could mean that a reading of 0.001 could actually be anywhere between 0.0006 and 0.0014. I did note a black-level oddity Connections Inputs: Video: HDMI 1.3 (4), PC RGB (1), that I first saw on the PDP-6020. (1, shared), S-video (1, shared), composite video (3, 2 shared), When I switched quickly from a antenna Audio: L/R stereo (5), PC (L/R minijack) Outputs: Audio: L/R analog bright white test pattern to video (fixed), digital (optical), subwoofer, speakers (L/R), headphones Additional: black, the black level would initially USB, Ethernet, Control Out, RS-232C, IR Repeater Out, Color Sensor Terminal be elevated. After a few seconds, it would drop to the more typical, low precisely rendered the range of 0.003 foot-lamberts. level shown above. After another 15 details in the powdered These blacks approach to 30 seconds, it would drop further, wigs, the smallest stitch in the accuracy threshold to total black—as if the set had shut the elaborate costumes, of the professional-grade off (it hadn’t). But I only experienced and every texture in the instruments we use to Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD this on test patterns. sets. While the Panasonic measure them. While it Plasma HDTV The software needed to use the TH-50PZ85U (reviewed doesn’t seem possible that more precise ISF CCC feature was still in the October 2008 issue they would be visible to under development. But even of Home Theater) looked the eye, the PRO-111FD’s 0.001 37.0 Visit our Website for a detailed without it, the PRO-111FD very slightly crisper when blacks look clearly darker explanation of our Full-On/Full-Off testing regimen, calibrated beautifully. The viewed side by side, no on scenes that have a large plus a list of our color tracking charts below one will likely be disap- area of black, such as a star CONTRAST RATIO: reference gear. 37,000:1 show how well a display pointed by the Pioneer’s field or the fade-out between adheres to the D65 standard natural reproduction of scenes. The new set is also ll of the on the white point. The pre- color and detail. sharper and has more richly measurements web calibration result is for the Mid- And certainly no one saturated colors, even on here were taken in Low color-temperature setting. will complain about the bright scenes. (The depth the Pure mode, adjusted Post calibration, the result deviates Pioneer’s reproduction of of a set’s blacks forms a forA the most accurate picture. The from nearly perfect compliance only blacks and shadow detail. foundation for nearly all Energy Save control was set to at the darkest end of the brightness It’s truly mind-blowing program material; it just off. The full-on/full-off contrast range, below 30 IRE, and then only to to see the star fields in looks more obvious on the ratio above speaks for itself. The a degree that’s visually irrelevant. Stargate: Continuum, darkest.) Pioneer KURO PDP-6020FD we The white triangle in the pie- the belowdecks scenes at All of these differences reviewed in the September 2008 shaped CIE chart shows the set’s color the beginning of Master were relatively subtle. They issue (the latest KURO 60-inch gamut in the Color Space 2 setting and Commander: The were mainly visible in a side- standard-range model) actually (Pure mode). It’s a virtual overlay of Far Side of the World, by-side comparison. They had a lower measured black level— the ATSC standard (the black triangle, and the darkest scenes in were real enough, but the 0.00 ft-L. But this difference appears nearly invisible here). Batman Begins as they two sets looked remarkably to be strictly a result of unit-to-unit The HDMI luma (black-and-white) were meant to be seen. No alike on most program variation. (We’re dealing with very resolution was superb up to the limit gray haze. No washed-out A few important material. If you just bought small numbers here.) Again, this of our resolution test patterns in areas. No uneven, muddy buttons are smaller a gen-8 PRO-110FD or a is at the very threshold of our test 1080i and 1080p, with the chroma appearance. And, most on Pioneer’s PRO-150FD, you haven’t new remote, but instruments’ published specs for (color response) nearly as good. importantly, nothing takes Tom still liked its missed the gravy train. accuracy. The (HDMI and component) you out of a film. Some performance. Some readers may recall that resolution was slightly less users might comment that Conclusions the gen-8 PRO-150FD we reviewed impressive, but only by a step short the Pioneer’s blacks are unrealistic When we were pondering our also had a measured black level of of excellent. The same held for true because you’ll never see blacks this RAVE Award winners for this year, 0.001 ft-L. I was unable to view the 480i/p (HDMI and component)— rich and deep in a movie theater, editor Shane Buettner asked me PRO-150FD and the PRO-111FD side within the more limited resolutions but I suspect that most filmmakers to comment on the Pioneer as a by side, but my impression was that inherent to those formats. 1080i wish you could. strong candidate for major kudos. the PRO-111FD has darker blacks. component fared the worst, with a The Pioneer’s great blacks also My review was still in progress, and And apart from the fact that the satisfactory score.—TJN give its images a genuine feeling all I could think was, “What if I find of depth. This sort of depth hints something bad at the last minute, Before Calibration After Calibration at reality in a way that the plastic after the awards are set in stone?” depth you get from a 3-D movie in But there was no reason to a theater doesn’t. The latter is fun be concerned. The Pioneer Elite for a couple of hours but would be may be expensive (though more tiring as a steady diet. affordable than last year’s models), So how does the KURO but as they say in the movie biz, the PRO-111FD compare with last money is all on the screen. year’s PRO-110FD? While my measurements showed that the Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. • newer set’s blacks were at least 75 (800) 421-1404 • percent deeper than the blacks on www.pioneerelectronics.com Color-tracking charts were generated in Datacolor ColorFacts. the older model, we’re talking about Dealer Locator Code PIO very subtle differences—in the

Posted with permission from the November 2008 issue of Home Theater ® www.hometheatermag.com. Copyright 2008, Source Interlink Media. All rights reserved. For more information about reprints from Home Theater, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877-652-5295

51238:12M0910 2008 RAVE Awards

Best

ILLUSTRATION Matt Mahurin HDTV Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD Plasma HDTV Pioneer’s KURO displays deliver remarkably deep, dark blacks and sterling performance. If the competiton can ever catch up, but at bargain prices, we’d be delighted. But for now, this is the only game in town if you want the best home theater picture you can buy this side of front projection. $5,000, www.seeingandhearing.com Product OF THE YEAR Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD Plasma HDTV

What more can we say about the Pioneer KUROs that we haven’t already said? Yes, this Pioneer is worth every penny of its not inconsiderable cost. The only things we’d like to see are a bigger, 60-inch Elite model and perhaps hand-selected, Signature monitor ver- sions loaded with all the extra adjustments the sophisticated user, enthusiast, or pro might ever need. Oh, we forgot, Pioneer has you covered there, as well. $5,000, www.seeingandhearing.com

Posted with permission from the October 2008 issue of Home Theater ® www.hometheatermag.com. Copyright 2008, Source Interlink Media. All rights reserved. For more information about reprints from Home Theater, contact Wright’s Reprints at 877-652-5295