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Entered CNET Catalog: 01/25/2003
SKU: 0012562999968
Manufacturer: Pioneer North America
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Manufacturer description
Can you say "industry standard"? Measuring only 4" thick, yet 50" diagonally, the PureVision PRO-1000HD delivers spectacular imagery - including full high-definition TV - unmatched by other displays. Its Deep-Encased Cell Structure encases individual pixels in cells with both horizontal and vertical walls, for a brilliantly vibrant picture. Analog source signals (like those of regular TV) are up-converted to a 768 progressive display, for vastly improved picture quality. When you're playing a movie, the PureCinema IIT function recreates each individual still frame, for a more film-like presentation. And, the PRO-1000HD is also a high-resolution monitor for a Mac or PC, able to process full-spec VGA, SVGA, and XGA input.Product summary
The good: Solid video processing with 3:2 pull-down; decent color decoder; true HDTV resolution at 1,280x768 pixels; attractive design with high-gloss, black finish.
The bad: Less than stellar black-level performance; only one component-video input.
The bottom line: Though it can't display perfect blacks, this 50-inch, HDTV-compatible plasma stands out with upper-crust looks.
Average user rating: from 9 users
4.0 stars
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 02/18/2003
Editor's note: Pioneer Electronics won't honor the warranty on products purchased from unauthorized dealers or if the original factory serial number has been removed, defaced, or replaced in any way. You can find a list of authorized resellers here. The 1000HD's flat, glass screen sits inside a relatively wide border of high-gloss, black plastic, for a distinctive look that sets it apart from other plasmas. No buttons interrupt the smooth frame around the screen. Instead, you'll find keys for power, menu access, input select, and other commands in a small niche on the side of the panel.
Like all plasmas, the 1000HD is thin enough to mount on a wall, measuring just 4.13 inches deep. An optional glossy-black stand costs about $400.
The menu system consists of no-nonsense text-based screens. The remote is certainly nothing to write home about--it's small and nonbacklit. Despite those issues, we found the remote to be fairly intuitive to use, and it does feature a direct-access button for each input. Since this set has a native resolution of 1,280x768 pixels, it technically qualifies as an HDTV-ready plasma because it can display all pixels found in 720p high-definition TV. The 1080i HDTV format must be scaled down to fit the pixels, a task that the 1000HD accomplishes with its own internal processing. In case you're wondering, there are no plasmas that have the 1,920x1,080 resolution required by 1080i. All other incoming signals--such as DVD and cable or satellite TV--are scaled to fit the panel's resolution.
The 1000HD is really a monitor with no TV tuner, and it offers little in terms of consumer convenience features; there's no picture-in-picture mode, and you don't even get built-in speakers. Several picture-enhancing features are worth mentioning, however. Digital noise reduction comes in three flavors: Off, Low, and High. As usual, we found that the Off setting produced cleaner and smoother results. This Pioneer has five selectable color-temperature settings: Low, Mid-Low, Middle, Mid-High, and High. Low was on the reddish side, and Mid-Low was in the ballpark of the NTSC standard of 6,500 degrees Kelvin. Not surprisingly, the other settings create a bluer color temperature.
Pioneer's Pure Cinema feature is an important 3:2 pull-down circuit that compensates for the difference between film and video frame rates, eliminating unwanted motion artifacts and jaggies. Pure Cinema can be set to Off, Standard, or HQ (see the Performance tab for more details).
The 1000HD's connectivity options are acceptable with one notable exception: It has only one component-video input. Users who want to connect both a DVD player and an HDTV set-top box via component video will have to use a video switcher or a receiver with component switching.
The single component-video jack doubles as an RGBHV input, making the panel compatible with a wider range of set-top decoders and video processors. The jack uses BNC-type connectors, so you'll need inexpensive adapters to hook up the more common RCA-type cables. You'll also find a 15-pin, VGA-style RGB input and a matching output; one S-Video input; one composite-video input; one composite-video output with both BNC-type jacks; two stereo audio inputs; an RS-232 control port for use with touch-panel remote systems such as Crestron and AMX; and one set of left- and right-speaker outputs. Unlike some newer panels, the 1000HD lacks a DVI connector for use with next-generation HDTV receivers and DVD players. The 1000HD is a decent performer as far as 50-inch plasmas go. Its video processing, which incorporates Pure Cinema 3:2 pull-down for film-based video sources, is quite good. We put the opening sequence of Star Trek: Insurrection into an A/B repeat on a Panasonic DVD-RP62S player set to interlaced mode and looked at all three Pure Cinema settings. We found that HQ produced the cleanest, most artifact-free picture. When we switched the player to progressive output, it did give us a slightly sharper picture than it did in interlaced mode. Therefore, we'd recommend using the 1000HD with a progressive-scan DVD player.
