Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD
Manufacturer: Pioneer North America Part number: PDP-5020FD
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- Bottom Line:
- Best-in-class black levels and excellent all-around performance places the Pioneer PDP-5020FD near the top of the picture quality heap, but it will cost you.
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CNET editors' review
Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD price range: $2,999.00
- Reviewed by: David Katzmaier
- Reviewed on: 07/18/2008
The good: Produces the deepest shade of black of any big-screen display we've tested; accurate color decoding; dejudder processing option; 72Hz mode for 1080p/24 sources works well; superb antireflective screen; streams photo, music, and video files over home network; fine connectivity with four HDMI and one PC input.
The bad: Expensive; inaccurate primary colors; lacks advanced picture controls; frame causes minor reflections.
The bottom line: Best-in-class black levels and excellent all-around performance places the Pioneer PDP-5020FD near the top of the picture quality heap, but it will cost you.
Editors' note: The rating on this review has been lowered because of changes in the competitive marketplace.
When it comes to black levels, you apparently get what you pay for. Pioneer's PDP-5020FD is the company's cheapest flat-panel plasma HDTV for 2008, yet it still costs significantly more than the poshest plasmas produced by Panasonic. We really liked the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U we reviewed earlier this year, and despite the Pioneer's capability to produce a darker shade of black--the most-important ingredient in overall picture quality--we don't think the newest "Kuro" is worth the steep price of entry for most high-end HDTV shoppers. Don't get us wrong; the PDP-5020FD is still a superb TV, and deep-pocketed videophiles who prize the absolute blackest black available will find plenty of reasons to spend the extra money for that inky goodness. However, with this TV's color accuracy issues and lack of adjustability, we expect more than a few of those deep-pocketed videophiles to spring for the Elite version instead.
Design
If you liked the look of last year's PDP-5080HD, you'll like the external appearance of this year's PDP-5080FD. There's basically no difference. The 2008 model has the same-size, equally unadorned glossy black rectangle surrounding the screen, below which is the included speaker. Aesthetes can remove the speaker for a cleaner, nearly all-picture look, an option we love, although we're not the biggest fans of the stark, nonswiveling stand. Overall, we preferred the appearance of the Panasonic plasmas, with their flush pane of glass, but Pioneer's clean look is no slouch.
Speaking of flushness and lack thereof, nitpicky videophiles, among whom we count ourselves, may complain that the inner edge of the frame adjacent to the Pioneer's screen reflects bright light. This thin strip of reflection, which isn't visible on last year's PDP-5080HD, can certainly be distracting, especially in a darkened home theater. It's frankly surprising that the designers at Pioneer would let such a flaw creep into an expensive TV ostensibly aimed at home theater enthusiasts.
Including stand and speaker, the PDP-5020FD measures approximately 48.5 inches wide by 34.1 inches high by 13.8 inches deep and weighs 86 pounds. By itself, the panel measures 48.5 inches by 28.5 inches by 3.7 inches and weighs 74.1 pounds.
Pioneer's remote control was redesigned after last year, and we really don't like it. Gone are the different shapes for secondary functions; instead, almost all of the keys on the new remote share the same square shape, tiny size, and are arranged in a staid grid. While that may make the clicker look cooler in some designer's opinion, it sure doesn't help navigate the scads of buttons. Sure, we liked the direct access to each of the inputs and the glow-in-the-dark keys, but we can't forgive the unforgiving grid.
The menu system underwent an even more thorough overhaul. Instead of overlaying the menu atop the picture, as nearly every other HDTV does, the Pioneer shrinks the live TV image into a small window in the middle-left sector, and fills the remainder of the screen with menu text, onscreen explanations, and guide icons on a black background. We liked the new menus, which are exceedingly easy to read, and appreciated the fact that during picture adjustments the standard overlay arrangement returns, so you can see the effects of your adjustments. We also appreciated the Tools menu, which provided easy access to many of the most-used functions.
Features
For such an expensive HDTV, the Pioneer PDP-5020FD certainly doesn't have as many extras as most competing high-definition sets. However, it does have a 1080p native resolution--although, even at this screen size it's difficult to tell the difference between 1080p and lesser resolutions.
