Pioneer Electronics Corp

Pioneer Corp., an early manufacturer of plasma TVs, is turning to the branding gurus behind the iPod for an image face-lift. The Japanese electronics maker said Wednesday that it had hired TBWAChiatDay, the Los Angeles agency that created the iconic silhouette ads for Apple Inc.'s iPods, to help its television sets stand out. "We're a small guy in a big pond," said Russ Johnson, senior vice president of marketing and product planning for home entertainment at Pioneer, whose U.S.

Gemstar International Group Ltd., a Pasadena-based maker of software and other technology for interactive television, said it filed suit accusing Pioneer Electronics Corp. of infringing its patents for cable box programs. In the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Gemstar claims that Pioneer infringes Gemstar's intellectual property when it sells the boxes used for cable television.

An invitation to the Pioneer Electronics Inc. roadshow is one of the most coveted in the consumer electronics business. The Japanese company is hardly an industry giant; its $6.25 billion in sales last year were only about 13% of what Sony Corp's. electronics division took in. And though Pioneer home theater systems, stereos and other products are highly respected, the brand lacks the mass-market appeal needed to be a must-carry for many retailers.

International Business Machines Corp. and MCA Inc. said Thursday that they have agreed to sell Discovision Associates, a one-time high-flier in laser disc technology whose sole asset today is a large portfolio of patents, to Pioneer Electronics Corp. of Japan for $200 million. The Discovision patents cover a number of basic optical storage technologies that lie at the heart of compact disc players, video disc players and optical storage devices used for some computer applications.

International Business Machines Corp. and MCA Inc. said Thursday that they have agreed to sell Discovision Associates, a one-time high-flyer in laser disc technology whose sole asset today is a large portfolio of patents, to Pioneer Electronics Corp. of Japan for $200 million. The Discovision patents cover a number of basic optical storage technologies that lie at the heart of compact disc players, video disc players and optical storage devices used for some computer applications.

Driving along the gritty streets here, Kunio Marukawa used to cringe when a souped-up car blaring loud music pulled up next to him. Nowadays, the Japanese executive looks approvingly at those drivers and offers a silent prayer of thanks. "Those crazy guys are our best customers," said the San Diego-based vice president of Pioneer Corp.'s Pioneer Speaker Systems.

Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc., a developer of software to run on-screen television program guides, settled patent lawsuits against electronics maker Pioneer Corp. and licensed rights to its technology to Pioneer. Gemstar said it dropped three patent infringement suits against Pioneer. Pioneer, based in Tokyo, agreed to pay $14 million to Gemstar and drop an antitrust lawsuit. Gemstar shares rose 4 cents to 7.24 on Nasdaq. Pioneer climbed 64 cents to $27.70 on the NYSE.

Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc., a developer of software to run on-screen television program guides, settled patent lawsuits against electronics maker Pioneer Corp. and licensed rights to its technology to Pioneer. Gemstar said it dropped three patent infringement suits against Pioneer. Pioneer, based in Tokyo, agreed to pay $14 million to Gemstar and drop an antitrust lawsuit. Gemstar shares rose 4 cents to 7.24 on Nasdaq. Pioneer climbed 64 cents to $27.70 on the NYSE.

TiVo Inc. of San Jose, a leading developer of personal video recorders, has licensed its technology to Pioneer Electronics Inc., the U.S. arm of Tokyo-based Pioneer Corp. Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to be announced today, were not disclosed. Pioneer, a leading manufacturer of DVD recorders, is expected to begin selling a video recorder with TiVo's television recording technology by the end of the year.

Hoping to spur demand by reducing consumers' confusion about DVD recording, a growing number of consumer-electronics companies are shifting to DVD recorders that can handle both of the leading formats. Today, Pioneer Electronics Inc. of Long Beach, a division of Tokyo-based Pioneer Corp., is expected to announce a new DVD recorder that supports not only DVD-R and DVD-RW formats but also DVD+R and DVD+RW ones.

Driving along the gritty streets here, Kunio Marukawa used to cringe when a souped-up car blaring loud music pulled up next to him. Nowadays, the Japanese executive looks approvingly at those drivers and offers a silent prayer of thanks. "Those crazy guys are our best customers," said the San Diego-based vice president of Pioneer Corp.'s Pioneer Speaker Systems.

A unit of Pioneer Corp. that sells TV cable boxes has sued Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc., claiming that the largest seller of TV-guide software is competing unfairly. Pioneer Digital Technologies alleges that Gemstar is violating California law by "systematically eliminating competition and entering into agreements with others to restrain trade" in the market for TV programming technology.

Gemstar International Group Ltd., a Pasadena-based maker of software and other technology for interactive television, said it filed suit accusing Pioneer Electronics Corp. of infringing its patents for cable box programs. In the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Gemstar claims that Pioneer infringes Gemstar's intellectual property when it sells the boxes used for cable television.

Pioneer Electronic Corp., a major Japanese maker of audio products, said Monday that U.S.-based Paramount Communications Inc. had approached it with an offer to sell its motion pictures division. A Pioneer official said his company declined the offer, one of several reportedly made by the U.S. entertainment and publishing giant to Japanese companies. But Paramount denied that it sounded out several Japanese companies about a possible sale. "It is a falsehood.

TiVo Inc. of San Jose, a leading developer of personal video recorders, has licensed its technology to Pioneer Electronics Inc., the U.S. arm of Tokyo-based Pioneer Corp. Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to be announced today, were not disclosed. Pioneer, a leading manufacturer of DVD recorders, is expected to begin selling a video recorder with TiVo's television recording technology by the end of the year.

Phoenix Pictures said Pioneer Electronics of Japan has agreed to provide the company between $60 million and $75 million in exchange for the exclusive rights in Japan for nine Phoenix-produced films over 15 years. Films will include "Amy Foster," "U-Turn," "Apt Pupil" and "The Thin Red Line." Phoenix is a Los Angeles production company headed by veteran film executive Mike Medavoy and Arnold Messer.