Pioneer recently announced the addition of the PDP-5070HD plasma television to their PDP series which also includes the PDP-4270HD and PDP-6070HD.

Pioneer must being doing something right with their plasma designs with its Pioneer Elite PureVision 60 inch PRO-1540HD plasma television receiving a Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award on October 5. The award is made to manufacturers recognized for a groundbreaking product that “represents milestones in design and engineering.”

Plasma Panel Technology

Pioneer have made some improvements to their plasma technology and some the highlights are reviewed below.

Redesigned Deep Encased Cell Structure

To isolate each pixel and prevent light leakage, Pioneer have increased pixel cell depth. The modification was made to produce brighter, sharper images.

New First-Surface Pure Color Filter

Mindful that reflected light reduces viewing clarity and sharpness, Pioneer’s First Surface Pure Color Filter was developed to reduce ambient light reflections. The optical-grade filter is bonded directly to the front of the plasma glass. A second glass layer has been dispensed with generating a weight saving. Pioneer rate the filter as improving contrast by 10% over previous generations.

Higher Color Reproduction than the NTSC Color Standard

The First-Surface Pure Color Filter also improves color reproduction and combined with Pioneers improved red and blue phosphors increases the plasmas color gamut for more life-like colors. Pioneer advertise that the plasmas color space has exceeded NTSC color standards.

Pure Crystal Emissive Layer

A Pure Crystal Emissive Layer included by Pioneer improves contrast and brightness, reduces power consumption and increases life expectancy.

The Pure Crystal Emissive Layer is a magnesium layer sandwiched between the plasma glass and the individual light cells. Pioneer advertise a 20% improvement in light efficiency over older models. The added layer conducts energy more efficiently allowing each cell’s charged and discharge cycle to be three times faster. A faster charge and discharge cycle provides a smoother transition from color to black giving blacker blacks (75% darker according to Pioneer) and more visible detail in darker scenes. Lighter areas of the screen still maintain their brightness.

ISF C3 Capability

Pioneer have included the ISF Custom Calibration Mode licensed from the Imaging Science Foundation, Inc. The custom calibration mode process provides the capability for a certified calibrator to accurately adjust color, contrast, sharpness and tint for day and night time viewing scenarios covering all local installation factors. Factory settings can be restored if required.

Video Processing

Pioneer provides 10-bit, all digital processing with its Pure Drive II. The processors algorithms includes techniques for state-of-the-art digital, mpeg and block noise reduction. ACE IV (Advanced Continuous Emission) is integrated into the Pure Drive II to allow Pioneer’s plasma panel to reproduce 1,024 grayscale steps per color. This capability provides smoother color transitions, more accurately rendered blacks (better detail in dark scenes).

Advanced PureCinema

Advanced PureCinema is an included technology advertised by Pioneer as restoring films “unique, natural imagery which is lost in the transfer from film to DVD”.

Sound System

The Pioneer PDP series plasma television series comes with two 14 Watt speakers with WOW patented sound technology by SRS Labs. WOW improves the dynamic audio performance of twin speakers by expanding the size of the audio image and improving the perception of low frequency sound (more deep rumbles for action flicks). To quote SRS Labs, “WOW accomplishes this by providing a panoramic three-dimensional audio image that extends the sound field in both the horizontal and vertical planes, and lowers the perceived bass response well beyond the low frequency limitations of the drivers.”

Another audio technology by SRS Labs included by Pioneer is TruBass – a signal processing technology for bass enhancement. To quote SRS Labs, “It uses psychoacoustics and speaker driver physics to increase the perception of bass while decreasing demands on the driver.”

Other Features

• Integrated Media Receiver with Dual NTSC and ATSC Tuner,
• Independent HDMI Inputs (10-bit processing) with the ability to accept a 1080p/24Hz signal,
• TV Guide On-Screen® Interactive Program Guide for easy navigation of TV program services,
• A/V Selection Memory – 6 options for viewing preferences (Standard/Dynamic/PURE/Movie/Game/User),
• Split Screen/Picture in Picture display modes to view multiple sources at one time,
• Home Gallery offering a convenient way to view photos via USB connection,
• V-Chip Parental Control,
• New Remote Control with preset, glow in the dark, direct input selection and TV Guide control.

Video/Audio Inputs

• Independent Dual HDMI with Audio
• Component (1 side/2 rear)
• Composite (1 side/3 rear) (1 rear w/Audio)
• S-Video (2 rear) (1 rear with Audio)
• Antenna A & B
• USB (Mass Storage Class) (Side Input)
• PC

Video/Audio Outputs

• Optical Digital Audio
• Monitor Out – Composite/Audio LR

Further Reading

Review the capabilities of the new HDMI 1.3 (High-Definition Multimedia Interface Version 1.3).

Read about the new Slim HD-ILA rear projection televisions from JVC which have reduced depth to complete better with flat-screen TV sets (plasma + LCD).

The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga

Doctor Who – The Complete Second Series