Pioneer is back in the HDTV business... OK, not REALLY. It may be confusing, but really it's just a licensing agreement. Pioneer and Sharp made an announcement earlier today, saying that Pioneer has granted Sharp the use of the Elite brand name for a line of high-end flat-panel LCD displays. Glad to see someone will be using it.
Of course, Pioneer still has plenty of life left in the brand. They are currently manufacturing receivers, Blu-ray players, and other A/V equipment under the Elite umbrella. However, despite gaining many fans (especially for the legendary Kuro plasmas), the company retired from the HDTV business in 2009. Sharp will pick up those pieces, and plans distribute Elite HDTV models in the U.S. and Canada sometime this year.
Don't worry AQUOS fans, that Sharp sub-brand isn't going anywhere. Instead, this semi-new brand will comprise larger, "premium" models, designed to complement Pioneer's other Elite products.
"Adding a line of high-end flat-panel TVs fills a market need in the industry and will help reinforce the strength of a complete Elite home theater offering," said Russ Johnston, executive VP of Pioneer's Home Electronics Department. "With its cutting edge LCD technology and unmatched production capabilities, Sharp is an important strategic collaborator that will deliver a whole new dimension to the large-screen home theater experience."
There's no word on sizes, specs, prices, or even when we can expect to see some of those details, along with actual HDTVs. What we do know is that Pioneer and Sharp will share the marketing tasks, and products will be sold through Pioneer's authorized Elite dealer network.
Where to Buy Older Elite HDTVs:
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