There was a time when Premier products where among the best car audio products available. But those days are gone too. As of late, the product line has been simply a step up above standard Pioneer line and not really worth of the Premier designation. And that’s why Pioneer is killing the label.

Twice,

“We will cease production of Pioneer Premier products at the end of 2009.” said director of marketing for mobile entertainment Ted Cardenas.

He added, “We’re not exiting any categories, we will continue with the same types of products.” The Premier line offered superior features to the standard line but in recent years the feature differences had narrowed. Premier CD players allowed a two-year warranty vs. one-year and shipped with an iPod cable in the box rather than as an option, as on the standard line, said Pioneer.

You can’t knock Pioneer for this move really. All its trying to do is save face in a dying market and not let a respected brand slip into a coma of suck.

Pioneer has showcased the Floating Vision at the Digital Contents Expo in Tokyo (that ended Sunday), another 3D display that doesn’t require you to wear glasses (yawn) to view 3D images. It’s not bad at all though, even though visitors flocked to Sony’s booth to see their stereoscopic 3D display (which was a bit cooler).

You can connect the Floating Vision to a PC via USB 2.0 to view images or videos “floating” over the display (5.7 inches, 640 × 480 VGA resolution). What’s pretty cool is that you can “interact” with the image, as the device detects your hand movements. It’s also possible to “control” an image with your voice (the device has a mic on its front). Both Windows PCs and Macs are supported.

The device is sized at 179×185 ×146.5 mm and weighs 1.1kg. And best of all, Pioneer actually sells the device already on their website for $540 [JP]. Ask the Japan Trend Shop or Geek Stuff 4 U in case you live outside Japan and you’re interested in getting one.

Here’s the video of the FV-01 in action I took at the expo:

When I first saw this model on Woot, I thought that it was probably one of their earlier generations and not a Profile 2.0 player. I was wrong! This puppy has the latest spec that brings BD-Live and an Ethernet port to the player. It of course supports 1080p playback, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, and DTS-HD Master Audio. If you’ve been waiting for a good Blu-ray player at a reasonable price, this is it.

Pioneer Launches First 12x Blu-ray Disc Writer

High-Speed 12x Write Capability Lets Professional Users and Enthusiasts Quickly Test, Author and Preserve High Definition Content

LONG BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announces its new BDR-205 Blu-ray Disc® Computer Writer, the industry’s first and fastest model to feature up to 12x write speed for single and dual-layer Blu-ray Disc (BD) media*. Ideal for authoring providers and system builders, the Pioneer® BD/DVD/CD Writer provides accurate, rapid performance for demanding professional applications.

“The BDR-205 drive represents our ongoing efforts to combine Pioneer’s engineering expertise with advanced technologies, and our next generation Blu-ray Disc writer is a great example of our no-compromise approach to optical disc product development,” said Steve Cohn, director of optical disc sales for Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “We are bringing to market the fastest Blu-ray Disc writer to date, and it is just one of the many ’firsts’ that have come to define Pioneer’s 30-year heritage in optical disc innovation and leadership.”

Dynamic Performance for an Array of Professional Users

When utilized with a properly configured PC, the drive’s Low Vibration Mechanism Design improves overall writing accuracy, especially for those preserving copious amounts of critical data. Designed for maximum flexibility, Pioneer’s writer provides significant solutions for multiple user groups, including:

* System builders can confidently recommend the sophisticated BDR-205 to their clients, noting the drive’s unique design, robust build quality and high grade parts
* With 50Gbytes** of storage space on a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc, professional users can utilize the BDR-205 to rapidly test high definition feature films during the authoring process, as well as to back up large volumes of data with ease
* Besides up to 12x write speeds for Blu-ray Disc media, Pioneer’s new computer drive also provides read and write speed performance up to 16x for DVD and 40x for CD media

The new BDR-205 Blu-ray Disc computer writer begins shipping October 2009. The retail version of this product, the BDR-2205, will be available Q1 2010 for $249 MSRP.

Pioneer has been an innovator of optical disc technology since it shipped its first LaserDisc products, the precursor to DVD, to the consumer market in 1980. Pioneer went on to introduce the first DVD writer for video authoring use in 1997, the first DVD recorder as a VCR replacement in 1999, the first DVD/CD writer for home computer users in 2001 and the first Blu-ray Disc writer in 2006. Pioneer Corporation is one of the original Blu-ray Disc Founders. More details can be located at www.pioneerelectronics.com.

Remember Laserdiscs? Those large-size video mediums almost no one outside Japan bought in the 1980s and 1990s? I never thought I would write another post on LDs after the one in January this year in which I reported about Pioneer stopping the production of LDs players forever.

But yesterday the same company (which manufactured the best hardware) issued a new press release [JP], saying it still has some players in stock, the DVL-919 ($1,000, pictured above) and the CLD-R5 ($400, pictured below). The main difference is that the R5 only plays LDs and CDs, while the 919 also can be used for DVDs (region 2).

