Home audio & video: Poll: Can you see the difference in picture quality...
- 12/12/07 4:30 PM
Make a Better comparison
by olderposter - 2/6/09 8:22 AM In reply to: 3 lines per degree??? by SoftDadCheck it out on a CRT.
The comparison method should be very specific
by chapff - 12/13/07 7:02 AM In reply to: Poll: Can you see the difference in picture quality... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The only way for the real difference to be noticeable by most people is by providing:
2 flat panel sets, same brand, exact same size, both lcd or both plasma
1 - 720p
1 - 1080p
2 different sources with the same movie or the same documentary:
1 - HD or BlueRay DVD 720p into the 720p flat panel
2 - HD or BlueRay DVD 1080p into the 1080p flat panel
Place both sets, side by side and try to play the exact same scenes:
First, stand 10 feet away. Then move closer, 7 feet; then closer 5 feet.
Track down when you start noticing the differences...
Yes, finally you will conclude that the 1080p combination (source and panel) DO show the movie with more perfection in the contours of images, practically zero catching of the small pixels (the matrix of little squares is almost invisible on a 1080p screen with a 1080p source).
However, if you sit and watch the whole movie in 720p (with the same sound quality) your experience as a whole might not be at all any different than if you had watched it on the 1080p set.
The question after the above experience is: the difference in cost between the 1080p experience and the 720p: is it worth the extra "investment"?
More on the comparison
by chapff - 12/13/07 7:12 AM In reply to: Poll: Can you see the difference in picture quality... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you need to decide between the 720p panel and the 1080p panel, you should also consider the fact that most of the source today is still less than 720p.
The existing DVD's and in countries outside the USA, TV stations and cable services are FAR from providing HDTV. So, if you will have to live watching a new investment in flat panel WITH lower resolution sources, your comparison should include the test of seeing exactly the same program or movie on the 1080p and on the 720p at the same time.
Here you will notice that the 720p image might be slightly less distorted, because the system MUST make up (invent, show from upgrade on the fly) for the missing information as it receives it from the SD source. The HD 720p (and 1080p even more) must fill in 720 pixels, but it is receiving only 480. So it must ADD from certain "logic" of extension the other 300 extra pixels. The 1080p panel must add 600 extra pixels! That is a lot of work and intelligence needed to make a good work, don't you think so?
It is aggravating to see an image on a panel you just paid a fortune for looking so bad compared to a regular old CRT you-know-what-brand TV set.
Guess this explains why...
by gcn9 - 12/13/07 7:22 AM In reply to: More on the comparison by chapffI really appreciate reading all of this information being flung back and forth. What a mess the TV manufacturers have helped put us in!
I guess this explains why (despite having lots of other high-tech toys), I still fall into the category of: I wouldn't know, I don't have an HDTV.
it's all about scaling
by froasier - 1/12/08 10:31 PM In reply to: More on the comparison by chapffThis is why you need to compare the quality of scaling in the TV, because a standard definition source can look great or horrible on a 720p OR 1080p TV, depending on the scaling quality. With same SD source, a 1080p TV will never be worse than a 720p TV of the same size unless the scaling is not as good. If your TV doesn't scale DVDs very well: get an upconverting (or at least progressive scan if it isn't already) DVD player and connect it with component or HDMI; OR use your computer to play movies, connected with VGA and set to the proper resolution.
Also you seem to be confused about the numbers. 720p is not 720 pixels--it's 720 horizontal lines, each of which has 1280 pixels--hence 720p means a resolution of 1280x720. Likewise, 1080p is 1920x1080. Therefore scaling involves filling in both the extra lines, and the extra width of each line. You seem to have the overall concept right though.
SO, if you could choose
by nomore801 - 1/29/08 9:26 PM In reply to: it's all about scaling by froasierbetween the PioneerKuro PDP4280HD (plasma 720p), Panasonic TH42PZ700U or the Mitsubishi LT-40134 40" LCD, leaning back, watching some ESPN sports (my sportsaholic son deserves better than our 14 year old 50 in
dinosaur), and much NY cable (HBO etc) and Bluray/HiDef...where would you go? It is a bedroom set 5 to 10 feet away (adjustable) and ,for awhile, the best & largest one in the house....Sorry to bother you.. Thanks.
Too much information
by Irelands child - 12/13/07 10:06 AM In reply to: Poll: Can you see the difference in picture quality... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Call me a flat earth society/luddite - I don't watch enough commercial ridden, moronic sitcomm, crummy 'D' movies, reality TV to have more then the bare bones set-up. And yes, I do understand that my 2 Toshiba's are starting to get fuzzy around the edges(good grief, they're only 10 and 7 years old) and something will have to replace them since CRT's have gone the way of the gooney bird so I'll buy the barest bones/price driven TVs.
