Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD
Manufacturer: Pioneer North America Part number: PRO-151FD
- CNET Editor rating: Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 24 reviews
- More product information:
- Editors' take
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- CNET did not review the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD, but we did review a smaller model in the same series.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
 | | In stock | as of 12/08/2009 | |
 | | In stock | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' take
Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD price range: $4,998.00 - $5,859.00
- Reviewed by: CNET staff
- Reviewed on: 10/01/2008
The bottom line: CNET did not review the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD, but we did review a smaller model in the same series.
Although CNET did not review the 60-inch Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD, we did review the 50-inch Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD. Judging from their spec sheets, the two Pioneer plasmas are basically identical but for screen size, so we expect the review of the 50-incher to give a good indication of how the 60-inch model will perform. For more information, refer to the full review of the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD.
User reviews
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Expensive, Yes: Worth the money? YOU BET!
by save200permo on September 28, 2008
Pros: Near perfect colors, ability to tweak further if necessary. Black with details that you didn?t know you were missing because they are not there on other sets. This Plasma enhances a poor 480 pic to produce a pic that looks like a 720 or 1080 input.
Cons: $6500 price & you will spend too much time watching TV. May cause marital problems becoming more critical if she finds out what U paid for that thing hanging on the wall. (If she finds out the price it can b a great addition to your new bachelor pad)
Summary: This is the last year that Pioneer will produce their own panels. Begining in 2009 the panels will be produced by Panasonic so I chose to buy now. After months ...
Summary: This is the last year that Pioneer will produce their own panels. Begining in 2009 the panels will be produced by Panasonic so I chose to buy now. After months of research and shopping, comparing Panasonic, Pioneer and Hitachi I decided to go for broke and buy the Pioneer Elite. There is not good information on the difference between Pioneer and the Pioneer Elite series (not even from Pioneer) both use the same panel. The Elite gives you an additional year warranty, additional color controls and the consistent statement ?hand-picked components? but no information what that means.
Every store I shopped, I compared the Elite Series to the base Pioneer and the Elite always showed better than the base set. I have never seen either of these Plasmas displayed by a retailer in a way that does them justice. When you are shopping for a flat panel television the bright sets with very sharp edges jump out as the best because they compete with the fluorescent lighting used by the retailer. When you get the sets home it is a different story. The bright sets are to bright, the enhancements that create the sharp edges become annoying because they are not natural. The blacks are grey and dark grey, the colors are bright but not true. The Pioneer sets have blacks that match the Piano Black finish of the frame and a realistic natural picture that is as real as it gets. Again a picture that seems you could reach out and touch everything on the screen.10 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Perfect HDTV
by johnnydk on March 26, 2009
Pros: vivid colors great for watching Blu-Ray movies and play videos games. This www.squidoo.com/best-hdtv is a very helpful website that I found that lists many cheap HDTV of 2009. Go ahead and take a look.
Cons: Can't think of one
Summary: I recommend this HDTV for everyone.
Summary: I recommend this HDTV for everyone.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Get one while you still can.
by i_like_tuesday on June 12, 2009
Pros: Reference level display of high-quality 1080p source material - ie. Blu-ray Disc - in a consumer display. Unequalled black levels and astounding dynamic contrast provide superior image depth and realism, enhancing the willing suspension of disbelief.
Cons: Uninformative documentation written in marketing-speak.
Very heavy, be careful choosing furniture/mounting.
Hungrily slurps down electricity when turned on. Much more energy efficient when in standby.Summary: This is simply the best television available today, no other direct-view television comes close now, or is likely to in the near future. We recently upgraded our Kuro to the ...
Summary: This is simply the best television available today, no other direct-view television comes close now, or is likely to in the near future. We recently upgraded our Kuro to the 60" PRO 151FD from the 50" PRO 111FD. The screen is a lot bigger - the math says its 44% larger in fact. Here is my take on the 151 and some comparisons to it's smaller sibling.
* Brightness is sufficient for a room with considerable ambient light.
* Refresh speed and motion resolution are excellent - none of the motion blur artifacts common to LCD screens.
* To my untrained eye, color accuracy, greyscale and gamma are good out of the box in accurate "Pure" mode and promise to be excellent with professional calibration.
