HDTV

[compnerd4]

???

[dsigma6]

I would've gone with 720p before I looked further into the matter, as I used to work with TV's and progressive scan is the way to go. If it's a huge TV, I think 1080i would give a better picture, as it has a higher pixel count.

I just found this article and it should give you some good info:
http://www.vxm.com/Progvsinter.html

Google, my friend.

[jdhurst]

Somewhere I read that 720 was faster (i.e., for sports and action), although obviously the 1080 is higher resolution.

Where I have looked, 1080 is only available on large TV's (too large for me). Given that laptop screens can do high resolution, I don't see why a 27 - 30 inch TV cannot do 1080. But I have not seen such in stores near me.

I can't put my head around lifespan either. My current 27 inch SONY is 18 years old and is well past it. Anything I have read suggests LCD TV screen technology won't last that long.

So I remain sitting on the fence. ... JDH

[furrycute]

Very informative article link.

[ptantra]

I can't put my head around lifespan either. My current 27 inch SONY is 18 years old and is well past it. Anything I have read suggests LCD TV screen technology won't last that long.

So I remain sitting on the fence. ... JDH

Everytime I look at HDTVs in local stores, I always see pixelation. Not constant, but at least once every couple of minutes. Is that because of the low quality feed the stores use? Or is pixelation a reality for HDTVs? Personally, I'd rather stick with not-as-clear analog rather than see pixelation as pixelation is far more distracting.

[jdhurst]

<snip>
Everytime I look at HDTVs in local stores, I always see pixelation. Not constant, but at least once every couple of minutes. Is that because of the low quality feed the stores use? Or is pixelation a reality for HDTVs? Personally, I'd rather stick with not-as-clear analog rather than see pixelation as pixelation is far more distracting.

I get pixelation with standard TV using Rogers in Canada. I have talked to them and they are clueless in the extreme. This is one more thing that has me sitting on the fence. My venerable old SONY is adequate, long long since paid for and doesn't make me angry that I invested a truckload of greenbacks for technology that suffers the same defects as what I have.

Pixelation is the result of incompetent technology at the sending end (I had my house and to the street rewired with digital/RG6 cable) and if affects analog and digital much the same from what I have seen.
... JDH

[Stargate199]

My vote is for 720p. There are very few HD content that is truly 1080i/p resolution. It is sort of buying a computer with two separate (not two cores) processors. Very few programs can make use of two CPUs. So why spend your money on something that you may not need? Now as HD evolves, there will be more 1080i/p native content, but most HD content you can get (TV, movies, etc) are really in 720 (or even worse 480 upscaled to 720).

[skitty4gzus]

720p is the best bet for now until 1080p is more widely used. 1080i just doesn't cut for the majority of tv viewing unless you like artifacts. I guess its tough to see on a 30" or smaller set, but put that image on a 92" or 106" screen and you will be amazed. Even the nicest sets have trouble with artifacts on 1080i. We had a 50" Marantz and it is arguably at the top of the food chain for plasma sets and it had trouble. As far as what is the best set. If you have a dark enough room than a CRT type projector is the best as far as true video reproduction. There just isnt another technology as of right now that can tough the black levels of a nice 3 cannon CRT projecto. There are some nice 3 chip DLP's and JVC has a 3 chip DILA which is nice too, but still not as good. Of course it takes super expensive processors and scalers to get it that nice. DLP's are nice, but viewing angle is a problem with them IMO. Unless you are looking almost perfectly straight on them there will be dark areas! Ive been out of it for a couple years now, but if technology is still going the same way than basically an LCD is nicer technology than a plasma, bearing you can get an LCD in the size you want(anything larger than 30"). The other problem that i hope is getting straightened out is the tuner's in cable/receiver boxes. The digital tuners are ok, and the HD's tuner's are getting better, but a couple years ago Analog tuner's were just miserable. The analog tuner in the Scientific Atlanta boxes were pathetic and people with $12,000.00 Marantz 50" plasmas, at the time, were EXTREMELY displeased with the offerings from the cable company.

[tomh009]

I get pixelation with standard TV using Rogers in Canada. I have talked to them and they are clueless in the extreme. This is one more thing that has me sitting on the fence. My venerable old SONY is adequate, long long since paid for and doesn't make me angry that I invested a truckload of greenbacks for technology that suffers the same defects as what I have.

Pixelation is the result of incompetent technology at the sending end (I had my house and to the street rewired with digital/RG6 cable) and if affects analog and digital much the same from what I have seen.
... JDH

It's compression, pure and simple. JD, if you're seeing it on Rogers analog as well (I have their digital), then I suspect Rogers has switched to using digital for their intermediate transmissions, and is just converting back to analog for the "last mile" to your house.

[jdhurst]

<snip>
It's compression, pure and simple. JD, if you're seeing it on Rogers analog as well (I have their digital), then I suspect Rogers has switched to using digital for their intermediate transmissions, and is just converting back to analog for the "last mile" to your house.

I had assumed something like that, however, in our geographic area, I have analog and my daughter has digital, and both suffer from pixelation.

And even if we know why, the viewing experience has deteriorated over the years.

Rogers also suggested better wiring (RG6 cable) would eliminate the problem but it hasn't, so I suspect their "last mile" is in pretty sad shape.
... JDH

[dsigma6]

There are some nice 3 chip DLP's and JVC has a 3 chip DILA which is nice too, but still not as good.

The DILA looks bad in a well lit room!

[skitty4gzus]

ive only seen the DILA through a projector in our theater, and back to my last post. They have to be viewed in an almost black room. As far as JVC's DILA set, ive never seen that, but than again that was almost 3 years ago. I thought the projector version was alright, but at almost 15K retail theres no way i would have got one for myself. BenQ 8800 or whatever it is now is a nice projector for half of that. Single chip DLP's are really getting nicer and they have a nice price point too that most folks looking to get a projector can get into.