HDTV Question: 1080P or 720P format?
I plan to buy a 60″ HDTV. Time Warner Cable (of which I am fond) tells me that their broadcast format is 1080i (for interlaced, as opposed to P for progressive scan). I don’t see many 1080i sets being advertised. I’m guessing that I should spend the extra $500 or so, and get a 1080P set. Any information about whether a 1080P set will give me a better picture would be appreciated.
Answer #1: 1080i capable vs 1080i native is not really different. For example when you watch football games, the majority of them will be 720P (progressive scan). Progressive scan is better with motion (football, videogames). 1080P is for HD DVDs and allegedly PS3 will use 1080P. I have an older Sony Grand Wega 50 in widescreen rear projection LCD. It’s native 720P, so it’s great for games. If HD DVDs are important to you, go with 1080P.
Answer #2: It should prepare you for future upgrades to the HD standard. I’m not 100% as up on this as I should be, but HD-DVD will be in 1080p, I believe. The satellite/cable/OTA HD feeds will lag behind this standard for a while. Most of those being 720p, and some being 1080i.
My set’s a couple years old and 1080i. If you’re going to buy now and keep it for 5-10 years (which is likely what an investment in a 60″ HDTV will be), then get the 1080p. The 1080p is the full spec: buy one now and you’re set for years. Also Sony has some 1080p HDTVs and I’d imagine other vendors do as well.
Many SXRD and Bravia sets are native 1080p, that’s why they cost upwards of 10K. Also, Microsoft has already said they’re making 1080p games, and while HDDVD is only 1080i, Blu Ray is 1080p. There are Sony native 1080p sets for sub-$3K at 50″, no less.
Answer #3: Microsoft can make all the 1080p games they want to and it wouldn’t mount up to a hill of beans. Besides, MS doesn’t make games only the game platform. IF EA Sports decides to make their games 720p Microsoft can’t do crap but complain. What is going to drive the market is TV programming and major studios movie release and as of now they are not going to. Movie studios don’t want to release 720p much less 1080p, and it ain’t going to happen for a while yet. A true 1080p receiver will cost thousands of dollars. Anything that sells for less than 3 thousand is not a true 1080p TV.
What they do to get 1080p is convert 1080i to 1080p in a process called up-converting. XBox 360 games are already on the shelf in 720p. Blu-Ray DVD’s currently support 1080p right now.
Answer #4: Who knows how long it will take until conventional programming over the satellite dish or via cable will produce true 1080p content, however. If it were up to me, my decision would be based on how far in the future I planned my next home theatre upgrade. I would argue that if someone would want to upgrade in another 5-6 years anyway that you would be better off saving the extra $$ now and wait at least until the second or third generation Blu-ray DVD players come out. That way you’d be closer to a window where conventional programming(not Blu-Ray DVD’s) might be available in 1080p.
Answer #5: You want 1080p: You can already see a difference. Go to a Tweeter store and have them explain to you the up conversion switching. I just bought a Sony 50″ 1080p and it’s the best TV I have ever seen. Circuit City is also a very good place to shop for TV’s right now lots of 10% off coupons out there and 24 months no interest financing. Stay away from Best Buy. 1080p is so awesome that I sold my 1080i 65″ Sony to trade up.
Answer #6: There are absolutely no television programs in production or planned for production for the 1080p format. DVD-HD and Bluray discs are upscaled to 1080p and in the future the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3 will have games in 1080p that can be played on those systems. However, as I implied that is a long way off. Currently the broadcasters doing sports in HD - the 4 networks, ESPN, TNT, FOX Regional Sports networks, YES, MSG, etc… have just gotten around to showing games and studio shows in 720p and 1080i, depending on the network. The market penetration of HD sets in these formats is still lagging, therefore 1080p is a long way off. Long enough away to buy a nice 720p or 1080i set and purchase a 1080p set when the format becomes standard.
Networks won’t be spending any money to provide 1080p with the digital deadline breathing down their neck. Also they need all the bandwidth they can get. 1080P is for games and DVD’s. If you don’t do that 720p or 1080i if very good. By the way,720p is supposedly the best for sports due to motion but the 1080i CBS college football telecasts blow away the Fox and ABC 720p. See for yourself.
Answer #7: I got a sony 50″ 1080×1920 lcd rear screen projection tv….both sports and dvd’s are stunningly detailed, it has great picture quality without the harshness of seeing the glass tube pixels you see with plasma. Since the biggest true lcd is still limited to 46″ the 50″ Sony is really a cinematic experience.