Pioneer discontinuing BDP-LX70A Blu-ray player in UK?

You've got permission to file this one in the rumor folder for the time being, but we've received word from across the pond that Pioneer may be nixing the über-pricey BDP-LX70A Blu-ray player in the UK. For those unfamiliar, it's the Euro version of the prestigious BDP-95FD that we reviewed just last month. There's no word on exactly when the product will be discontinued (nor if the US version will follow suit), but we are hearing that numerous back-orders have been canceled and that a replacement model won't be around until August. Taking a step back, ditching such a high-end player that had a fairly decent following doesn't seem to make sense, but then again, who thought Pioneer would ever let anyone else get their panels inside the almighty Kuro?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 11th 2008 2:17PM]

They are making 3 - 4 new models 3 Pioneer Elite and maybe one Regular Pioneer Model. The Mid one was shown at CES there will be a BD-LIVE player and the lower one will not have Media Gallery and be profile 1.1 like the Mid Player. I kno nothing about the regular pioneer player if there is one

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 12th 2008 12:12AM]

Probably because the new ones will be at a better or similar price point than the 95/70 and all those backorders won't be filled before the new models start to trickle down.

Pioneer might be trying to avoid disappointment in their customer base who buy it, take delivery and two days outside the return policy have a newer, better model release.

[DrXym Posted Apr 12th 2008 4:17AM]

Profile 1.1 is mandatory now and the above model is (if the review is correct) profile 1.0. So maybe they're withdrawing it because they shouldn't be selling it at all.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 12th 2008 6:39PM]

That's a good point - when a disc player is humiliated by a games console at the very thing it's dedicated to do, it should go into hiding. :)

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 12th 2008 12:14PM]

FYI, there's a few lingering KURO Pioneer and Elite TVs in the Dallas Best Buys.