720p vs 1080p
Is 1080p worth the extra money? Do I miss something if I buy a plasma TV that is just 720p? What are the differences between 720p vs 1080p and which one is better for me? I will answer these questions in this guide and more than just telling you what are the differences between 720p and 1080p I will actually show you so you see with your own eyes. This is a guide where the expression “an image is worth a thousand words” applies perfectly.
A Visual Comparison of 720p vs 1080p
Nice stuff first! The following images are screenshots from the 1080p version of The Matrix. The images have been manipulated on computer in order to closely depict the differences of 720p vs 1080p. The 1080p part of the image is a 100% crop from the original, while the 720p part is made by resizing the 1080p frame to 720p, cropping the region and then resizing to have the same size as the first image. Note that depending on the particular HDTV model used, you may experience slightly better or worse quality. This is because each HDTV model has its specific image processing system that offers slightly different results.
The first image set is to be viewed from where you normally sit when you use your computer (2 to 3 feet away). It was made to look optimally for 1080p crop at this distance. You will notice that certain areas of the 720p parts don’t look as good as the 1080p versions. But, if you make a step behind you will see they both look the same and you can’t make the difference anymore.
1080p Offers More Detail
A 720p frame has roughly about 1 million pixels. Compared to it, a 1080p frame has 2 million pixels. As you see, the amount of detail doubles. However in practice the difference between 1080p vs 720p is not as obvious as the one between standard definition vs high definition (480p vs 720p). For example a regular DVD isn’t even considered high definition because it is either 720×480 (NTSC) or 720×576 (PAL) but it looks much better than regular NTSC or PAL TV broadcasts and not as great as 720p. That being said, you do get more detail from 1080p than from any resolution if you have the “winning” formula for screen size, resolution and viewing distance – that is if you have the optimum conditions to get the most out of 1080p.
Screen Size, Resolution and Viewing Distance
This trio is the base for obtaining the best picture quality and amount of detail from your HDTV. There is a relation between the three and if you get them right you will get the best picture quality no matter if you choose 720p vs 1080p or you decide to go for the extra detail offered by 1080p. Unless you have the correct numbers for these three sizes, you can end up seeing the same detail from 1080p as you would from 720p. Worse than that, you might even get a poor experience from 720p and a very bad one from standard definition (SD) content like many TV programs.
Basically, you want to buy a HDTV that offers you the best picture quality and amount of detail for the specific distance you will be sitting away. The viewing distance is actually a constant because you will always sit at the same distance (unless, of course, you move your chair or coach closer). The screen size and resolution depend on your budget. The larger the screen and resolution is, the higher the price will be.
In order to get the extra detail from 1080p, the screen size must be big enough and the distance short enough for your eyes to actually see the extra detail. Basically, unless you have a very short distance between you and the TV, you will need a larger screen with 1080p than with 720p. That means in order to actually benefit from 1080p you pay not just for the extra resolution but also for the extra screen size.
720p vs 1080p Content
The only pure 1080p content comes from high definition DVDs like Blue Ray and HD DVD. Regular DVDs are way below that, hawing just 480p or 576p. You also get HD content from TV broadcasts but for now only 1080i and 720p. Basically 1080i offers pretty much the same amount of detail as 1080p but the quality of fast moving scenes is a bit inferior to 1080p. To understand this better read the 1080p vs 1080i guide. 720p content will of course look the same (or very similar) on a 1080p screen as it does on a 720p screen because what also matters is the content resolution not just the screen resolution.
Enhanced definition (EDTV) like DVDs and standard definition content (regular TV channels) will also look the same on 720p vs 1080p. You must keep in mind that if you intend to watch a lot of standard definition (SD) content, doing so on 1080p HDTV that sits at the optimal distance for 1080p content will make the SD content absolutely ugly. In this case the TV will act like a magnifying glass, enhancing the imperfections specific to SD content. If you intend to watch a lot of ED or SD content you might want to consider buying a TV that will not give you the full advantage of 1080p but will look acceptable with SD and ED content.
