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Pioneer's latest products receive EISA awards (19/8/2004)

Pioneer's fifth generation plasma model, the PDP-435HDE, and its high-end DVD player, the DV-668AV, have been selected as the 'European Plasma Television of the Year 2004-2005' and 'European DVD Player of the Year 2004-2005' by the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA).

Annually, EISA recognises outstanding products in the categories of Photo, Video, Audio, Home Theatre and Mobile Electronics judged by nearly 50 leading European publications.

EISA, comments: "With this fifth generation model, the PDP-435HDE, Pioneer clearly illustrates the advantages of plasma over LCD. The overall picture is superb thanks to the Pure Drive Dynamic HD converter that resizes all interlaced terrestrial TV or DVD signals to progressive in striking HD resolution."

EISA continued: "The task of the DVD player is to produce fine image quality that matches the capabilities of your display device. The DV-668AV is also a universal player that accepts high-resolution SACD and DVD-Audio discs. Dolby Digital and DTS decoding is built in. Image quality is high, thanks to a progressive output and a digital (HDMI) interface. For analogue video there is a 216MHz/12- bit converter."

Marnix Somers, Director, Consumer Plasma Division, Pioneer Europe NV stated: "To be recognised by EISA's magazines as the leaders in two product categories is a true testament to the value and quality of Pioneer's products, and is a great acknowledgement to the true superiority of plasma technology, and innovative DVD technology."

Pioneer's next generation plasmas

The PDP-435HDE's exceptional picture quality demonstrates plasma's superiority over other display technologies including LCD and CRT. The Advanced Super CLEAR Drive system produces the equivalent of up to 1,920 greyscale steps per each colour of RGB, generating a total of over seven billion colours and ensuring superior and enhanced picture quality.Ê This advanced technology includes superior low-brightness greyscale expression and has the ability to eliminate contour noise, bringing viewers high-quality images with greater clarity and sharpness.

Pioneer's award-winning PDP-435HDE plasma screen also uses the world's first "Direct Colour Filter" technology to dramatically improve image quality. It eliminates the need for glass for the front filter of the plasma panel, removing multiple reflections previously generated between the front filter glass and plasma panel. The Direct Colour Filter also reduces external light reflections and improves the panel's contrast by approximately 20% compared to Pioneer's earlier plasma models, when viewed in bright locations. The resulting images are sharper, crisper with more vivid colour.

The PDP-435HDE's success is also linked to its High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) that allows users to connect digital video and audio signals over a single cable, ensuring perfect full-digital video and sound without signal deterioration, and its "Advanced PureCinema" technology that delivers a cinema-like viewing experience.Ê In addition Pioneer's high resolution progressive plasma displays are HDTV compliant and accept industry standard 'High Definition' video formats (both 1080i and 720p in 50Hz as well as 60Hz) - perfect for watching the latest HDTV broadcast.

EISA further adds:Ê "To fulfill the different expectations of both television and home cinema enthusiasts, there's an HDMI connection for the digital transport of audio and video signals."

Pioneer's fifth generation Plasma line-up includes the following products:

á PDP-505HDE and PDP-435HDE: standard models, comparable to Pioneer's actual range
á PDP-505XDE (50 inch) and PDP-435XDE (43 inch): new advanced models which - in comparison to the HDE models - add an embedded Digital Terrestrial TV tuner
á PDP-435FDE (43 inch): a newly added "basic" model

Pioneer DV-668AV high-end DVD player

The HDMI functionality was also a major contributor to Pioneer's second EISA award.Ê EISA continues:Ê "The task of the DVD player is to produce fine image quality that matches the capabilities of your display device.Ê The DV-668AV not only achieves this, but is also a universal player that accepts high-resolution SACD and DVD-Audio discs. Dolby Digital and DTS decoding is built in. Image quality is high, thanks to a progressive output and a digital (HDMI) interface. For analogue video there is a 216MHz/12-bit converter."

HDMI is a key feature of the Pioneer's DVD-668AV and it is able to transfer high definition digital content, directly and securely, from any audio/video disc to a TV, plasma display or amplifier/receiver.Ê Users can enjoy the highest level of uncompressed digital video and audio from original sources, without quality loss and all capable through one cable.

This universal DVD-Audio/Video/SACD player offers a variety of multi-channel playback and as an RW compatible unit it is able to play DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-R, CD-RW, CD, VideoCD, Super VCD and MP3 files.

The DV-668AV incorporates innovative technical features that guarantee top-level video and audio playback, whilst providing a user-friendly menu interface. It also includes:

Top quality video processing using 216 MHz/12 bit Video Encoder/DAC for analogue video connections and NSV (Noise Shaped Video) Technology by ANALOG DEVICES boasting image resolution well beyond the limit of traditional data converters and providing the ultimate picture quality and true images, as close as possible to the original DVD source Dual Pure Cinema Progressive Scan: allowing users to enjoy DVD's with extremely stable and flicker-free images Advanced Speaker Management including Bass Management for DVD-Audio ensures sound via the analogue outputs is reproduced faithfully In addition, the DV-868AVi, the DV-668AV's bigger brother, features Pioneer's i.LINK Advanced Resolution Digital Audio Interface, making this model the most advanced DVD player in the market with respect to digital video/audio interfacing.

Pioneer's AVIC-X1 was also awarded European Navigation System of the year 2004-2005.Ê

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