Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Is a 50" (Plasma) HDTV with a 720p resolution really that bad?
- Thread starter Doju
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
go with 1080p if u can. it depends on how far away u sit. if it is at least 8 ft then i wouldn't be that bothered.
This seems to be the prevailing logic. If it were me, and I was sitting ten feet away from my it, I'd rather have a 50" 720p TV than a 40" 1080p TV. The extra screen size would make up for the resolution difference, especially at that distance.
UH
Nah
I'm gonna say no, only because, that lower resolution means that the picture will be a little more pixilated. The bigger the screen, the more pixilated the picture, so while you may not notice the loss in quality due to it being 720p versus 1080p, you will notice a quality difference because of the distance you are seated from it. I use a 1080p 22" monitor as a TV, and only sit about 3-4 feet away from it, that way I get the full quality out of it. So I would go with something 1080p, unless you are getting a REALLY good deal on it. (720p's not that bad though)
I'm gonna say no, only because, that lower resolution means that the picture will be a little more pixilated. The bigger the screen, the more pixilated the picture, so while you may not notice the loss in quality due to it being 720p versus 1080p, you will notice a quality difference because of the distance you are seated from it. I use a 1080p 22" monitor as a TV, and only sit about 3-4 feet away from it, that way I get the full quality out of it. So I would go with something 1080p, unless you are getting a REALLY good deal on it. (720p's not that bad though)
This seems to be the prevailing logic. If it were me, and I was sitting ten feet away from my it, I'd rather have a 50" 720p TV than a 40" 1080p TV. The extra screen size would make up for the resolution difference, especially at that distance.
Dude, you have it backwards. The biiger the screen the more pixelation.
I used to do visuals for big trade shows and I used to use videos 320 x 240, at 6 meters you wouldn't tell the difference with a 720 x 240. The eye tends to loose resolution the farther you move.
But I would get a 1080p any way. Having 720p is not that much difference from what we have now at 480 any way. If you really want to tell the difference you will have to go all the way to 1080p.
Just bough my 50 Insignia from bestbuy a couple of weeks ago and 720p is more than perfect for my needs. While I can tell a HUGE difference in blu ray and DVD and cannot stand grainy picture I really don't see a difference between 720 and 1080. Technically its only logical to say its better quality but to my eye I notice nothing different. I LOVE IT.
Dude - if you are going to spend that kind of money, you might as well go all the way and get a 1080p. It's the only way to go.
It depends how far away you sit. Beyond a certain distance you won't be able to tell the difference between 720 and 1080. Check out a distance calculator like this one http://hd.engadget.com/2006/12/09/1080p-charted-viewing-distance-to-screen-size/
Greg
Greg
I bought a 50" 720p Samsung plasma a while back and sit about 8'-9' from it. I couldn't be more pleased and for my money I would much rather have a nice large plasma than a much smaller 1080p 240hz lcd that would cost more money and still would not look as good for movies. To get anywhere close to the performance of my $800 plasma you would have to pay close to $2000 and it still would not have as good blacks or nearly as good viewing angle. Besides, at 50" and 8' most people would never be able to tell the difference in resolution anyway, so why pay the difference? If you are one of those than can. more power to you. Fpr the rest of us, 720p is perfectly adequate.
On the contrary, 1080p is the stuff that the manufacturers are trying to convince you is worth the money so that they can fatten their wallets. Hopefully smart people can see through this and buy what they need, not what makes the manufacturers the most money.
Best Buy right now has a number of 50" 720p for $697-$799 and 1080p for $897-$999 (from the same manufacturers). That's only $200 more for what I consider quite the difference in detail. If you're going to go ahead and drop a few bills on a TV, why not go ahead and spring for the extra resolution for only a little bit more? You'll always be able to watch 720p content on the 1080p, but the 1080p content will never look any better on a 720p.
To some people, it doesn't matter. To me, it's a no-brainer.
To some people, it doesn't matter. To me, it's a no-brainer.
You'll also get grays instead of blacks, poor refresh rates that some can detect as flicker, and poor viewing angles on those sets. They are in no way competitive with the plasmas, and I for one do not consider them a good deal.
Ummmmm....they are plasmas.........I haven't seen them in person so I can't comment on their quality. But a few posts back someone mentioned that their $800 720p Samsung plasma was just fine. I am commenting on the Samsungs, with 1080p 600Hz for under $900.
Sorry I misunderstood. In that case and at that price I would go for the 1080p also.
Best Buy
It's on sale currently, so it won't always be that price. But, that is a Samsung 50" 1080p Plasma for $897.99.
Whilst that IS a good, deal, I was talking about an LCD but the poster must have been speaking of a plasma.
Why anyone would pay more then $300 for a T.V is beyond me. But whatever floats your boat, I guess.
Personally I can't tell the difference between 780 and 1080p, so I wouldn't bother springing for the 1080. If this isn't the case for the OP, go with the 1080 if you feel comfortable spending the extra money for it.
Personally I can't tell the difference between 780 and 1080p, so I wouldn't bother springing for the 1080. If this isn't the case for the OP, go with the 1080 if you feel comfortable spending the extra money for it.
No, I don't. You simply misunderstand my point.
If you're sitting ten feet away from the TV, you will not notice the difference between 1080p and 720p resolution. You will notice the ten inches between a 40" set and a 50" set, though.
If the picture is going to look the same to your eyes anyway, then buy the one with a bigger picture.
It's all perspective. When I grew up in the 60's an average 25-27" color console cost about $700-$800, which is more expensive than all but the largest and most expensive tvs available today when you take inflation into account.