1080p Is the Best You Can Get
If you do get the right size of TV for your viewing distance and you watch true 1080p content, 1080p is unmatched and will look amazing. It will look much better than 720p seen from 720p’s optimal distance and you will see detail like never before on a TV. Add to that the great quality of the colors and contrast offered by the top plasma TVs and you have the best visual experience you can get. Fail to get the right screen size for your viewing distance and you will only spend money for something you can’t benefit from.
What about 728p vs 1080p?
728p is an incorrect alias of 720p. Because native resolutions of HDTVs are not all the same, some panels having the vertical resolution of 720 pixels while others (most) have 728 pixels, manufacturers prefer to advertise the content resolution that matches the screen native resolution instead of the actual horizontal and vertical resolution of the screen itself. Some actually prefer to just label them as Full-HD or HD-Ready because it’s easier to remember by consumers. So basically because 728p means just 28 more pixels vertically, the discussion applies to it as well.
Resolution Guides:
- Plasma TV & HDTV Resolution
- 720p vs 1080p
- 1080p vs 1080i
Loading ...
this is all very interesting stuff. I almost got a 1080p the other day but held off for a while. I have been thinking that i wont be buying any blue ray discs though i may rent them. Also i guess by still installing a blue ray player my older dvd’s should still be enchanced. So the question begs, i was only going to pay around the $2800 mark and looking at a 50” plasma. Would i be better off buying what was a very good type back 6 months ago in 720p which i may get around the $1700-1900 mark and still have money left over to buy a blue ray or a dvd recorder.Will i be really losing that much quality for the extra money it would cost. Are you able to recommend a 50” plasma of the 720 p with still a good picture. My viewing distance is , one lounge seat is about 2.7-2.8 metres and the main one is around the 3.8-3.9 metres. At this stage i am looking at a older [ 720p panasonic] model not sure what i can get. If i still decide on 1080p looking at either panasonic pz800 or samsung 650. Wondering what pioneer’s are around of the 720p in 50” that i may still pick up at a good price. any advise would be appreciated.
cheers Joe
@Joe djakovac:
You can see which are the best 720p plasma TVs on the homepage. The 50″ 720p one is last in the list (on the 50″ tab). I don’t think you can find 720p Pioneer models anymore. All manufacturers went 1080p (those Panasonic 720p models are not from this year). To find out if 1080p offers you a real advantage consult the table at the bottom of Plasma TV Size & Optimal Viewing Distance guide.
if any updation comes to plasma technology in future……
and price list as well if decreases
and who will remain the best seller of plasma tv as currently[panasonic] leads the race….
@NITIN: is that a question, because I don’t really understand it?
How should up converting for things like DVDs and Next Gen console gaming (Xbox 360/PS3 for which most games are still only native 720p) play a part? Does that help get a little more value from a 1080p TV? Or should the difference not really play a factor?
@Sorwen:
If you sit close enough to the TV in order to see the extra detail offered by 1080p physical resolution of the display, upconverting devices will make 720p content look better. However, upconversion is just an image resizing process that resizes the picture to a higher resolution trying to decrease the artifacts inherent with this process. No matter how good the upconverting algorithm is, upconverted 720p will not look as good (crisp) as real 1080p. It does however offer a slight improvement. This is however useful only if you’re close enough (at the optimal distance for 1080p) where 720p content on 1080p screen would normally look softer. If you’re not close enough it is pretty much useless. Also upconverting is more useful when it comes to DVD content (which is lower than 720p and not HD), 720p looking good enough because all HDTVs upconvert anyway if they have higher physical resolution than the content they display.
i dont know
when is 1080p going to be broadcast…is it in the near future or a few years ? that is over cable or sate. thanks
@thomas: From what I know, not in the near future. The bandwidth required for 1080p is much higher than the bandwidth required for 1080i and the switch to 1080p means infrastructure changes.
Hi, i am considering getting either a 42 or 50 inch plasma and will be sitting approx. 8-10 feet away from the TV. I am wondering if it is worth the extra cost (30-40% of the 720p tv cost) to get a 1080p?
They say the human eye cannot recognize the difference between 720p and 1080p if you are getting a plasma under 50 inches. Is this also the case when watching Blu Ray movies?