LD fans can buy the players in Pioneer Japan’s online shop [JP] only. Hardcore users living outside Japan might want to ask Geek Stuff 4 U to get one for them. It’s possibly one of the last chances to buy a brand new device.

Seriously. Please spend the extra cash and get this Pioneer BDP-120 over the $98 Magnavox Blu-ray player. You will be oh so happy that you did. Why you ask? Let me explain.

Ok, so first off this player is Profile 2.0, which means you will have access to all the interactive goodies on the latest Blu-ray titles. Plus, it has an Ethernet port for easy firmware update. Oh, and did I mention that it’s a Pioneer and not some random Walmart rollback special. That alone should make you opt for this one instead.

Use coupon code AFL5 to drop the price from $199 to $189.

Sixth Avenue Electronics via Dealnews

Pioneer Japan yesterday unveiled a new in-house audio system, the ACCO A-IW001 [JP], which comes with a set of speakers that need to be mounted on the ceiling. The device is also specifically designed to be iPod-compatible and comes with an iPod cradle.

Users can choose the music they want to listen to via the control device that also supports Internet radio. ACCO stands for Acoustic/Condition, and Pioneer is marketing the audio system as a lifestyle product.

The company hasn’t said yet if ACCO will ever become available outside Japan. Over here, the audio system went on sale already with prices starting at a whopping $1,400 (depending on the speakers you want with it).

Remember this day. Today is the day that you saw the future of GPS navigation. Tele Atlas has partnered with Norway-based BLOM to provide photorealistic maps to personal navigation devices. So far only 40 cities in Europe have been ported to the service, but many more are scheduled to be released in the coming quarters. Soon the days of having basic 3D boxes to represent buildings will be gone and an actual picture will be there instead.

Tele Atlas maps are already on TomTom, the PSP, Mio and Pioneer devices. The first set of maps will be available in June with North America and Asia to follow in 2010. We can’t wait to see where this will take personal navigation. That is, of course, if the aging GPS satellites are still flying.Tele Atlas Sets New Standard for Realistic Maps with Highly Detailed 3D City Images

GHENT, Belgium–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Tele Atlas, a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location based solutions, announced today the availability of 3D, photorealistic Advanced City Models. Designed for use in navigation systems and location-based applications, Advanced City Models are three-dimensional representations of major city centers that dramatically raise the clarity and reality of screen images within in-car and portable navigation systems and mobile devices. With Advanced City Models, displays more closely match what users actually see in their surroundings, helping them more easily find locations and services.

The release of Advanced City Models builds on the company’s suite of enhancement products, which include Urban Maps, Points of Interest (POIs), Voice Maps, Speed Profiles and dynamic content. Tele Atlas has been delivering industry leading 3D products since 2006, used today in Mio, Pioneer and Sony PSP navigation solutions. The company accelerated the development of more advanced 3D images through its partnership with Norway-based BLOM and today transforms aerial imagery from BLOM into photorealistic maps.

“With the release of Advanced City Models, we are quickly delivering increasingly rich, powerful content to our customers that enhances their products and applications,” said Tele Atlas CEO Bill Henry. “Our partnership with BLOM and our new advanced production capabilities allow us to deliver incredibly detailed, realistic 3D maps to the industry and provide a superior experience for the end user in more cities than ever before.”

The June release of Advanced City Models will deliver 40 cities across Europe, and many more cities are scheduled to be available in subsequent quarterly releases. In 2010, Tele Atlas expects to deliver hundreds of cities, including cities in North America and Asia Pacific. Advanced City Models help Tele Atlas partners deliver products and devices that provide:

Lifelike Display with a high level of optical quality that answers the consumer demand for a more realistic, appealing map display;
Improved Orientation that depicts city centers, complete with city blocks, building textures and notable landmarks, to enhance recognition and guidance; and
Improved Navigation Experiences with a richer, more attractive visual guide for driving and pedestrian applications.

 

Chances are SACD fans in the US will have to import this player from Japan if they want to get a hold of the latest from Pioneer. It will go on sale there at the end of may for 150,000 Yen or $1,510 USD. But come on, don’t you want Bluetooth audio streaming, eh?

Pioneer gave up producing flat TVs and buried the LaserDisc, but the company seems to still believe in Blu-ray. Yesterday, Pioneer Japan announced a total of three new Blu-ray players [JP], covering the low-end and high-end segments.

Costing $300, the BDP-120 (pictured)  is the cheapest of the three new models. Strangely, it features a Kuro-Link interface (next to HDMI/USB/Ethernet and others). It supports BD Live and Deep Color (36bit) and 480/60i/480/60p/720/60p/1080/60i/1080/60p/1080/24p.

