Community Newsletter: Q&A: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p
- 10/18/07 11:01 PM
Hi Pedro, wrong topic... Please post your question in
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 10/12/07 1:25 PM
In reply to: Viewing files made from emails. by ANDRADE-PAEZ
another forum as this thread topic is on HDTVs.
My suggestion would be to repost your question in the Computer help forum here:
http://forums.cnet.com/5204-6122_102-0.html?forumID=44
Good luck!
-Lee
CNET Community
Go for the best
by wkillig - 10/6/07 4:26 PM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
No matter what you can afford now, eventually you will end up with a 1080 or blue-raycapable DVD, you might as well have the superior TV for HDTV
Go for the long term
by djFLWB - 10/6/07 4:42 PM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
When it comes to larger purchases like televisions, it is best to go for the higher quality as you expect to have this screen for some time. While you may not be upgrading your dvd player now, you probable will in the next year or two. So don't cheap out on your screen.
Won't notice the difference
by marcus_h - 10/6/07 4:58 PM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
A lot of tests say that even with HD DVD/Blu Ray, you would be pushed to notice the difference with 42" or 50" screens. It has more of an impact as the screen gets bigger. With regular DVD, there shouldn't be any real difference at all
Best thing to do though is have a look for yourself in the store, and make sure you are about the right distance from the TV
Panasonic Viera pixell density
by e3steve - 10/7/07 2:40 AM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Yves, allow me to preamble with a short story: I went to buy my second (and current) "big" flat TV with the preconceived notions that:
a) it was to be LCD (I was sooooo disappointed with my first plasma)
b) maximum size was to be 32" (is that "big"?!)
c) it would be either LG or Toshiba (I couldn't afford a Loewe, but they were using a Toshiba panel on their 32" LCD at that time)
d) I wanted a "deal" - i.e. something reduced to clear, preferably an €1800 TV for €1000
The reasons for these prerequisites being? Well, I already (then) had a Sony 42" Wega Engine plasma with which I was utterly disappointed; I have a relatively short viewing distance across my TV lounge, thus the 42" was HUGE and, to be frank, had a very 'ragged' picture definition with my main source (Sky DVB); my Sony was a poor decision, grossly overrated and overpriced.
To cut a long story short, I left the supplier having paid €1400 for a €1600 Panasonic 37" Viera 1080p (another plasma!), 70,000-hr panel life expectancy instead of 3,000 and a STUNNING picture on DVB, even using composite video and at less than the 2 metres viewing distance on the suppliers display stand.
There's a philosophy interwoven here: always pay more than you budgeted for and always buy the BEST that you can afford. Yacht AV-installation is part of my business, so I see many different previously-installed products that captains and owners want to upgrade but have to start again because of inferiority. A 50" panel would show more visual imperfections than would a smaller panel, therefore a 720p will appear inferior to a 1080p to the discerning eye, even with a lesser-definition source. So bite the bullet and get the better definition panel right at the outset, because when you eventually decide upon your preferred choice of source (HD or BluRay), at least you'll have made the right decision when building the foundations; in other words, you won't have to sell the second-best (and lose money on it) to get the best.
Buying 720 or `080p
by mrpaul - 10/7/07 3:10 AM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I work in a major electronics store. We have on display a Pioneer 50" in the 720P model as well as the 1080P model side by side. With a regular HD signal (1080I or 720P) there is absolutely no difference in picture quality. If you do not intend on buying either of the new dvd formats, you will not sacrifince ANY picture quality viewing the regular hd model. We have them side by side and it is obvious there is not a bit of difference in picture quality.
1080p vs. 720P
by Eardison - 10/7/07 9:09 AM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Since I have both models, 1080 in my family room and the 720 in my bedroom, I should be able to give you a fairly solid answer. I see virtually no difference when using the same model DVD player on both sets. Since the source is at 480, that's all the television can deliver. In fact, I cant see a difference when viewing regular HD programming from Brighthouse. I have a PS3, so I am able to play blu ray disks, and as noted, there is a huge difference between the two sets in 1080P. If i had to do it again, I would have purchased two 720's. Hope this helps.
Think long term
by ikhurana - 10/7/07 9:11 AM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You need to answer this question before you invest in flat panel TV..how long are you going to keep this TV? On average I would say these TVs are good for 10 years or so.I would buy 1080P now since prices have come down so much.And I would also buy 1080 up converting DVD player (for $90)to enjoy amazing picture now before breaking the bank.
