New Pioner Kuro 151 Pro

[Joseph Rabushka]

I have a new Pioneer Kuro Elite 60 inch 151 Pro. The picture is disappointingly dark and appears somewhat washed out. When I try to brighten the picture the highlights get blown. I called Pioneer and they sent a local service tech. The guiy knew less about the set than I do. The local tech called Pioneer and I spoke to the factory tech. He had me try different menu settings, all of which I had tried before. No joy. They tell me they are sending out someone this week with a special device to brighten the set.

As near as I can tell, the problem is with the whites. I will see what happens and post back.

The set is connected to a D**** HR22 and Samsung DVD player thru HDMI.

This set replaces a 5 year old NEC 60 inch plazma that was sharper and brighter.

[Jack White]

I have a new Pioneer Kuro Elite 60 inch 151 Pro. The picture is disappointingly dark and appears somewhat washed out. When I try to brighten the picture the highlights get blown. I called Pioneer and they sent a local service tech. The guiy knew less about the set than I do. The local tech called Pioneer and I spoke to the factory tech. He had me try different menu settings, all of which I had tried before. No joy. They tell me they are sending out someone this week with a special device to brighten the set.

As near as I can tell, the problem is with the whites. I will see what happens and post back.

The set is connected to a D**** HR22 and Samsung DVD player thru HDMI.

This set replaces a 5 year old NEC 60 inch plazma that was sharper and brighter.

Why do you want it to be so bright anyway? Making the image too bright makes it inaccurate. Have you tried the Digital Video Essentials Bluray or had an ISF calibration done? Was your old tv set to Torch Mode? If you want the brightest torch mode possible, there are a lot of crappy LCDs that will beat the Pioneer at that. If your NEC was properly calibrated and you find your Pioneer to be lacking, then perhaps you got a defective Pioner Elite.

[Joseph Rabushka]

I think I have a defective KUR0, the dealer/installer spent about an hour trying to get some life into the picture and said "That's not the way a KURO should look." Everyone who has seen the set agrees. The picture is dark and lifeless. The dealer would swap it out, but he can't get anymore of these KUROS.

I will see what Pioneer says and will post back.

[Caddo-Miller]

My wife Frances and I purchased a new 50 inch Pioneer Kuro Elite 111 Pro over Memorial Day weekend. This TV without a doubt delivers the best picture either of us has ever seen. Secondly, the audio levels for both programming and commercials is very consistent, whereas the commercials on our prior RCA HD TV frequently required that the volume be lowered to a level that was tolerable.

Best of luck in your dialog with Pioneer, as our limited contact with them to-date has been excellent!

[Joseph Rabushka]

A tech was here, went into the service menue and reset the Kuro. No cigar. The tech tried to "explain it away" but I was having none of it. I spoke to Pioneer and they are sending a replacement Kuro. I had to be very insistant but I finally got to someone who listened and understood the problem.

I trust that I will finally have a Kuro that performs like a Kuro.

[V'ger]

A tech was here, went into the service menue and reset the Kuro. No cigar. The tech tried to "explain it away" but I was having none of it. I spoke to Pioneer and they are sending a replacement Kuro. I had to be very insistant but I finally got to someone who listened and understood the problem.

I trust that I will finally have a Kuro that performs like a Kuro.

I own two 2007 PDP-6010FD Kuro plasmas and have had problems with them being dark. I had great issue with shadows in faces going to black. Had Pioneer service techs out and they changed boards and had no difference. I had it professionally calibrated and it is better.

Some observations: DirecTV HR DVRs HDMI output is often too dark and changes from firmware release to release, IMHO. Try the component output - you will see it a lot better. If your HDMI source is going through an AV receiver, be aware that some receivers clip video below a digital value of 16 and above 235 and this can exagerate the 'everything is dark' issue. Try connecting the HDMI cable directly to the TV, bypassing the AV receiver and the clipping. Use the optical cable to the AVR as there is nothing lost from a DirecTV DVR as they only do two channel stereo and 5.1 DD, which will pass just fine through the optical digital audio cable.

Also, in the Pro adjust menu, DRE, Black Level, ACL and CTI may have a negative effect on dark areas, driving them to be black. The nominclature may have changed in the 2008 Elite Kuro line.

Also, if you have front lighting (from any angle), the TV sensors may see it and adjust the picture improperly. I have a ceiling fan with lights on it that is about 10 feet in front of my TV. I have watched the TV adjust darker with the shadows of the fan blades rotating. I am sure it confuses the TV set. As a result, I don't use the fan (or the light) when I am doing critical viewing, even though the sensor is turned off in the menu. It may remain active in some TV modes.

After ISF calibration and turning off all the contrast enhancers, etc. I am finally happy with the picture.

The big crazy thing for me is that at Pioneer's request, I swapped the two TVs and the problem stayed in the living room. I then swapped DVRs and the problem stayed. So it has to do with the ambient lighting or, perhaps, crappier electrical service in the living room. Anyway the problem is now minimized and I am happy with both my TVs.

[Joseph Rabushka]

Thanks very much for your suggestions. I have both the color and light sensors turned off. I also turned off the black level, DRE, AC and CTI. I will try the component output as you suggested. I am not using an AV receiver and the HDMI output is going directly into the KURO.

Thr reason I bought this set is because I saw it at two friends houses and the picture looked awsome.

[Rabushka]

OK I tried the component output on the D* receiver and it was worse. I will await the new panel.

[Rabushka]

Got the new panel. The picture is now brighter and has life to it. There is no doubt that I had a defective Kuro.

[Yoda-DBSguy]

Got the new panel. The picture is now brighter and has life to it. There is no doubt that I had a defective Kuro.

Glad you are all fixed up at this point. It's just a shame that Pioneer has dicontinued making Plasma(s) altogeather.

Your post got my attention since you said "New" Pioneer Kuro. I take it that it was new in a box and infact new to your household; but never-the-less they have discontinued manufacturing all models of Plasmas at this point.

What a shame as I have sold them for years and own a couple of 50" panels myself. :(

[Caddo-Miller]

Good to hear you received your replacement KURO!

[V'ger]

Got the new panel. The picture is now brighter and has life to it. There is no doubt that I had a defective Kuro.

Glad to hear that Pioneer did you right. They tried hard with me, too. Too bad they are out of the TV business.

[Joseph Rabushka]

I bought my Kuro 151 Pro from a dealer nearby. I spent two days calling around to find a dealer that had one. This was the only one he had in stock. The replacement is one of the last that Pioneer had.