01/04, 12:30pm
Pioneer ships Elite N-30, N-50 network receivers
Pioneer has just released two Elite-branded and networked home theater receivers that both get AirPlay support and DLNA 1.5 compatibility. The N-30 and N-50 otherwise share a 2.5-inch color LCD display. Using AirPlay, users can stream music from their iTunes libraries and iOS devices wirelessly, as well as use Pandora web radio, iHeartRadio and other music services. DLNA 1.5 catches a large number of other devices that can stream audio or HD video.
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12/09, 11:35am
Car audio brand targets high-end studio market
Pioneer may be best known for its vehicle electronics, however the company has also worked to establish its presence as a high-end brand in the DJ and music-production markets. The S-DJ05 speakers epitomize the expansion, placing the Pioneer brand on a pair of active reference monitors. In our full review, we try out the new speakers and attempt to determine if the offering is worth its hefty price tag.
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11/07, 5:15pm
Pioneer tries universal voice commands with Zypr
Pioneer in an unusual break from hardware unveiled what could be a universal equivalent to Apple's Siri for natural-language voice. Zypr provides a web-based but native-friendly programming interface that lets apps take commands that usually apply to specific services, such as social networking from Facebook or Twitter, INRIX traffic, AccuWeather, Slacker Radio, and Yelp place ratings. The method allows combining services and lets data port over from service to service.
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10/26, 3:35pm
PotterNavi includes ANT+ sensor, 3G connection
Pioneer Japan has just unveiled a GPS device for cyclists, the PotterNavi. It has a 3G module and two years of service included, with access to maps, TV weather broadcast information, and other safety alerts. It's mounted in an IPX5 waterproof body and gets a 2.4-inch VGA screen.
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10/19, 10:45am
Pioneer Steez music players meant for dancers
Pioneer has outlined three upcoming semi-portable audio players in its new Steez lineup. The STZ-D10S-L Solo, STZ-D10T-G Duo and STZ-D10Z-R Crew are unique in that they offer users the ability to change the tempo of the music, set cue points, battle with friends and build playlists. It comes through free proprietary PC software and offers tricks that are usually found on DJ turntables and mixers.
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09/09, 2:45pm
Pioneer intros Music Tap systems with AirPlay
Pioneer has unveiled two upcoming bookshelf audio systems that work with Apple's AirPlay media sharing. The X-SMC3-S Music Tap and the X-SMC4-Elite Music Tap share a Wi-Fi connection and Ethernet port. The former, other than getting Pioneer's more exclusive Elite treatment, also adds Bluetooth.
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08/22, 2:55pm
Rdio offers multi-user streaming plans
Rdio tried an experiment with Internet music streaming Monday by testing out family plans. Listeners can pay $18 per month for two accounts or $23 for three and save more than they would if they got separate accounts. The approach gives each account its own separate history, playlists, and cached music, giving them an advantage over just sharing one account.
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08/05, 1:55pm
Pioneer Elite receivers carry AirPlay, Air Jam
Pioneer wrapped up the week by adding two new Elite receivers with a heavy emphasis on their iOS links. The 7.1-channel SC-55 and 9.1-channel SC-57 hubs revolve chiefly around their new, Class-D3 amps. The two have quicker response times and reduced total harmonic distortion even as they consume less power and generate less heat.
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08/04, 12:00pm
Sharp Elite TVs pack intelligent contrast, refresh
Sharp took advantage of its rights to Pioneer's Elite name by launching its own range of Elite TVs. Now using LCDs, the 60-inch Pro-60X5FD and 70-inch Pro-70X5FD both have a unique scanning backlight effect that goes beyond 240Hz; the company claims an equivalent to about 720Hz. Both have an Intelligent Variable Contrast system that purportedly goes beyond usual dynamic contrast to tune the brightness and the backlight for maximum effect.
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07/08, 12:40pm
Pioneer outs head unit/GPS for electric vehicles
Pioneer is the first company to introduce a vehicle navigation head unit meant for use in electric vehicles (EVs) such as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. The AVIC-ZH09-MEV sports a fold-out seven-inch touchscreen and proprietary technology that is said to be capable of estimating the power consumption needed for particular routes and where EVs can regenerate their batteries using onboard systems such as regenerative brakes. The system finds the most efficient such routes for EVs during navigation mode by default, so they aren't always the shortest or fastest.
