Pioneer PDP-LX508D Review

50in Plasma

Picture
Features
Usability
Value

At the time of writing, the best TV money can buy.

HD Ready:

yes

Resolution:

1,920 x 1,080

Rating:

97%

Reviewed: 17 November 2007

Note

The PDP-LX508D sits alongside the very similar PDP-LX5080D which comes equipped with stand, but loses the Direct Colour Filter 3 technology of the LX508D.

Direct Colour Filter 3 has been designed to improve contrast in a brightly lit environment. Directly attached to the front of the screen, it aims to provide a wide horizontal viewing angle without any reflections or mirroring effects.

Design

Pioneer plasmas are priced at a premium compared to their flat screen competitors, and this premium gets you more than just their legendary electronic wizardry. Some of the extra outlay has obviously been directed towards top notch materials, with the screen just oozing quality and style from every pour. The glossy black slim-framed PDP-LX508D will almost certainly bring out a green tinge to your friends and neighbors complexions.

Features

By dubbing their 8th generation plasma screens Kuro ('Kuro' meaning 'black' in Japanese), Pioneer have firmly indicated in which direction their new range has been designed to excel.

Screen: 50in 16:9

Tuner: Digital

Sound System: Nicam

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Contrast Ratio: 20,000:1

Other Features: PURE Drive 2HD, Digital Noise Reduction (DNR), Direct Colour Filter III, MPEG NR (Noise Reduction). .

Sockets: 3 HDMI, 3 SCART, Component Video, Composite Video, S-Video, PC input.

The big talking point with the latest range of Plasma TV's from Pioneer is Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. Pioneer's non HD plasma screens have been outperforming most Full HD offerings from other manufacturers, so we are are literally salivating with the arrival of these new panels.

Alongside Full HD, claimed contrast ratio has gone up from 16:000:1 to 20,000:1 bringing with it the promise of even deeper black levels.

Picture processing technology on the PDP-LX508D comes in the shape of Pioneer's PURE DRIVE 2HD which has been designed to eliminate video noise by minimising intermediate analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue conversions. Image processing has been optimised for Plasma screens, and to work with Pioneer's latest 8th generation screen.

PURE DRIVE 2HD is complemented by i-CLEAR Drive which employs multi bit digital video processors to increase the range of gradation levels, producing more subtle colour differences.

To ensure that picture quality on the PDP-LX508D remains consistent from the centre of the screen to its edges, Pioneer have once again deployed their 'Deep Waffle Rib' structure which has also been designed to reduce cross-pixel light and colour contamination.

Performance

Before seeing the PDP-LX508D in action, it was difficult to see how Pioneer could improve on its already highly regarded existing 'Kuro' range, but improve on it they have. The increased contrast ratio contributes to a screen with even deeper and more precise blacks. Existing Pioneer plasma owners will be glad to know that the improvement is not massive, just enough in fact to be noticeable.

With an unrivalled black level performance, we expected colours on the PDP-LX508D to impress. Again, the PDP-LX508D pushes the boundaries of colour performance, which is class leading. This screen displays unparalleled vibrancy which produced the most realistic skin tones we have seen on any flat panel. The depth and ranger of the colour palette on the PDP-LX508D puts the efforts of most other manufacturers some way behind.

Where the PDP-LX508 really impresses is with High Definition (HD) material. We expect beautifully sharp and detailed pictures from any Full HD screen, but the performance displayed by the PDP-LX508 in this respect is simply breathtaking. Never before has HD material been so realistic, so dripping with detail, so believable.

Traditional plasma strengths, in particular their ability to handle motion fluidly produce one of the most accomplished Standard Definition (SD) performances we have seen on a 50in plus panel. While not flawless, the performance with SD material is easily the most competent from such a large screen, and a performance you won't mind giving up your CRT for.

Even the negative aspects of existing 'Kuro' plasmas have been improved. Again, with the increase in contrast ratio, this screens ability to reproduce shadow detail is vastly improved on its predecessor.

Conclusion

Pioneer have created nothing less than the best TV money can buy, but at a price.