* De-interlacing and scaling is good but not excellent. Noise reduction is very good. Just like on the 50", 720p looks soft, implicating the internal scaling, not just the large screen size.
* Displays 24fps at the native frame rate. Though not an advertised, accepts both 50Hz PAL and 60Hz NTSC to display at native frame-rate.
* "Pure Cinema" has been a source of considerable confusion. This setting is not properly explained in the manual, which uses obscure marketing speak that tells you absolutely nothing. This is what the settings have been confirmed to do:
o"Standard": The "source direct" mode. For 1080p24fps materials, it displays at 72Hz using 3:3 pulldown. For interlaced signals (480i and 1080i), traditional 3:2 pulldown detection is applied to display at 60Hz. Leaves (480p, 720p and 1080p) at 60Hz untouched.
o"Smooth": Uses motion interpolation to build intermediate frames. Not active on 1080p60 sources.
o"Advanced": Like "Standard" mode, Displays 1080p24fps materials at 72Hz using 3:3 pulldown. Performs Inverse Telecine (recreates original 24 frames) when film-based video cadence detected to display 72Hz using 3:3 pulldown. Results vary depending on the quality of the source. Not active on 1080p60 sources.
o"Off": 24fps material is displayed at 60Hz using 3:2 pulldown. Film cadence detection is disabled.
* Standard definition processing yields acceptable results through HDMI depending on the quality of the source. Noise reduction options are effective with minimal loss of detail. Highly compressed standard definition sources (e.g. cable) don't make good viewing at this screen size.
* Internal scaling of non-native resolution sources isn't as good as external solutions. Compressed 720 (ABC, ESPN, output at the native resolution) can be pretty soft. Compared to 720p, a Denon 2930 delivers a similar level of detail from PAL DVD upscaled to 1080p. While the Oppo BDP-83's ABT solution is not as strong as the Denon's Reon-based scaling, both are easily better at deinterlacing/scaling DVD test patterns and reference materials than the internal processor.
* Zoom modes are fairly useful. Non-linear stretch mode has a very high level of overscan, making SD materials look even worse.
* Image retention is simply not an issue with sensible viewing. We've not done any sort of "break-in" procedure as suggested in some corners of the internet but we have kept the contrast lower than normal - around 35. Yes, we occassionally pause a BD/DVD and leave the room. We've watched lot's of material in the original aspect ratio with black letterboxes in the first 100 hours. No issues.
* Design: The Bezel of the 151 is slightly larger than the 111 and the stand is of a more robust construction to support the weight - over 100 lbs. The 111, if you can still find one, definitely has sleeker lines but both are elegant when off.
* Built-in Home Media Gallery (DNLA) will display photos, play MP3s from a computer or media server over your network. File support is limited - AAC/FLAC/Apple Lossless files will not play. Great for photos - probably not the most usable solution for Music/Video.
* Our PRO 151 is used as a monitor only so the included speakers are not attached. I can't comment on the sound quality.
Review rig consists of: Oppo BDP-83, Denon 2930, SA 8300HD (Comcast), HDMI pass-through Denon 2308.
I would say that this television actually has a better picture than it's younger sibling but that may be idiosyncatic - each plasma displays some individuality, if you'll pardon the pun. Our PRO 151 shows better brightness uniformity, better color and seems less noisy than the PRO 111 it replaced. We got our 151 at cost well below the lowest advertised on cnet. If you live in the DC area, the folks at Myer-Emco come with my strongest recommendation for buying AV gear - these guys offer great deals, unparalleled customer service and after-purchase care.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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<gasp> <gasp> <gasp>
by William Sommerwerck on March 25, 2009
Pros: magnificently /natural/ picture; huge image that covers much of one's field of vision; lots of inputs, plus extras on the left side; plain cosmetics do not draw attention to themselves
Cons: wretchedly crappy user manual; shallow learning curve on user interface; remote control hard to read in dim light (backlighting notwithstanding); expensive; manufacturer leaving TV business
Summary: I had no intention of purchasing this set right now, intending to wait at least another year. But when it was bruited about that Pioneer was getting out of the ...