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06/22, 5:30pm
Pioneer AppRadio arrives in stores
Pioneer shipped and priced its AppRadio car head-end unit. The iOS-aware AV equipment is now in stock immediately at Amazon and other outlets. Pricing is better than Pioneer's original sub-$500 goal and sees it sell officially for $399, although a handful of stores are selling it for slightly less.
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05/25, 6:00pm
Pioneer AppRadio confirmed with iPhone hooks
Pioneer showed its hand following earlier leaks and unveiled the AppRadio on Wednesday. The in-car system centers on a hinted-at 6.1-inch capacitive touchscreen as its interface, the first of its kind in a car, but is now known to lean almost exclusively on iOS apps for its real strength. Both an official AppRadio app and third-party apps with the relevant code can share the Internet connection, pipe music or video, or navigate the car using Google Maps.
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05/09, 3:35pm
Pioneer shows in-car GPS with Augmented Reality
Pioneer Japan has just introduced four new in-car navigation systems that use a dash-mounted camera to display live images on their screens and superimpose digital images on it to help drivers navigate. The so-called Augmented Reality GPS systems include the AVIC-VH09CS, AVIC-VH09, AVIC-ZH09CS and AVIC-ZH09. The systems can gauge distances between cars or points of interest.
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04/27, 10:25am
Pioneer HDJ-500T adds smartphone remote
Pioneer on Wednesday upgraded its entry DJ headphones to adapt to those with iPhones and other smartphones. The HDJ-500T has both the original, extra-long coiled cord intended for DJs and living room listening but also a shorter, straight cord with an in-line mic and remote for phone calls. Its design is intentionally kept simple and has just a single button, but no visible volume.
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04/26, 9:05pm
Pioneer AppRadio hits FCC, leaks out
A new Pioneer double-DIN car audio system has been met with both an official FCC filing and a matching leak that reveal it will have both its own app system and tie in with iOS devices. The AppRadio would load specialized apps and rely on a 6.1-inch touchscreen, along with an iOS-style home button, as its sole interface. Its system, though like Apple's on the surface would use microSD cards for a distinct app platform, CrunchGear understood from its tip, but it would talk to iPhones and iPod touch players using USB for contacts, music, and most likely Internet-aware apps.
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04/04, 9:40am
Panasonic near shipping 100GB BDXL writable disc
Panasonic claimed the distinction on Monday of being the first company to ship a BDXL rewritable disc. The three-layer, 100GB disc gives users as much as eight hours and 40 minutes of full-quality, 24Mbps 1080p video they can write many times. It should theoretically be tougher than most discs with a coating to guard against fingerprints and scratches.
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03/28, 4:40pm
Pioneer active noise-cancelling earbuds shipping
Pioneer has released a set of in-ear headphones that have active noise-cancelling. The SE-NC31C-k headphones are said to eliminate 90 percent of all external noise and features 14.3mm drivers. The active noise cancellation feature is powered by one AAA battery that can power the device for 120 hours.
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03/24, 1:50pm
Pioneer to ship thin Sound Wing speakers in Japan
Pioneer Japan on Thursday said it will soon ship its so-called Sound Wing home speakers. Based on the company's HVT (Horizontal-Vertical Transforming) technology, they are ultra-thin at 100mm and minimize vibrations. Quality is not sacrificed, the company claims.
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01/28, 4:30am
Strategic partnership designed to boost presence
Sharp has announced that it will license Pioneer’s Elite brand for use on its new line of high-end Quattron LCD TVs to be introduced in North America this year. The Twice.com report states that Sharp hopes to enter the high-end specialty AV dealerships, boosting its distribution. Pioneer also feels that the partnership could help boost the sales of its home theater product line as each line will complement the other.
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01/07, 1:10am
Sony, Kenwood and Pioneer's flagship head units
In the midst of a hall packed with countless car audio and multimedia devices were the latest offerings to come from major brands such as Pioneer, Kenwood and Sony. While some brands appear to have followed more of an evolutionary path than revolutionary, others, like Sony, have revealed new head units with substantially more technology than was available just last year.
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12/22, 10:55am
Pioneer ships 3D Blu-ray players in Elite family
Pioneer hoped to seize on last-minute Christmas shopping Wednesday by shipping its promised 3D-capable Blu-ray players. The regular BDP-430 as well as the Elite BDP-41FD and BDP-43FD all have HDMI 1.4a both for stereoscopic 3D and for 36-bit color when the source and the TV support it. The electronics giant's iControlAV iOS app (free, App Store) will also stand out by giving iPhone and iPod users a way to steer the player over a local network, although this needs a firmware update.
