HD Ready, 720p, 1080p?
Discussion
OK, here goes...
HD Ready means the TV will accept a high definition signals through one of its inputs. Signals can be 720p, 1080p or 1080i
HDTV means broadcast HD television content
720 refers to the resolution (higher is better), referring to the number of horizontal lines of pixels in a digital picture. Can be either 720 or 1080.
The "p" bit refers to the way the pictures are presented one after the other. Progressive scan (as in 720p or 1080p) means that frames are rendered one after the other (50 frames per second). Interlaced (as in 1080i) means that lines from different frames are actually intermingled - every other line is from one or the next frame. At each cycle, only half the image is redrawn (refreshed) so whilst the screen refreshes 50 times per second you only really get 25 whole frame refreshes).
Higher resolution has more detail, but progressive scan is better for motion because it reduces ghosting and judder effects. Therefore 720p and 1080i are just different, and 1080p (also known as "Full HD") is the best but requires more bandwidth. A games console or Blu ray player can output 1080p (if the media supports it) but HDTV generally does not.
As well as the HD signal resolutions they accept, LCD TVs have resolutions of their own, meaning the physical number of pixels in the screen. When signals don't match the resolution of the TV (these can be HD or SD resolutions), the TV "scales" the picture to fit the screen. Some TVs are better at this than others, which is why SDTV looks so bad on some TVs, why Full HD TVs with a true 1920x1080 resolution do Full HD slightly better and why DVD players now often come with "upscaling". At 32" you will probably not notice the difference between 720p and 1080p, let alone the difference in scaling a 1920x1080 panel gives.
LCD TVs' downsides (apart from how the ooor quality Freeview broadcasts look on a big screen) can include poor contrast and black levels (black scenes look grey and its difficult to make out detail) and motion blur/judder for some people, especially for sport (caused by the pixels having to change colour fast). LCDs now tend to have 'dynamic contrast' and 'dynamic backlights' to work around the problems of contrast and TVs with better "response times" and higher refresh rates (100hz sets) are better for motion. It's worth mentioning that some people do not notice the motion blur at all.
Plasma TVs are different in construction. Generally they produce a smoother picture with very good contrast and better motion, but are nowhere near as bright and some would say "vibrant". They are also heavier and consume more power.
My advice would be:
1. Look at the sets in the flesh, making sure you see the standard of broadcast you will actually be using (i.e. if you use Freeview, compare BBC1 to BBC1). Bear in mind that shops often have rubbish SD feeds going their sets.
2. Remember that flat panel TVs with larger screen sizes actually take up far less space than CRTs, which is why 37"+ seems so big if you're coming from a CRT.
3. John Lewis' price match policy is your friend - any TV bought with them comes with a 5 year warranty.
HD Ready means the TV will accept a high definition signals through one of its inputs. Signals can be 720p, 1080p or 1080i
HDTV means broadcast HD television content
720 refers to the resolution (higher is better), referring to the number of horizontal lines of pixels in a digital picture. Can be either 720 or 1080.
The "p" bit refers to the way the pictures are presented one after the other. Progressive scan (as in 720p or 1080p) means that frames are rendered one after the other (50 frames per second). Interlaced (as in 1080i) means that lines from different frames are actually intermingled - every other line is from one or the next frame. At each cycle, only half the image is redrawn (refreshed) so whilst the screen refreshes 50 times per second you only really get 25 whole frame refreshes).
Higher resolution has more detail, but progressive scan is better for motion because it reduces ghosting and judder effects. Therefore 720p and 1080i are just different, and 1080p (also known as "Full HD") is the best but requires more bandwidth. A games console or Blu ray player can output 1080p (if the media supports it) but HDTV generally does not.
As well as the HD signal resolutions they accept, LCD TVs have resolutions of their own, meaning the physical number of pixels in the screen. When signals don't match the resolution of the TV (these can be HD or SD resolutions), the TV "scales" the picture to fit the screen. Some TVs are better at this than others, which is why SDTV looks so bad on some TVs, why Full HD TVs with a true 1920x1080 resolution do Full HD slightly better and why DVD players now often come with "upscaling". At 32" you will probably not notice the difference between 720p and 1080p, let alone the difference in scaling a 1920x1080 panel gives.
