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And here are the best gadgets in Europe – according to the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA).

EISA is Europe’s biggest multimedia press organisation. The winners are voted by Editors of the top leading speacialist magazines from 19 countries.

The competition is tough. If this were the Olympics (or Eurovision, if you like) of the Electronics Business, the winning companies would be ( based on the number single products awarded first place):

All the winners are here.

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Pioneer announces it has a new sound system that transmits sound through household electricity lines and not conventional speaker wires: the MT-01 Power Line Sound System.
The MT-01 allows you to plug up to six speakers into an electric socket in multiple rooms and hear music played via the Sound Station, plugged into a socket in another room. This means you can enjoy seamless, room-to-room audio throughout your home, without having to add complex speaker cabling.
The system was given a stylish, unobtrusive look, so it can blend into your home interior.

The standard MT-01 package will vary depending on the country you’re in, but at most will include a Sound Station, one large 2 x 25W Network Speaker, a small 5W Network Speaker and a key ring-sized remote control.

The Sound Station has 5 inputs: two USB terminals (type A and B), one front audio input and two analogue inputs. Users can connect their MP3 player, iPod, portable USB/flash memory sticks, PC or even an existing audio system and hear the music in multiple rooms.

The MT-01 will be released at the end of September.
Read the full article at Pioneer. For more information on costs and availability, please contact your local Pioneer office or distributor.

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AV Zombie: After a period of restructuring and re-focussing, Pioneer posted a dramatic 20.4 percent gain in revenue and an operating income of 191,676 million yen for its first financial quarter, ended June 30.

The improvement was down to growing interest in its European and North American plasma business as well as accelerating car audio and sat nav revenues.

Sales in its Home Electronics division increased 32 percent year-on-year to 83,451 million yen, with plasma displays accounting for 47 per cent of the revenue.

Pioneer’s operating loss in this segment was 397 million yen, which is a significant improvement compared with its operating loss of 12,358 million yen in the corresponding period last year.

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Pioneer announces 2 new AV receivers in the mid-high range. Both the VSX-AX4ASi and the VSX-AX2AS offer advanced HDMI connectivity, are THX Select2 certified, and include direct digital support for iPod Photo.

They’re equipped with four and three HDMI inputs respectively, fully capable of handling 1080p video signals. Both receivers use an advanced video scaler chipset with DCDi by Faroudja technology and feature flicker-free interlaced to progressive conversion options.

The multi-channel receivers provide additional THX listening modes for enhanced playback of a variety of entertainment content, including movies, music or games and guarantee the best possible sound, according to Pioneer.
The two new AV receivers will be available at the end of September. For more information on costs and availability, contact your local Pioneer office or distributor.

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Pioneer announces 3 new Hard Disk DVD recorders (each featuring an HDMI output, advanced video processing and entertainment functions) will be available in October.

The new line-up includes:
* The DVR-645H, with integrated analogue TV tuner and 250GB hard disk, capable of storing up to 711 hours of video
* The DVR-545HX, with integrated digital (DVB-T) tuner, with 160GB hard disk (capable of storing up to 455 hours of video)
* The DVR-545H, with integrated analogue TV tuner, also with 160GB hard disk.

A new innovation for this line-up is the ‘Entertainment Engine’, included in the DVR-645H and DVR-545HX. The Engine enables you to upload digital images or compressed audio files at high speed, via the recorder’s front-in USB host.
You can then create a JPEG slideshow, whilst compressed audio is being played, or even print photographs from the hard disk via a PictBridge compatible USB printer. This means that your hard disk DVD recorder now also serves as a convenient central library of video content, audio titles and digital photographs.

For more info, read the full article. For your local office or distributor, click here.

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Pioneer informed us about the DVJ-1000, their new top-end CD/DVD deck. Connoisseurs will spot the close resemblance with the Pioneer CDJ-1000 MK3. But the core CDJ-1000MK3 capabilities are enhanced by several features, while DVD visuals can be manipulated as you would music; so digital video scratches, loops and instant cues are all possible.

DJs can perform audio-only sets while having the option to mix DVD with a powerful range of effects on hand. The DVJ-1000 is a globetrotter too. Playing both NTSC and PAL DVDs using a built-in standards converter; ideal for performers working with DVDs from Europe and the States.

For more info, read the full article. For distributors in Europe, click here.

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Pioneer has released the world’s first 50-inch (127 cm) 1080p plasma display, for the US market. The Pioneer Elite PureVision PRO-FHD1 plasma will be capable of displaying the entire range of HD broadcasts, including 720p, 1080i and 1080p. (Source: GearLive.com)

The PRO-FHD1 combines the higher pixel count of 1080i with the faster refresh rate of 720p. Thus allowing for a smooth picture for fast-moving content with an amazingly sharp, bright picture quality – according to Pioneer. Or as they put it: ‘whether consumers are watching the football game or the big parade, [this set] will literally make them part of the action.‘
Prices start at a whopping $10.000. No details for the European market yet.

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Engadget: See the latest “PureMalt” speaker line-up from Pioneer made from the 100 year old oak used to barrel-age whiskey (or is that whisky?) before retiring in your bookshelf HiFi. 

As to the specs, they include Pioneer’s Technical Audio Devices (TAD) technology usually found in their professional speakers.

The S-A4SPT-VP goes on sale in August for ¥48,000 or about a $421 equiv for the pair.

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