Pioneer has positioned the non-Elite models in its lineup to appeal to the average person, according to the company, and so has stripped out a number of picture controls that were available last year. The PDP-5020FD lacks color temperature presets, a noise reduction control, a gamma control, and numerous other more-esoteric settings that the 2007 models included. If you want a bunch of picture adjustments on your 2008 Kuro, you'll have to pony up for the Elite version (more info).
The PDP-5020FD offers seven total picture presets; five of which can be adjusted using the available basic picture controls and apply to every input, while one of the five is labeled Standard and it's independent per input. We found Movie mode to deliver the most-accurate color temperature (the rest were much bluer), but since it's not independent per input, you can't use tweak Movie for various components.
The company's recommended picture mode is Optimum, which automatically adjusts the picture according to room lighting and content. Other adjustments include a Smooth mode that introduces dejudder processing and an Advanced mode that switches the TV to a 72Hz refresh rate designed to work with 1080p/24 sources. See the Performance section for more details.
An excellent selection of six aspect ratio modes is available for high-definition sources and five for standard definition, along with an Auto feature that attempts to set the correct aspect ratio for you. As we'd expect, there's also a dot-by-dot mode that scales 1080i and 1080p sources perfectly without any overscan. If you're interested in using this mode, which we highly recommend, be sure to disable the "Auto Size" option in the Setup>Option menu, or else the TV will default to Auto (which doesn't seem to like dot-by-dot much) every time you turn it on.
Pioneer added its Home Media Gallery to the TV this year, which lets it interface with a USB thumbdrive or your home network via an Ethernet port to view photos, or play music and video files on the TV. Pioneer's implementation doesn't include as a media-rich experience like Samsung's LN46A750, which has built-in Shockwave tutorials, weather reports, and other more advance features, but it still offers a decent DLNA option with a wide array of supported file format. Other features include picture-in-picture with a side-by-side option, and a variety of options to combat potential burn-in, including a pixel orbiter, a scrolling white bar to wipe out retained images, and a mode that "simultaneously optimizes the related settings to alleviate image retention."
While we appreciated the addition of a pair of power-saver modes, which somewhat limit peak light output and therefore energy consumption, a more-important feature is the same kind of store/home choice found on Panasonic and Samsung panels. When we first plugged in, the TV it asked us whether we were in the store or at home, and when we chose "home" the TV was automatically set in the Standard picture mode, which is designed to meet the new Energy Star guidelines coming later this year. According to our tests, Standard did indeed consume less power (about 100 watts less) than we tested on last year's default mode, although compared with the ultra-dim Standard mode on the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U, the Pioneer is a moderate energy hog. See the Juice Box for details.
Connectivity on the PDP-5020FD is as comprehensive as we expect from such an expensive HDTV. There are a total of four HDMI inputs, with three on the rear and one on the side. The back panel includes one component-video input, one AV input with S-Video and composite video, one AV input with only composite video, a PC input (1,280x1,024-pixel maximum resolution), an RF input for cable and antenna, an analog audio output, and an optical digital audio output, along with a LAN port. The side panel adds another AV input, a headphone jack, and a USB port that works with the Home Media Gallery.
Performance
If you read the introduction of this review, then you know the sound bite: the Pioneer PDP-5020FD produces the deepest level of black we've ever seen among TVs larger than 11 inches. These deep blacks help the image pop and add realism and life to colors. Speaking of color, the Pioneer isn't as accurate as we'd like to see, and its Smooth picture mode introduces numerous artifacts, but in most other areas it's a superb performer.
Much like the THX mode of the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U, the Movie mode of the Pioneer didn't require much tweaking get it to produce its best home theater picture. Light output was almost exactly 40 footlamberts, our nominal post-calibration standard, and we only had to tweak brightness and color a tiny bit. We measured a color temperature that was a bit reddish, and primary colors were definitely off, so we would have preferred the capability to adjust both. That's not an option on the non-Elite models, however, so our list of ideal picture settings is short and sweet.
Pioneer makes a big deal about its auto-adjusting Optimum mode, but for critical viewing we preferred Movie. In our dark room, Optimum crushed detail in blacks, oversaturated colors, and made the image a bit brighter than we'd like to see. When we turned up the lights Optimum increased brightness a lot less than we expected, but the more saturated look was still there. Some viewers might appreciate the convenience of leaving the TV in one mode that adjusts the picture automatically, however.