LCD TVs' downsides (apart from how the ooor quality Freeview broadcasts look on a big screen) can include poor contrast and black levels (black scenes look grey and its difficult to make out detail) and motion blur/judder for some people, especially for sport (caused by the pixels having to change colour fast). LCDs now tend to have 'dynamic contrast' and 'dynamic backlights' to work around the problems of contrast and TVs with better "response times" and higher refresh rates (100hz sets) are better for motion. It's worth mentioning that some people do not notice the motion blur at all.
Plasma TVs are different in construction. Generally they produce a smoother picture with very good contrast and better motion, but are nowhere near as bright and some would say "vibrant". They are also heavier and consume more power.
My advice would be:
1. Look at the sets in the flesh, making sure you see the standard of broadcast you will actually be using (i.e. if you use Freeview, compare BBC1 to BBC1). Bear in mind that shops often have rubbish SD feeds going their sets.
2. Remember that flat panel TVs with larger screen sizes actually take up far less space than CRTs, which is why 37"+ seems so big if you're coming from a CRT.
3. John Lewis' price match policy is your friend - any TV bought with them comes with a 5 year warranty.
Just realised I have assumed you would be watching at least something in HD, but your films might actually be on DVD?
Anyway, just be sure to see how different TVs perform with SD material - it's probably still worth getting a flat panel for future-proofing though if only for the space savings.
Anyway, just be sure to see how different TVs perform with SD material - it's probably still worth getting a flat panel for future-proofing though if only for the space savings.
bogwoppit said:
Just realised I have assumed you would be watching at least something in HD, but your films might actually be on DVD?
Anyway, just be sure to see how different TVs perform with SD material - it's probably still worth getting a flat panel for future-proofing though if only for the space savings.
Cheers so it is only for HD signals it needs to be 1080p.Anyway, just be sure to see how different TVs perform with SD material - it's probably still worth getting a flat panel for future-proofing though if only for the space savings.
I may well buy a blu-ray player in the future, as they are becoming more available.
elster said:
bogwoppit said:
Just realised I have assumed you would be watching at least something in HD, but your films might actually be on DVD?
Anyway, just be sure to see how different TVs perform with SD material - it's probably still worth getting a flat panel for future-proofing though if only for the space savings.
Cheers so it is only for HD signals it needs to be 1080p.Anyway, just be sure to see how different TVs perform with SD material - it's probably still worth getting a flat panel for future-proofing though if only for the space savings.
I may well buy a blu-ray player in the future, as they are becoming more available.
Whilst you think a 32" is big enough, even a 37" Plasma (Panasonic 37X10) will not be all that big once installed on/against the wall (different matter if corner siting) and you've grown accustomed to it over the course of a couple of weeks - many have been known to regret not going the next size up, once they experience movies at the new size.
well i will only be about 2 to 3m away, as it is only a little room i am now living in.
I think anything bigger will just be too big.
As this will be a long term thing, my last tv was for 10 years, what should i be looking for manufacturer wise? And feature wise?
I don't really want to spend a lot as it doesn't get used a lot.
I think anything bigger will just be too big.
As this will be a long term thing, my last tv was for 10 years, what should i be looking for manufacturer wise? And feature wise?
I don't really want to spend a lot as it doesn't get used a lot.
I would look at a few LCDs, viewing both Freeview (SD) and Blu ray/Sky HD sources to just see if you like the picture. Lots of people will tell you it has to have 100hz or some other whizz-bang tech, but if you are happy with the picture it is fine. Try to see how it performs with fast moving pictures (football is the biggest test) as some people have real problems with the judder you can get which can be uncomfortable. Likewise Blu ray movies in 24 frames per second mode (which is how they are recorded). If you have trouble with this try a set with a low refresh rate (measure in ms, lower the better) and 100mhz. I would say if it has 3 HDMI sockets and is capable of receiving all three HD signals and displaying them at a quality you are happy with that is all you definitely need. Besides, maybe it won't be long before we start seeing 3D TVs 
There's always something better around the corner. One thing to look is the Freeview guide, some are rubbish (e.g. only display now and next).
There's always something better around the corner. One thing to look is the Freeview guide, some are rubbish (e.g. only display now and next).elster said:
What is the difference between them all?
I am looking at getting a cheap TV.
