Community Newsletter: Q&A: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p
- 10/18/07 11:01 PM
720 vs. 1080
by Wired66 - 10/13/07 1:01 PM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Well the main thing is going to be your budget. If you’re on a tighter budget just buy what you can afford, but if you can afford the 1080p I would recommend getting it for several reasons. First talk about the format issue between BlueRay and HDDVD. If you happen to have an XBOX 360 you can add on an HDDVD player for around $200 so that might help you go to HDDVD and the 1080p Plasma. Also HDDVD is backwards compatible meaning you can play all your regular DVD's and CD's. If you don't have that many DVD's then the Blue Ray may seem more appealing. What's another $200 when your spending so much on the screen in the first place. Otherwise, I would suspect that like most of us your waiting for the prices drop down a little on the HDDVD/BLUE RAY DVD players. In the near future, these players will drop down below $200 and will be easy to acquire. Second, if you go with the Plasma 1080p your going to be ready to go and remember your going to have your TV for a lot longer of a time span compared to your other electronics. There's no reason to assume that you won't be able to get good use of your 1080p plasma over the next 10 years. A 720p will be less useful for a shorter period of time compared to the 1080i/720p screen. By useful I mean it will still work, just like my 480i tube I have in my bedroom, but your not necessarily going to want to watch your favorite movies on it. Of course in 10 years we'll be watching Super HD 2160p. Currently we only have 1080i720p cable or SAT services but content providers could add on a True HD format in the very near future so I wouldn't use the HDDVD/BlueRay decision as a factor for deciding what screen to go with. Finally, I would like to mention that you’re going to be able to use your 1080p screen as a huge computer monitor and still have the clarity that your accustomed to having on your desktop monitor. I only mention this because the future of home entertainment is moving in the direction of convergence. By that I mean your TV will also have the capability to surf the net, check your e-mail and update a spreadsheet in a separate window. In ways we can do this already, but where going to see this as an integrated service in the future and you won't have to be a techie to have it. Okay so I went into another area but it's all related because you’re asking us about the plasma screen so of course go the with the 1080p if you can afford it. If you can't, or it's going to make your budget tight then just get the 1080i/720p screen. I don't agree with the other assessments of the size of the screen having to do with the differences between screen resolutions. I suppose my advice sounds simple but basically if you’re really asking if there is a difference in clarity between a 1080p and 720p screen the answer is yes when you're watching content that is 1080p like your computer signal or HDDVD/BlueRay. Is 1080p a good deal at the moment? No! So if you’re looking for a great deal get the 1080i/720p, but don't complain about it later when the HDDVD/Blue Ray players are selling for $100.
Using 1080p as a computer monitor
by remmeler - 10/13/07 7:38 PM In reply to: 720 vs. 1080 by Wired66I hope you are monitoring this discussion. You said,
"you’re going to be able to use your 1080p screen as a huge computer monitor and still have the clarity that your accustomed to having on your desktop monitor."
A regular 1080p set has a resolution of 1920 x 1080, A 30" computer monitor has a resolution of 2560 x 1600. If you have a 37", 42", or 47" monitor displaying a resolution of 1920 x 1080 the computer screen is not going to look very good. Some 1080p sets do have a higher resolution when hooked to a computer but most don't, so look at the specs carefully.
hdtv
by rinoa1 - 10/14/07 2:34 AM In reply to: Using 1080p as a computer monitor by remmeleri have a 50 inch and i tried it and it don't look that good.
Yes it's not better than a higher end monitor
by Wired66 - 10/17/07 10:15 PM In reply to: Using 1080p as a computer monitor by remmelerActually most computer graphics look great at 1920 x 1080. For example, many LCD projectors even look good at 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 I've done many multimedia presentations using those formats so I wouldn't discount my point so harshly. Of course a very large PC monitor is going to have more pixels than a 1920 x 1080 HD monitor and it's going to look even better, but I wasn't implying that an HD 1080p was the ultimate display in the world. I was just pointing out that it certainly has a longer longevity in usefulness than a 720p/1080i display.
reply to: My graphic presentation looks good at 1920 x 1080
by remmeler - 10/22/07 7:00 AM In reply to: Yes it's not better than a higher end monitor by Wired66This is in reply to:
Actually most computer graphics look great at 1920 x 1080.
I actually agree with the above statement, but other than presentations, most use the computer to go through menus and text to get to where they want to go and then look at something and go somewhere else or use the internet or email. If you want to use it for graphic and pictures ok. If you want to use it like a computer, the sceen will not be very good.