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12/14, 11:40am
Pioneer ships first internal BDXL drive in the US
Pioneer is now shipping the first BDXL-standard internal Blu-ray drive introduced in October. The BDR-206MBK is capable of reading and writing BDXL media that can hold up to 128GB of data in quad-layer discs or 100GB in triple-layer media. Quality is also enhanced as accuracy is increased and artificial noise is limited.
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12/10, 6:00pm
System uses red, green and blue lasers
Pioneer and MicroVision have collaborated to develop new heads-up display (HUD) technology geared for vehicles. The system, which was previewed this week at the CEATEC expo in Japan, utilizes MicroVision's PicoP display technology with red, blue and green lasers to bring full color to the display. The same technology is found in the company's latest pico projector.
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10/25, 4:30pm
Buffalo, Pioneer show 128GB BDXL disc writers
Both Buffalo and Pioneer have introduced BDXL disc writers for the Japanese market. Buffalo will offer both a USB 2.0-powered external drive, the BRXL-6U2, and an internal BRXL-6FBS-BK model with a SATA interface, while Pioneer's BDR-206MBK is for internal use only. BDXL media can hold as much as 128GB with a four-layer disc, or 100GB on a three-layer disc.
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10/14, 6:25am
Two new models in gold or black, also enhanced
Pioneer has added two new Limited Edition versions of its HDJ-1000 headphones. In addition to the new look, the headphones have also had their specs tweaked to improve low range sound reproduction and to further improve comfort. The two new colors on offer are black or a black with a gold metal finish.
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09/24, 3:40pm
Pioneer Blu-ray players get 3D and iOS support
Pioneer at CEDIA this week showed a trio of Blu-ray players that add 3D support. The regular BDP-430 as well as the Elite-labeled BDP-41FD and BDP-43FD will all add 3D to their existing slate of features. Networking will still play an important role and should include both Netflix and YouTube streaming as well as remote control with Pioneer's iOS app for the iPhone and iPod touch.
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09/08, 7:05am
Pioneer HDJ-500 headphones entry with substance
Pioneer today revealed its new HDJ-500 entry-level DJ headphones. Designed with comfort and longevity in mind, it uses leather-wrapped urethane pads to provide a more comfortable user experience that is also hard-wearing. The main structure of the headphones is made of magnesium alloy, which is both strong and lightweight. As with with many DJ-style headphones, the HDJ-500 includes a rotating arm structure that allows the user to twist the right earpiece forwards or backwards by as much as 60 degrees to keep one ear open for a crowd.
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09/07, 12:15pm
Origin PC shows The Big One PC with Xbox 360
Origin PC has taken the wraps off its ultimate gaming PC, dubbed the The Big O. It's unique in having built-in slim Xbox 360 gaming console. Both the Xbox 360 and a Core i7 930 overclocked to 4.0GHz are liquid-cooled, and the base system gets 6GB of RAM. There are also two NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 graphics cards with liquid cooling, and a Rampage III Extreme mainboard is hooked up to the flowing water system to ease overclocking.
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08/25, 9:50am
Pioneer Kodo XW-NAW1 iPod dock comes mountable
Pioneer today added a new iPhone and iPod speaker dock with a more distinctive design than the norm. The Kodo XW-NAW1 is built to be unintrusive and, at less than 3.3 inches thick, is thin enough to mount on a wall. It nonetheless puts out 30W of stereo audio and has a component video out for TVs.
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08/09, 3:35pm
Pioneer shows 11.6-inch DreamBook with Atom
Pioneer Computers Australia is showing off its debut tablet, the 11.6-inch DreamBook ePad L11 HD. It uses Intel's 1.66GHz Atom CPU, up to 2GB of RAM and either integrated graphics or a 512MB NVIDIA Ion 2 chipset. The 16, 32 or 64GB solid state drive contains Windows 7, and a three-axis G-sensor and an ambient light sensor give it support for tilt and low light.
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08/05, 12:25pm
Pioneer shows four Elite G-Clef audio components
Pioneer Electronics on Thursday introduced four new high-style Elite G-Clef home theater components. The new range is made up of the SX-A6MK2 and SX-A9MK2 stereo amplifiers as well as the PD-D6MK2 and PD-D9MK2 CD players. The devices are said to be developed with "meticulous attention to detail" for hardened audiophiles. Each is fine-tuned and certified by AIR Studio sound engineers for more accurate sound.