For our dose of critical viewing we set the PDP-5020FD up next to its predecessor, the Pioneer PDP-5080HD; its main competition among high-end plasmas, the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U plasma (we chose that model instead of the flagship TH-50PZ850U since the 800U performed better in our tests); and the most-impressive LCD we've reviewed this year, Samsung's LN52A650. We chose an old favorite reference Blu-ray Disc, I Am Legend, played via an old favorite Blu-ray player, the Sony PlayStation 3.
Black level: The superiority of the 5020FD's depth of black was visible everywhere, but was most obvious in dark scenes, such as when Will Smith runs over the zombies on the end of the pier. The black areas like the silhouette of his decoy, the shadows under the bridge, and the paint of his SUV appeared darker than any on the other sets in the room. Last year's Pioneer took second place in the darkness stakes, followed by the Panasonic plasma and finally the Samsung LCD. Of course, the Samsung and especially the Panasonic are capable of producing black levels deep enough to satisfy most contrast-hungry videophiles, and the Pioneer's extra depth was most obvious in a side-by-side comparison. Still, when the PDP-5020FD's black frame appeared just a couple hairs lighter than the black screen itself, we found our eyes gravitating toward its picture in preference to the others.
Shadow detail on the 5020FD was every bit as good as the Panasonic, so we saw the all of the stubble on Smith's face and detail in the vents of his dashboard as he crashed through the zombies. As expected after seeing such good shadow detail, gamma was also superb, according to our measurements, averaging just fewer than 2.2, so we didn't miss having a gamma control to change it.
Watching test patterns, we saw the level of black fluctuate a tiny bit when we changed from very bright to very dark patterns, but this issue, unlike a similar effect we saw on the Sony KDL-46W4100 LCD, was not visible in program material as far as we could tell. At the end of Chapter 3, for example, when Smith shuts up his apartment for the evening, black stayed stable under the fading light.
Color accuracy: As you can see from the Geek Box, the Pioneer didn't score particularly well at primary color accuracy. Like those of many displays, its primary and secondary color points, particularly red and green, didn't conform closely to the HD standard. The green of the trees lining the Greenwich Village streets appeared a bit greener and bluer than the reference Panasonic and the Samsung, for example, and the red outfit of a dummy in the record store was likewise off a bit. Smith's skin tone also looked a bit ruddier than those two displays, which we blame on a combination of the somewhat reddish color temperature and that primary color of red. These issues certainly didn't spoil our enjoyment of the film, however, and the combination of deep blacks and accurate color decoding allowed the Pioneer to beat the rest of the displays at producing rich, saturated colors.
Video processing: The Smooth setting on the PDP-5020FD is the same as last year's version, and it's designed to smooth out the judder characteristic of film-based sources. Many viewers, ourselves included, prefer to keep that judder intact for a more film-like, as opposed to video-like, look. As with other such dejudder modes we've tested, Smooth on the Pioneer made Legend feel more like video. Some people like the smoothness, however, so we suppose it's a nice option to have, but it did introduce more artifacts than a similar dejudder mode on the Samsung LCD.
The worst effect was breakup during movement. For example, as the red Mustang speeds around a corner onto 34th Street, its white stripe appeared to separate from the car and trail behind briefly, before catching up again. Similar breakup occurred around Smith's head as he moved through a record store. Neither of these effects was visible on the Samsung.
Another option that Pioneer didn't change since last year's model is the 72Hz refresh rate imparted by selecting Advanced from the PureCinema menu. Since 72 is a multiple of 24, the TV can theoretically preserve the film's rate of judder and not have to engage 2:3 pull-down detection as a typical 60Hz display must. After setting our PS3 to 1080p/24 mode we checked out one of our favorite scenes for evaluating smoothness versus judder, the long helicopter shot in Chapter 7 that eventually finds Smith hitting golf balls off the wing of a spy plane parked on the USS Intrepid. Indeed, the Pioneer's advanced mode made the movement appear a bit smoother, without that hitch associated with 2:3 pull-down, although to our eyes the difference was subtle. Still, for videophiles who want to utilize their Blu-ray players' 1080p/24 mode, Advanced is worthwhile.
Unlike many HDTVs we've tested, the PDP-5020FD successfully deinterlaced film-based material. Naturally it displayed every line of 1080i and 1080p sources, although compared with the non-1080p PDP-5080HD right next to it, we found it nearly impossible to see any difference in detail from our seating distance of eight feet.
