Pioneer "reviewing" plasma business, probably on the way out
Pioneer is officially "reviewing the plasma business", according to a release today -- much like Toshiba's "review" of the HD DVD business in February when it had decided to quit in January -- while a Reuters source confirmed The Nikkei's earlier report that Pioneer is getting out of the plasma panel manufacturing game altogether. While Pioneer would keep building plasmas based on panels sourced from Panasonic, according to the report, this would mark the exit of the 5th ranked plasma manufacturer, and host to some of the best PDP displays and technologies around. We can't expect any official word until the company's press conference on March 7, but rumors have swirled recently that it is considering a switch to LCD. We'll find out on Friday (our money is on SED rising again), but for now we'll just look longingly at our lovely Kuros.Read - Pioneer reviewing plasma business
Read - Pioneer to cease output of plasma panels, source says
Read - Pioneer press release [via Impress; warning: PDF link, Japanese]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ken @ Mar 4th 2008 2:14AM
I REALLY hope they don't sell out and have generic 'meh' like everyone else.
If they do, I hope they fail as a company.
SITEiNK @ Mar 4th 2008 3:33AM
they just might as their name at that point will mean nothing.
Tony @ Mar 4th 2008 3:26AM
Yes I'm a converted plasma owner now (Pio 4280 & 5080) from Sony LCD (motion lag, VERY bright - if ya stand directly in the center with the proper HD content, its really nice). The following summary came from DisplaySearch.com:
Although plasma panel growth has slowed in 2007 and plasma faces severe competition from LCDs, the future for
plasma TVs remains bright. Plasma technology offers the potential for more cost reduction and performance
improvement than LCDs through gains in luminous efficacy. In fact, it is possible that plasma TV brightness can improve
4X over the next 4 years with costs falling by 80%. This would be truly remarkable, but is entirely possible as voltages
and current and the number of process steps decline. Plasma TVs also offer significant advantages moving image
performance which can now be quantified through moving picture resolution measurements.
The entire report >
ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/pub/Panasonic/consumer_electronics/whitepapers/Future_Looks_Bright_for_Plasma_TVs.pdf
SITEiNK @ Mar 4th 2008 3:30AM
Lame...
this reminds me of when Nissan cut the 300zx citing high development cost and low sales. It had the effect of nearly killing the entire company. The Japanese government had to then bail them out. When they announced plans to bring out the new 350z, Nissan began to see a resurgence in sales. These type of higher-end products are needed to draw excitement and attention to a company and set the bar for excellence.
If Pioneer does pull the plug and announces no replacement technology they will certainly loose any credibility they have built for any future products.
They have been putting a lot of work into their new high end receiver that that is good, but I certainly think they sell a great deal more high-end plasmas than receivers.
Here's for hoping they will stick around.
rotorhead77 @ Mar 4th 2008 5:23AM
FYI, GOJ did not bail out Japan! Renault took a 15% stake in Nissan, and the reigns (Carlos Ghosn). In turn, Nissan has since bought a stake in Renault.
Pioneer is the standard in display technology. I am terribly sad to see them go. Grab up the Kuros while you can!!!
SITEiNK @ Mar 4th 2008 6:43AM
you mean GOJ did not bail out Nissan right? Not Japan.
right, the renault deal didn't finalize until after the keiretsu bail out money was paid, but Renault was certainly a helpful factor for the company in those times.
Well GOJ actually did help bail out Nissan to the tune of about 730 million dollars in 1998 and they did it for several other companies as well as the Japanese economy was going through a rough time due to the savings and loan crisis.
I've included a document for further reading.
http://www.aftermarket.org/International/Foreign_Market_Reports/APAC99/5%20JAPAN%27SBANKCRISIS.pdf
regardless, let's hope that this apparent lapse on the part of Pioneer does not lead them to ruin, but rather causes them to be even more resourceful and well, pioneer-ing.
Tony @ Mar 4th 2008 3:35AM
Latest update (oh well) -
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUST22772520080304
skeep @ Mar 4th 2008 9:28AM
The Kuro 1080 screens are the best out there and I'm still waiting for the price on them to drop. It's hard to believe the best would drop out - guess they are too expensive or low yield but I hope they stay with it.
