Customer Reviews
Great Plasma but... 
2008-09-19
Honestly? I've been researching Plasma's and LCD's for about a solid year now. 1: LCD's are about 5 years behind Plasma TV's so if your local salesman tries telling you otherwise just compare pictures. The fact you notice Plasma's are VISIBLY deeper in color and crisper should give you a real good clue. Where as Plasma TV's are about a year from reaching true black levels, LCD's are easily 3 to 5 years away still. So I've fully decided on a Plasma. Not to mention overall, prices are now much more competitive with Plasma's.
Secondly, In comparing Plasma TV's two brands consistently rate among the top 2. The Pioneer Kuro and the Panasonic Viera. The lates Kuro Elite 50 inch (Soon to put out a 46 and 42 inch model which is more preferrable to me.) is rated as having almost near black level. The JUST receently released Panny alledgedly is even SLIGHTLY better by all color testing measures. I think it was released like last week and isn't even on the U.S Market yet. So anyway, I read this as I was about to buy the Panny 46 inch 800u NOT 80u. The Panny 800u is extremely highly rated and at a much more reasonable price than the entirely over priced Pioneer which caters to the upper income bracket. Silly if you ask me. Same technowledgy just high priced by a mile. So that narrowed my search to a Panny.
3: So I'm about to buy it when I read a just released report on next years models. It appears to be rumored both Panny and Pioneer intend to or have reached ACTUAL TRUE black levels. So that stopped me in my tracks. Why pay over 2 grand when next years Models will be far superior. The argument is they will always be better but from my research, with Digital the new standard in Feb and many needing new TV's, there will be an even bigger push to get out the most improved model possible next year to attract the new consumer. (Which is sorta bogus cause all you need is a cable box and wallah digital) but many will be completely duped into thinking they need a new TV. So with that new push for the latest tech, recent rumors and money conerns, I personally recommend waiting a year.
BUT, if you buy a TV? I myself recommend the 46 to 50 inch Panny Viera 800u. It's been consistently rated higher than the newer 850u and visually, I myself see no real difference to the Pioneer which is at least 1200 more.
Awesome TV but.... 
2008-09-01
After doing countless hours of research on the best TVs, LCD or Plasma, Pioneer or Panasonic, I came to the conclusion that Pioneer Plasmas are the best. And then after reading countless reviews on how amazing this TV is I finally decided to get one. It was definitely a hefty price tag, but from what I read, it was well worth it. After watching a couple blu-ray movies from my PS3 and playing Oblivion it simply did not meet my expectations. Granted my expectations were extremely high after reading the reviews. I had upgraded from a 42" LG LCD and the difference was just not worth the price tag. It is definitely better. I love this TV but I guess i was just setting my expectations too high. I guess I simply wanted the images to pop out of the TV. And I don't know, maybe I'm doing something wrong. Maybe my settings are wrong, or the calibration, but it's just not what I thought it was gonne be. If you have the $3k-$4k to drop on a TV, by all means, drop it on this one. But if you don't, believe me when i say there are worthy alternatives for a much smaller price tag.
What kind of guy are you? 2008-08-30
I typed a huge review and I ran out of space. This really pissed me off - but I like this TV enough that I'm rewriting a shorter and different kind of review.
WHAT KIND OF GUY ARE YOU? I'm a guy that wants things done right! "Right" being the way I think it should be done, because I'm a guy that thinks I'm smarter than most other guys, even if I'm not. I'm a guy that's pissed off at Amazon because I wasn't allowed enough space to write my original massive super detailed review. I'm a guy that is irritated when I have to ask a waitress more than once for the same thing. I'm a guy that's pissed off when airlines charge for a second bag or for a beverage. I'm a guy that wants an iPhone more than anything but doesn't have one because I hate the way Apple is trying to force AT&T on me. I'm a guy that is planning to drop Comcast because they are planning to cap users internet usage even though I'll never come close to 250GB a month. I'm a guy that researches 20 different websites to find out every little detail about products I'm interested in. I'm a guy that will go into a store and ask employees a bunch of questions that I already know the answer to, just to see if they really know the product and are worth my time and money. I'm a guy that knows the difference between lossy and lossless. I'm a guy that will wait and wait for a new product so I have the newest thing on the block even though it's killing me. I'm a guy that will buy the best piece of gear that I know about and can afford. I'm a guy that will never buy Bose speakers. I'm a guy that will trade in a component XBOX360 to get one with HDMI, then feel stupid because it's only HDMI 1.2 instead 1.3. I'm a guy that researches whether the Farajouda chip or the Reon chip is better or if the Realta is really all that. I'm a guy that will buy 5 different HDMI cables and 3 different indoor antennae to see if the .99 Monoprice is as good as the Monster cable and then return whatever didn't make the cut. I'm a guy that will sit for hours and hours until I'm zombie at 3 am trying to figure out which of my AV components deinterlaces the best. I'm a guy that spent the cash on a Denon 4308CI AVR instead of the 3808CI because I wanted the wireless feature, but never use it because it would force me to run my wireless network at 802.11b/g instead of 802.11n. I'm a guy that believes in my heart that I can see a difference between 1080i and 1080p!