I will be using a Marantz DVHS player and HD movies (D-Theater tapes by JVC) shot in 1080i, will that look ok on a Pioneer Kuro Elite and its video processing?
I’m looking to buy a 42′ HDTV. I plan to sit 8 to 10 feet away. I wanna be able to watch blue ray and SD DVDs. So, what’s best for me 720p or 1980p? oh and I have a tight budget.
two question (1) Dish network currently broadcasts in 1080P. How will this broadcast ( in optimal broadcasts conditions) compare with my Samsung 42 inch plasma 1080i/720p currently set up in my family room with viewing distance ranging from 10-20 feet vs a new 42 inch set with 1080P? (2), My guess is a a larger screen with 50 inches at 1080P would be optimal for my room size so let’s add this point as a second question
@sam and everybody that asks “How X model with Y resolution performs at Z distance for W content”:
Read “Plasma TV Size & Optimal Viewing Distance” guide. The worse the content resolution and quality, the smaller the TV size or it’s physical resolution can be, without you missing anything.
Guys, please understand that I can’t choose A feature versus B feature for you. You know better what is more important for you. I’m giving you the facts, but it is YOU that must make a decision.
Recently I bought an LG 47″ LCD 1080p, the colors and brightness seemed very flat so I exchanged it for an LG 50″ plasma 720p. The colors and blacks are much better but the picture seems fuzzy compared to the LCD. Mainly, I watch non-HD tv and DVDs. I live in a country that will not have HDTV anytime soon. Viewing distance is 10 feet.
Do I go back to the crisper LCD or keep the more colorful and brighter plasma? I’m torn between the two sets. 1080p plasmas are 3x the price so I’d rather not go down that road. I know you can’t make my mind up for me, but do you have any advice?
Thanks
First of all, I’m not sure what exactly you mean by “fuzzy”. If you step further back is it still fuzzy? Maybe it seems fuzzy because the TV is too big for the type of content (SDTV) and viewing distance. Maybe the LCD had better video processing and noise reduction than your current plasma TV. If you don’t watch HDTV don’t buy 1080p because it’s just a waste of money for you. I would actually have to see them to tell you why it’s fuzzy. What I can tell you is that for 10 feet and SDTV, a 50 inch TV is rather big. I assume you’re actually distinguishing the pixels because you’re too close and a 42 inch TV would have been more appropriate. Also you should make sure it is not a problem caused by a lower quality signal, and that it is the TV itself that makes the picture look fuzzy. I hope my answer helps.
i’ve finally narrowed down to a 42 inch plasma instead of LCD. now the remaining question is 720p or 1080p at a distance of 6 to 10 feet? mostly we watch channels that offer an HD option, sports, discovery, etc, and we rarely rent movies, preferring to order them through on demand. the price difference is only $200, but that could pay for the tv stand to mount it on! in these conditions, is it worth the 1080? thanks, in advance, for the advice!
Hi Anthony, i have done hours upon hours of research on this subject. Basically it boils down to that 50″ or under the human eye is unable to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p so that $200 would be better spent elsewhere. Every salesman will tell you to get the 1080p cause they will make more money etc but it really isn’t worth it. If you are viewing at 10 ft a 42″ is probably too small for that distance (but great for 6 ft). I would suggest 46″ or 50″ at the most. Also Panasonic make the best Plasma’s out there (unless you have the big bucks for a Pioneer)
One of the best websites out there is http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com
@Anthony Bracciante: Make sure you read the TV Size and Viewing Distance guide where you have optimal distances for each screen size and type of content.
hi im buyin a new limeted edition “50 lg plasma t.v dual xd engine (scarlet) its 720p and 100hz ill be sitting roughly 8 ft away from it,but was just wondering if it would be worth canceling and spending an extra £300 for 1080p,also how do the 50hz and 100hz compare?, and would a 1080p-50hz be better than a 720p-100hz? ,and what does the dual xd engine enhance?sory to be a pain but could you please let me know thank you.
