HDTV Help

[Methais]

I'm hoping to buy a HDTV sometime after Christmas mainly for my XBox 360 and eventually a PS3 when I get one, but I know next to nothing about the differences between HDTVs.

I know that some HDTVs don't support all the things that some PS3 games will include, such as 1080p and all that, which I have no idea what any of that means, like the difference between 1080i and 1080p for example.

Anyone able to recommend anything? I'm looking to spend somewhere in the $1000 range, but I'm not opposed to going higher as long as it's worth it.

[Xaerve]

If you're spending 1K you're not getting any 1080i/p unless you're buying a really questionable system.

For 1K you're looking at an LCD screen, as plasma tend to be slightly higher.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/03/09/lcd_or_plasma_/

Explains everything almost on the topic of LCD or Plasma tvs.

That being said, 1080p is only really helpful on LARGE HDtvs (60+ inches)-- and is a lot more expensive.

[HarmNone]

You might look at the Sharp Aquos (spelling?) LCD HDTV. A friend of mine got one recently and is very pleased with it. It's also priced less than some of its equivalents. Worth a look, from what I hear. :)

[Celephais]

Just go to tweater, they'll explain everything, find the model you want and buy it online (but if you're going to buy in a store they will match any local competitor). I'm pretty sure you can also go to BestBuy and transfer the money they would give you for "installation" into a discount (but usually you'll need more than just a grand TV to have leverage w/ them).

[Sean of the Thread]

My wife said I couldn't have a plasma tv for a computer monitor :(

[HarmNone]

:rofl:

[Drew]

My wife said I couldn't have a plasma tv for a computer monitor :(

And you told her to shove it, you do what you want?

[Danical]

My friend just got a 42" 1080p Westinghouse and it really looks quite a bit better than the 1080i my other friend has.

I think he dropped 1.4k on it. But not many xbox games support 1080p; I think enchanted arms does?

At any rate, you might want to spring for the 360 HD drive and just forget the PS3 altogether. Just watched a HD DVD of Batman Begins on the 1080p and it was pretty slick.

Also, I found wikipedia to be helpful describing the differences between interlace and progressive.

[RichardCranium]

I totally just pictured Methais doing the Jessica Simpson DirecTV commercial.

[Back]

I had read it only goes up to 1080i. I pulled this from the Xbox site...



The high-definition support for Xbox 360 is dynamic, so even if a game is designed with 720p in mind, but your TV only supports 480p or 1080i, Xbox 360 runs the game in the best resolution your TV offers (up to 720p and 1080i).


and...



Xbox 360 offers unprecedented support for high-definition gaming, yet it remains flexible as well. Whether using a standard definition TV (480i), an HDTV with only one progressive scan option, or an HDTV with every available option (up to 720p and 1080i), or even a computer monitor, Xbox 360 will employ the best resolution your TV or monitor can display.



Thats not to say it wouldn’t look great on 1080p.

[Danical]

MS did a firmware update to enable 1080p.

clicky (http://www.betanews.com/article/Xbox_360_to_Get_1080p_Upgrade/1162245377)

[Apathy]

If you are sure you are getting a PS3 just get a 1080p. You'll also have a (cheap) Blu-Ray player to use. No guarentee on whether or not that goes the way of the laser disc tho.

It also depends on just how big of a screen you're looking at. Simple rule = bigger screen means bigger difference between i and p.

[Danical]

Can you even get a 1080p smaller than 37"?

I'd look, but my level of curiousity just isn't that high.

[Methais]

If you are sure you are getting a PS3 just get a 1080p. You'll also have a (cheap) Blu-Ray player to use. No guarentee on whether or not that goes the way of the laser disc tho.

It also depends on just how big of a screen you're looking at. Simple rule = bigger screen means bigger difference between i and p.

Chances are it'll either be 37" or 42".

[grenthor]

Here's a really brief crash course in HDTV:

Back to basics. Regular old TVs have a gun that basically "draws" the picture line by line on your screen. Hence why when you get really close you can see little lines on the tvs (Especially older ones).

In an effort to maximize bandwidth - when the gun draws the picture it actually draws every OTHER line from top to bottom then goes back and fills in the blank spots. So it would hit line 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc. Then hit 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.
This is called an Interlaced Picture as the lines are interlaced with each other.

Regular old TV can display up to 480 lines horizontally from top to bottom. Regular old TV is also limited to the interlaced type of picture described above. This is where the 480i comes from. 480 lines - interlaced.

DVDs are capable of slightly better resolution and max out at 540 lines. DVD's also have the potential to deliver a picture where the lines are drawn progressively from top to bottom. So that in those cases the lines are drawn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc... This is what the progressive scan output on many DVD players is for.

The progressive drawing is where the 'p' comes from. So for the DVD above, the maximum potential resolution is 540p. 540 lines drawn progressively.

The benefit to progressive pictures by the way is a dramatically improved image especially in fast moving diagonal motion. There aren't any of the 'jumps' or 'jaggies' that you can sometimes see on a larger screen with an interlaced picture.

The HD pictures then are 720 and 1080. That's 720 lines top to bottom and 1,080 respectively. The 'i' or 'p' desgination would arise from how the picture is drawn: interlaced or progressive.

For 'fixed pixel' displays (Things like LCD, plasma, OLED, etc) they still use the same resolutions more or less.

However, since these are actually using each individual pixel they are rated by total number of pixels veritcal x horizontal (1280x730). Generally speaking - the second number - the horizontal pixel count) will roughly equate to 720 or 1080 ability. This is not exact though and is worth double checking on if this is important.

So with all that being said - progressive scan is better than interlaced and the more lines drawn the better. So 720p will be better than 720i and 1080p will deliver the (current) best quality picture available.

Now you are all experts.

[Xaerve]

wow-- thanks for that :)

[Methais]

I feel smarter now. Thanks for making me an expert.

[Skeeter]

alright so if I'm looking for either a 42" or 50" plasma around 1500-2k range, what should I key on?

[grenthor]

In my opinion, this is absolutely one of the best deals out there in the range you are looking for:
http://www.viziotv.com/products/detail.aspx?pid=5

VizioP50HDTV

Google it and you'll find all kinds of reviews raving over it. Yes there are a few people with some negative comments (False Contouring being the most common) but let's face it - you'll never find a TV that doesn't have some complaints against it. Even some of the new 10k sets have complaints already.

[Xaerve]

In my opinion, this is absolutely one of the best deals out there in the range you are looking for:
http://www.viziotv.com/products/detail.aspx?pid=5

VizioP50HDTV

Google it and you'll find all kinds of reviews raving over it. Yes there are a few people with some negative comments (False Contouring being the most common) but let's face it - you'll never find a TV that doesn't have some complaints against it. Even some of the new 10k sets have complaints already.

Friend has one and it's great.

Do you have any recommendations on a 1080p set?

[Danical]

Should I wait to purchase a TV after new years? Are there generally good deals?

I haven't been a consumer whore for a while because I've only just paid off my school loans.

[Methais]

I was looking at this TV today and thinking of buying it. I found it for $1200 on buy.com too. Anyone know of a place that might have it for less? I just missed a sale by about a week where it was going for $879 on buy.com :(



http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7749653&st=WESTINGHOUSE+LVM-37W3+1080P+LCD+MONITOR&type=product&id=1140394400806

[Sean]

I'd get one with a built in HD Tuner and aim for 2 HDMI ports if your planning on having a 360 and a ps3