The KRP-500A has a useful split-screen/picture-in-picture mode that lets you display two internal inputs or one external input at the same time, there's good old analogue teletext support (also with split-screen) and you can use HDMI to control other Pioneer devices like DVD players and amplifiers.

Performance

As we might have given away earlier, this is a stupendously good screen, both for high definition and standard def, with a wealth of processing options to eke the best out of poor signals and make the most of the good ones, as well as automatically tuning the display to ambient light conditions.

These are probably the deepest blacks you'll see outside of a cinema, but there's also extremely good colour definition and detail in low light scenes. Nor did we notice any smearing or other motion artefacts.

It will, however, make you very picky – showing up weaknesses in hi-def TV broadcasts, particularly where the bandwidth is OK but the encoding or original cameras weren't so good. Our favourite of the season has been FX's Generation Kill, which looks stunning.

The sheer screen size is also very punishing on the many poor-quality Freeview and satellite channels, some of which (embarrassingly) are run by Britain's major broadcasters.