Many factors to consider.
by Pannylover4ever - 10/13/07 7:44 PM In reply to: 720 vs. 1080 by Wired66Wired66 makes some interesting points but I got a little lost in some of his reasons to choose one or another.
In plasma screens you have either 720P or 1080P. There is no 720P/1080i screen. You either de-interlace 1080i/60 for 1080P/30 or you de-interlace and downscale 1080i/60 to 720P/30. 720P/60 needs no conversion on the 720P screen but needs up-conversion/scaling to fit the 1080P screen..
The plasma and LCD screens have one fixed native resolution and all material is scaled to fit its native resolution.
Assuming someone is buying a screen for 10 years, considering the fact that there is no 1080P material besides HD Dvd's (including Blue-ray) and videogames, there is no future proofing here. Future 1080P broadcasts will need to be in MPEG4 format (due to the huge bandwidth required) that no screen supports now anyways, will have a different HDMI standard, and you might have a flying car in your driveway before any of it arrives.
The resolution to screen size ratio is very relevant since a 42" screen with 480P will look the same as a 50" screen with 720P, and 58" screen with 1080P even viewed close up since the size and spacing of the pixels will be about the same.
The future proofing we are talking about here is expensive with few apparent benefits. You are trying to buy tomorrows technology at todays prices.
Here is an example of why future proofing doesn't work.
When I bought my 42" screen a year and a half ago Panasonic Pro 50" 720P screens were $3k and 42" 720P were about $1800. If I would have future proofed myself, I would have spent $3k for 50" 720P.
In just a year and a half, I can now buy a 50" Panasonic Pro 1080P for $2300 and a 58" Panasonic 1080P for $3700 (the 58" 720P is $1900).
The Panasonic 50" 1080P is actually $500 cheaper than the 50" 720P was just last year.
So my recommendation is to buy the Panasonic PH10UK Pro 50" 720P for about $1300 now. If you end up desiring a 1080P screen a year or two from now because you got a HD DVD player, XBox or PS3, you will be able to buy a nice 50" 1080P for about $1300 and a nice 58" 1080P for about $2k.
So why pay a premium now for something you might need in the future and can buy for half the price when the time comes?
I could now upgrade my 42" I bought for just over $1k a year and a half ago without any regrets. I think I would be kicking myself if I had tried to future proof myself and bought the 50" 720P for $3k and now wanted something bigger or better.
Get the 50" 720P today, if you want the 1080P later it will be a lot cheaper next year. Its not worth the $1k premium for something you can't even see from your couch.
Nothing bought today will be future proof 5 years from now, let alone 10.
good points about the pricing
by Geekapoo - 10/13/07 9:52 PM In reply to: Many factors to consider. by Pannylover4everBuy a 1080p at a 25-30% premium now or get what has great value now (720p) and get the latest and greatest in features in 5 years when you can actually take full advantage of the features. To boot, invest right and that 25-30% you save will be worth even more....
An aside, all this talk of 1080p vs 720p reminds me of the megapixil wars for digital cameras. If you don't have a really big screen )or are making a large print).....YOU DON'T NEED THE EXTRA RESOLUTION...as you will not see the difference.
HDTV
by rinoa1 - 10/14/07 2:32 AM In reply to: Many factors to consider. by Pannylover4everI BOUGHT A PANASONIC PH 50PX50U VIERA 2 YEARS AGO AND IT COST 7K AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE PIXELS AS YOU SAY.THE GAMES LOOK GREAT AND DVD ARE GREAT.I DON'T UNDESTAND TO MUCH 720 AND 1080i.all i nkow it looks good and the sound system i have is like being in theater.
HDTV
by classicride72 - 10/14/07 3:09 AM In reply to: HDTV by rinoa1Don't mean to throw a monkey wrench into the pot but why is DLP HD Projection TV not mentioned in this discussion? Is there no one that considers it to be a worthwhile consideration? I don't own one but have seen some darn good looking Sonys and Mitsubishis over 50" in showrooms.
Bob
Re:HDTV
by Pannylover4ever - 10/14/07 8:05 PM In reply to: HDTV by rinoa1In response to rinoa1 above.
You must have misunderstood most of my answer so I'll clarify my point. A 50" 720P looks almost identical to a 50" 1080P at 8' as I have stated before, especially using Cable and SAT sources.
My point was more directed to the size preference. I bought a 42" instead of a 50" because at the time, I could have bought two 42" screens for less than one 50". I am very happy with my choice since my TV room is not very big and I only sit about 7' from the screen.
But if I would prefer a 50" or bigger screen now or in the future, I can today buy a 720P 50" screen for about $1300 (plus s/h) or a 1080P screen for about $2500 (plus s/h).