Bright lighting: The PDP-5020FD has the same antireflective screen as the PDP-5080HD, and it performed admirably when we opened up the blinds and tuned on the lights, attenuating reflections better than either the Panasonic or the glossy-screened Samsung LCD. Compared with the Panasonic, the Pioneer sets also did a better job of preserving black levels in bright environments.
Standard definition: According to our standard-definition tests, the PDP-5020FD scored a bit above average. It passed every line of DVD resolution and details looked relatively good--better than the Panasonic and about the same as the Samsung--on the grass and stone bridge. When fed images of a waving American flag and rotating diagonal lines, it did a solid job of eliminating jaggies. The set lacks a noise reduction control, but the Optimum and Performance picture modes were quite effective at squelching motes of noise in shots of skies and sunsets--the other modes didn't do as well. Finally, the set engaged 2:3 pull-down effectively, although it took a half-second longer than the other displays to lock into film mode.
PC: With a digital connection the Pioneer performed as well as we expect any 1080p flat-panel, delivering every line of a 1,920x1,080-pixel PC signal with sharp text. We saw some edge enhancement in the standard settings but selecting Movie mode, or cranking down Sharpness eliminated it completely. As usual, the analog connection was a disappointment, only accepting resolutions up to 1,280x1,024-pixels. Naturally the image looked softer and stretched to fill the screen, so we'd recommend PC users go digital.
| TEST | RESULT | SCORE |
| Before color temp (20/80) | 6288/6322 | Good |
| After color temp | N/A | |
| Before grayscale variation | 206K | Good |
| After grayscale variation | N/A | |
| Color of red (x/y) | 0.668/0.325 | Poor |
| Color of green | 0.27/0.653 | Poor |
| Color of blue | 0.146/0.057 | Good |
| Overscan | 0.0% | Good |
| Defeatable edge enhancement | Y | Good |
| 480i 2:3 pull-down, 24 fps | Y | Good |
| 1080i video resolution | Pass | Good |
| 1080i film resolution | Pass | Good |
| Pioneer PDP-5020FD | Picture settings | ||
| Default | Calibrated | Power Save | |
| Picture on (watts) | 293.33 | 272.67 | 269.2 |
| Picture on (watts/sq. inch) | 0.27 | 0.26 | 0.25 |
| Standby (watts) | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.42 |
| Cost per year | $91.05 | $84.66 | $83.58 |
 | |||
| Score (considering size) | Good | ||
| Score (overall) | Poor | ||
User reviews
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Mr. Katzmaier Got This Rating Wrong!
by spur76 on July 20, 2008
Pros: Black levels and Colors
Cons: Wouldn't change a thing!
Summary: I enjoy reading David Katzmaier reviews and was anxious to read this one on the Pioneer-6020. I have to admit that I'm wondering if he didn't make a ...
Summary: I enjoy reading David Katzmaier reviews and was anxious to read this one on the Pioneer-6020. I have to admit that I'm wondering if he didn't make a mistake by giving this TV an 8.4 rating. Last year he gave the Pioneer-5080 an 8.7 rating. He gave the new Panasonic an 8.7 rating. Then in his review of the Pioneer-6020 he gave this TV an 8.4 rating, after it beat the Pioneer- 5080, the Panasonic and the Samsung in almost all of his head to head comparison tests. In Black Levels, he wrote the Pioneer-6020 has the deepest black levels they have ever seen among TV's larger than 11 inches, the best Shadow Detail, the best antireflective screen for combatting bright lighting, and scored the best at the standard definition tests. As far as knocking it on its color accuracy and lack of adjustability....David wrote that the combination of deep blacks and accurate color decoding allowed the Pioneer 6020 to BEAT THE REST OF THE DISPLAYS AT PRODUCING RICH, SATURATED COLORS!!!!! I think I have learned a lot through David Katzmaiers reviews and I hope he reconsiders his low rating of the PDP-6020. No where in his review did the Panasonic beat the Pioneer 8.7 to 8.4......except for the price factor. I dont think that justifies killing the score of the Pioneer. CNET reviews have never been based on price, just on quality! I hope to spur others to read his review and write to David Katzmaier and voice their concern over his low rating. At the least it should be an 8.7. I hope David writes back and explains himself and raises the score of the last true Pioneer Plasma.
