CNET Editor's rating: 8.7 out of 10
Reviewed by
David Katzmaier
Review date: 8/21/07
Release date: 7/1/07
The good: This 50-inch plasma TV displays an exceedingly deep shade of black with excellent shadow detail; clean image with little noise; "smooth" video-processing mode removes most judder; excellent antireflective screen; sleek, minimalist styling; removable speaker; superb connectivity with four HDMI inputs and one PC input; CableCard compatible with TV Guide EPG.
The bad: Expensive; inaccurate primary color of green; no user-menu fine color temperature controls.
The bottom line: The Pioneer PDP-5080HD produces the deepest shade of black--and thus one of the best pictures--we've ever tested.
Description:
The Pioneer Kuro PDP-5080 is a 50-inch, plasma television.
Compared to other plasma TVs on the market, it is midpriced at around $2,500.
In general, a liquid plasma display can recreate more realistic black-levels than an LCD display can.
Pros:
Has two tuners, which is considerably more favorable than some similarly priced TVs.
(Having two tuners comes in handy when you want to view two broadcasts at once, using PIP.)
Also, this TV has a remote control, VGA input, HDMI input, speakers output, digital audio output (optical), audio line-out, composite video input, subwoofer output, S-Video input, audio line-in, composite video/audio input, component video input, headphones, and USB connections type, which is considerably more favorable than some similarly priced TVs.
This television can display images that are sharper and more realistic than standard definition television when connected to a high definition signal.
The 3:2 pulldown feature of this unit reduces artifacts that can occur when motion pictures are transferred to a digital format such as DVD.
Cons:
None noted, given available product data.
Suitability:
A plasma TV, suited for personal entertainment and home theater.
Value:
In general, this TV's features are in line with its price.
Suggestions:
(1) For assistance in shopping for a new HDTV, read CNET editors' <ref type="link" url="http://cnet.com/hdtv-world/?tag=arw">Ultimate HDTV Buying Guide.
</ref>
(2) If donating or repurposing your old TV is not a viable option, CNET encourages households to recycle their electronics.
Please explore the following website to find a recycling center in your area
Electronics Take Back Coalition
.
178 out of 240 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular
Sealed the Deal
This is the one! It came down to the 5080 and the Panasonic 50PZ700U, and although the Panasonic... Read more
by TimHawk0 (see profile) -
August 22, 2007
47 out of 57 users found this user opinion helpful.
Manufacturer:
Pioneer North America
Part number: PDP-5080HD
General
Product Type
50 in Plasma TV
Digital Television Certification
HDTV
TV Tuner
1x analog,
1x digital
Video Interface
HDMI,
S-Video,
Component,
Composite
PC Interface
VGA (HD-15)
Conditional Access
Digital Cable Ready (DCR) with CableCARD slot
HDCP Compatible
Yes
Dimensions
Without stand
Width
48 in
Depth
4.5 in
Height
31.3 in
Weight
76.7 lbs
Display
Diagonal Size
50 in - Widescreen
Technology
Plasma (PDP)
Resolution
1365 x 768
Display Format
720p
Image Aspect Ratio
16:9
Progressive Scan
Progressive scanning (line doubling)
Widescreen Modes
Full,
Wide,
Zoom,
Cinema,
Conventional 4:3
Comb Filter
3D
V-Chip Control
Yes
Color Temperature Control
Yes (High/Mid/Low)
Picture Adjustment
Optimum/Dynamic/Standard/Movie/Game/User
Additional Features
V-Chip,
On-screen menu,
Parental control,
JPEG photo playback,
Video noise reduction,
Room light sensor (RLS),
3:3 pull down compensation,
Active DRE (Dynamic Range Expander)
TV Tuner
Analog TV Tuner
NTSC
Multi-channel Preview
Split screen,
Picture-in-picture (PIP)
Reception System
NTSC-M
Stereo Reception System
MTS
Channel Coverage
VHF:2-13,
UHF:14-69,
Cable:2-135
Secondary Audio Program (SAP)
Yes
dbx Noise Reduction
Yes
Digital TV Tuner
Digital TV Tuner
QAM,
ATSC,
8-VSB
Digital TV Modulations
8-VSB,
64 QAM,
256 QAM
Video Features
HDTV Ready
Yes
Input Video Formats
480i,
480p,
720p,
1080i,
1080p
Supported Computer Resolutions
1360 x 768,
640 x 480 (VGA),
1024 x 768 (XGA),
800 x 600 (SVGA),
1280 x 1024 (SXGA)
Freeze Memo
Yes
Electronic Program Guide
TV Guide On Screen
Parental Channel Lock
Yes
Closed Caption Capability
Yes
Remote Control
Remote Control
Universal remote control - Infrared
Supported Devices
TV and VCR, DVD,
Satellite or Cable
Features
Multi-brand compatibility
Audio System
Sound Output Mode
Stereo
Surround Mode
Yes
Sound Effects
SRS Focus,
SRS TruBass
Audio Controls
Bass,
Treble,
Balance,
Sound mode
Speakers Included
2 speakers
Output Power / Total
34 Watt
Additional Features
Detachable speakers
Speaker(s)
2 x Right/left channel speaker - Detachable - 17 Watt
Driver Details
Right/left channel speaker : 1 x Woofer driver,
Right/left channel speaker : 1 x Tweeter driver - 25 mm
Connections
Connector Type
1 x USB ( 4 pin USB Type A ) - Side,
1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ) - Side,
1 x Component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Side,
1 x Composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Side,
4 x Audio line-in ( RCA phono x 2 ) - Rear,
1 x S-Video input ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - Rear,
1 x Subwoofer output ( RCA phono ) - Rear,
2 x Composite video input ( RCA phono ) - Rear,
1 x Audio line-out ( RCA phono x 2 ) - Rear,
1 x Component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear,
1 x Audio line-in ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ) - Rear,
1 x Digital audio output (optical) ( TOSLINK ) - Rear,
2 x Speakers output ( Click-fit x 2 ) - Rear,
4 x HDMI input ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear,
1 x VGA input ( 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ) - Rear,
1 x Remote control - Rear
Slot Provided
1 x CableCARD
Stands & Mounts
Stand Included
Yes
Stand Design
Tabletop
Miscellaneous
Antenna
None
Included Accessories
Clamp,
Tie clip,
Cleaning cloth
Cables Included
2 x Speaker cable
Power
Power Device
Power supply - Internal
Power
AC 120 V
Power Consumption Operational
371 Watt
Battery
None
Manufacturer Warranty
Service & Support Details
Parts and labor - 1 year
Dimensions & Weight Details
Dimensions & Weight Details
Panel without stand - 48 in x 4.5 in x 31.3 in x 76.7 lbs,
Panel with stand - 48 in x 11.8 in x 33.4 in x 81.6 lbs
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