Pioneer Goes Dark

[Tomsguiderachel]

Pioneer, maker of some of the most stunning plasma HDTVs on earth, let slip today that the company will exit the TV business.

Pioneer Goes Dark : Read more

 

[Guest]

"Videophiles, a question: Is there anything finer in this world than a Panasonic Kuro Elite 60-inch Pro-151FD plasma display?"

Don't you mean Pioneer?

 

[Tomsguiderachel]

See? I'm still in denial....sigh.

 

[Guest]

ahem. Don't you mean a Pioneer Kuro and not Panasonic?

 

[Studly007]

(Yeah - oops, not Panasonic - Pioneer)

Better than the brand new Kuro's ?? Ehh, I'd say the Samsung 8000 series or the Mitsubishi Laservue.

But yeah, the brand new Kuro's are definitely in my top three (maybe top two when it comes to levels of black)

I hope they have crazy sales when they sell off their inventory!! 2008 Kuros for $2K ... mmm, drool !!

 

[Tomsguiderachel]

It is so hard to find a Laservue to actually buy (@ $7K)...let's hope those prices come down and Mitsubishi stays in the business.

 

[Studly007]

There's a market out there. Mitsubishi knows that. That's why the Laservue was at CES. The price will eventually come down to $5K, especially in this economy, I'd say by summer of 2010. Once the market is back on its feet, pensions revived, 401K's back in action, the home theater market will be back in full force AND - with new technology to drool over. I wish SED TV's would get it in gear. SED !! SED !!!

 

[Guest]

Pioneer got what they were asking for, and what they deserved! Markets, and consumers, are never forgiving of gougers. Bad economic conditions only accelerate the ultimate demise of culprits. Quite simply: Pioneer has priced themselves out of the market.

This is what I say: they make a good TV, but not good enough to command a 2x price premium. GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!

 

[Tomsguiderachel]

That's a deterministic point of view. Just because I can't afford 10 carat diamond earrings, does that mean that they shouldn't exist? It is a luxury item, no doubt. But I do agree with you that perhaps Pioneer should try lowering their margins to attempt to sell more units before they decide to opt out of the market all together.

 

[Guest]

What a crap! I don't have money now for a Kuro, but I always want to have a reference brand which sometimes I will be able to buy.
Samsung, Panasonic, Sony are all (large) consumer products, good but with valuem not quality in their DNA.
Pioneer is for TV what is Rotel, B&O, Denon, Marantz in audio.
So sad...

 

[jcwbnimble]

I would think there is still some hope left for the Kuro's line. If Panasonic is already making them for Pioneer, wouldn't there be a good chance that Panasonic would just purchase the rights to it and keep on making them?

Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but it seems Panasonic would benefit since they will be losing production if the Kuros line goes away.

 

[danimal_the_animal]

just go online and buy it now and stop complaining.

LAME article!

FAIL!

 

[aethm]

This isn't exactly news. Pioneer announced over a year ago that they would no longer be producing plasmas in house. Panasonic has made some sort of deal with Pioneer to provide the Kuro glass panels. Although it hasn't been announced. I think it's highly likely that panasonic also acquired the rights to the Kuro technology as part of the deal.

 

[Tomsguiderachel]

[citation][nom]Aethm[/nom]This isn't exactly news. Pioneer announced over a year ago that they would no longer be producing plasmas in house. Panasonic has made some sort of deal with Pioneer to provide the Kuro glass panels. Although it hasn't been announced. I think it's highly likely that panasonic also acquired the rights to the Kuro technology as part of the deal.[/citation]
It is news that Pioneer is completely divesting from the TV business...a new development. And we haven't yet heard whether Panasonic bought the Kuro brand and technology.

 

[Tomsguiderachel]

[citation][nom]danimal_the_animal[/nom]just go online and buy it now and stop complaining.LAME article!FAIL![/citation]
Dan, ya gotta relax, man. I'm sure everyone who loved Kuros would buy one right now if they could afford them. That's why they are complaining...there's no hope of trickle-down technology (cheaper TVs with Kuro quality in the future) if the company that makes the technology now, stops...

 

[hustler539]

I too am saddened by this. I am a big movie buff and have dreams of one day having enough loot to splurge on a Kuro Elite. But if they stop making them, there won't be any around when I actually do have enough to afford one