New Pioneer A/V Receivers Look to the Skies for Entertainment Excellence: Satellite Connectivity For XM And Sirius.

LAS VEGAS -- Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. takes home entertainment to elevated heights with three of the industry's first A/V receivers featuring SIRIUS[R] Satellite Radio and XM[R] Satellite Radio compatibility for enjoyment of both providers' unique programming with high quality surround sound. At the International Consumer Electronics Show today, Pioneer announced the new VSX-517, VSX-817, VSX-917V and VSX-1017TXV, each designed to be the centerpiece of a home theater with robust digital connectivity. The VSX-917V and VSX-1017TXV offer HDMI[TM] video switching to take consumers well into the future of high definition entertainment.

A Choice in Entertainment

Pioneer makes it easier for consumers to enjoy the crystal clear, digital programming of both SIRIUS and XM Satellite Radio with three receivers that offer direct connectivity to both a XM Connect & Play[TM] antenna and SiriusConnect[TM] SC-H1 tuner (both sold separately; monthly subscription needed). Complete access and control of both SIRIUS and XM devices are made easy via the receiver's remote control with full on-screen display capability. All three models can receive XM HD Surround broadcasts powered by Neural Audio[R] to provide listeners select music channels in 5.1 surround sound.

With the VSX-1017TXV, users gain access and control to personalized music and video files on their iPod[R]. The unit offers direct connection via a separate iPod docking station. Consumers can purchase the optional Pioneer IDK-80 universal iPod docking station. With the unit's remote control and on-screen display capability, users can navigate the playlists in the player to share with friend and family through a high powered home theater system.

All four Pioneer receivers are outfitted with enhanced proprietary sound processing (DSP) technologies including, Sound Retriever and Front Stage Surround Advanced that are designed to improve the audio quality of movies and music in an array of room spaces. Customization and calibration is made easy with Pioneer's renowned Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration (MCACC) room tuning function, which optimizes sound levels for premium multi-channel performance of high definition devices.

"During the past few years, A/V receivers have been the hub of home entertainment connecting a range of sources to an easy-to-control system. Today, we've added new sources of entertainment: XM and SIRIUS satellite radio. As Americans continue to consume more media, Pioneer is giving them more choices for great entertainment," said Dave Bales, marketing manager of audio products for the home entertainment division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.

World Class Sound Quality

Pioneer leverages its audio expertise to incorporate innovative DSP capabilities for surround sound performance that defines high end home theater. All four models are outfitted with improved sound tuning capabilities that any audiophile can appreciate.

* Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration (MCACC) - The essential HD control center, Pioneer's VSX-817, and VSX-917V provide a truly customized listening experience for every entertainment event with MCACC. With a single touch, the self-calibration feature takes summary of a room's acoustic environment and digitally fine tunes each connected speaker to compensate for a multitude of room-induced acoustic inaccuracies. The result is accurate, three-dimensional sound of film soundtracks, video games, sports and music, all delivered to the listener's ear at the same time and same volume level. The Pioneer VSX-1017TXV utilizes Advanced Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration (MCACC) that makes further subtle adjustments as well as allows users to preserve their room tuning settings.

* Sound Retriever Technology - When audio files are compressed, some data is removed to reduce the file size - sometimes at the price of sound quality. All four receivers use Pioneer's proprietary Sound Retriever DSP technology to "fill in" and compensate for the audio data removed from the compressed digital files. Sound playback is improved to near CD quality allowing music fans to enjoy dynamic audio of their music files.

* Front Stage Surround Advance - The newest version of Pioneer's exclusive DSP technology allows a user to reconfigure all five audio channels to the front right and left speakers. The result is a half virtual (surround sound via subwoofer and front speakers), half reflected (rear speakers angled at the front of a room and "reflecting" audio off the walls) 5.1 surround sound experience. The improved speaker arrangement is an ideal solution for consumers who don't want to run wiring to the back of a room and also don't want to sacrifice five channel audio.

* Phase Control achieves proper audio reproduction by ensuring a low frequency sound source arrives at the listening position in sync to prevent unwanted distortion.

* Advanced Direct Energy Power Amplifier - Available in the Pioneer VSX-1017TXV, high power amplification throughout all audio channels provides enhanced surround sound that is as close to the original source as possible. The amplifier design minimizes the impedance at the final output stage to reduce the loss of the signals.

Engineering Prowess

The Pioneer VSX-917V and VSX-1017TXV A/V receivers provide HDMI video switching for fast, smooth toggling between video sources (DVD, Blu-ray Disc, game consoles and more). For high resolution picture or audio quality performance, the new Pioneer receivers utilize 192 kHz/24-bit digital to analog (DAC) converter that helps maintain a pure signal from input to output for all seven audio channels resulting in a true reproduction with the finest clarity and fidelity. A new Freescale[TM] 180MIPS Processing DSP provides unparalleled speed and efficiency for multi-channel decoding of various theater and music sources for superior audio performance.

Each receiver offers full sound processing for Dolby[R] Digital DTS[R], Dolby Pro Logic IIx and Windows Media Audio 9 Professional[TM] for supreme audio playback of movies, home movies, portable music and more. Pioneer's top-of-the-line VSX-1017TXV A/V receiver has THX[R] Select 2 certification and processing to deliver high-impact sound performance for an array of sources in rooms up to two thousand square feet.

Pioneer's Home Entertainment Division is a leading marketer of plasma televisions and monitors, Blu-ray Disc, DVD players and DVD recorders, A/V receivers, speakers and other audio and video accessories. Its focus is on the development of new digital technologies including Digital Network Entertainment[TM]. The company markets its products under the Pioneer and Elite brand names. When purchased from an authorized dealer, consumers receive a limited warranty for one year with Pioneer products and two years with Elite products.

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and its U.S. Web address is www.pioneerelectronics.com. Its parent company, Pioneer Corporation, is a leader in optical disc technology and a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and business markets. The company focuses on four core business domains including Blu-ray Disc and DVD, display technologies, navigation and Digital Network Entertainment[TM].

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HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

DOLBY and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

DTS and DTS Digital Surround are registered trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.

iPod is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

XM is a registered trademark of XM Satellite Radio Inc.

NEURAL AUDIO is a registered trademark of Neural Audio, Inc.

THX SELECT2 is a trademark of THX Ltd.