Pioneer go back to black
For most HDTV buyers, the LCD market is easily the more attractive than plasma. Sony, Sharp and Samsung have ramped up mass production and large volume means low prices on a range of LCD TVs of all sizes. But if you still want the best large screen that money can buy, plasma is still king. For colour range, contrast levels and response time, LCD cannot yet match plasma, but quality comes at a price.
Pioneer have invested their TV future 100% into plasma and will be in trouble if the plasma market dies. Unlike Panasonic, LG, Philips and Sony, they do not have a range of LCD Tvs to fall back on. In the last year they have faced losses, but recent company reports put them back in the black. "Back to black" is also the theme of their new range of plasmas. To keep ahead they have given up the low to middle range market to their LCD competitors and will concentrate now on the high end of quality with a new range of plasmas hyped as "The World's best flat screen TV".