Panasonic plasma TV
by synergy#1 - 10/7/07 10:11 AM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I was informed by TV sellers Best Buy and Circuit City that 1080 and the 720 models of Panasonic plasma TV's both are 1080p high definition. I have purchased the 720p 42" model of the Panasonic TV and my brother purchased the 1080p and side by side we cannot tell the difference.
Signals coming from Comcast cable are now in 720 and in the future all signals may be decoded by year 2009 because Comcast will produce a 1080 signal.
Our home has 3 flat screen TVs. We have a 32" Sony XBR-4 LCD, a 32" LCD no name that is 2 years old and a 1 week old, Panasonic Plasma TH-42PX75 (paid $1,100 in Best Buys) We looked for Product, Price and Options when we just purchased our Panasonic.
Also, we view our TV 10' away...If you view a TV closer you may notice a very slight difference but my brother, his 2 teenage sons and myself cannot...
1080p vs 720p
by almartz - 10/7/07 11:05 AM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Yves,
In your situation, you won't see any real improvement of one over the other. 480 is 480, and all an upconverter does is interpolate (make up)information to fill in the extra pixels.
However,there are still plenty of reasons to go with the highest resolution you can get. Just the over the air (digital) channels that are available (with more to come) will have lots of programming.
And, of course, when you do decide to go to hi-def dvd (whichever format wins) you will not regret having the best picture you can get.
AL
There's even MORE to consider for PC users.
by remford - 10/12/07 5:27 PM In reply to: 1080p vs 720p by almartzFor those using a PC with a large-screen HD display, most video cards will support beyond 1080, and the difference in screen real-estate and resolution for displaying just about ANYTHING, from games and photos to usable application space is quantum in nature. In addition to the benefits of hedging future development and any inherent benefits the higher resolution serves in general, there's a lot to be said for 1080 over 720 when using a PC.
yes & no
by ruggb - 10/7/07 8:37 PM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
you will see a big difference in the size of your wallet.
according to consumer reports, there is very little difference between the 700 and the 75 re PQ.
I personally have the 700, love it.
However, the way the furniture is arranged here my wife benefits and I don't.
A 1080P (700)is easily recognizable if you stand about 5 feet away. You can't see the pixels - at least I can't. YMMV.
A 720P (75) you lose the pixels at about 9 feet.
My seat is 11 feet away, my wife sets at about 6 feet.
All sets exhibit the same view. Try it the next time you are in the store.
Once the pixels blend together there is not much difference given other things being equal - which they mostly are between these two sets.
So the question is where is your eyes relative to the screen (feet)
If you can sit within 6-7 feet IMHO that is the best viewing position because of the bigness of the screen. Like being in the 30% seating in a theater.
And you can get the 700 for around $2500 now. The 75 is probably about $1400. but not in a B&M.
Don't waste your money
by PFreak - 10/8/07 3:04 AM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
DVD's will look fantastic even with composite cables as your TV will upconvert from those too. Not HD quality but good enough that you'll really second guess spending more than $50 on an HD DVD player. The difference in visual quality is almost zero, the human eye just can't see the difference...unless you want a 70" screen and plan on sitting two feet away. 1080p is a marketing rip off. Plus, besides DVD's, there is nothing to watch. No braodcasters transmit in 1080p and none are planning to for years due to bandwidth issues.
1080p TV shows full resolution for broadcasts in 1080i
by fisherpaulh - 10/12/07 6:11 PM In reply to: Don't waste your money by PFreakEven though no broadcasters transmit in 1080p, many, if not most, now transmit in 1080i. Even though 1080i refreshes at half the rate of 1080p, the pixel resolution is still the same. A 1080p TV will show roughly twice the number of pixels for a 1080i signal than a 720p TV. So it does make a difference as long as you are sitting close enough. It still may not be worth an extra $1,000.
1080i refresh rate?
by remmeler - 10/13/07 6:49 PM In reply to: 1080p TV shows full resolution for broadcasts in 1080i by fisherpaulhI have an older 1080i set that has what used to be called a line doubler. My Panasonic manual calls it a "progressive scan doubler" which de-interlaces the NTSC signal which the manual says allows you to not see the "venetian blind effect". It seems to me that this takes the most available 1080 signal available, which is 1080i and gives you the effect of displaying both sets of scans at once, which should be pretty close to 1080p quality if not exactly the same. I wonder if a 1080p set that receives a 1080i signal does the same?
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