# Sharp Licenses Pioneer's Elite Brand Name



## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

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

A bit more HERE


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

spartanstew said:


> Sharp and Pioneer today announced that Sharp will be granted license of Pioneer's "Elite" brand for a line of high-end flat panel displays to be introduced in the U.S. and Canada this year.
> 
> A bit more HERE


Intresting. I hope the quality is the same.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

Me too Chris.


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

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

When I was at my A/V dealer last week, I asked him about this. He had seen the same confusing headline, and checked with his Pioneer rep. This is not Sharp licensing Elite. Sharp has a 15% stake in Pioneer, and will be supplying panels. While the sets will be LCD (a moment of silence for Elite plasmas...), the video processing electronics will be Elite so these should be the best LCDs you can get.


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## StvRbrsn (Feb 10, 2011)

Doubt it. Same way with Pioneer blu-ray players that are just* rebadged* Sharps. Expect to see high end quattron with elite sticker on front


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## bobukcat (Dec 20, 2005)

StvRbrsn said:


> Doubt it. Same way with Pioneer blu-ray players that are just* rebadged* Sharps. Expect to see high end quattron with elite sticker on front


I expect you're correct and I bet the performance will pale in comparison to the last Kuros.


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

The Elite brand of LCD televisions, a collaboration between Pioneer and Sharp, is launching with 60-inch and 70-inch models. The LED-based TVs feature full-array backlighting instead of edge lighting, and come with 3D, CinemaNow, Netflix, Vudu and YouTube online applications.

http://www.electronichouse.com/arti...01-Sharp_Pioneer_Unveil_Elite_LCD_TV_Line.php

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/sharp-elite-led-lcd-tvs-stretch-to-60-and-70-inches/


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

bobukcat said:


> I expect you're correct and I bet the performance will pale in comparison to the last Kuros.


Ya. Panasonic bought the Kuro patents back in 2009, IIRC. That would lead me to believe that Pioneer was doing something to achieve that picture quality that Panasonic couldn't reverse-engineer.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

The Japanese companies are affiliated almost like families. Sharp and Pioneer have a relationship that goes back a long ways. Trading of ideas and products is nothing new for them.

Similarly, Pioneer and Panasonic are deathly rivals. It is not surprising that Pioneer had some technology that Panasonic was not able to duplicate later. Pioneer would have done everything in their power to keep it from them. 

Panasonic and Yamaha, on the other hand, are allies and you will find cross-pollination between those two companies.


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## Rockaway1836 (Sep 26, 2007)

Well, the first review is more than just positve, it's almost glowing. It's too early yet to say for sure, but it looks like a winner. We need to see more reviews; no doubt. But the price is a killer !!!!


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## bobukcat (Dec 20, 2005)

If independent reviews of these are as good as the first looks I may have to make a liar out of myself in that I've said I would never buy a Sharp or large-screen LCD TV. I'll have to decide if it's performance warrants the rather steep price difference over the top of the line Panny Plasma though (nearly double although it's a 70" versus a 65" which is definitely a plus).


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

$8500 for a 70" display?

No thanks. I'll just buy FOUR Mits 73" displays instead.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Chris Blount said:


> Intresting. I hope the quality is the same.


Per last weekend's HDTV shootout, the Elite won. This is the first time in the shootout's history that a plasma did not win.

Link


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Hutchinshouse said:


> Per last weekend's HDTV shootout, the Elite won. This is the first time in the shootout's history that a plasma did not win.
> 
> Link


Looks like the 60" Elite scored 8.92 out of 10. The 65" Panny plasma came in second at 8.63.

Best street price on the 60" Elite is $5500. The 65" Panny's best street price is $2350.

Not sure it's worth the difference... yet. That said, it's about time an LCD stepped-up. It's been a long time coming. Now let's get those prices down!


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

Hutchinshouse said:


> Per last weekend's HDTV shootout, the Elite won. This is the first time in the shootout's history that a plasma did not win.
> 
> Link


Thanks...interesting results. It seems you can't go wrong with the Elite, Panasonic or Samsung...each has it's plusses & "minuses." I found it intriguing that Robert & 2 calibration guys picked the Samsung as #1.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Steve said:


> Looks like the 60" Elite scored 8.92 out of 10. The 65" Panny plasma came in second at 8.63.
> 
> Best street price on the 60" Elite is $5500. The 65" Panny's best street price is $2350.
> 
> Not sure it's worth the difference... yet. That said, it's about time an LCD stepped-up. It's been a long time coming. Now let's get those prices down!


I agree, LCD-LED did what most thought was impossible. I've seen the black levels on the 70". They are truly unbelievable.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

sigma1914 said:


> Thanks...interesting results. It seems you can't go wrong with the Elite, Panasonic or Samsung...each has it's plusses & "minuses." I found it intriguing that Robert & 2 calibration guys picked the Samsung as #1.


Yeah, the Elite had an issue with teal color reproduction. A F/W fix within a month should only increase the Elite's stock. If they can dial in teal, the Elite will be unquestionably the king. I was impressed, with such an issue, it still won the event. It was also nice to see motion scored high too. Black levels and motion are my two big peeves. I think I'll be going with the 60" within the next three weeks.


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

I picked up my Sony XBR-55HX529 a couple of months ago and at the time it was, IIRC, the top rated LED-LCD. It didn't take long for someone to surpass it Not sure it is worth double what I paid for the Sony though.


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