@jay: I don’t know much about LG plasma TVs other than the fact they don’t match the performances of the models listed on this site as “best plasma TVs”. At 8 feet (96 inch) as you can see from Plasma TV Size & Optimal Viewing Distance guide, you are in between 1080p and 720p recommended distance for that screen size. So depending how good your eyes are and what type of content you’re watching, 1080p may offer an advantage or not. Regarding 100Hz vs 50Hz (for US models is 120Hz vs 60Hz) it may offer an advantage or not. It depends how it is implemented. Again, reading an in-depth review of your model (or a model in the same series) is the only way to get a good answer. Specifications alone can be very misleading. Try reviews.cnet.com - they have most HDTVs reviewed.
thank you (”,).
Jay,
Go with the 1080p, 8 ft. is too close. The pixels are just too big, I have a 50″ LG plasma and it’s 720 so I know from experience. There is a huge difference at 8′ regarless of what the charts may say.
Bes of luck.
I’m in the process of buying a new TV - either 720p or 1080p Panasonic, Samsung- but don’t don’t relish the thought of paying a $1000+ for a good one, especially considering I don’t watch much television and the rapidity at which cutting edge technology becomes dull (eg, cell phones). I’m no technophile but I’ve done some basic research and know that 1080p offers the best picture. Obvious. That being said, a friend of mine says 1080p TVs are superfluous because no one broadcasts that signal/bandwidth/whatever - only 720p -so 1080p TVs are primarliy superior only when watching DVDs. Therefore, two questions: is my friend correct, and if I sit 8-9 feet away from a 40-42 inch TV would there be a perceptible difference between a 720 and 1080p TV?
Thanks.
@cris anderson: No one broadcasts in 1080p but it does in 1080i which looks better on a 1080p display as it is basically the same resolution and only the way the image is constructed differs (1080p is progressive while 1080i is interlaced). 1080p is not superior when watching DVDs. Regular DVDs are 480p (PAL) or 576p (NTSC) which is less than 720p. Blu Ray disks on the other hand, are 1080p so look better on a 1080p display (as long as you sit close enough to see the full detail).
At 8-9 feet away from a 40-42 inch TV, you will NOT get the advantage of 1080p. For that distance and screen size, the optimal screen resolution is 720p. So, even if you watch Blu Ray movies on a 1080p 42 inch HDTV, from that distance you will not have an advantage over a 720p 42 inch TV.
There is another aspect however. Best HDTV models are 1080p. That means if you want the best picture quality, you will have to choose a TV that also has 1080p native resolution. However, since you don’t want spending more than $1000, you are not interested in one of those top of the line TVs, and a good 720p model is better for you. For some reason, the best match for you - Panasonic TH-42PX80U, is very expensive (at least on Amazon). Unless you find it somewhere else at a much better price (under $1000) than Panasonic TH-46PZ80U, get the latter. It is larger (46 inch), 1080p and has a better picture than TH-42PX80U.
I am looking at getting a tv for my living room. I will be sitting 14 - 16 ft away from the TV. What size TV should I go with? Also, should I go with 1080p or 720p? In addition, I am placing the TV above my fireplace but it does have a large mantel to deflect the heat. I will rarely use the fireplace. Which is the best option for over the fireplace: plasma or LCD?
Thanks.
Kevin: Read the “Plasma TV Size & Optimal Viewing Distance” guide. There, you have a table with recommended sizes for various distances and content types/resolutions. You have to choose the size recommended for the type of content you are watching most of the time (SDTV/DVD, 720p, 1080i, Blu Ray / 1080p). You can’t have both low quality content and high quality content look great. One will look great and one will look poor or both will look average. If you are limited by your budget, the options are very few - you will probably have to settle for a smaller HDTV than the recommended size. Regarding the fireplace, there is no limitation as long as the heat doesn’t affect the TV (wall doesn’t get hot and no hot air flows over the TV) and the wall can hold its weight (plasma TVs are heavier). However, if the TV’s center is higher than the level your eyes are at, you can get a sore neck after a while. That is the main reason why a TV should not be placed over a fireplace.