Pioneer also presented the BDP-320, which misses the Kuro Link but has a couple of features the BDP-120 doesn’t offer. For example, it supports Deep Color in 48bit and AVCREC, plays MP3s and offers PQLS (Precision Quartz Lock System) on two channels. The player will be priced at $450.

The BDP-LX52 comes with quite a hefty price tag: $880. It’s almost the same model as the BDP-320, but it features multi-channel PQLS.

All players will hit Japanese stores next month. Pioneer is yet to announce plans for overseas markets.

The joint venture is expected to start operations October 1 this year, which could mean bad news for competitors such as Panasonic or Sony. Pioneer and Sharp will work together in designing, manufacturing and selling the discs themselves as well as the corresponding hardware.

The two companies are expected to sign contracts by June 25 this year. They don’t have much choice, as Sharp doubled their loss estimate for the past fical year and Pioneer got into trouble with its flat screen business. Holding 14%, Sharp is Pioneer’s main share holder.

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.

Here’s one of those quicke CrunchDeals we like to promote from time to time. This time, satellite radio fan, you can grab the Pioneer XMp3, along with the relevant Home and Vehicle kit, for $239. That’s $100 less than what XM usually wants!

As XM’s lovely e-mail puts it, the two kits are normally $69 when purchased separately, while Amazon has the XMp3 available for $201 (and cheaper if you include rebates). This little sale is for this week only.

Patrice Oneal is the greatest man alive, by the way.

After pulling the plug on LD production just last month and saying their TV business is practically dead, Pioneer today in Tokyo hold a press conference explaining the latter move in more detail [JP, PDF]. And the details aren’t pretty at all.

The company said it will establish a rigid restructuring program as an answer to the $1.44 billion in loss for the past fiscal year. The program includes cutting about 6,000 regular and 4,000 temporary jobs worldwide by the end of March 2010. Pioneer will pull out of the display operations and rather focus on car electronics in the future.

30% of Pioneer’s 30 manufacturing units across the world will be closed. TV output in the US ends as early as this April, one plant in the UK will even be closed within this month. Pioneer also said their executives will have to live with lower salaries (minus 20-50%) from February 2009 through March 2011.

Vizio, a long time favorite brand of bargain hunters and geeks alike, has stopped slapping their logo on plasma TVs. Plus, there is no plan to order more once the current inventory runs outs. The cut is, of course, due to plamsa’s poor sales in comparison to the companies LCD sales. Which is, of course, due to poor consumer information and as bright as the sun’s surface showrooms.

Don’t worry, consumers can still order Vizio plasmas on the website if the local store is sold out, but once those are gone, the Vizio plasma will simply be a memory. Just like Pioneer plasmas. So that leaves Panasonic, Samsung, and LG plasmas to choose from now. Got it.

There’s nothing much to say here other than what I’ve stated in the headline, folks. Pioneer has announced that they are officially getting out of the plasma HDTV business. Despite the quality of their plasma HDTVs, the TV division hasn’t been doing so well. Another factor is Panasonic’s recent announcement that their new plasma factory would not be ready to roll until 2010.

The Nikkei reports that Pioneer’s DVD division will be joining forces with Sharp in some new joint venture.

via HD Guru

Pioneer today announced in Tokyo [JP] that they will no longer manufacture LaserDisc players. The DVL-919, CLD-R5, DVK-900 and DVL-K88 are the last models available.

The company has been in the LD business since 1981 and has sold a mere 3.6 million players through 2002. Owners of Pioneer players can still use the company’s service for another 8 years. Pioneer says LD hardware production in the time of DVD and Blu-ray discs isn’t lucrative anymore.

Complaints that Blu-ray is too expensive—we say it often—may soon be harder to justify, now that Pioneer will release the $250 BDP-120 in April. It’s just a Blu-ray player—no fancy Netflix streaming here—but if all you’re looking for is an inexpensive player (and have no interest in the PS3) you could do worse.

Higher up the Pioneer food chain is where you’ll find players with some sort of auto-tuning feature. Like, you plug the player (preferably, a Pioneer one; it works, to an extent, with non-Pioneer ones, too, though) into the TV and it fiddles with the settings to best optimize it to your TV. Like, if you have your TV set to sports mode the Blu-ray player will auto adjust itself for optimal output. These will be a little more than $250, as you might expect, with the BDP-23FD rocking out at $600.

Too bad movies these days are rubbish.

There was a time when the term plasma TVs meant expensive and power hungry electronic, but those days are fading. Three of the largest players in the plasma world now have Energy Star Certified models which is a big feat. This means that a 42-inch PDP cannot consume more than 208 watts while on and less than a watt in standby mode. LCD were once the champion of tree-hugging hippies, but they shouldn’t have to  suffer with the lower quality picture now that plasmas have the Energy Star Certification.