Summary: I had no intention of purchasing this set right now, intending to wait at least another year. But when it was bruited about that Pioneer was getting out of the TV business, and HFC offered a three-year zero-interest loan, I bit.
Update: I've now been living with this set for almost four weeks. My enthusiasm has only grown. Perhaps the best thing I can say about it is that it has what I can only call "refinement". Yest, the color is fantastic, and the detail is unbelievable, but there's nothing exaggerated or "false" about any of it. It's rather like the way a great loudspeaker reveals everything about a recording, but without drawing attention to it.
My video standards are very high, and I expected the PRO-151FD to meet them. It didn't. It was /better/ than I'd expected.
I started with "Amadeus" (on a Sony BD-S550). The dark scenes weren't so hot, but when the movie got to the day-lit court scenes, my jaw hit the floor. Tremendous detail, but without exaggeration. Vivid colors (where appropriate), but without them "popping". It was much like looking a huge photograph that moved. Or perhaps seeing the thing itself, in 2D.
"Ratatouille", with all its incredible detail, was almost as good. "Sleeping Beauty" finally revealed what the Disney artists were trying to do. Even "7th Voyage of Sinbad" looked (mostly) fine, the skeleton duel being especially impressive.
I paid $6K, plus sales tax and delivery, and it was worth every stinking penny. Don't "vidition" this set unless you have the money. It is to die for.
Updated on Apr 17, 2009
On the negative side... The image is bright enough for daytime viewing, but this is not a display that reveals its best qualities in a brightly lit room. I do my casual viewing on the Sony WEGA the Pioneer replaced.
Strongly recommended, if you can justify the price.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best TV Period
by ambush276 on December 1, 2008
Pros: Best Black Levels
PURE mode is flawless
thin sleek look
fine picture detailCons: pricey
remote control is kind of junkySummary: this is truly the Best TV on the market. If you are looking for the best possible TV experience this does not disappoint. This TV goes beyond what you thought ...
Summary: this is truly the Best TV on the market. If you are looking for the best possible TV experience this does not disappoint. This TV goes beyond what you thought you could see in a TV and achieves a color and blackness that never existed before. It is a hefty investment but it will be the best TV in that size for at least then next 5 years. (OLED will rival the quality and picture abilities, but those wont be available at a reasonable price in the next 5 years. Overall, if you have the means for purchasing this TV you will not be dissapointed.
BTW you do see an increase in picture quality if you use pioneer products with them (bluray in particular.)
If you can afford an ICE series (SC) def.. if not the VSX-03TXH works great
Eventhough the BDP-05FD is pricey at list $800, and its only profile 1.1, its still excellent. You do get what you pay for and the processor quality and built in HD sound processors really make the bluray worth it. If your not going to use the online features then the 05FD is great (better than the S550 PQ wise).2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The Best TV EVER MADE!!
by chadmak09 on September 24, 2008
Pros: Deepest blacks ever achieved
Ruler flat greyscale
Near perfect Color points.
Best contrast on the market
UnbeatableCons: Price is a little high
Summary: This is the best TV ever made.
You simply can't do better.
This Tv performs well in just about ever single important categorie. something no other TV can do ...Summary: This is the best TV ever made.
You simply can't do better.
This Tv performs well in just about ever single important categorie. something no other TV can do like this one.
I am looking forward to the Sony XBR8 LCD's and the Samsung 950 LCDs, But I do not expect either of them to perfom like this TV. Mark my words.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Simply the most realistic most engaging TV
by blinkmusic on November 28, 2009
Pros: Simply the best blu ray experience one can imagine. Components: SONY blu ray ES5000, Monster HDMI 1000, Audionet Map V2 / AMP VII (see audionetusa.com) loudspeakers Wilson Benesch's Discovery, ARCs.breath taking. No need to buy another TV after this!
Cons: None. Really can't think of any. It's so beyond the other brands I tested, it's not funny.
Summary: Would buy this TV if it would cost twice as much - it's that good.
Summary: Would buy this TV if it would cost twice as much - it's that good.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Big Problem
by phatm3 on March 18, 2009
Pros: Beeeautifulll picture! Especially if you have BluRay hooked to it! I'm using a PS3.You'll be hard pressed to find a better TV, Samsung don't even come close.