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06/24, 10:35am
Pioneer Elite VSX-30 and VSX-31 arrive
Pioneer today rolled out a pair of new Elite AV receivers that bring some of its more advanced features to a lower price level. All of them, including models like the VSX-30 and VSX-31 (links active soon), support iPhone and iPod control through the company's custom iControl AV mobile app. They similarly share the option of Bluetooth audio with an adapter, HDMI 1.4a for 3D support, and a new "wide" surround that produces a better sense of motion with virtual height and 9.1-channel surround options.
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05/24, 4:05pm
Pioneer AVIC-Z120BT uses iPhone for 3G radio
Pioneer today brought out the AVIC-Z120BT, a new flagship navigation head-end unit with a unique Apple tie-in. Those with both the in-car GPS and a new PioneerLink for Pandora iPhone app can both stream Pandora Internet radio over the smartphone's 3G connection and move the service's controls over to the AVIC's 7-inch touchscreen. The approach supports the usual thumbs up and thumbs down controls as well as changing stations and Quickmixes.
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04/27, 5:45pm
Pioneer brings four iPhone docks to US
Pioneer attached itself to iPhone and iPod audio in a large fashion today in launching four iPhone-capable speaker docks. The XW-NAS3 is a direct port of the system first seen in Europe and is rare in offering a comparatively strong 2.1-channel, 60W system for audio. It will take Bluetooth audio through an optional adapter ($99) and will cost $449 when it ships before the end of the month.
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04/05, 7:40am
Blu-ray capacity to double again this year
The Blu-ray Disc Association on the weekend unveiled new versions of its optical disc storage to push the capacity past its 50GB limits. BDXL adds the option of third or fourth layers and can permit as much as 128GB of storage on a burnable disc; the extra capacity would be intended for video pros and others who need large amounts of removable storage. Rewritable discs would top out at 100GB.
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03/25, 4:45pm
Pioneer 920-K, 1020-K and 1120-K ready for Apple
Pioneer today brought out its second AV receiver update this month with three new 7.1-channel models. The VSX-920-K, VSX-1020-K and VSX-1120-K all have special features for iPhones and iPods depending on the model. All have at least a compatible USB port that can play and charge Apple devices; the 1020-K and 1120-K have support for the iControlAV app (free, App Store) to steer the receivers, including multiple audio or video zones, balance tuning and input selection.
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03/10, 9:50am
DJM-2000 controls mix, software through touch
Pioneer hoped to move the technology of DJ mixers forward today by launching a new addition to the DJM line. The DJM-2000 is the first mixer with a multi-touch display and uses the 5.8-inch LCD to provide control over the sound that would be difficult with buttons. At a basic level, it lets musicians put up a set of custom interfaces for controlling a Mac or PC's music software through MIDI. Gestures also work to create "sidechain" mixing, and on-screen sliders can fine-tune the frequency.
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03/01, 5:50pm
Pioneer receiver has iPhone Control, Bluetooth
Pioneer on Monday put out a pair of new AV receivers highlighted most by their tight link with Apple's handhelds. At the top of the mix, the VSK-820-K has the iPhone-approved USB connection but expands on it with an iPhone Control button: where the receiver's own controls normally take over, the button can force the receiver to hand back control and let the listener pick from the touchscreen of an iPhone or iPod touch.
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02/03, 11:55am
Sirius portable radio running low on stock
Sirius XM's long-serving Stiletto 2 portable satellite radio is being taken off the market, sources said Wednesday. While still available in a few areas, stocks are reportedly dwindling and could clear out soon. Orbitcast hasn't received word of whether there will be a replacement.
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11/03, 6:00pm
Drive burns Blu-ray discs at up to 12X speeds
Other World Computing on Tuesday announced that it is now offering a Mercury Pro external Blu-ray drive with a quad interface. Users can choose between USB 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800, or eSATA connection methods. The company claims the Pioneer BDR-205 can reach burn speeds of up to 12X on Blu-ray discs, 16X with DVDs, 4X on DVD-DL media, and 40X for CDs.
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09/22, 5:20pm
Skips own GPS functions
Electronics maker Pioneer has launched a free GPS application for the iPhone, AVIC Feeds. Unlike titles from companies such as TomTom, which provide full GPS functionality, the Pioneer software is designed strictly as a companion to the company's AVIC-U310BT and AVIC-Z110BT in-dash navigators. Users of the app can locate points of interest or other custom destinations in advance.
