Pioneer has all the right to call its current line of Plasma TVs KURO because it is the Japanese term for black. And true enough, all the Kuro models of Pioneer have superior black levels. This is, perhaps, one of the best selling points of Pioneer plasma TVs. Ever since LCDs came into the picture, plasma TVs have been losing their charms due to issues such as image retention (aka burn-in) and power consumption. However, with the current releases of plasma TVs, including the Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-151FD, these issues are not really counted as issues anymore.

Top-Notch Picture Quality

Pioneer Kuro is indeed the best in its league. No other models are able to come close to what this Pioneer series can produce in terms of image quality. If there would be, maybe only one or two. In terms of black level, the company’s current line of plasma TVs has the lowest level of black at 0.00066 fl which translates to extremely deep black. The next lowest level is already at 0.004 fl, so you can just imagine the significant difference in the black levels. When watching movies with top and bottom black borders, these already blend with the bezel. And when the scene is totally black, it would seem like the unit has been turned off.

With the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD, there are amazing picture settings that are built-in to the unit already such as the Pure mode. With this mode enabled, the colors are almost 98 to 99 percent accurate and the color saturation is excellent, giving the lifelike look of images on the screen. There is also an Advance mode under Film Mode where the refresh rate easily switches to 72Hz to allow for smoother video processing on a 24p input. This makes the film look more realistic.

Stylish Design

Just like the PRO-150FD, the 151FD still comes in a very stylish black exterior with minimalist design, except that there is already a small Pioneer logo on the lower left corner of the bezel. To match the elegant and expensive look, the remote control had a few enhancements. The clicker is backlit which is helpful when watching in a dark room.

The menu of this Pioneer model also now follows the Kuro theme and there are several adjustments and controls that hard-core TV enthusiasts will be glad to know about.

Old Plasma Issues

Going back to the issue that plagues most plasma TVs, burn-in and power consumption are almost non-issue at all with the Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-151FD. Image retention may still occur, but perhaps, only upon really careless use of the unit; because even after several hours of non-stop games and hundred hours of watching TV, no image retention had been apparent. When it comes to power consumption, plasma TVs these days are more expensive than similar-sized LCDs but only by a dollar or two a month. Hence, it’s not much of a concern considering the quality of entertainment you are getting.

Overall Judgment

The Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-151FD is truly the best. With its current selling price of about $6,000, this 60-inch plasma TV is definitely worth every penny, especially for those who want extreme entertainment experience.

The final score for PRO 151FD is 5 out of 5.

Pioneer takes home entertainment to the next level with its Elite Kuro Pro-111FD model. For the ultimate home entertainment fanatics, this one is THE display of choice. Never mind the very expensive price tag as long as it provides unmatched performance. With the price going as high as $4,600 a piece, one can only expect the best.

Compared to the other plasma TVs of its size, the Kuro Pro-111FD yielded the deepest black levels of all. This provides awesome theater-like viewing experience. To add to that, color accuracy is superb. Images come to life with the realistic colors and natural look that no other displays were able to exhibit.

For those who enjoy tweaking the settings until the most preferred image is achieved, the Kuro Pro-111FD won’t let them down. Thus far, this is the Pioneer model that has the most extensive picture adjustments. There are 7 different picture modes, where five can be modified per type of input. A so-called Pure picture mode is available out-of-the-box which produces the best image output. More so, there is a built-in sensor that detects the room lighting and adjusts the picture settings accordingly. Talk about convenience.

Another remarkable feature of the Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-111FD is the innovative menu system. Instead of having the menu options show on top of the picture, this Elite model shrinks the image to one side and shows the menu options on the other side. A brief explanation is also shown at the bottom of the menu screen as each option is highlighted. When it comes to picture adjustments menu, though, it reverts back to the common overlay setup which is convenient because the results of the changes can be seen real time.

Connectivity on this Pioneer Elite model is similar to most high-end HDTVs. The usual input and output ports are available. A LAN port is available to connect the TV to a home network which allows the Pro-111FD to grab media files from networked computers. Videos, music, and pictures stored in the user’s computer can be played back using this display. A USB port is also available for the same purpose.

Perhaps the only thing that is not too-likeable with the Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-111FD is its remote control which has been redesigned by the company. There are a lot of buttons which are of the same shape and arranged in quite a boring lattice. It will take a while to get used to the functionalities of each button. Yet this is already trivial compared to the many amazing features of this display.

So for those hard-core home entertainment aficionados who do not consider money as an issue, the Kuro Pro-111FD is simply the best plasma TV to bring home. Here you can learn more about Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-111FD