I only use it for basic TV, couple of films and wii.
I am coming from a very old CRT, is it worth me getting LCD or Plasma or whatever I find? It only needs to be 32", anything more would be too big.
You can probably get a 32" CRT for nothing as they're just so passé these days dahling. Anything else is a waste of money unless you actually need the space behind it.I am looking at getting a cheap TV.
I only use it for basic TV, couple of films and wii.
I am coming from a very old CRT, is it worth me getting LCD or Plasma or whatever I find? It only needs to be 32", anything more would be too big.
cjs said:
Not too many Plasmas around at 32" so it will need to be LCD. 720p is what is broadcast by the Sky HD channels. Unless your going to run a Bluray player you don't need 1080p.
You don't need 1080p for Blu-Ray either. You tell the Blu-Ray player through the settings menu how you want it to decode the DVD, so if you only have a 720p/1080i set you set it to one of these.In my opinion unless you are going for a 50" TV or Projector there is absolutely minimial benefit in getting a 1080p set. 1080p has been well used by the industry as a marketing tool to get people to upgrade.
bogwoppit said:
I would look at a few LCDs, viewing both Freeview (SD) and Blu ray/Sky HD sources to just see if you like the picture. Lots of people will tell you it has to have 100hz or some other whizz-bang tech, but if you are happy with the picture it is fine. Try to see how it performs with fast moving pictures (football is the biggest test) as some people have real problems with the judder you can get which can be uncomfortable. Likewise Blu ray movies in 24 frames per second mode (which is how they are recorded). If you have trouble with this try a set with a low refresh rate (measure in ms, lower the better) and 100mhz. I would say if it has 3 HDMI sockets and is capable of receiving all three HD signals and displaying them at a quality you are happy with that is all you definitely need. Besides, maybe it won't be long before we start seeing 3D TVs There's always something better around the corner. One thing to look is the Freeview guide, some are rubbish (e.g. only display now and next).
Thanks I will check the guide and see if I can plug in a Blu ray player to see how that is. Thanks There's always something better around the corner. One thing to look is the Freeview guide, some are rubbish (e.g. only display now and next).Pigeon said:
You can probably get a 32" CRT for nothing as they're just so passé these days dahling. Anything else is a waste of money unless you actually need the space behind it.
As I say in a new place, which is "petite" to say the least, so really need the space of a flat one over a CRT.steve z said:
cjs said:
Not too many Plasmas around at 32" so it will need to be LCD. 720p is what is broadcast by the Sky HD channels. Unless your going to run a Bluray player you don't need 1080p.
You don't need 1080p for Blu-Ray either. You tell the Blu-Ray player through the settings menu how you want it to decode the DVD, so if you only have a 720p/1080i set you set it to one of these.In my opinion unless you are going for a 50" TV or Projector there is absolutely minimial benefit in getting a 1080p set. 1080p has been well used by the industry as a marketing tool to get people to upgrade.
What about the HD ready, are they not really worth it for future proofness?
steve z said:
cjs said:
Not too many Plasmas around at 32" so it will need to be LCD. 720p is what is broadcast by the Sky HD channels. Unless your going to run a Bluray player you don't need 1080p.
You don't need 1080p for Blu-Ray either. You tell the Blu-Ray player through the settings menu how you want it to decode the DVD, so if you only have a 720p/1080i set you set it to one of these.In my opinion unless you are going for a 50" TV or Projector there is absolutely minimial benefit in getting a 1080p set. 1080p has been well used by the industry as a marketing tool to get people to upgrade.
What about the HD ready, are they not really worth it for future proofness?
Plotloss said:
For a 32" set, 1080p is completely and utterly pointless.
Its pointless for almost all televisions in reality, in living room applications its the emperor's new clothes.
Agree with that. Anything with a sticker on saying "HD Ready" will accept 720p and 1080i which should be fine, you don't need "Full HD" for a set of that size.Its pointless for almost all televisions in reality, in living room applications its the emperor's new clothes.
UncappedTag said:
I went from a 32" LG LCD 720p screen to a 37" Panasonic 1080p. Cannot notice much difference.
Doubt you will if you're not sitting 5' from it, nor feeding it a B-R movie at 1080P either - with regular HD at the same typical domestic distances people are using, you'd probably not notice anything there either.Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff