TV advice

[DU Ute]

I still have an old 28" tube TV and I've been looking to upgrade. I don't own a Blue Ray player and don't plan on getting one (I hardly use my DVD player). Is there that big of a difference between 720p and 1080p if you're just watching TV through Comcast? What if I upgrade to HD service? Does plasma work for most people? Or is an LCD a must have? I really don't care much for little differences, I just found a nice deal on a Phillips 50" plasma 720p and want to know if I should jump on it. I've done some research, but would like to get the input of those here. Thanks.

[Mormon Red Death]

I still have an old 28" tube TV and I've been looking to upgrade. I don't own a Blue Ray player and don't plan on getting one (I hardly use my DVD player). Is there that big of a difference between 720p and 1080p if you're just watching TV through Comcast? What if I upgrade to HD service? Does plasma work for most people? Or is an LCD a must have? I really don't care much for little differences, I just found a nice deal on a Phillips 50" plasma 720p and want to know if I should jump on it. I've done some research, but would like to get the input of those here. Thanks.

you will want the 1080 if you upgrade to HD... especially bluray.

[beefytee]

I still have an old 28" tube TV and I've been looking to upgrade. I don't own a Blue Ray player and don't plan on getting one (I hardly use my DVD player). Is there that big of a difference between 720p and 1080p if you're just watching TV through Comcast? What if I upgrade to HD service? Does plasma work for most people? Or is an LCD a must have? I really don't care much for little differences, I just found a nice deal on a Phillips 50" plasma 720p and want to know if I should jump on it. I've done some research, but would like to get the input of those here. Thanks.

With 50", 720 might make a difference.

I have comcast and enjoy the free unencrypted local channels coming in on HD with the built in QAM tuner.

You also get the mtn HD programming when it is available unencrypted.

[TripletDaddy]

anything for you will be an upgrade. since you are still using a crt, you are clearly not a videophile (not a bad thing, btw...Im not either), meaning you obviously dont care that much about having the latest upgrade in technology.

ignore all the crap about bluray and 1080i vs 1080p, esp since you say that you barely use your DVD player right now anyway. Just get the least expensive upgraded TV, switch your cable to the HD package, and you will enjoy a nice night and day difference when watching sports and some tv shows.

to directly answer your question, no, not really...there isn't some massive difference between 720 and 1080 (although there is a difference if you do a side by side), at least not enough for someone that is casual about the whole thing to spend an extra $1000 on it. However, if you can get both for roughly the same price, might as well get the 1080.

The bluray (ps3) supporters will chime in and tell you how awesome it is to watch transformers on bluray. If you have a serious jones to watch transformers on bluray, then spend for the upgrade.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I just bought a 50" 720 for the bar, it hang oppostie a 1080 tv that we got from the previous owners. I can tell no difference. Made me feel like I have wasted a lot of money over the last few years buying new crap.

[Donuthole]

anything for you will be an upgrade. since you are still using a crt, you are clearly not a videophile (not a bad thing, btw...Im not either), meaning you obviously dont care that much about having the latest upgrade in technology.

ignore all the crap about bluray and 1080i vs 1080p, esp since you say that you barely use your DVD player right now anyway. Just get the least expensive upgraded TV, switch your cable to the HD package, and you will enjoy a nice night and day difference when watching sports and some tv shows.

to directly answer your question, no, not really...there isn't some massive difference between 720 and 1080 (although there is a difference if you do a side by side), at least not enough for someone that is casual about the whole thing to spend an extra $1000 on it. However, if you can get both for roughly the same price, might as well get the 1080.

The bluray (ps3) supporters will chime in and tell you how awesome it is to watch transformers on bluray. If you have a serious jones to watch transformers on bluray, then spend for the upgrade.

I endorse this post. Well said.

[Drunk Tank]

My only thing to add, is I'd get a LCD over plasma. They consume less energy, are less expensive (not by much anymore) and you can play xb360 or PS3 on them. Not sure if it changed, but before they cautioned about playing video games on the plasma's.

[Donuthole]

My only thing to add, is I'd get a LCD over plasma. They consume less energy, are less expensive (not by much anymore) and you can play xb360 or PS3 on them. Not sure if it changed, but before they cautioned about playing video games on the plasma's.

Not really true anymore, though 8 years ago you'd have been dead on. Today's plasmas are nearly as energy efficient as a standard LCD, and burn in is not really a concern anymore. Both types are great, and neither should be a deterrent, IMO. Personally, I prefer the look a plasma offers, but everyone has their own preference.

LCDs are much more common, however, now that Vizio and Pioneer are out of the plasma market.

[DU Ute]

I pulled the trigger and bought it. $615 shipped was too good of a deal to pass up!

[Coach McGuirk]

Not really true anymore, though 8 years ago you'd have been dead on. Today's plasmas are nearly as energy efficient as a standard LCD, and burn in is not really a concern anymore. Both types are great, and neither should be a deterrent, IMO. Personally, I prefer the look a plasma offers, but everyone has their own preference.

LCDs are much more common, however, now that Vizio and Pioneer are out of the plasma market.

I agree with this. The only difference really is glare. So dark room Plasma or LCD, lots of light LCD.


Good job pulling the trigger DU. Now upgrade your service provider and watch in awe.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I pulled the trigger and bought it. $615 shipped was too good of a deal to pass up!

I'm late to this thread. Congratulations on buying a PoS that is already obsolete. They've already come out with 2160p TVs that project 3D images onto the floor (think of R2D2 and Princess Leia and Minority Report- only better). A group of Japanese engineers are even in the process of one upping the R2D2 TV and creating a TV that can project a stripper that will give you a lap dance and grab your wiener if you're willing to buy the top of the line model.

I can tell a difference between 720p and 1080i, but it really doesn't matter much. The jump between SD and 720p is huge, the jump between 720p and 1080i isn't much of anything. I've never seen anything in 1080p so I'd have to check that out before I really said that the difference between 720p and 1080p doesn't matter much. No network broadcasts in 1080p right now and supposedly the cable and satellite providers have to upgrade their equipment in order to broadcast in 1080p right now. You can get 1080p on demand, but you're not going to get live feed in 1080p any time soon.

Much more important than getting a 1080p set is buying the biggest damn screen possible (the BDSP principle). If the 52 inch screen costs the same as the 46 inch screen but the 52 inch is only 720 and 46 is 1080, get the 52 inch TV. Also, the 120HZ thing is complete and utter BS. Since no one broadcasts in 120HZ and I don't think movies are even outputed at 120HZ, the TV simulates motion and it makes it the live action picture look like its computer animation. It looks totally fake.

[Surfah]

All I know is that my buddy has a Samsung that blew me away. And I have been watching TV in HD for 5-6 years now.

[DU Ute]

Much more important than getting a 1080p set is buying the biggest damn screen possible (the BDSP principle). If the 52 inch screen costs the same as the 46 inch screen but the 52 inch is only 720 and 46 is 1080, get the 52 inch TV. Also, the 120HZ thing is complete and utter BS. Since no one broadcasts in 120HZ and I don't think movies are even outputed at 120HZ, the TV simulates motion and it makes it the live action picture look like its computer animation. It looks totally fake.

The BDSP principle was the driving force behind my purchase.

[Donuthole]

Bump.

[Walter Sobchak]

I don't own a Blue Ray player and don't plan on getting one (I hardly use my DVD player).

I wonder if DU Ute ever got a "Blue Ray" player.