Pioneer PDP-4360HD

Pioneer PDP-4360HD Plasma TV Review

If you're looking for a true home theater experience the Pioneer PDP-4360HD plasma TV could be just the ticket. The 43" display and 16:9 aspect ratio delivers razor sharp picture quality and true motion reproduction. But that's not all that makes this HDTV stand out from the crowd. Read on to find out more.

As mentioned this set offers an incredible 43" of display space, which translates to having the true "movie experience" in your home. In addition to its impressive size the Pioneer PDP-4360HD boasts a 1024X768 pixel HDTV resolution. Colors and images appear vibrant and don't become washed out at because of the screen's size. Included with the set is a separate media receiver, which allows you to attach all of your components to the receiver and then connect one cable to the TV. A non-glass filter, called the Surface Pure Color Filter, is bonded right onto the plasma panel. This filter reduces light reflection and refraction so that images remain sharp and colorful despite ambient light sources.

In order to boost the picture quality, the Pioneer PDP-4360HD utilizes what's called ACE IV (Advanced Continuous Emission). This allows the display of billions of colors and improved grayscale rendering in places where the picture becomes dark. Contrast ratio is an acceptable 3000:1 and the brightness is set at 1100 cd/m2. The picture is further enhanced by Pioneer's Deep Encased Cell Structure. This design enables individual pixels to put out a more concentrated beam of light, which results in truer color and brighter images. Like most plasma display televisions on the market this set features a 160-degree viewing angle.

The Pioneer PDP-4360HD is ready to watch right out of the box with its built-in ATSC and Dual NTSC tuners and can receive digital cable signals with the CableCard interface. Simultaneous viewing of two programs is possible with the picture in picture feature. Also included is an on screen interactive program guide that takes the chore out of navigation and V-Chip programming. In addition, the TV incorporates full time 10-bit digital video processing with its Pure Drive II Signal Processor.

A home theater setup needs great sound to go along with the stunning images and the Pioneer PDP-4360HD delivers in the acoustic area as well with the two built-in 13 watt speakers. However, true home theater aficionados might want to opt for a 5:1 surround system.

The Pioneer PDP-4360HD comes standard with these connection options:

* 2 Antenna F Connections

* 2 HDMI with HDCP

* 3 Component (1 front)

* 3 AV

* Composite (1 front)

* 3 S-Video (1 front)

* 2 i link (for use with DVHS)

* 1 D-Sub (front for PC)

* 1 SR CableCard interface (rear)

* 1 Optical Audio

* 1 Subwoofer

* 1 Composite monitor

* 1 SR+

And now for the bad news. Like most plasma displays, the Pioneer PDP-4360HD is plagued by screen burn. Screen burn occurs when an image remains on the screen for too long a time and leaves behind a 'ghost' image on the screen. Some plasma televisions include built-in circuitry to avoid this problem, but the Pioneer doesn't. Users will have to be extra careful when viewing or especially when playing video games where an image might remain on the screen for a long time.

Conclusion

There's no denying that the Pioneer PDP-4360HD is one of the more expensive HD plasma televisions on the market, but the incredible picture quality makes it worth every penny. It's got just about every feature you could want in a home theater and the media receiver really helps to reduce the clutter around your set. About the only negative aspect is the aforementioned screen burn, but since this is a problem with most plasma displays, it shouldn't dissuade you from giving this set a look.

Best DVD Recorder Reviews Rating

10/10

Get the latest price for the Pioneer PDP-4360HD

Pioneer PDP-4360HD Plasma TV Review
Back to home page