Pioneer Elite brand licensed by Sharp

[Smokey]

The Pioneer Elite brand is returning to flat-screen TV.

Pioneer announced Thursday that the U.S. subsidiary Sharp will license Pioneer's Elite brand for a line of high-end flat-panel displays to be introduced in the U.S. and Canada this year.

Sharp hopes that by adopting the brand for high-end LCD TVs, it will be able to expand distribution of its premium large-scale TVs into high-end specialty A/V dealers. Pioneer said it will gain by adding large-screen LCD TVs to the market to complement its Pioneer's Elite home-theater components.

The Elite line of LCD TVs will be jointly marketed by Sharp and Pioneer, and will be available through Pioneer's authorized Elite dealer network, the companies said.

"The Elite brand is highly respected in the high-end market, and Sharp can deliver the quality and innovation that Elite customers demand." stated John Herrington, Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America president.

http://www.twice.com/article/463072-Sharp_To_License_Elite_Brand_For_LCD_TVs.php

[Happy Camper]

Are they doing anything with the plasma?

[Woochifer]

This has been in the works for years. Sharp was already tapped to start producing rebadged 42" HDTVs for Pioneer before they exited the TV business.

Sharp's reputation has taken a hit with the reliability and color banding issues they've had with some of their LCD sets, while Pioneer Elite was a gold standard TV brand for many years. Teaming with Pioneer might be the only way they can reestablish a high end presence, and this gives Pioneer's Elite dealers a product pipeline and it gives Pioneer a relatively risk-free way to reenter the TV market.

It will be interesting to see if this is nothing more than a rebadging exercise, or if Sharp can incorporate some of the color and video processing technology that Pioneer built into its class-leading plasma sets. My understanding is that Pioneer's entire Kuro engineering team now works for Panasonic, so this might be all on Sharp to come up with something that can compete with the higher end HDTVs.

[Woochifer]

Are they doing anything with the plasma?

Pioneer exited the TV market more than a year ago. Panasonic hired their Kuro engineering team and I believe bought Pioneer's plasma technology as well.

[pixelthis]

BASICALLY a rebadge.
SHARPS more efficient production making sets for PIONEER, who have evidently
forgotten how to build tv sets.
THEY think that they will be able to build "high end" sets on the cheap if teaming up.
More power to em, high end cheapies, sounds good.:1:

[BadAssJazz]

There is more to this than simply rebadging. I don't see PE staking their name on any product that would tarnish their high end reputation or consumer base. At least not by labeling the device as an "Elite" line of products.

[Smokey]

My understanding is that Pioneer's entire Kuro engineering team now works for Panasonic, so this might be all on Sharp to come up with something that can compete with the higher end HDTVs.

Sharp have Quad Pixel technology where yellow subpixel is added, so may be they can move that technolgy to Elite brand models.

But reviews on Quad Pixel technology has been a mix bag as experts claim that industry color standard are based on RGB gamut and adding a yellow sub color might exaggerate some colors.


BASICALLY a rebadge

I agree with BadAssJazz that there might be more to this than simply rebadging since Pioneer is still in the market. And a bad rap will effect both companies.

[Woochifer]

There is more to this than simply rebadging. I don't see PE staking their name on any product that would tarnish their high end reputation or consumer base. At least not by labeling the device as an "Elite" line of products.

Well, it's a rebadging in the sense that Pioneer would not do any of the manufacturing themselves, and they would be sourcing Sharp LCD panels. I see this as Sharp's high end play, since their reputation has been trashed in recent years. It remains to be seen how much of Pioneer's influence goes into this line of sets, since their engineering team has moved over to Panasonic.

[Happy Camper]

Pioneer exited the TV market more than a year ago. Panasonic hired their Kuro engineering team and I believe bought Pioneer's plasma technology as well.
The Kuro is a quality piece of gear. Too bad it's a dying technology but progress never stops.