That means I could have a 42" and a 50" screen and still have money left over by waiting 18 months comparing to a single 50" screen.
For about $7k today you can buy a 65" 1080P screen. I am not criticizing your choice, you got an excellent screen and are very happy with it, but 18 months ago 58" 720P screens were about $6k.
My point is more toward the "future proofing" concept that many people have mentioned. Buying something more than you need today is not a very cost effective or a very smart choice for Mr. Yves L that asked the question, because he is not planning to use any 1080P sources anytime soon.
If he chooses to do so in the future, he can add that choice at any time for a much less than today and have money left over. And by waiting, the screens are less, the players are less, the movies will be less, and the transition will be cheaper and easier.
So my point was, buy what you need today. What you need in the future will be be much better and much cheaper than today when the time comes.
I think most people here would agree that the amount of material available in 1080P in either format is still very limited. With two dueling formats, the dual format players cost around $1k. You can buy one of each format players for less than that, but I don't think that is what most people want.
So unless someone is buying a 58" or larger screen, (or has a small room and sits closer to the screen than 2x screen size) the 1080P price premium simply doesn't appear to be worth it.
Other Considerations
by bnlpp - 10/15/07 7:14 PM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think there have been plenty of technical posts as to why to chose 720 or 1080p. Personally, I think there are other important considerations -
Is this a primary or secondary set? Even if primary, can your future budget likely allow you to choose the 720p now and purchase a 1080p later - perhaps 3-5 years in the future? That may work given your decision not to enter the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray battle. In this regard, the paltry HD/Blu-ray content is reason enough to wait a little longer.
What size room and how far away will viewers be seated? This is eluded to in a number of posts due to technical, physical and even physiological considerations. This is important, so appropriately weight this in your decision criteria.
Are you going to be in your current residence for a long time? If you expect to be moving within the next couple of years, you may not know how large a room you will be using, etc. This uncertainty (in addition to other risks) may require that you perform some sort of risk adjustment to your planned budget for the TV.
How urgently do you need to make this decision to purchase? I ask this because I'll bet you will find a 1080p deal sometime between now and January 2008 that will significantly narrow the cost differential you see today.
Good luck and I'm sure you will enjoy whatever you choose.
BluRay display at Best Buy...
by Geekapoo - 10/20/07 9:45 AM In reply to: HDTV buying advice: 720p vs. 1080p by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
They had an interesting Sony display at Best Buy. BluRay played from a Playstation to a 42 inch screen. One half of the screen was 1080p HD and the other half the video you'd see with a standard DVD. From my regular viewing distance (10-12 feet), I could not easily distinguish any difference between the images. However as I moved close to the set the differences were clear and at times quite striking. Anyone interested in 1080p/720p should check this out.....I assume other stores will have it. My conculsion? If a gamer (and sitting close to the screen), BluRay (or any HD of that nature is amazing). If you have a 42 inchers or smaller and not a gamers, don't bother with 1080p....you ain't gonna get much bang for the buck unless you sti quite close to the TV.
Do the experiment...check out the sony playstation display at a store near you.
Peace out.
Geekapoo
Re: BluRay vs SD DVD...
by Pannylover4ever - 10/20/07 6:08 PM In reply to: BluRay display at Best Buy... by GeekapooI think that is many ways validates the point between 720P and 1080P. If you play 480i vs 1080P and are having problems seeing much difference 10 feet away, you will see even less difference closer up between 720P and 1080P.
The ultimate comparison is between BluRay played on a 720P screen and a 1080P 42" screen side by side. You would be hard pressed to see much difference unless you got 3-4 feet away.
The bigger the screen however, the further away you can see the difference, which again is a major reason why the 1080P was mostly intended for the larger screens (60" up), where it makes the most difference.
Re: BluRay vs SD DVD...
by Geekapoo - 10/20/07 7:13 PM In reply to: Re: BluRay vs SD DVD... by Pannylover4everWell, I buy it 100% now.....anyone in doubt should call their local electronics store and see if the Sony Playstation BluRay/Standard DVD demo is set up.Note that I'm not saying 1080p BluRay isn't amazing.....but even with a BluRay+1080p, you can't distinguish the difference if the screen size/distance is not right.....of course unless you have mutant eyes (though should note mine are lens corrected to 20/20)
Geekapoo
no offense but...
by TechieAJ - 10/22/07 2:46 PM In reply to: Re: BluRay vs SD DVD... by Pannylover4everyou must need glasses. i can tell the difference in Tvs the moment i walk in the store. 780 and 1080 is a big difference. and if you plan on going with blu-ray, then you will want 1080(i), not 1080(p). it works with 1080p, but looks better with 1080i.
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