HD TV shows on Macbook Pro

[jerlin21]

Hello, I'm going to buy Season 4 of Battlestar Galactica from iTunes, but I'm only going to be watching it on my late 2008 MBP. So is it worth it to buy the episodes in HD?

Especially when it's going to use so much hard drive space because apparently I'll get both SD and HD from iTunes...

 

[Tesselator]

Hello, I'm going to buy Season 4 of Battlestar Galactica from iTunes, but I'm only going to be watching it on my late 2008 MBP. So is it worth it to buy the episodes in HD?

Especially when it's going to use so much hard drive space because apparently I'll get both SD and HD from iTunes...

Define HD... 720p ? Yes it's well worth it! SD sucks in comparison!

1080p? Nope. It's too big for no perceivable benefit.

 

[jerlin21]

I believe iTunes HD is 720p. Thanks for the advice!

 

[pdxflint]

I started out downloading SD versions of Lost, and they aren't bad, but lately I've tried several episodes in HD, and they definitely look better, especially at full-screen on a MBP. But for a tv show, really it's about the story and I'd watch either, and then it's probably never watched again. So, for now I'll keep downloading the HD versions, but maybe later I'll just grab the SD version for a buck less because once you've watched it, you've watched it. Movies, I'd definitely get in HD because they're more likely to be replayed again over time.

Is the quality noticeably better (720) on a MBP screen? Yes. Does it make the plot better? No.

 

[ViciousShadow21]

you dont need 1080p on any screen under 32". and in general 720p is fine for any screen under 42" if you are sitting >6ft away.

 

[Tesselator]

Yeah, I forgot to consider screen size. I just always assume everyone has the same 24" monitors I have and uses the same 1920x1600 that I do.

If you're on a laptop SD is just fine!!

Anything over about 17" tho and the 740p is worth it. <-- Up to about 40+ inches like ViciousShadow21 said.