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09/17, 1:45pm
Pioneer outs pair of PC-free Pro DJ turntables
Pioneer will soon release two new digital turntables that do not require a PC, including the CDJ-2000 and the CDJ-900. The former sports a 6.1-inch, 480x234 LCD that displays waveforms, album art, and song info. Below the screen is a Needle Pad touschstrip that lets DJs drag directly to the part of the song they wish. An SD memory card and USB port lets users play music without the need for a connected PC. The CDJ-900 makes do with a dot matrix display instead of an LCD screen, an SD memory card reader or an optical disc drive.
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09/10, 4:10pm
Pioneer demos Entertainment Tap
Pioneer at the CEDIA expo today provided demonstrations of its first networked media hub. The concept device shown on the floor, so far known only as the Entertainment Tap, still has a Blu-ray player but is intended for online media playback first and foremost: it can recognize media from DLNA-ready devices over Ethernet or Wi-Fi and has access to Netflix movies, Picasa photos and YouTube videos. Mobile control is also a high priority as the Tap can not only stream its content to a handheld over the Internet but could use an iPhone or iPod touch as a remote control for all of its functions.
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09/10, 11:15am
Pioneer XW-NAS3, NAS5 and HTP-SB300
Pioneer used the CEDIA expo today to dip into bookshelf-sized iPhone and iPod speakers for the first time in the US. Having just entered Europe a week ago, the XW-NAS3 and XW-NAS5 are both single-piece units but are designed for better sound than usual in the class with 2.1-channel, digitally amped 60W output. They both also have stealth displays behind the grill and optionally support Bluetooth for streaming stereo music, including from an iPhone or iPod touch.
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08/10, 4:25pm
Pioneer intros DJ mixer
Pioneer on Monday introduced the DJM-5000 DJ mixer made for portable use. Apart from newfound multi-zone support that lets users send two audio sources to a separate area, the DJM-5000 has three microphone inputs, 96kHz/24-bit sampling, a built-in sound card and a MIDI mapping capability. The mixer is designed to be rack-mounted.
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07/30, 4:35pm
Sharp, Sony in LCD venture
Sharp and Sony on Thursday announced they have entered into a joint venture agreement related to the production and sales of large LCD panels and modules. Sharp's under-construction LCD production plant in Sakai City, Japan was transferred to Sharp Display Products Corporation (SDP) on July 1st, with opening scheduled for October. On December 29th, Sony will invest 10 billion yen ($105 million) into SDP for shares, which will be the first step towards reaching the final 66% Sharp, 34% percent Sony split. This initial investment will make SDP a joint venture company of Sony as well as Sharp.
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07/28, 10:40am
Pioneer DVR-XD09
Pioneer today helped fill the need for external optical drives among netbooks and ultraportables by releasing the DVR-XD09. Replacing the earlier XD08, it writes and reads single-layer DVDs at 8X but has a footprint only slightly larger than the disc itself, making it even smaller than the older model. It's similarly light at half a pound and uses top loading instead of the usual front drive bay.
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07/01, 11:20am
Pioneer Elite receivers
Pioneer on Wednesday brought out four new home theater receivers to its flagship Elite lineup, including the top-rung SC-27 and SC-25, as well as the slightly lower-end VSX-21TXH and VSX-23TXH. All four have a customized USB/composite cable that allow users to integrate their iPhones and iPods into their home theater audio systems. Once connected, the Apple devices can be controlled via the systems' remote controls, and their content sent to 2nd and 3rd zones setup in the home. The SC-series units are meant to reproduce Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks found on more advanced Blu-ray discs. Both have a Direct Energy HD Class D amp based on ICEpower.
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06/15, 5:00pm
Pioneer outs 4 AVIC decks
Pioneer announced four new double-DIN in-car navigation and entertainment systems over the weekend, including the flagship AVIC-Z110BT which sports a 7-inch touchscreen with 1024x768 resolution that tilts out to reveal the optical drive slot. Behind that screen is 4GB of internal storage space, an optical drive capable of reading CDs and DVDs and Bluetooth functionality. There is also an optional MSN Direct tuner that gets traffic, weather and other information, though this service requires a subscription.
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06/04, 1:30pm
Pioneer 2009 Blu-ray Ships
Pioneer this afternoon said it had started shipping the three Blu-ray movie players it first introduced at CES this year. The Elite BDP-23FD is its flagship with both expected BD Live support as well as a Precision Quartz Lock System the company says avoids jitter in audio playback; it also has "audiophile-grade" capacitors and better-than-average construction. The BDP-23FD carries 48-bit color, 7.1-channel audio and RS-232 support for its $599 price.
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