Cons: Addiction to watching it, cannot find enough BluRay movies fast enough. BUt I still have to get this pro calibrated...
Summary: I got the 151FD PRO Elite. The big problem? I look down at other TVs...sad I know...but if you have the means to get this, bite the bullet ...
Summary: I got the 151FD PRO Elite. The big problem? I look down at other TVs...sad I know...but if you have the means to get this, bite the bullet and go for it. No buyer's remorse or anything!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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60" is fantastic: picture, price, navigation, remote!
by iobdennis1 on January 27, 2009
Pros: Backlit remote; sleek design; easy menus to navigate; fantastic picture quality
Cons: Not enough component inputs. With several non-upgradable devices attached to the TV, not everything can go HDMI, so more component inputs (YGB) would be ideal.
Summary: I love the overall product, but am somewhat disappointed with the lack of component connections. Can't recall offhand if there's a USB connection. There should be, if there ...
Summary: I love the overall product, but am somewhat disappointed with the lack of component connections. Can't recall offhand if there's a USB connection. There should be, if there isn't.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awesome, some times it looks better than real life.
by zaffren on November 4, 2008
Pros: Over stated but Black Blacks!
Vibrant colors
Excellant contrastCons: Heavy
The remote is poorly design and can be tempermental
It seems to have a problem displaying credits some times, but many TVs are worst.
ExpensiveSummary: If you can afford this and are considering it, I say go buy it today.
I have used it with everything from poor quality youtube videos to blu-ray and it ...Summary: If you can afford this and are considering it, I say go buy it today.
I have used it with everything from poor quality youtube videos to blu-ray and it makes everything look better. The only TV I saw that even came close was Pioneer's 6020FD which I was about to buy, but after I saw the 151FD I had to have it. If you are a total video adjusting nut you can buy one of there signature monitors for 500 dollars more.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Pioneer North America
- Part number: PRO-151FD
- Description: Brace yourself for the stunning new world of the Elite KURO PRO-151FD. It's a world of high-definition that will forever change the way you experience entertainment. More than just the next step in high-definition, the 1080p Elite KURO is a quantum leap. A revelation. Beyond anything thought possible, until now. Delivering the next benchmark by which every other flat panel will be measured, the new 1080p Elite KURO boasts black levels five times greater than its predecessor. Built with the highest resolution (1920 x 1080p), the Elite KURO offers an entertainment experience of unequaled measure. The result is nothing short of stunning with added depth and dimension, richer colors and more pristine detail in everything you see, hear and feel. The Elite KURO is a dream comes true. For the most discerning entertainment connoisseurs, the Elite KURO is equipped to go beyond the standard set of audio and video settings. Further flexibility and distinct user settings can be finely tuned and set using the ISFccc calibration feature for both daytime and nighttime viewing. Prepare yourself for sports, movies and news experienced in ways never before possible. Open your eyes to content reproduced in the most faithful and pristine way ever seen in a home theater environment. Get ready for a flat panel television that thinks for itself with an optimum mode setting, to monitor not only content but room light conditions and color temperature. The ability to examine and then finely adjust both audio and video settings seamlessly provides a near flawless entertainment experience that rivals actually being there. Set your sites on a flat panel so technologically advanced that it can connect to an existing home network to go beyond just a television. The exclusive home media gallery allows you to enjoy HD movies, digital photos and music all in the comfort of your living room. Engineered for the ultimate entertainment experience beyond sight and sound, this revolutionary flat panel delivers uncompromising attention to detail for near perfection. Get ready to surpass the standards of flawlessness - and enter the world of KURO.