Two Questions;
I’ve got a Comcast HD cable box that is currently setup with (1080i) on a non-HDTV. Obviouly paying for something not needed. However when I switch to a Plasma would I see the difference in picture quality on a 1080p verse a 720p, or would it be the same? Also, it appears that the viewing distance from the potential tv will be 96 to 120 inches. Would a 50′ Plasma work even though I could probably go to 55. Will I get my money’s worth with 1080p in this case and if 1080i better with 1080p?thanks
@john: You will see a difference between 1080p vs 720p if you sit at the right distance or at least close enough so that the extra resolution of 1080p will make a difference over 720p. Naturally, you need to watch 1080i or 1080p content in order to see a difference. 50 or 55 inch - totally your choice. 55 is better for 1080p and 1080i while 50 is better for 720p, DVDs and SDTV. You can’t get the best of all types of content. About your money’s worth, as long as you watch 1080p and 1080i, you will find it a good investment (with both 50 and 55 inch). Low quality SDTV content will look horrible, however. As I said, you can’t get the best of all worlds. Since you’re going from a regular standard-definition TV to a HDTV you can be pretty sure that you will be amazed by the picture quality and amount of detail.
Got a confusing situation here. I’m torn between a 50 inch 2009 LG 720p Plasma w/ a 2,000,000 million dynamic contras ratio & 600hz zero motion blur + dual XD Engine vs. a 1080p lcd of close screen size. Probably a Toshiba Regza or something w/ a tight budget in mind. Also, the viewing distance will be about 11-12 ft or so. Will bluray look as good on the plasma I’m looking at or should I get the lcd? The specs on the plasma blow the lcds I’ve priced away even being a 720p television & that is what is confusing to me. Most of my hdtv usage will be for DVD, Xbox 360 & satellite tv in standard def. Bluray will be in the next 2 years for me but I want to know if the LG50PQ30 can stand up to similarly priced & sized lcds that do 1080p for the pic quality on these. Does the gigantic dynamic contrast on the LG & the xd engine & all the bells & whistles it has outshine these because it seems you must get a very expensive 1080p Lcd to even keep up w/ a good 720p Plasma. Help,guys…you seem to know what you’re talking about & give an honest reply from what I’ve read here.
Hi, thanks for creating a genuinely informative website, unfortunately the more I read the more confused I become. I am currently watching normal VM Cable on a Sony CRT 32″ TV but want to move to a wall mountable flat screen. I have asked questions in various shops but got conflicting information regarding screen size and resolution. My main concern is future proofing, I understand that 1080p is best for Blue Ray and SKY, VM HD broadcast but my main viewing will be SD with the odd DVD and I’ll probably subscribe to SKY HD in time, but I don’t want to buy a 1080HD TV and find it gives a poorer display than a 720 HD because of the supply signal quality. On the otherhand I don’ want top buy a 720HD TV and find that in a year or 2 cable is broadcast in 1080HD.
Sitting 10′ from the TV I am looking at 46″ partly due to friends buying 42″ and exchanging for 46″ as they said size matters!
Would I be better buying a 720 HD for normal cable viewing?
Would it be outdated in 2 years?
Does cable digital really look that bad on a 1080 hd tv or is it only obvious to the trained TV reviewer?
Please help a confused buyer
cheers
Craig
Dish Network currently claims broadcasts in 1080P. This HD quality is, just, “OK” in comparison to the fantastic HD content I receive over the rabbit ears antenna attached to each of my HD TV’s. So my question is, if there is no real defined HD signal to quantify, can I effectively use the view and guide distance chart.? It seems like the chart possibly loses some objectivity as a definitive tool for establishing the benefit of 1080i to 1080p and size to distance guidelines.
Also, I’m reading about the LCD with LED backlighting and 120Htzor 240Htz. Is it time to consider the LCD over the beautiful rich dark Plasma colors I currently prefer?
Thanks, sam
@J.R.: From 11-12 feet, 720p is enough. In other words 1080p won’t give you any advantage if you sit that far away. Also, even if you buy a bigger TV, one that would offer an advantage with Blu Ray (1080p), it won’t look too good. As I have said in many other comment replies, you can’t get the best of both worlds (EDTV/SDTV and Blu Ray). In conclusion, the LG plasma is probably a better choice - if you can’t get full detail from 1080p anyway, at least have a good picture quality.