The color decoding on the 1000HD is also good but exhibits a little red push, which necessitated backing the color down slightly. The weakest link in the 1000HD's performance repertoire is its inability to reproduce true blacks. This set's blacks are really a dark gray and aren't nearly as good as those produced by our reference panel, the Panasonic PT-42PD3-P, or its bigger cousin, the PT-50PD3-P.
After calibrating the 1000HD, we achieved a nearly perfect grayscale in the Mid-Low color-temperature setting. Chapter 31 of Charlotte Gray, one of our more recent reference-quality DVD transfers, looked really good after calibration. Color saturation was accurate, thanks to the set's competent--although not perfect--color decoder. The lavender fields in this scene were rendered beautifully; at the same time, skin tones looked exceptionally natural.
We used the JVC HM-DH3000U D-Theater D-VHS deck to evaluate the 1000HD's HDTV picture quality. The opening scene of X-Men, a dark look at Magneto's childhood in a prison camp, proved to be a good torture test for the set's black-level performance. This scene showed the same dark-gray blacks, but it also revealed very few of the false-contouring artifacts found on many plasmas when displaying anything at or near black. Another upside: Brighter scenes in this movie looked outstanding.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 User Rating: 
9/10
Absolutely love it
Pros: Works well as part of a complete system
Cons: No picture in picture and no speakers
Review: I would buy this monitor again and again, although it seems that there are now better values in the marketplace....and prices are coming down from when I spent $10K on mine.
User Rating: 9/10
Still strong after 3 years!!!
Pros: Bright picture ideal for very well lit rooms
Cons: Limited inputs
Review: I have owned the 1000HD for three years now, and I'm still thrilled with it. Pioneer did a good job putting this one together. We placed this unit on a wall in a VERY well lit family/living room (two-story windows). Thus, we chose this model because it is "brighter" than most plasma models. Three years later, it still looks great ... even compared to all the newer models that are out now! Even on a bright sunny day, we can still see the picture clearly. Reviews claim the blacks aren't pure. That might be noticable with another TV side by side, but the blacks have looked just fine to me. Only one downside: Limited inputs. No HDMI input, and only one component input has kept us from being able to appreciate the benefits of our progressive scan DVD player. Purchased 3 years ago for $11K. It's MUCH cheaper now, and will still dazzle all of your friends (ours still stuns and amazes).
User Rating: 
10/10
pricey but beautiful picture
Pros: hi def is breathtaking. watching regular tv will never be enjoyable after hi def tho this tv makes all the channels look better than on regular tv.
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User Rating: 9/10
Excellent Plasma!!
Pros: Love it! Incredible picture, especially on HD Channels.
Cons: I think maybe i should've looked at the PDP-5040HD a little more I think it's the quality but allot less price.
Review:
User Rating: 
8/10
PLASMA DONE RIGHT
Pros: THE BEST PICTURE BAR NONE. SOME HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PRICE BEING OUT OF REACH OF "NORMAL PEOPLE". DOES PORSCHE CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH NORMAL PEOPLE? DON'T NORMAL PEOPLE SOMETIMES DREAM OF GETTING A PORSCE (OR OTHER HIGH END PRODUCT)? wHEN PROPER
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User Rating: 9/10
True Plasma Lovers Dream
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Review: As many People Kknow Plasa Tv's are the future. i hav elooked at many in the Past and this is the Best. It was worth the Extra $. THe picture is UNbeleaveble and does not even compair to other Plasma Tv's of its size.
User Rating: 
5/10
Great but Pioneer has a better deal...
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Review: This is a beautiful unit, sure the blacks are not perfect , but look at the detail. The detail is incredible largely because of its deep pixels. You can actually stand 1 foot in front of this unit and the picture is crystal. Try that with the Panasonic...sorry you will see black lines. Go to the stores, best buy, circuit city and look at the plasmas. You will see that pioneer has the best picture detail. Now the best part. You can buy the Pioneer 505CMX or the 433 CMX and add the 5002 video board and you will have the same great product for thousands less...So whats the diffence with the Pioneet Elite? The Elite has a 2 yr warranty.
User Rating: 
7/10
Good product/bad CNET review
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Review: The review focused too much on black levels. There are other aspects of products.
User Rating: 7/10
Good packaging, good pic - lots of competition
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Review: Not bad, but for a few $K more, the 610MX is quite a bit better, especially when attached to a reasonable quality scaler. By the way, if you don't know what you're doing with plasma (or aren't willing to pay someone who it), stay away - you won't be happy...this is especially true on the bigger models. NTSC, VHS, etc. just aren't high quality enough to display on 50"+ without some serious tweaking. For instance, look at the NEC 61" and the Runco 61"...they actually use the same display, but Runco does all the tweaks and ends up with a picture that's light years ahead of NEC (at perhaps twice the cost, but that's a different issue...). The difference between a properly equipped and setup plasma, and one that's been skimped on is tremendous...so much so that I always recommend going with a cheaper display and spending more on the outboard gear. Take a look for yourself.