8 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I give it a perfect score
by johnnydk on March 26, 2009
Pros: By far the best HDTV I know for color and sound quality. Also, I found that http://www.squidoo.com/best-hdtv is a very helpful website which lists many great and cheap HDTV of 2009. Go take a look, it should help you decide what to HDTV to buy.
Cons: I just can't think of one.
Summary: I am an electronic sales and I give it a perfect 10.
Summary: I am an electronic sales and I give it a perfect 10.
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Easily the new benchmark!
by haragr on July 8, 2008
Pros: Astounding overall picture quality, surprisingly decent speakers
Cons: None, at this point at least
Summary: This review is coming from somebody who has owned every top-of-the line plasma/lcd HD TV in the past 6 years, including the LED backlit $14,000 Sony Qualia 005. ...
Summary: This review is coming from somebody who has owned every top-of-the line plasma/lcd HD TV in the past 6 years, including the LED backlit $14,000 Sony Qualia 005. I have owned the PDP-5020fd for exactly 1 week now, and I am in video heaven. I haven't done any major calibrations yet (want to wait at least 100hrs before doing that), but the out-of-the-box video quality is unbelievable. The black levels undoubtedly set a new bench mark, without sacrificing on overall picture quality in terms of contrast, brightness and color fidelity. And I thought my Qualia 005 was amazing, but this Pioneer is something else. I also compared the Pioneer against the latest Panasonic offerings, but there is just no competition. Worth every extra penny if you are a videophile - especially if you like watching movies in a pitch dark environment. You have to strain your eyes to see the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen - something that has always, always bugged my eyes all these years. The blu-ray playback via my PS3 is spectacular. I purchased my unit through beyondplasma.com for a shipped price of $3075.
5 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Amazing Picture!
by azjazz on August 25, 2008
Pros: Picture Quality and Inky Black Level
Cons: No precision (Temperature, Gamma, etc.) picture adjustments
Summary: Note: I did basic calibration of my picture using "MOVIE" mode and a calibration DVD. My settings were almost exactly the same values listed by David Katzmaier, which also were ...
Summary: Note: I did basic calibration of my picture using "MOVIE" mode and a calibration DVD. My settings were almost exactly the same values listed by David Katzmaier, which also were very close to the out-of-the-box settings by Pioneer for "MOVIE" mode.
This is my second HDTV, and could be my last! The picture quality of the PDP-6020FD constantly impresses me in both brightly lit and dark rooms. The Olympics looked fantastic (when not compressed), as well as standard DVDs that are being converted up by the Kuro.
The picture is truly photographic in quality, with a "3D-depth" that I haven't seen on many other HDTV panels.
I think that Mr. Katzmaier is very extreme in his review - For example, his comment about the image reflection off of the shiny frame had me concerned. I figured that I would see it all the time after he pointed it out (I'm pretty picky). Now, I can't see it unless I get really close to the screen, and look from the side. It is not noticeable under normal viewing, even when I was looking for it.
I'm not sure what axe he is trying to grind, but I would highly recommend that if you are interested (and can afford the best), be sure to put the PDP-5020FD/PDP-6020FD on your short list. You shouldn't simply dismiss it because of Mr. Katzmaier's few gripes.
IMHO, Pioneer has raised the bar pretty high - I find myself getting more absorbed into what I am watching. Watching DVDs are even more enjoyable than what I see in the theater - I now see greater depth and clarity than I see at the neighborhood "infiniplex".
The only (minor) minus - While the latest non-Elite Kuros do not allow for precision adjustments by Pioneer design, the "MOVIE" settings are so good (after minor tuning), any additional tweaks would bring minuscule changes in quality that should not be noticeable during normal viewing - if you allow yourself to be absorbed in "what" you are viewing instead of "how" you are viewing it.
And, that's what the Kuro lets me do like nothing else I've seen.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Get it while you still can
by teamw on February 7, 2009
Pros: Wonderful picture quality, solidly built, high-quality product. Speaker bar it includes is better than expected.
Cons: Remote control design could be better, menus could be a bit more intuitive.
Summary: Based on the CNET review I ended up finally buying this, after a fair bit of research. I am not disappointed. The CNET guy is right, the picture is amazing. ...