Andrew @ Mar 4th 2008 9:48AM
What is it that makes the black levels on the Pioneer so superior? Is it the display panel or the processing technology. I guess my point is could pioneer processing technology make Panasonic display panels look as good as the current pioneer models do, or is it a combination of both the panel and the processors?
Ken @ Mar 4th 2008 12:27PM
It is the WHOLE package. They are making something more than a disposable consumer device. The panel and video processing are only part of the package.
Now if Pioneer was simply going to outsource their design, and keep doing R&D, that would be fine, but if they just slap their name on a Panasonic, I hope all of them are on the street in a matter of months.
ProfWho @ Mar 4th 2008 10:58AM
damn it. This is bullshit. I hate LCD. It is only good for your laptop not for your TV. I really was impressed and looking forward to getting a Kuro. I refuse to buy an LCD. I guess I will just have to hope for SED or see how well the laser displays do. (I prefer SED coming back).
danomite @ Mar 4th 2008 11:05AM
I'll tell you why they're having a such a hard time competing with LCD's and it's not because of price so much. People have this misconception that current displays will burn out in a year or two and that they're this volatile freakin' hyrdogen bombs in their living rooms.
andy @ Mar 4th 2008 11:20AM
when in fact liquid crystals are some of the worst carcinogens known to man.
plamas are heavy, but damn they look good.
locke6854 @ Mar 4th 2008 12:29PM
This doesn't make sense... they were the cream of the crop. What about those "infinite contrast ratio" kuros shown at ces08 ?!
I suppose we'll have to welcome large sized OLEDs. Or Local dimming LED lit LCD. Whenever that'll be.
I say-- stick with your current tv anyway.
Philip Colmer @ Mar 4th 2008 2:13PM
Presumably, though, if they continue to source the panels from elsewhere, they will still be able to add their own electronics. Otherwise, what was the point of the ultra-dark Kuro demonstration at CES? You don't go to all that trouble if you are going to yank the plug, and these sorts of decisions aren't made quickly.
regeya @ Mar 4th 2008 2:25PM
I just feel sorry for anyone who ever bought one of their plasma TVs. Poor deluded fools, actually thinking that plasma was a good idea LOL yeah have fun burning your wall and a shorter life than a picture tube chumps
bigant @ Mar 5th 2008 1:11PM
I think that what Pioneer is doing is selling its production lines to Panasonic and in turn has an agreement with Panasonic to purchase PDP's from them. I can only assume that Panasonic will have certain standards and specs that they will have to meet. This is the case most of the time when you have a company producing a product for another company.
Raptor007 @ Mar 5th 2008 3:22PM
Does this mean there will be no Pioneer OR Panasonic plasmas?? :(
With burn-in becoming less of an issue, I was thinking I'd go plasma if I ever wanted/needed a new HDTV (not anytime soon). It sucks that the best two plasma makers are giving it up.
Raptor007 @ Mar 5th 2008 3:23PM
Oh wait, I'm a tard. I read the title as Panasonic somehow, but this is yet another article about Pioneer.
peyote @ Mar 5th 2008 3:28PM
i just bought a house that closes march 29th & one of the renovations was the media room. looking forward to an elite Kuro & in a couple years, was hoping to replace it with 9mm version. wtf is goin' on when kuro's the best but too many morons don't realize how much better it is?
Raptor007 @ Mar 5th 2008 3:32PM
Probably price. You can get a 1080p Panasonic plasma for about half the price of a same-size 1080p Kuro.
kcjones @ Mar 6th 2008 2:16PM
This is very sad news. The best displays are all going away, Rear Projection CRT, then direct-view CRT, now Pioneer Plasmas. Mediocrity rules the day with HDTVs.
Cdizz @ Mar 13th 2008 2:38AM
nooooooooooo
gus @ Apr 1st 2008 5:08PM
has anyone noticed that it state " We can't expect any official word until the company's press conference on March 7"
we are on april so does it mean march 7 of 09? or was this even official?