Pioneer Kuro PDP-5080 HD - HDTV

The good: This 50-inch plasma TV displays an exceedingly deep shade of black with excellent shadow detail; clean image with little noise; "smooth" video-processing mode removes most judder; excellent antireflective screen; sleek, minimalist styling; removable speaker; superb connectivity with four HDMI inputs and one PC input; CableCard compatible with TV Guide EPG.

The bad: Expensive; inaccurate primary color of green; no user-menu fine color temperature controls.

The bottom line: The Pioneer PDP-5080HD produces the deepest shade of black--and thus one of the best pictures--we've ever tested.


Black-level performance is one of the most important aspects of picture quality. When a display can produce a deep shade of black, it not only improves the realism and the punch of dark scenes, it also makes colors look richer and more saturated. This 50-inch plasma produces the darkest shade of black we've ever seen or measured from a non-CRT TV, whether plasma, LCD, or projection. It also offers a "smooth" video-processing mode that works relatively well, one of the best antireflective screens we've tested, and numerous picture controls. We do complain about its less-than-perfect color accuracy and its incomplete color temperature controls, but those issues don't prevent it from earning our highest praise. The only real kink in the works is its high price compared to that of other similar resolution plasmas on the market. If you can stomach the extra payout, the Pioneer PDP-5080HD delivers a jaw-dropping home theater picture.

Pioneer also makes a 42-inch version, the PDP-4280HD. We won't review this model, but we see no reason to think its performance won't be on a par with its larger brother's. Pioneer also announced step-up Elite versions of its 2007 plasmas. This year the company is marketing all of its plasmas under the mini-brand Kuro.

Design
Overall, we like the sleek, no-nonsense looks of Pioneer's plasma. The company framed the PDP-5080HD's 50-inch screen in glossy black with a minimum of adornments aside from the Pioneer logo. There's a band of silver along the sides, top, and bottom of the panel, but from the front only black is visible. The set includes a matching stand, and it allows the speaker bar below the panel to be completely removed, in case you want to use an external audio system exclusively. With speaker and stand attached, the panel measures about 48.2 inches wide by 31.8 inches high by 9.3 inches deep and weighs 88 pounds. Remove the stand and speakers and the panel measures 48.2 by 28.2 by 4.5 inches and weighs 76.7 pounds.

The hefty remote control is admirably laid out, with a central cursor key ringed by different size buttons that we found easy to navigate by feel. Although the buttons aren't backlit, they do glow in the dark, but that's not much help when trying to differentiate between the grid of similarly sized keys at the top of the wand. That group includes buttons for aspect ratio selection and picture mode, along with direct access to each of the TV's inputs--a great addition. The clicker can command three other pieces of gear.

We also found Pioneer's menu system easy to use and appreciated the text explanations for the many items. You'll have to burrow pretty far down to get to some of the more esoteric items, but that's about the only downside. The set was definitely designed with picture tweakers in mind; we loved the novel Before and After modes that let us compare the effects of picture settings, as well as the fact that picture parameter sliders were minimized discreetly into the upper left of the screen while being adjusted.

Features
Like most 50-inch plasma TVs, the Pioneer PDP-5080HD has a native resolution of 1,366x768 pixels. That's not as many as competing--and usually more expensive--1080p models, but at the 50-inch screen size, the benefits of 1080p are dubious for most sources (more info). As always, all sources, be they HDTV, DVD, standard-def, or computer, are scaled to fit the native resolution.

If you like this post then please consider subscribing to my full feed RSS. You can also subscribe by Email and have new posts sent directly to your inbox.

Best Plasma TV

V Inc. Vizio P50 (Around $1,300)

Best value, 50-inch plasma HDTV. Nearly every reviewer we found cites Vizio plasma TVs as absolutely the best value, and the Vizio P50 gets especially good reviews for its accurate color, good black levels, picture detail and features. Though all experts say the Vizio P50 can't equal the superior performance of a Pioneer or Panasonic plasma TV, the Vizio P50 is an excellent budget pick for those who don't need the best possible picture quality. Experts say the picture will likely need some adjustment out of the box. Critics add that this plasma television actually outperforms many higher-rated TVs in displaying standard-definition TV signals.


Panasonic TH-50PZ700U (Around $2,600)

Best 1080p plasma HDTV, 50 inch. If you want the highest 1080p resolution, critics say that the 50-inch Panasonic TH-50PZ700U offers a strong blend of performance and value. Black levels are among the best available, though not quite as deep as on the more expensive Pioneer KURO PDP-5808HD. Colors are first rate, and there's plenty of contrast and shadow detail. Although 1080p is the highest possible resolution right now, many experts question whether most people will notice a difference over a top-rated 720p plasma TV.


Pioneer KURO PDP-5080HD (Around $3,500)

Most cinematic plasma TV. Although it's over twice the price as some competing 50-inch plasma TVs, reviewers say the Pioneer KURO PDP-5080HD is the best plasma television for those who want the most cinematic image quality. Reviewers say the Pioneer KURO plasma TV displays rich, well-saturated colors and great black levels -- some say they are the best black levels of any flat-panel TV. The Pioneer TV is also packed with features, and an anti-glare screen coating helps reduce glare. The big downside is cost compared to others.


Samsung HP-T4264 (Around $1,400)

Best 42-inch plasma HDTV. While Panasonic and Pioneer usually come out on top in comparisons of plasma TVs, the 42-inch Samsung HP-T4264 is impressing critics with black levels that stand up well to the competition. Reports say color and shadow detail are also good. Included is a host of adjustable picture settings, and connectivity is also good. Altogether, reviews say the Samsung HP-T4264 is a good compromise, sitting between the ultra-budget Vizio TVs and pricier plasma sets from Pioneer and Panasonic.


V Inc. Vizio VP42 (Around $850)

Budget 42-inch plasma HDTV. According to reviews, the Vizio VP42 plasma HDTV has a rare combination of low price and good performance. While it won't beat the best in a head-to-head image-quality competition, reviews say the black levels and color rendition are good. The Vizio VP42 also has good connectivity and is easy to use. Other features include a versatile PIP/POP function. One downside is that this HDTV is harder to find than others.


Panasonic TH-50PH10UK (Around $1,700)

50-inch HD-ready plasma monitor. Reviews say this Panasonic industrial plasma display has some of the most cinematic black levels of any mainstream plasma display. Since it is a monitor and not a true TV, however, the Panasonic TH-50PH10UK has no speakers, no table stand or wall mount, and it offers minimal connections -- even an HDMI input is an extra-cost option. Because this monitor has no tuners, it is best for those who will use separate speakers and get all of their TV from cable or satellite. Reviews say these limitations pale next to the plasma monitor's low price given its top shelf performance.