CHEAP Pioneer PDP-6020FD 60-Inch Class KURO Plasma HDTV
I bought this knowing that this is the end of the line for Pioneers’ big-screen TVs, and also knowing that this TV is approaching almost 2 years old since it’s original release date. But from all the reviews, the KURO ‘20-series was the one to get for its deep “blacks” as well as its vibrant, rich colors.
After a month, I have not been disappointed neither. The picture is absolutely STUNNING. No pixelation, blockiness or graininess, nor ghosting or strobing. Just breathing taking detail and fluid motion. I’ve looked at Sony Bravia’s and Panasonic’s, but after watching the latest in Blu-Ray movies on this stunner, I have been taken aback by its crystal clear and silky beauty of its 60 inch video presentation. None of the others has compared next to this majestic beast. And it hasn’t yet been calibrated, which is scheduled in a couple weeks.
I won’t go into all the technical reviews of this machine as I’m sure you can find much more eloquently and technically accurate writings elsewhere.
However, I will go into a little nitpicking that was not mentioned by anyone else during my research.
1) The audio Digital Out (optical) only passes 2-channel (stereo) Dolby Digital or PCM. I was annoyed when I first hooked up my PS3 HDMI to the KURO, then the KURO digital out to my AV receiver only to hear stereo. After contacting Pioneer, I discovered to my disappointment that the KURO only passes 2-channel. In fact, I found out that practically all TVs that include a digital out send only 2-channel. (sigh) I had to connect an optical cable from my PS3 directly to my AV receiver to enjoy anything beyond 2-channel. Unfortunately, I do notice just a slight audio timing shift from the video image. Almost imperceptible (and for most people, unnoticeable), but I do notice it. On top of that, I have more cables to mess with, as I have a DirecTV box and Xbox 360 in addition to my PS3, which means I have to have 3 optical cables going directly to my AV receiver (and ensure I switch to the right input on the AV receiver), which I’m lucky to say has more than enough optical inputs to handle this mess. If the Digital Out could pass the full, unaltered audio stream then it would require only 1 cable going to the AV receiver and setting it to the same input regardless of what I was showing on the KURO, or maybe it’s time to invest in a multiple-HDMI-input AV receiver (money, money, money)…
2) The programmable remote is rather unremarkable and difficult to read in low-light situations (especially for those that are far-sighted). But who are we kidding; if you are one of those that spends k+ on a TV then you probably also have a high-dollar third-party remote (the Harmony One for me) to control all your big ticket toys. I keep the factory remote safely tucked away for emergencies.
3) The on-screen interface is spartan. There aren’t too many features to change on this machine. I do wish that it had auto-sensing inputs, like the Sony Bravia’s, which would clearly indicate which inputs and type have connected devices on them. When I initially powered-up the monster, I had to go to the back and refresh my memory which ports are the HDMI ones I used (the back HDMI inputs are 4 through 6, with port 7 HDMI on the left side).
4) Sound quality was very good for two-speakers, but no where near capable of a true 5/6/7.1 surround system. Again, if you forked over k for this behemoth, you probably also have a killer audio system to go with it. I do wish that the front speakers could be set as an input to handle the center channel, like my deceased Mitsubishi Diamond 65″ RPTV. Instead, I have to hang an independent center speaker below the built-in speakers (I don’t usually use my audio system when watching regular TV so I need the built-in speakers to work).
5) Be careful what you wish for. The blacks are the “blackest” I have ever seen in a TV. Unfortunately, I also noticed that some scenes can get too dark to discern certain details (for instance, the bold black headline of a newspaper in the shadow such as in the movie, “The Watchmen”).
Besides those points, I am completely satisfied with its video performance. And with the “discontinued” signs beginning to be foisted on this last-of-its-kind, killer deals are sure to be had for those wanting the best.
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Pioneer PDP-6020FD 60-Inch Class KURO Plasma HDTV Feature
Pioneer PDP-6020FD 60-Inch Class KURO Plasma HDTV Overview
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