Summary: Based on the CNET review I ended up finally buying this, after a fair bit of research. I am not disappointed. The CNET guy is right, the picture is amazing. It handles movie sources wonderfully. They look exactly how they are supposed to look, not processed or overly digital. It is also great for the xbox, with very smooth motion and none of that fast-motion blurring effect you sometimes see in low-end LCDs. I also think it does a really good job with both DVD and SD picture sources. One of the things that kept me on the fence for HD for so long is how lousy SD signals look on most HD TVs. Most TV is still in SD and will be for years, so you really want something that can make SD signals look decent and this really does a nice job, far better than most HD TVs I've seen. The auto-scaling thing also works very well on this TV. My wife has a cheaper LCD and that thing is always shifting and zooming the picture, so much that she had to turn it off. For some reason, this one seems less intrusive. It makes a decision and then leaves well enough alone, it isn't always trying to recalibrate when a commercial with black bars comes on the screen.
Yeah it is expensive, but I figure I am going to be watching this for a decade, so the difference in price between this and a lesser set really isn't that huge given how long I plan to own it. It does seem very well built - when you put the mounting brackets to mount it to the wall you get a sense that everything had a lot of engineering attention and great care was paid in making everything high-quality. So I am hopeful I will get a lot of years out of this thing.
The remote is a forest of really tiny buttons on a very long thing stalk. The menu system is certainly not horrible, but could be organized a little better. The manual is thick and you will find yourself digging into it just to figure out things that ought to be self-explanatory. I do like that there are buttons for each of the inputs for quick, direct selection (no scrolling through the slew of inputs it has) as well as a button that allows you to quickly scroll through the available picture modes.
I don't like that the OFF button on the TV itself is in a somewhat awkward place if you attach the speakers to the bottom of the TV.
I just read in the paper that Pioneer is thinking they might exit this business. They sell a very high-end product, and the distinctions between this and say a $1000 Vizio are kind of subtle, probably too subtle for most. But if you are fairly picky about picture quality and are willing to spend a little $$$, this is a pretty compelling choice.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Here's an excellent Review by D-Nice
by sturbo on August 23, 2008
Pros: Use link for the Review
Cons: Use link for the Review
Summary: Use this link for the full Review (he reviewed the 6020FD but it applies to the 5020FD as well):
http://www.controlcal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56Summary: Use this link for the full Review (he reviewed the 6020FD but it applies to the 5020FD as well):
http://www.controlcal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=562 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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JAW DROPPING IMAGES
by jeepland94 on September 20, 2008
Pros: STUNNING BLACKS, VERY CRISP PICTURE, VERY GOOD SOUND, ABLE TO ADJUST JUST ABOUT EVERTHING.
Cons: NONE. BEST TV OUT THERE, BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER HAD.
MY PIONEER PDP-5016HD 720P TELEVISON HAD A POWER ISSUE SO THE GAVE ME A NEW 5020HD 1080P PANEL. THAT'S BACKING YOUR PRODUCT!!!!!!!!!!Summary: SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY YOU WON'T REGRET IT, YOU WILL HAVE THE BEST TV ON THE BLOCK.
Summary: SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY YOU WON'T REGRET IT, YOU WILL HAVE THE BEST TV ON THE BLOCK.
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Blows the Panasonic and others away
by robp4p on October 20, 2008
Pros: Best picture quality, period. No noise in the picture (like the panasonics), fluid motion (but not overdone like the 120hz LCDs), deep black really makes a difference you need to see it to believe it.
Cons: price, you get what you pay for.
Summary: Don't believe that you are getting more for your money with another brand (you're probably looking at the panasonic). With the others (panasonic) you get less for less ...
Summary: Don't believe that you are getting more for your money with another brand (you're probably looking at the panasonic). With the others (panasonic) you get less for less money.
I really can't believe everyone keeps trying to compare the panasonics to this set. They say the panny has truer colors, and the pioneer has deeper blacks - but they all seem to forget to mention that the panasonic has a horribly noisy image (grainy, specaled, call it what you want), and worse (although not horrible) banding on color gradations.
