You may have to shell out a princely sum for this HDTV, but you can be sure you’re getting your money’s worth. Of top-notch quality and features, Pioneer threw everything but the kitchen sink to make sure that this Kuro plasma is the best not only in its class but across all flat panel types. And indeed the PDP-508XD certainly was the best, well, until newer Kuros arrived on the block.
Design
At first glance, one gets the immediate feeling that this set was made to impress – and it certainly does – as high quality screams all throughout. The minimalist design features a glossy black bezel that is thicker on
Pioneer PDP-508XD
the sides, accented only by the Pioneer logo at the bottom of the screen, and the power button with the on/off LED indicator light on the bottom left. Swivel stand and speakers are extras (read: shell out more cash).
Even the remote control of the PDP-508XD is decidedly upscale. The weighty wand is solidly built with a brushed black finish, with well-marked and tactile buttons that are responsive to presses. The menu system, on the other hand, is an upgraded version of those found in other 8th generation Pioneer plasmas. It’s an exhaustive one, with endless setting choices that will surely satisfy even the most finicky of users but at the same time, is intuitive enough even for newbies.
Screen/picture clarity
Kuro is a Japanese word for black, and Pioneer’s choice of that word isn’t whimsical – it’s what the company wants for its plasmas – to have unparalleled black levels. Well, the PDP-508XD delivers astonishing and consistent blacks that were never seen before in flat panel displays. Colour accuracy is superb, while the rich blacks add depth to images, making these more vibrant and alive. The only thing that detracts from the near-perfect picture clarity is the screen’s reflection of ambient light, which could produce distractions when viewing in a brightly lit room.
What sets this HD-ready Kuro apart from other HDTVS is the unsurpassed picture quality tweaking options Pioneer provided. Aside from adjustments using presets to control mode, colour temperature, noise, greyscale, black level, contrast, aspect ratio, the PDP-508XD allows further fine-tuning to user’s preferences. To top it all, you can have this professionally calibrated –the TV has an Imaging Science Foundation C3 firmware for this – to adjust settings to perfectly suit your living room.
Features
With its wallet-crushing price, expect to see a ton of innovations and features in this plasma. Among these are its quartet of noise reduction modes; PureCinema, which work to make clearer and judderless images; picture-in-picture and picture-and-picture modes for simultaneous viewing of two inputs; an impressive sound output (quite odd considering that the speakers are optional); 24fps playback; and light sensor that automatically adjusts brightness depending on ambient light. Its connectivity suite isn’t also-ran either: three of the latest HDMIs, three Scarts, one component video input, VGA port, USB port and a lot more.
Pioneer continues to churn out top-tier plasmas that are not only innovative but proven performers as well. These plasmas – like the PDP-508XD – certainly cost some, but they’re worth every penny in the final analysis.
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