HDTV Help

Geod

So, I've decided to retire my 10 year old 13" tv. I'd like to get a new LCD HDTV, one that will last me awhile. Right now, I'm thinking around 37", but really no bigger than 40", but no smaller than 32". I'm in a 1 bedroom apartment, so I don't want a huge one. My limit to spend is around $1500. I have some knowledge of HD stuffs, but nowhere near as some people.

How important/necessary is it to get 1080p?

Any models that anyone can suggest? I've been looking at Sharp Aquos lately. I want the best tv I can get for the price. Any other suggestions or help would be appreciated too. I know I should get one that has an internal tuner or whatever, right? Thanks!

rannelvis

1080p is highly overrated imho, especially if you're not going bigger than 40". Plus, the only things that put out 1080p are bluray/ps3 and the xbox360. over the air hd, directv hd, and cable hd are mostly in 1080i, although some are broadcasting in 720p. furthermore, it is important to see, if you decide you need a tv that displays 1080p, that the native resolution is indeed 1080. a lot of hdtvs proudly claim that they can output 1080i, but the native resolution is actually 720 and they use upscalers to display a 1080 picture.

the most important thing to consider when upgrading to HDTV is what media and players you currently own. I found out the hard way that I had to discontinue my directv, get digital cable, and buy a new dvd player, just to enjoy my new tv. standard definition looks like crap now.

Geod

I was told that 1080i basically equals 720p. Is that correct, or basically what's the difference between 1080p and 1080i?

rannelvis

Geod wrote: »

I was told that 1080i basically equals 720p. Is that correct, or basically what's the difference between 1080p and 1080i?

the i or p stands for interlaced or progressive.

in a 1080i setup, there are 1080 rows of pixels, 540 being displayed at a time. first you see every odd row, then every even row. in a 1080p setup, you will see all 1080 lines displayed at a time. progressive is better for motion.

in some cases, depending on your setup, 720p will be superior to 1080i. for example, I have a phillips 5960 upscaling dvd player. When I put in my alias season 1 episode 1 dvd, the very first scene has all kinds of weird artifacts due to the low light used in the scene, making it difficult to watch. by switching to 720p, the artifacts are removed. this is primarily a flaw in the upscaler of the dvd, but the difference is quite noticeable.

meeker

Geod wrote: »

I was told that 1080i basically equals 720p. Is that correct, or basically what's the difference between 1080p and 1080i?

It is the number of scan lines and the way they are presented in the picture.


Think of it this way:

1_________________________________
2_________________________________
1_________________________________
2_________________________________
x720

This would be 720i (interlaced). The 1's would be sent to the screen all at once and the 2's would be miliseconds later.





1_________________________________
2_________________________________
3_________________________________
4_________________________________
x1080

This would be 1080p (progressive.) They are significantly different in the way they display pictures. Interlaced has more of a flicker to it. As the number of lines crammed on a screen increases, the picture improves.

This is leaving out more advanced stuff (upscaling, native resolution, etc.)

Philodox

WRT 1080i vs 1080 p

My understanding is almost all 1080p tvs these days convert 1080i at 60 frames per second, to 1080p at 30 frames per second.


I have a Sharp Aquos 46" LCD tv and I love it. It ranks near the top for picture quality from the reviews I've read.

taliosfalcon

very few people can tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on a tv under 42", so your probably better off just saving the cash and going with a 720p/1080i upscaling set