I have owned a panasonic plasma before, and I have seen similar issues in other models (th-50px60u). The other panasonic was my first HDTV and I loved it, but Looking at the pioneer and the new panasonics side by side, my eyes were locked on the pioneer, and it felt almost painful to switch back to the panasonic. One of the test scenes was a space scene, and you could literally see more stars in the sky on the pioneer than the panasonic - the effect was surreal.
I just replaced a 60" Sony projection set with this 50" model and dont miss the extra space. The quality of the picture on this set is unbelievable. Even the speakers aren't too bad. I ended up turning off the midrange system the store had paired with the 5020 in preference to the built in speakers (at least for dialogue, you'll never get deep bass out of a TV speaker).
Is it more expensive? Yes.
Did I consider that I could get a 58" panasonic for almost the same price as the 50" pioneer? Yes.
Yet I bought the pioneer - go look at it yourself, you wont believe how poor all the other sets look afterwards.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Second best display in the world
by staticsurge on September 22, 2008
Pros: Outstanding contrast ratio, deep blacks, no IR, excellent processing and motion
Cons: Limited user controls
Summary: I absolutely love this TV, in my opinion this has to be the second best display (note not TVs only) on the market bested only by their elite counterparts. No ...
Summary: I absolutely love this TV, in my opinion this has to be the second best display (note not TVs only) on the market bested only by their elite counterparts. No display can do what a Kuro can do, not a CRT and not any other plasma or LCD. Watching credits roll on a black screen is incredible for instance, there's no light leaking just pure contrast, something that was impossible on CRTs. The processing is top notch, movies are just really smooth and natural looking. Colors may not be 100% accurate but they appear realistic and not overdone which is thanks to the set's excellent color decoding. If you are in the market for the best and cannot quite afford or justify the Elite series, which are as close to perfection as you can get, these are the next best thing. Grayscale calibration is now available thanks to the likes of enthusiasts like D-Nice over at AVSforum helping this TV really pull away from the 800U and all other competition. Did I say I love this thing? Recommended!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I chose the Panasonic 50PZ800u over this TV because
by greggar73 on July 22, 2008
Pros: Black levels
Cons: Seems like there's a tinted screen that makes the whites and colors look off
Summary: 1) The black levels of this tv are awesome. But it seems like Pioneer used a tinted screen to get those black levels. It appears that that tinted screen causes ...
Summary: 1) The black levels of this tv are awesome. But it seems like Pioneer used a tinted screen to get those black levels. It appears that that tinted screen causes the colors to be off. I've seen both the Pioneer and the Panasonic very close to each other at Bestbuy and both my girlfriend and I noticed that the picture quality of the Pioneer doesn't look as life-like or as accurate as the Panasonic 50PZ800u. So I chose the Panasonic over this tv.
2) Another factor to take into account is that Panasonic honors the warranty on all its tv's sold in the USA even if you don't buy from an authorized dealer. Pioneer does not.
3) Regardless of which tv you choose, check out www.live.com which gives a $250 rebate on all purchases made through the live.com search leading into ebay. I purchased the Panasonic for $2000 including the rebate. (Unfortunately, right after the purchase I saw an ad on amazon.com marketplace for one for $1800, which was a really great deal!)
On the CNET rating scale I'm giving this tv a 8, the Panasonic a 9, and reserving the 10 for a tv that has the best qualities of both the Panasonic and the Pioneer, which apparantly doesn't exist yet in the state-of-the-art. Is the US still a dumping ground for old Japanese technology? I'm curious if they already have better stuff over there...
Best of luck in your tv purchase decision!1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Pioneer North America
- Part number: PDP-5020FD
- Description: Prepare yourself for the next generation of Pioneer KURO with the high-definition 1080p PDP-5020FD. Open your eyes to a world where black levels are beyond what was thought possible and are so deep, they disappear into an infinite abyss. Where breathtaking detail, added dimension and vibrant color will change the way you see, hear and feel the world forever. Discover for yourself what happens when sight and sound come together in the most extraordinary, beautiful and amazing way of ways in the Pioneer KURO PDP-5020FD. With an optimum Mode, the KURO lets you enjoy entertainment as it was meant to be. No need to toggle through or change settings for each type of programming. Built-in intelligence seamlessly monitors content and room light, and then automatically adjusts both audio and video settings for an immaculate picture and pristine sound. Together they become something remarkable and unlike any other experience. Sports come alive, news casts are crisp and clear and movies take on a life all their own. The KURO features a totally redesigned GUI (graphical user interface) for ease of navigation. A universe of advanced picture-in-picture settings and game control preferences ensures your experience is unique and tailored to your specific tastes. Improved video processing for both standard and high-definition content surpasses Pioneer's highest standards and provides you with the best viewing experience possible today. But there's more to this world than meets the eye. It sounds different too - thanks to a fully integrated digital amplifier and detachable bottom speaker, improved audio and clarity have become the norm. Set your sights on the Pioneer KURO PDP-5020FD and experience a world unlike anything that has ever existed before.
