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Pioneer's new 42- and 50-inch Kuro plasma HDTVs, sporting multiple HDMI inputs, a built-in CableCard slot, oodles of settings, and deep, deep blacks.

Electronics maker Pioneer has unveiled its latest high-end plasma HD displays, with 42- and 50-inch sets in the Kuro and Kuro Elite Kuro lines. Pioneer says that it's gone with plasma display technology for its high-end televisions because plasma offers the deepest blacks; with deeper blacks, the displays have a wider color range to use in displaying content. With the new Kuro and Elite Kuro sets ("kuro" means "black" in Japanese), Pioneer aims to define itself as a big player in the high-end plasma business.

The 42-inch and 50-inch Kuro sets offer 1,024 by 768 and 1,365 by 768 resolutions (respectively) four independent HDMI 1.3 inputs, 2 component inputs, three composit inputs, and an S-Video input, along with a a room light sensor, advanced PureCinema with 3:3 pulldown, integrated ATSC and dual NTSC tuners, a build-in CableCard slot, and Pioneer's Home Gallery system for viewing images via USB. The 42-inch and 50-inch Elite Kuro units add ISFccc pro-level calibration, support for Pioneer's Home Media Gallery to pull content off an in-home network.

Pioneer hasn't announced U.S. availability or pricing on the units, but it looks like Pioneer has already introduced the models in the U.K. and Canada, so U.S. availability can't be far off. However, we wouldn't expect most consumers would regard these high-end displays as "affordable."