News Release：Pioneer Releases New PureVision High-Definition Plasma TVs in Japan

PDP-506HD

PDP-436HD

PDP-436SX

July 21, 2005, Tokyo, Japan - Pioneer Corporation announced today that it will introduce three new "PureVision" high-definition plasma TV models equipped with a new proprietary technology "P.U.R.E.^*1 Black Panel." The new panel can reproduce blacker blacks and the details of dark images thanks to its new "Crystal Emissive Layer." The Pioneer 50-inch PDP-506HD (separate type), the 43-inch PDP-436HD (separate type), and the 43-inch PDP-436SX (one-body type) will be shipping in between early September and early October 2005 in Japan at a suggested retail price of 748,000 yen, 598,000 yen, and 568,000 yen (including tax) respectively.

Pioneer released the world's first high-definition plasma TVs equipped with XGA screens at the end of 1997. Since then, the company has been offering advanced, innovative products employing the world's first technologies such as "Deep-encased Cell Structure" and "Direct Color Filter," and leading markets both in Japan and overseas.

The Pioneer new "PureVision" high-definition plasma TV models come equipped with a wealth of new proprietary image-processing technologies included in the "P.U.R.E. Drive II" as well as the prominent panel technologies that the company has cultivated over the years. This new high picture-quality drive circuit fully realizes the high performances of the new P.U.R.E. Black Panel to deliver brilliant images with high-density, smooth color reproduction to viewers.

Main features

1 ) The new, innovative plasma panel "P.U.R.E. Black Panel" reproduces blacker blacks thanks to Pioneer's newly developed "Crystal Emissive Layer"

The "Crystal Emissive Layer" is a state-of-the-art technology that realizes the high performance and potential of plasma panels. It enhances the image expression and power-saving performances of Pioneer's new plasma TVs in three important ways:

• The luminance in a dark area is reduced to about one fourth that of the previous models. Thanks to it, the contrast ratio in a dark area is increased. The 50-inch PDP-506HD achieves a 4000:1 contrast ratio in a dark area (the highest in the industry^*2). Blacker blacks make images more vivid, giving them a sense of reality and depth. Blacker blacks and details of dark areas often found in movie scenes are well reproduced, so users can enjoy the excitement and true-to-life reproduction of motion pictures.
• The luminance efficiency is increased by 22 percent over that of the previous models. High luminance with low power consumption is further enhanced.
• The discharge rate is increased three-fold, realizing a low power, one-sided drive circuitry. The reduction in the number of parts and the saving in power contribute to environmental conservation.

2 ) The "Direct Color Filter" reduces external light reflections, resulting in sharper images.

• Adopting the Direct Color Filter, which is directly affixed to the plasma panel, has eliminated a glass for the front filter. This world's first proprietary technology significantly has reduced the deterioration of focus quality caused by multiple reflections previously generated between the front filter glass and the plasma panel. Moreover, as reducing the ambient light reflection rate and heightening color reproducibility, the Direct Color Filter technology allows viewers to enjoy images that are sharper, crispier and more vivid even in bright environments.
• The elimination of a glass for the front filter enables Pioneer to offer the lightest models in both 50-inch and 43-inch classes^*4. Lighter weight, moreover, leads to a saving of natural resources and reduction in CO2 emissions, thereby greatly contributing to environmental conservation.

3 ) The new, full-digital high-picture quality circuit "P.U.R.E. Drive II" maximizes the performance of the new plasma panel.

P.U.R.E. Drive II includes:

• Flex Clear Drive technology achieves high density, smooth color gradation expression by automatically analyzing the characteristics of the image and adjusting the distribution of color gradations to optimize picture quality.
• Active Dynamic Range Expander (Active DRE) reproduces a crisp, contrastive picture quality. It increases the contrast ratio of the image by automatically detecting its characteristics and keeping optimal control of its dynamic range, peak brightness, and gradations in its dark area. The Active DRE makes possible delicate expressions that vividly accentuate the shades of people's face expression or the daylight filtering through tree leaves.
• Color Management that ensures brilliant color reproduction is further enhanced.
• Digital Noise Reduction (DNR), MPEG Noise Reduction (MPEG-NR), and other technologies that ensure reproduction of clear, noiseless images, are further improved.

4 ) The lowest annual power consumption^*3 and lightest weight^*4 in the industry

• The P.U.R.E. Black Panel, highly efficient luminance technology, and other various power-saving technologies allow the new PureVision plasma TVs to consume the lowest power in the industry. Also, the new models realize the lightest weight in the industry:
  [Annual power consumption]
  PDP-436SX --- 289kWh/yr (a reduction of about 25% from the previous models)
  PDP-436HD --- 298kWh/yr (a reduction of about 30% from the previous models)
  PDP-506HD --- 398kWh/yr (a reduction of about 20% from the previous models)
  [Total weight]
  PDP-436SX: 31.8kg, PDP-436HD: 33.9kg^*, PDP-506HD: 40.2kg^*
  (^*Including those for the display unit, media receiver, speakers, and mounting kit)
• The new panel has achieved the luminance life^*5 of over 60 thousand hours.

5 ) "P.U.R.E. Sound" system achieves high quality sound reproduction befitting the era of digital broadcasting.

The new plasma TVs have employed the slim speakers equipped with newly developed units based on the high quality sound technology that Pioneer has cultivated over the years. This ensures both high fidelity sound reproduction for movies and music, and easy-to-listen sound reproduction appropriate for television viewing. The users can fully enjoy high quality digital broadcast sound with a sense of presence without any stress.

6 ) "Clean & Fewer Elements" design makes the frame around the screen as thin as possible.

The Clean & Fewer Elements design concept has reduced the number of elements from the frame area around the screen as much as possible. Its simple design is a perfect match for a comfortable, high-quality living space.

7 ) Additional functions that pursue "ease of use" and the "spirit of non-compromise" for the era of digital broadcasting.

• A 4-tuner configuration supports terrestrial, BS, and 110- CS digital broadcasts as well as terrestrial analog broadcasts.
• A new expanded Electronic Program Guide (EPG) is suitable for large screen plasma TVs. TV Programs for the user's favorite eight digital broadcast channels are displayed on the entire PDP screen in high resolution. The EPG function for analog broadcasts supports the G-Guide^*6 technology.
• Two remote controls-new "direct remote control" and "simple remote control"-are attached for convenience of use (for the PDP-506HD and PDP-436HD only).
• An HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) terminal allows direct digital connection of video and audio signals from DVDs and other sources using a single cable to offer viewers full-digital images and sound without signal deterioration (for the PDP-506HD and PDP-436HD only).
• Advanced PureCinema achieves the realism of the original film-based programs by sequentially converting images composed of 24 frames per second shown in cinemas.
• Multi-Screen makes full use of the large screen to display images in 50/50 split screen or P-in-P (for the PDP-506HD and PDP-436HD only).
• SRS WOW ^*7 features three surround modes to deliver true-to-life reproduction of sound.
• Home Gallery displays high-quality photo images stored in digital camera memory cards.

Notes:

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