(now about my Blackberry/Bluetooth/lap top/cell with email, text, web surfing, etc/my book reader/my desktop with 8G ram, 750G HD,Blue-Ray,CD-R/RW, DVD+-R/Digital camera/Digital Photo frame/my new fly by wire P/U truck/etc, etc, etc where does it end??)
Poll: Picture quality
by morninglory - 12/13/07 10:59 AM In reply to: Poll: Can you see the difference in picture quality... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
This may be slightly off topic but here goes. When I paid my TimeWarner
cable/Roadrunner bill today I asked the CSR the difference between Digital and HD TV. She did a fair job of explaining it; then when I got outside the lady who was next to me in line told me that I do NOT need an HDTV to get HD quality; she said she uses the converter box on a 30-year old TV and the picture quality is just about equal to an HDTV. The converter box is about $15.00 a month. I was planning to upgrade to HDTV but now I'm re-thinking it, at least until 2009. Does anyone have any comments or thoughts on this? Thanks a bunch and MERRY CHRISTMAS to Cnet.
Betsy
Digital is not HDTV
by samkh - 12/13/07 12:46 PM In reply to: Poll: Picture quality by morningloryCannot get HD picture on a SDTV set. BUT if you can continue to tolerate your set (and why not since you've had it for eons) don't buy until it dies. If you move or downsize your abode, consider a plasma or LCD TV since they take up less space and generally look snazzier. The lady who opined to you probably never compared a SD vs. HD picture side-by-side.
Reply to Samkh
by morninglory - 12/13/07 1:56 PM In reply to: Digital is not HDTV by samkhThanks for the info; MY TV is not that old, maybe 8 years and has a pretty good picture. The lady who told me about the converter has the 30-some year old TV. They have a HDTV in the lobby at TWC and she said her picture (with the converter box) is nearly as good as the one at TWC. I don't watch that much TV anyway but the better 1/2 is a TRUE couch potato who won't miss a NASCAR race or NFL game unless there is an emergency in the family or the house is on fire. LOL! Also, to get true HD doesn't the program have to be broadcast in HD?
Yes
by samkh - 12/14/07 10:37 AM In reply to: Reply to Samkh by morningloryto get HD picture on your HDTV, the program content has to be HD and the signal carrying the program to TV set is digital. TWC launched HD earlier this year but not in all regions so I'm still seeing SD-TWC. SD programming on digital signal (via cable) looks better on my old tube than on an HDTV. So if the TWC lobby only has SD content (can't imagine why they would start an HD service but not display HD in their lobby) it would explain why she thinks her converterbox/SDTV combo looks as good as HDTV.
If you get a chance, check out a PBS HD program http://www.pbs.org/digitaltv/ but hang onto your money tightly. It will forever change your opinion on which format you would rather watch.
Depents on what tv I am looking @
by givemeaname - 12/13/07 11:48 AM In reply to: Poll: Can you see the difference in picture quality... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
On my 50a2000 720p (OTA) looks softer compared to 1080i. From 1080i to 1080p, I do see some diffrences & am almost sure that is the progressive image that gives it a 'better' image.
On my Sony HD CRT 720p (OTA) looks better then 1080i.
My LCD does not have a OTA tuner so I can't hooked that up too comparied.
difference ?....you must be blind not to see it.
by tehahn1 - 12/13/07 12:40 PM In reply to: Poll: Can you see the difference in picture quality... by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have a Panasonic 42 inch, I put it on 720 and its not crisp compared to 1080.
My cousin saved money and got a Mitsubishi 42 inch. It has 720.
We both have directv with HD stations.
But 720 doesnt compare to 1080 when you use HD stations.
But.....He is happy with his.....I am happy with mine.
And that is the bottom line.
Not sure who's blind here?
by astrobuf - 12/13/07 12:56 PM In reply to: difference ?....you must be blind not to see it. by tehahn1Blind?
HDTV is broadcast at 720p for the most part. A few stations do broadcast at 1080i, but the Image Quality is inferior for all but stationary or slow moving images.
There is and will not be any 1080p broadcast.
Astrobuf
not true.
by chadmak09 - 12/13/07 8:29 PM In reply to: Not sure who's blind here? by astrobufActually most cable HD (in my area at least) is delivered in 1080i and I am pretty sure that one of the leading HD carriers (direct TV, who is going to have a huge HD channel lineup by year end) is also 1080i. Not to mention blu-ray or HD-DVD will be 1080p. 720p will be a thing of the past soon I think. Most top LCDs are 1080p now and it looks like most new plasmas are the same way.
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