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"The worst effect was breakup during movement."

"With a digital connection the Pioneer performed as well as we expect any 1080p flat-panel, delivering every line of a 1,920x1,080-pixel PC signal with sharp text.... As usual, the analog connection was a disappointment.... Naturally the image looked softer and stretched to fill the screen, so we'd recommend PC users go digital."

"I decided not to connect my laptop to the TV with a VGA cable because the manual stated that this connection was only capable of a 1360 x 768 resolution. I know it would look fine, but what a waste of pixels. If you plan on hooking your computer directly to the KURO, use an HDMI cable or a DVI to HDMI."

"The PDP-5020FD has the same antireflective screen as the PDP-5080HD, and it performed admirably when we opened up the blinds and tuned on the lights, attenuating reflections better than either the Panasonic or the glossy-screened Samsung LCD."

"The optical-grade plastic filter that tops the screen surface minimizes distracting reflections better than the glass filters of all other plasma TVs I've seen. The low reflectivity and dark color of Pioneer displays also improves apparent contrast and color saturation in a well-lit viewing environment."

"In the past, high reflectivity has been a bugaboo for plasma screens, as a group. I feel that in the last few years, technology like this KURO's anti-reflective filter has put those concerns to rest. I will not deny that bright lights will reflect in the screen, but it's only noticeable when the TV is turned off."

"The Pioneer PDP-5020FD produces the deepest level of black we've ever seen among TVs larger than 11 inches.... Speaking of color, the Pioneer isn't as accurate as we'd like to see, and its Smooth picture mode introduces numerous artifacts, but in most other areas it's a superb performer."

"As a side benefit for those who like to watch their favorite movies again and again, viewing them on a display as big as the 60" PDP-6020FD gives you the ability to see details that may not be evident on a smaller TV. For example, I found myself watching the expressions on actors in the background of a scene."

"But what moves me most are those stealth moments when you are caught up in the movie and slowly a sensation starts snaking up your spine and then you quietly realize how divine the picture looks. It's transcendent."

"But I suspect these equally if not more expensive challengers will be unable to match the KURO's amazingly consistent white balance, which is critical for accurate video reproduction—let alone plasma's consistent image quality at wide viewing angles."

"The upside to plasmas is their truly wide viewing angle. You can seat your party of March Madness maniacs all around this KURO and they won't notice a fall off in picture quality. Which is good because the HDTV does not swivel on its stand."

"We liked the new menus, which are exceedingly easy to read, and appreciated the fact that during picture adjustments the standard overlay arrangement returns, so you can see the effects of your adjustments. We also appreciated the Tools menu, which provided easy access to many of the most-used functions."

"Unless you have the wingspan of the 7' 6" Yao Ming, reaching around this KURO to plug in cables is not easy. If you can, try to do all your connecting when you have clear access to the rear of the TV."

"Since the speakers are not integrated into the system, they need to be wired up to the speaker terminals on the panel."

"The PDP-5020FD lacks color temperature presets, a noise reduction control, a gamma control, and numerous other more-esoteric settings that the 2007 models included. If you want a bunch of picture adjustments on your 2008 Kuro, you'll have to pony up for the Elite version."

"If you're into home theater, you know that a properly adjusted display requires some tweaking in the user menu to get it to look its best. Unfortunately--and somewhat inexplicably--Pioneer dropped many of the picture controls that would allow savvy owners to get a better picture on the PDP-5020FD."

"Pioneer's remote control was redesigned after last year, and we really don't like it. Gone are the different shapes for secondary functions; instead, almost all of the keys on the new remote share the same square shape, tiny size, and are arranged in a staid grid.... It sure doesn't help navigate the scads of buttons."

"The…remote control sports a rectangular baton design with beveled edges on the back for a comfortable grip.... The [PDP-20FD]'s remote is a bit congested, with more and smaller buttons. The keypad glows in the dark but is not backlit.... However, the new remote proved to be a superior communicator at wide angles and at distances up to 20 feet."

"I applaud the dedicated buttons for selecting various video sources, but I would prefer that they were labeled more specifically (for example, HDMI1) than simply 1 through 7. I found the Tools key to be a helpful shortcut to some of the more common tasks."

"While we appreciated the addition of a pair of power-saver modes, which somewhat limit peak light output and therefore energy consumption...the Pioneer is a moderate energy hog."

"It's the most efficient 50-inch plasma screen available today."

"A new digital amplifier claims to offer 18 watts of output to each speaker, and I was impressed by the system's overall sound quality, particularly its well-rendered bass response."

"The audio output from the 18W detachable speakers is as good as I have heard from a TV's audio system. I actually feel comfortable about describing it with terms like separation and presence. I even had a musician in who praised the audio quality."

"Pioneer added its Home Media Gallery to the TV this year, which lets it interface with a USB thumbdrive or your home network via an Ethernet port to view photos, or play music and video files on the TV. Pioneer's implementation…offers a decent DLNA option with a wide array of supported file format."

"It also incorporates some of the most comprehensive multimedia file support that I've ever seen in any HDTV."

"The set's integrated multimedia support goes beyond what any other HDTV manufacturer offers in terms of integrated features and file support. It can handle all digital image formats…plus a wide variety of other types of file formats including AAC, WMA, and MPEG-4-AVC, and also adds streaming audio support (SHOUTcast)."

Pioneer received a 9.1 out of 10 in a 2008 survey of PC Magazine readers, which measured companies across 7 criteria to determine customer service satisfaction. Pioneer ranked 1st out of the 15 HDTV manufacturers in the survey.

"Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of A+."

Pioneer was rated AVERAGE in a 2008 survey of 16,000 PC World readers measuring the "overall satisfaction with reliability" of HDTVs. There were 16 manufacturers scored, 10 of which were average, 3 were above average and 3 were below average. 

Pioneer provides a 1 year limited parts and labor warranty on its HDTVs. During the warranty period, Pioneer states on their website that "Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. (PUSA) warrants that products distributed by PUSA in the U.S.A. that fail to function properly under normal use due to a manufacturing defect when installed and operated according to the owner’s manual enclosed with the unit will be repaired or replaced with a unit of comparable value, at the option of PUSA, without charge to you for parts or actual repair work."