General
- Series KURO
- Product type Plasma TV
- Diagonal Size 50 in - Widescreen
- Dimensions & Weight Details Panel without stand - 48.4 in x 3.7 in x 28.6 in x 74.1 lbs
Display
- Technology Plasma (PDP)
- Resolution 1920 x 1080
- Display Format 1080p
- Image Aspect Ratio 16:9
- Widescreen Modes Full, Wide, Zoom, Cinema, Dot by Dot, Conventional 4:3
- Color Temperature Control Yes (High/Mid/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/Movie/Game/User
- Additional Features Crystal emissive layer, Still picture capability, Room light sensor, Microsoft PlaysForSure protected content
TV Tuner
- Tuner Qty 2x analog, 1x digital
- Digital TV Tuner QAM, ATSC
- Analog TV Tuner NTSC
- Multi-channel Preview Picture-in-picture (PIP)
- Stereo Reception System MTS
- Secondary Audio Program (SAP) Yes
- dbx Noise Reduction Yes
Video Features
- Video Interface HDMI, S-Video, Component, Composite
- HDTV Ready Yes
- Input Video Formats 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
- Electronic Program Guide TV Guide On Screen
- Parental Channel Lock Yes
- Closed Caption Capability Yes
Audio System
- Speaker(s) 2 x Right/left channel speaker - Detachable - 18 Watt
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Surround Mode Yes
- Sound Effects SRS Focus, SRS TruBass
- Audio Controls Sound mode
- Output Power / Total 36 Watt
- Additional Features Detachable speakers
- Driver Details Right/left channel speaker : 1 x Woofer driver, Right/left channel speaker : 1 x Tweeter driver
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Subwoofer output ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 1 x Audio line-out ( RCA phono x 2 ) - Rear, 1 x S-Video input ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - Rear, 2 x Composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 2 x Audio line-in ( RCA phono x 2 ) - Rear, 1 x Digital audio output (optical) ( TOSLINK ) - Rear, 1 x Audio line-in ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ) - Rear, 2 x Speakers output ( Click-fit x 2 ) - Rear, 4 x HDMI input ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear, 1 x RGB input ( 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ) - Rear, 1 x Remote control ( Mini-phone 3.5 mm ) - Rear, 1 x Serial ( 9 pin D-Sub ) - Rear, 1 x USB ( 4 pin USB Type A ) - Side, 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ) - Side, 1 x Component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Side, 1 x Composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Side, 1 x Network ( RJ-45 ) - Rear
- 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, MP3, WAV, WMA
- Supported Video Formats WMV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4
- Supported Pictures Formats BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF
Remote Control
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
- Supported Devices TV
- Features Glow buttons
Stands & Mounts
- Stand Included Yes
- Stand Design Tabletop
Power
- Power Device Power supply - Internal
- Power Consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.17
- Power Consumption Operational 293.8
Miscellaneous
- HDCP Compatible Yes
Dimensions & Weight (Shipping)
- Width (Shipping) 52.8 in
- Depth (Shipping) 20 in
- Height (Shipping) 38.4 in
- Weight (Shipping) 114 lbs
Sustainability
- CNET Labs: Operational power consumption 293.33 Watt
- CNET Labs: Calibrated power consumption 272.67 Watt
- CNET Labs: Power Save Mode power consumption 269.2 Watt
- CNET Labs: Power consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.42 Watt
- CNET Labs: Estimated Annual Energy Cost 63.76 US Dollars
Product series
-
Manufacturer: Pioneer North America
Specs: Plasma TV, 50 in, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
-
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
-
- Website: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/
- Address:
2265 E. 220th St.
Long Beach, CA 90810 - Phone: 310/952-2111