General
- Series Elite KURO
- Product type Plasma TV
- Diagonal Size 60 in - Widescreen
Display
- Technology Plasma (PDP)
- Resolution 1920 x 1080
- Display Format 1080p
- Image Aspect Ratio 16:9
- Widescreen Modes Full, Wide, Zoom, Cinema, Conventional 4:3
- Color Temperature Control Yes (High/Mid-High/Mid/Mid-Low/Low)
- Progressive Scan Progressive scanning (line doubling)
- Display Menu Language French, English, Spanish
- Comb Filter 3D digital
- V-Chip Control Yes
- Picture Adjustment Optimum/Dynamic/Standard/PURE/Movie/Game/User/ISF-Day/ISF-Night
- Additional Features Crystal emissive layer, Still picture capability, Room light sensor, Microsoft PlaysForSure protected content
TV Tuner
- Tuner Qty 1x analog, 1x digital
- Digital TV Tuner ATSC
- Analog TV Tuner NTSC
- Multi-channel Preview Picture-in-picture (PIP), Picture-side-picture (PSP)
- dbx Noise Reduction Yes
Video Features
- Video Interface HDMI, S-Video, Component, Composite
- HDTV Ready Yes
- Input Video Formats 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
- Parental Channel Lock Yes
Audio System
- Speaker(s) 2 x Right/left channel speaker - Detachable - 18 Watt
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Surround Mode Yes
- Sound Effects SRS WOW, TruBass, SRS Focus
- Audio Controls Balance, Bass, Treble
- Output Power / Total 36 Watt
Connections
- Connector Type 4 x HDMI input ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ), 2 x Component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ), 3 x Composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ), 1 x S-Video input ( 4 pin mini-DIN ), 1 x USB ( 4 pin USB Type A ), 1 x VGA input ( 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ), 1 x Network ( RJ-45 ), 1 x Digital audio output (optical) ( TOSLINK ), 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ), 1 x Subwoofer output ( RCA phono ), 1 x Audio line-out ( RCA phono x 2 ), 1 x Audio line-out
- PC Interface VGA (HD-15)
Network & Internet Multimedia
- Functionality Digital audio playback, Digital photo playback, Digital video playback
- Connectivity Wired
- Connectivity Protocols IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet), IEEE 802.3u (Fast Ethernet)
- Supported Audio Formats AAC, AC3, MP3, PCM, WAV, WMA
- Supported Video Formats WMV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2
- Supported Pictures Formats BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF
- HD Video Playback Yes
Remote Control
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
- Supported Devices TV
- Features Learning, Back-lit buttons
Stands & Mounts
- Stand Included Yes
- Stand Design Tabletop
Power
- Power Device Power supply - Internal
- Power Consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.21
- Power Consumption Operational 355.6
Miscellaneous
- HDCP Compatible Yes
Dimensions & Weight (Shipping)
- Width (Shipping) 62.6 in
- Depth (Shipping) 15.7 in
- Height (Shipping) 46.1 in
- Weight (Shipping) 168 lbs
Product series
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Manufacturer: Pioneer North America
Specs: Plasma TV, 50 in, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
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Manufacturer: Pioneer North America
Specs: Plasma TV, 60 in, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
Accessories
- dreamGEAR Dreamline video / audio cable - HDMI - 6 ft (33543214)17.47
- XtremeMac XtremeHD video / audio cable - HDMI - 6.6 ft (32416821)19.95
- ViewSonic ViewMate Cable Collection - video / audio cable - 6.6 ft (31482671)32.00
- ViewSonic ViewMate Cable Collection - video / audio cable - 10 ft (31482685)34.00
- VIZIO VMAX1000 - video / audio cable - HDMI - 6 ft (33397373)29.99
- ADCOM GFR-700 (31966032)1266.10 - 1999.00
- Adcom GFR-700HD (32082704)1836.39 - 2899.99
- Denon AVR-1707 (31987322)
- Denon AVR-1910 (black) (33650441)548.95 - 549.99
- Denon AVR-2308CI (32553613)899.00
- URC Universal Remote Professional Line MX-810 (32912039)260.00 - 399.95
- URC Universal Remote Control MX-900 (32552106)399.99 - 449.95
- URC Professional Line MX-850 - universal remote control (32092938)409.99
- URC Professional Line MX-450 - universal remote control (33639921)249.95
- URC Home Theater Master MX-3000 - universal remote control (31337842)1099.99
Manufacturer info
- Pioneer North America
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Pioneer North America products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/
- Address:
2265 E. 220th St.
Long Beach, CA 90810 - Phone: 310/952-2111
