It may be "best" because of its black levels...but...
Pioneer to stop production of plasma panels
http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2362/206/
I now seem to recall another thread, about some large company stopping production of its HD players.
People just started dumping their players cheap for BD.
I'm now wondering if the Pioneer manufacturers would be saying.... "Hai! Plasma pa din arigato gozaimasu!"
..or are they singing a different tune now? ...like...hmm... sayonara! Plasma! sumimasen! Plasma! :'(
they will be using same panel from panasonic (biggest plasma panel manufacturer). but the chips and tech that is use to squeeze the picture out of the panel will still be proprietary, which in the end might spell the difference between a great pq or an excellent pq which owners of pioneer kuro plasma's are extremely proud of.
i think the issue why lcd is selling way better than plasma is because of its flexbility in size and uses across many industry, you almost see lcd being use in a lot of gadgets which plasma technology can't be utilized. as such, it has attain a certain market saturation that makes producing lcd panels cheaper thus for those selling this more margins for them too. and with this as sir barrister is saying, marketing always impose their will on which tech to market and those are the tech that makes more money for the company.
for plasma i think it has now realized that it will now be a specialty market product that aims for those home theater enthusiasts that really look for excellent pq rather anything else. and with panasonic improving their plant capacity and even technology to make plasma more efficient, i personally don't see this tech dying (hope i'm right
), i think pioneer's move to stop producing is just a way of making the segment more viable and ultimately more profitable for everybody.
sayang lang talaga at ang limitations ng plasma are really the issues that have been discussed to death for several pages now in this thread, but nobody can deny that plasma pq is really the best, now if a person can go beyond those limitations because pq is paramount for them then that's it, he is a happy camper (and this is the most important thing, masaya ka sa pinili mo).
i have to admit that plasma pq is breath taking, i saw a kuro, and iba talaga, no contest, but i opted to buy an lcd instead because for me the limitations far outweighs the nice pq. but its just me, seeing the best gurus here are own plasma tech, it just goes to show that these guys are really enthusiasts that take their hobby seriously. i respect that.