“but I don’t want to buy a 1080HD TV and find it gives a poorer display than a 720 HD because of the supply signal quality” - you nailed it! It is actually not the resolution alone that matters, but the resolution + screen size + viewing distance combination. You can’t have both SD and HD look great.
“Would I be better buying a 720 HD for normal cable viewing?” - yes, because 1080p would be a waste of money. Garbage in, garbage out. The TV might be 1080p but it displays what it receives (poor quality).
“Would it be outdated in 2 years?” - Nobody knows that. To broadcast 1080p over cable or air huge infrastructure changes are needed. That means it will probably take more than 2 years.
“Does cable digital really look that bad on a 1080 hd tv or is it only obvious to the trained TV reviewer?” - “bad” is subjective. I mean to somebody might look absolutely horrible, while to others OK. What I can tell you is that if you’ve seen HD (even just 720p) you will never want to go back.
The 32″ inch size you have now is perfect for 10 feet distance and SDTV or DVD. I think 46 inch is rather too large but as I said this is a subjective thing. You might not find it disturbing. Go in a store, feed the TV with a DVD or SDTV signal and see which size you prefer.
My honest suggestion is to switch to Sky HD completely. Eventually buy a Blu Ray player if you want to be really impressed. If you do that buy a 50 inch TV. Even 55 inch if you get the blu ray player as well. I mean, you spend some money on a new TV, why not buy a great one. I don’t know how much you wanted to spend on the TV but you can get the 50inch Panasonic TC-P50G10 (2009 equivalent for TH-50PZ800U) for $1500 or Panasonic TC-P50S1 (2009 equivalent for TH-50PZ80U) for $1300. A blu ray player is 250-300$. Sky HD is pretty cheap and you get the box for free (I think). If it’s out of your budget, save for 2 months so you can afford it. It is worth the wait. Considering you get the most expensive route - you pay $1800. Divided by 24 months that’s $75/month for something great. And you’re very likely to keep it for more than 2 years.
The other option is to stick to regular DVD and SDTV. For that you would buy a new TV just because it’s flat. You deny yourself all the advantages it has just because you stick to SD cable.
@Sam: Dish Network’s 1080p might actually not be 1080p. Not all HD programs they broadcast are 1080i or 1080p. Some (sports) are 720p. Others are actually SD. Also, I think they are compressing the signal and that could cause a slight drop in quality.
Real 1080p is better than 1080i. Not the other way around. Only real 1080p is Blu Ray.
Regarding the objectivity of the chart/table I think it is pretty objective. However, as with everything that involves seeing and one’s eyes, there is always room for subjectivity.
Regarding 120Hz and LED LCD TVs:
120Hz is a buzzword. Panasonic plasma TVs have what they call 600Hz Sub-Field Drive for example. Both are totally irrelevant specs. 120Hz is useful only if you want to watch 1080p/24 content (Blu Ray movies at cinematic refresh rate - 24 frames per second). 120Hz doesn’t improve image sharpness in real life scenarios. Some people actually hate it because it introduces image artifacts sometimes.
LED backlit LCD TVs on the other hand are real winners. Both Sony and Samsung LED LCD TV models are better than non-LED models. As a matter of fact, they are the only models who can match the quality of top of the line plasma TV models. I don’t think however that the days of plasma TVs are over yet.
Thank you so much for the quick & helpful reply! Got another inquiry for you,guys. The human eye cannot recognize the difference between 720p and 1080p if you are getting an hdtv under 50 inches. I understand that it is is the 55 & up screens that truly benifit from this…correct? Is this also the case when watching Blu Ray movies on the 50 inch 720p LG plasma (LG50PQ30) I’ve decided on? One fear I have is if I go with a 720p model to save some $$$ it will be outdated within a 2-3 year span. Should I wait & save for the 1080p equivilant to the model I’m looking at to avoid this? The cost difference is substantial between the two models (720p LG50PQ30) or (1080p LG50PS60) . The 720p model can be had for around $900-1000 & the 1080p model for roughly $1500-1600. You were so helpful to me last time that I felt this would be the best place to ask & thank you in advance.
