Keohi HDTV - Brand Specific - Pioneer

[BRAND SPECIFIC][PIONEER TIPS]

Pro-710HD Review

Tip from Jim Stegbauer: "In beginning this review it is necessary to tell you that I am a former owner of a Pioneer Elite PRO-700HD monitor who purchased a Faroudja DVP-2200 digital video scaler to compensate for the inherent problematic line doubler in the Pioneer Elite PRO-700HD. The combination of the Faroudja DVP-2200, Pioneer Elite DV-09 DVD player, Pioneer Elite PRO-700HD produced a very good 480p in both anamorphic and widescreen.

After a year of using the Faroudja DVP-2200 I can not imagine not using it even with the Pioneer Elite PRO-710HD, so this review will concentrate on the performance of the PRO-710HD with the Faroudja DVP-2200 and the RCA DTC-100.

While there have been numerous report on the net of the problems with use of the RGB input, and flash tear on the Pioneer Elite PRO-510 and PRO-610 monitors. I have been assured that both of these problems have been corrected at the factory, and should not be problematic on the PRO-710HD. I have not experienced either problem at this time.

When using the RGB input on the PRO-710HD, you will find a small switch located above the RGB input that switches from S-Video to RGB for input #3 on the PRO-710HD. Personally, I would have preferred a separate input #4 for RGB, for the following reason. When using the RGB output from the DTC-100 the PRO-710HD will lock in the Full Anamorphic mode, same is also true when using a 480p signal connected by the component video input.

While this does not present a problem for full HD broadcast, it is problematic for DTV, since you do not have the ability to correct color and tint. The DTC-100 does allow some limited scaling by stretching the area of a 4:3 broadcast that would other wise have black bars in 16:9. Scaling can be done in two ways 1/3 stretch on the edges or a complete stretch.

To solve this it is necessary to use a second input on the PRO-710HD for DTV, and input #3 becomes a dedicated input for HD. You will also need to make a raster adjustment on the DTC-100 to center the HD image on the PRO-710HD. This is easily accomplished by pressing Info and down on the DTC-100, which will take you into the service menu for the DTC-100, scroll down to the bottom to find the raster centering.

In setting up the Pioneer Elite PRO-700HD I made a decision to use the iMac DV Special Edition as a reference monitor for gamma and grayscale. The reason being that the iMac DV Special Edition’s gamma and grayscale has been calibrated for my work with transparencies in Adobe PhotoShop 5.5 which produces an exact match with original transparency.

Settings for Pioneer PRO-710HD with RCA DTC-100 using RGB output for full HD, gamma balanced to an iMac DV Special Edition.

The setting were achieved using the iMac Special Edition playing the X Files the Movie DVD in synchronization with HBO HD broadcast of the X Files the Movie.

In FULL HD Mode: Color, Tint, Sharp are not adjustable.

PICTURE
MODE: User (STD)
CONTRAST -4
BLACK LEVEL -2
COLOR N/A
TINT N/A
SHARP N/A
OTHER

In FULL HD Mode: the only adjustable setting is Color Temp.

PICTURE
OTHER
3D Y/C LEVEL:3
3D NR LEVEL:3
COLOR TEMP: LIVE
FLESH TONE: ON
PURECINEMA: HQ
SVM: OFF

Setting for the Pioneer Pro-710HD with the RCA DTC-100 using a composite video connection for Direct TV gamma balanced to an iMac DV Special Edition.

The setting were achieved using the iMac Special Edition playing the X Files the Movie DVD in synchronization with HBO broadcast of the X Files the Movie.

In non-HD Mode all settings are adjustable.

PICTURE
MODE: User (STD)
CONTRAST 0
BLACK LEVEL -3
COLOR -8
TINT 0
SHARP 0
OTHER

In non-HD Mode all settings are adjustable.

PICTURE
OTHER
3D Y/C LEVEL:3
3D NR LEVEL:3
COLOR TEMP: LIVE
FLESH TONE: ON
PURECINEMA: HQ
SVM: OFF

Settings for Pioneer PRO-710HD, Faroudja DVP-2200, Pioneer Elite DV-09 using component output for 480p, gamma balanced to an iMac DV Special
Edition.

The setting were achieved using the iMac Special Edition playing the following test DVD’s in synchronization with the DVP-2200, DV-09 combination.

1. The Fifth Element
2. A Bugs Life
3. Armageddon
4. Lost in Space
5. The Matrix

Faroudja DVP-2200 Settings

ASPECT ANAMORPHIC
BRIGHTNESS 128
CONTRAST 151
COLOR 134
DETAIL 005
NOISE 000

Pioneer Elite Pro-710HD SETTINGS

PICTURE
MODE: User (STD)
CONTRAST 0
BLACK LEVEL 5
COLOR 0
TINT 0
SHARP 0
OTHER

PICTURE
OTHER
3D Y/C LEVEL:3
3D NR LEVEL:3
COLOR TEMP: LIVE
FLESH TONE: OFF
PURECINEMA: OFF
SVM: OFF

In 480p only COLOR TEMP, and SVM can be changed.
Settings for Pioneer PRO-710HD, Faroudja DVP-2200, Pioneer Elite DV-09 using component output for 480p, gamma balanced to an iMac DV Special Edition.

The setting were achieved using the iMac Special Edition playing the following test DVD’s in synchronization with the DVP-2200, DV-09 combination.

1. The Fifth Element
2. A Bugs Life
3. Armageddon
4. Lost in Space
5. The Matrix

Faroudja DVP-2200 Settings

ASPECT LETTERBOX
BRIGHTNESS 128
CONTRAST 151
COLOR 134
DETAIL 005
NOISE 000

Pioneer Elite Pro-710HD SETTINGS

PICTURE
MODE: User (STD)
CONTRAST 0
BLACK LEVEL 5
COLOR 0
TINT 0
SHARP 0
OTHER

PICTURE
OTHER
3D Y/C LEVEL:3
3D NR LEVEL:3
COLOR TEMP: LIVE
FLESH TONE: OFF
PURECINEMA: OFF
SVM: OFF

In 480p only COLOR TEMP, and SVM can be changed.

So what’s the bottom line on the result of calibration using the iMac DV Special Edition as a reference monitor for setting up the Pioneer Elite PRO-710HD. The Pioneer Elite PRO-710HD produces an image that is as close to an exact match to the iMac as possible. The results are so impressive that it is difficult to imagine that I would consider using another method again.

Those of you who have seen a DVD playing on the iMac DV Special Edition know exactly what I am talking about, hopefully this information will be helpful for anyone who has purchased, or considering a purchase of the Pioneer Elite PRO-710HD monitor.

Thumbs up to Pioneer on this one.