Are YOU the same as ME? If so, then this next line will help should help you choose a Television:
I'm a guy that bought a Pioneer Kuro. And it's awesome.
Superb television 2008-08-29
I didn't know much about televisions when I bought this on the recommendation of a friend who has one. As somebody who doesn't know much about televisions I can't tell you much about the color saturation, refresh rates, black levels, contrast, or indeed many other technical topics. I can tell you, though, that the TV is a joy to watch. Super-clear picture, great color (once you take it out of "dynamic" mode and put it into "movie" mode), and even switched off it's very attractive in a black minimalistic kind of way.
Amazon delivered early, a pleasant surprise. The delivery firm was helpful and careful, and did everything I'd hope for in terms of getting the thing out of the box and mounting it on the stand.
Two small disappointments, neither a big deal:
1. The remote is pretty lame. The one with this TV is altogether fully-featured but otherwise dull and unimaginative. No attention to ergonomics or usability whatsoever. I know, I know, just like most remotes... but I'm a TiVo user so have high standards. They could have done much better, but I guess it wasn't their focus.
2. No way to disable inputs. This TV has a huge number of inputs (which is great) but there's no way to tell it "hey, there's nothing on inputs 1,2, and 6". That means that when you cycle through them you have to go via all the ones you're not using as well as the ones you are. I have a Sony LCD where you can disable certain inputs in the settings; works much better.
All in all, though: very happy indeed with this thing.
Awesome picture 2008-08-29
I was shopping for a bigscreen HDTV to watch olympics'08.The shortlist narrowed down to Sony bravia and Pioneer Kuro and i am glad i chose Kuro. The opening ceremony is unbelievably vivid and life like. On contrary to some reviews i have read, the picture is good even in daylight, i think from very efficient antiglare filter. I keep tapping myself on my shoulder every night when i watch the TV programs for making a smart choice. My only disappointment is lack of internet connectivity and retriction of media players to Windows media player only. Wireless connectivity to computer should be included in the next upgrade to this model. Having said that, This TV is for viewing pleasure of HDTV programs and does this job second to NONE. The only thing that could beat this TV's picture quality is perhaps a 3D picture!
Pioneer makes best Plasmas. 2008-08-24
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.
great tv 2008-08-24
this tv is amazing. no need to spend an extra 2g's for the elite model when this one is just as good to all but the most discerning viewer. right out of the box i was blown away by the picture quality. set up was a breeze. even the sound bar is pretty amazing.
Another 5020FD review 2008-08-11
I purchased the 5020FD to replace my samsung 60 inch DLP. This TV is much better in everyway albeit smaller in size. You have to mount the speakers but that did not take long. The speaker quality by the way is great-- pioneer has been around since at least the 70's and they know how to make speakers. The picture is amazing-- needs some minor adjustments only. I have challenged the picture with my sony playstation 3, DVDs, and BluRays. There is no motion artifact which is troubling on LCDs. I was particularly pleased with bright whites on dark blacks-- rock concerts and movies like the Matrix and Harry Potter pixilate when lightning strikes or wands fight on LCDs but NOT on this plasma. I was very pleased with the price... currently $400-900 cheaper than best buy. 6ave delivered the TV promptly in 4 days. I am very pleased.
Buyer Beware! 
2008-08-09
I've been through 5 defective pioneer sets in the last 4 weeks. The first two, 5010fd's buzzed so loud I could hear it from the other room! I then decided to go with the newer 5020fd and when my tv arrived from amazon, it wouldn't even turn on! When I got my replacement set it had dead pixels right out of the box, but I wanted to at least keep it until another replacement came. When my third 5020fd came it wouldn't even turn on either so I decided I would still keep the set with a few dead pixels until I got a proper replacement. So they put that tv back on my stand, plugged it in and it wouldn't turn on now! The power outlets were working, so that's a pretty big quality control issue Pioneer has. I really wanted this tv because of all the great things I've heard, but now I'm in disbelief. We only took the tv off the stand, then put it back on and it wouldn't turn on anymore! Now if I could get a replacement that was perfect out of the box I would say no, because if I ever move the tv I would run the risk of being stuck with a $4000 piece of junk. REFUND!!!!!!!
picture knocked my socks off! 2008-07-30
Most dramatic, bright, detailed picture I have ever seen on a TV. Way better than the top samsung lcd.