@J.R.: Is not really accurate as a rule. It is not about the size alone. Some give incorrect advice - as 1080p is useful only for screen sizes above 50inch - because they assume everybody has an average viewing distance. It might be the case for you or not. As I already said, from the distance you will be watching (11-12ft), 720p is enough. It doesn’t matter if you watch Blu Ray and the TV is 1080p. From that distance you won’t see the difference compared to 720p. Is the same question as “can I see a horse?”. If you sit close enough you do. If you’re in a plane at 15000 feet in the air you won’t. In conclusion, while the affirmation that “The human eye cannot recognize the difference between 720p and 1080p if you are getting an hdtv under 50 inches.” is incorrect at the core, it happens to apply (be correct) for your particular case (distance). From that distance (11-12ft) if you want to get the advantage of 1080p and blu ray, you will not only have to buy a 1080p TV but also a bigger one (65 inch) which will further increase the price. And don’t worry about 720p being outdated in 2 years. As long as you can’t afford a larger (65 inch) TV, it won’t matter because even if the TV is 1080p you won’t be able to notice the difference.
Thanks for clearing that up for me, man. You’ve been a major help to me in my HDTV decision & I’m grateful. Got two more to shoot at you, dudes. What is better 720p or 1080i for HD viewing clarity & quality? Next, I’ve been on Ebay looking at 1.3 class HDMI cables that are 1600p ready. This is what frightened me about 720p being outdated so fast in the first place. What do you guys know about the development of 1600p resolution & will it be some time before it hits the scene (4-5 yrs)? Thank you in advance, guys. Not kidding when I say this is the best HDTV advice site I’ve seen.
Hi. I have one more question for you before I make my purchase. I was in one of the local appliance stores by me the other day and luckily they had a 42inch 720p and 1080p Panasonic plasma next to each other for my easy comparison. (TC-P42X1 and TC-P42S1). I stood back 9 feet (which will be my viewing distance at home). What I think I noticed with the Cox Cable HD picture was that the 1080p seemed a bit brighter (?) but definitely I could see more detail in the blacks of the 1080p. So, my question to you is, would you agree that the 1080p version is brighter and has more detail in the blacks, or was it just a one time occurrence for me. Thank you again for your great columns.
@J.R.: “What is better 720p or 1080i for HD viewing clarity & quality?” - It is like comparing oranges to mandarins. Both are so alike but also different. First of all when comparing 720p vs 1080i, you are comparing content resolutions not native display resolutions. All flat-panel displays are progressive (p) in nature, but the content being broadcasted can be either progressive (p) or interlaced (i). The short answer is 720p has less pixels (detail) but looks better/sharper in the case of fast action scenes (sports, action movies, etc.), 1080i has more pixels (detail) but can look blurry in the case of fast action scenes. Why do you care about 1600p? It is advertised with HDMI cables so they can charge more for the cables. I don’t know, and probably nobody can give you a good estimation about when 1600p will be a common standard. Maybe it will never be. Maybe we will jump directly to 3200p. Who knows!? The thing is, 1600p makes sense only in the case of very large computer monitors where you sit very close. To get the most of an 1600p TV, it would have to be HUGE in size or sit very close to it. What i can tell you is that today there is absolutely no channel broadcasted in 1080p. Just 720p or 1080i. The infrastructure changes required for 1080p broadcast is significant as 1080p requires twice as much bandwidth compared to 1080i. I hope that answers your questions.
@CraigB: Brightness has nothing to do with resolution. If you like the picture of the TC-P42S1 it is pretty normal but has nothing to do with the resolution. You see, though 720p might be enough for you, if you want best quality you will only find it in the mid-end or high-end models which are 1080p. Not because they are 1080p but because they are just better from other reasons. The TC-P42S1 simply has a better panel (i think it is the new NeoPDP for 2009) not just because of the higher resolution but from the quality perspective as well. So, I do agree with the possibility that the 1080p was brighter than the 720p, but not because it was 1080p vs 720p but because it was TC-P42S1 vs TC-P42X1.
Thank you again for all of your help, dudes! I hope your site stays around for a very long time & long live Plasma Technology.