Big Screen TV's... need some tips

I don't know much about HDTV's but after doing a bit of research I found a few articles that had helpful info:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/29221
http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/null/8807

These two articles talk about the size of the TV, 720p vs. 1080p, and if the 1080p upgrade is really worth it.

Claims that very few consumers can actually tell the difference between 720p and 1080p. Also that upgrading from a 720p model to a similar 1080p model could add another 50% to the price, for the limited benefits it gives. One more thing I found interesting was this:

"You might be surprised: If you sit a normal distance from your TV, (say, 10 to 15 feet) you'll need a fairly large set before even basic HDTV quality starts to become noticeable. At 15 feet away, you need a 45-inch set to see any of the benefit of 720p and nearly an 80-inch set for 1080p to make a difference. I don't know about you, but an 80-inch plasma isn't currently in my budget."

It's only one source, so take it for what it's worth, but it seems many people are buying the latest and greatest without actually understanding the benefits, if any, from a 1080p set.

Who the heck sits 15 feet away from their TV? Up until recently that was near impossible if you played any kind of video game consoles.

monoprice.com has the cheapest DVI and HDMI cords and adapters that I have found :gj:

Hi,

I asked a tech savvy mate and he said to hold off unless you really need to buy a TV as the next generation of upscaling is coming out at the end of the year.

Since the vast majority of contect out there is SD not HD then that could be a really large factor in your enjoyment.

Can any of you professional gentlemen give me the skinny on upscaling?


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Can any of you professional gentlemen give me the skinny on upscaling?

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I'm no expert, but from what I gather, upscaling is more or less a sham. You can't make a non-HD signal SD. Either the information is there or not. But maybe if they have next generation coming out, there might be some way for it to "guess" what the HD would look like or something, but I don't know.

Wow! I have really learned from this thread. Thanks to all of you!

Important facts from a cheapskate- On a TV screen of less than 42" you can't see the difference in picture quality between a 720 pixel and a 1080 pixel. Don't waste the money.The place with the lowest price is probably www.tigerdirect.com for a refurbished TV. Ordinarily www.Costco.com or www.samsclub.com have the best deals on a new one. Somebody that you know has a membership if you don't have one.