Pioneer Elite returns as Sharp LCD

Sharp has announced that it has licensed the Pioneer Elite brand name and will be selling Elite LCD panels latter this year. How "Kuro" they will be remains to be seen.

• http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20029882-17.html

This new Kuro development isn't as off-the-wall as it seems. Back in 2008 Pioneer had a deal with Sharp to build LCD panels. Pioneer left the HDTV business before any Kuro LCD panels came to market.

Pioneer to exit HDTV business

Bad news Kuro fans.

According to the early news reports it looks like there won't be a Pioneer 10G or 11G Kuro. ):

expected to use 10 lumen/watt tech

The Pioneer Kuro 10G will be using Panasonic's NeoPDP 5 lumen/watt technology when it is released next year. The Kuro 11G is expected to use the higher efficiency 10 lumen/watt plasma technology which will be able to improve aspects such as idle luminance, brightness, resolution, and motion performance. Reducing power consumption is also a possible benefit. These aspects are somewhat interrelated to the benefit of having a higher luminance efficiency so the actual product implementation will be a combination of improved features.

Requested Feature List

Nigel Tufnel: "It's like, how much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black."

So after achieving absolute black with the Pioneer Kuro 10G what further improvements can be made?

requested feature list:

• thinner (mm)
• lighter weight (kg)
• reduce power usage (kW)
• reduce buzzing (dB)
• reduce image retention
• faster response times (ms)
• better motion resolution (lines)
• higher display resolution (1440p, 1600p, or 2160p)
• higher pixel sample resolution (36 bits)
• more accurate color (Rec. 709 and D65)
• automatic video calibration with colorimeter sensor (gamma, color points)
• faster channel changes
  
• dual ATSC/QAM tuners for true PIP
  
• tru2way
• display 3D video
• integrated web browser
• faster and smoother DLNA support
  
• integrated VOD player (YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, ...)
• DVR support with external USB 2.0 hard drive
  
• setenv $DISPLAY kuro:0 (for remote X11)
• XDMCP support (be an X server)
  
• network firmware updates