davidmp

I recently sent an e-mail to Pioneer regarding this issue. I have a Pioneer Elite Pro710HD just shy of two years old and was looking into getting a STB for HD programming. Still not sure what to do on that front go with DirectTV and possible Samsung 160 or Sony 200 model or wait for Dish to come out with their 921 HD PVR unit not sure if that will receive OTA signals though. Anyhow here is Pioneer's reply to my inquiry:

Thank you for your inquiry.

While no DVI upgrade is available for older Pioneer HDTVs, content providers
are not as yet using DVI or any other signal transmission technology
exclusively as a means of content copy protection. Content providers also
recently announced agreement with HDTV manufacturers to ensure the
compatibility, without set-top boxes, of HDTVs and emerging signal transmission
technologies.

While it is impossible to say with certainty exactly how HD CPT technology may
evolve, electronics manufacturers are working closely with content providers to
minimize any impact on the performance capability of older HDTVs as these
technologies are developed.

For more information, call (800) 421-1404.

PIONEER CUSTOMER SERVICE