We covered the news that Pioneer shuts down TV production back in February and today Pioneer Japan revealed a number of details about their radical move [JP]. In short: There will be no more Kuro plasma TVs from May this year. Pioneer calls it quits after 12 years of plasma TV production.
The company will roll out two 50-inch Kuro TVs (RP-500A and KRP-500M) and two 60-inch models (KRP-600A and KRP-600M, which is pictured above) starting April 1. But the 2,500 50-inch models and another 500 60-inch TVs will be the last Kuro products.
Pioneer says they will take care of after service in Japan until 2017 (details about other markets aren’t available at this point). After establishing the high-quality Kuro brand in September 2007, the company managed to sell 300,000 Kuro plasma TVs in Japan and 2.8 million units worldwide.
Sad news, I love my 8th gen Pioneer PDP-6010FD and can attest to just how amazing those panels are. These new 10g panels must be incredible, but I’m sure that it will be nearly impossible to get your hands on one of the 500 60″ models available (probably already been sold).
Actually, these aren’t TV’s per se. They’re monitors, with no TV tuners built in. They aren’t 10g sets, either, they’re 9g just like the 5020 and 6020, 111 and 151, etc. Apparently, they’re very similar to the 141 signature series without the “Elite” type features such as ISF ccc profiles and of course no TV tuners. They are intended to be used by custom installers who are installing total theater systems.