1080p worth it?

[bkbluray]

Samsung replaced my 720p 40" LCD with a 1080p LCD, and there was honestly a night and day difference. It was like watching Blu-rays for the first time!

If it's not too much more, I'd go for the upgrade. It's now very nice knowing that I have the maximum resolution available.

[rogman]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

There's a lot of misinformation in here.
For 1080p and 720p and 480p it all depends on your viewing distance.

For a 32" TV you would appreciate the full benefits of 1080p at 4 feet viewing distance.

At 6 feet you wouldn't be able to tell much difference between 720p and 1080p.

At 12 feet you wouldn't be able to tell much difference between 480p and 720p.

In the same way on a 60" TV at 25 feet you wouldn't be able to tell much difference between 480p and 1440p.

This is a pretty good approximation of screeen size, resolution and viewing distance and at which point each one matters.

Nice chart! Based on my screen size (102") and distance (12') looks like I need to move up to a 1440P display! Anyone need a slightly used Epson Powerlite Home 1080P? Can you live with such a 'low' resolution?

Another factor that I don't think's been mentioned is that the chart & numbers are probably based on someone w/20:20 vision. Since many of us aren't quite so lucky, that needs to be taken into account too.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by rogman

Nice chart! Based on my screen size (102") and distance (12') looks like I need to move up to a 1440P display! Anyone need a slightly used Epson Powerlite Home 1080P? Can you live with such a 'low' resolution?

Another factor that I don't think's been mentioned is that the chart & numbers are probably based on someone w/20:20 vision. Since many of us aren't quite so lucky, that needs to be taken into account too.

Agreed your vision is important.
Oddly enough I was at the opthamologists yesterday morning as I'm a little concerned at the number of floaters I have in one eye and how it smears sometimes. He said the vitrious fluid and retina look fine, so there's nothing I can do; surgery is not worth it unless you have LOADS of floaters that are actually cutting off your vision.

But I had my eyes checked. I have 20/25 vision and with my glasses on I have 15/15 vision!!!

So he said my eyesight is bloody excellent, which explains why I'm so bothered by the slightest imperfections.



I was chatting with someone yesterday in the lunch room, they said that 20/25 is the best CORRECTED vision they can get with glasses, so I feel quite lucky.

[rogman]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Agreed your vision is important.
Oddly enough I was at the opthamologists yesterday morning as I'm a little concerned at the number of floaters I have in one eye and how it smears sometimes. He said the vitrious fluid and retina look fine, so there's nothing I can do; surgery is not worth it unless you have LOADS of floaters that are actually cutting off your vision.

But I had my eyes checked. I have 20/25 vision and with my glasses on I have 15/15 vision!!!

So he said my eyesight is bloody excellent, which explains why I'm so bothered by the slightest imperfections.



I was chatting with someone yesterday in the lunch room, they said that 20/25 is the best CORRECTED vision they can get with glasses, so I feel quite lucky.

I have glasses but don't wear them. It's a very slight perscription so things look pretty clear to me. I have a feeling many people, even if they are sitting close enough to see the 1080P difference, wouldn't because of their eyesight.

I wonder how many people have their home theater audio experience lessened due to hearing loss. I was tested a few years ago and I have the hearing of a 5-year old. Of course, this tees it up for the comments about my sense of humor, intelligence, etc.

My wife has some hearing loss in both ears, and has worse eyes than me, and doesn't wear her glasses. I don't think she knows what she's missing!

[Tyler2106]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

There's a lot of misinformation in here.
For 1080p and 720p and 480p it all depends on your viewing distance.

For a 32" TV you would appreciate the full benefits of 1080p at 4 feet viewing distance.

At 6 feet you wouldn't be able to tell much difference between 720p and 1080p.

At 12 feet you wouldn't be able to tell much difference between 480p and 720p.

In the same way on a 60" TV at 25 feet you wouldn't be able to tell much difference between 480p and 1440p.

This is a pretty good approximation of screeen size, resolution and viewing distance and at which point each one matters.

OMG THANK YOU!!! Another person on this forum that doesn't think 1080p is always the best way to go!!! +100 on the post!!!

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by rogman

I have glasses but don't wear them. It's a very slight perscription so things look pretty clear to me. I have a feeling many people, even if they are sitting close enough to see the 1080P difference, wouldn't because of their eyesight.

I wonder how many people have their home theater audio experience lessened due to hearing loss. I was tested a few years ago and I have the hearing of a 5-year old. Of course, this tees it up for the comments about my sense of humor, intelligence, etc.

My wife has some hearing loss in both ears, and has worse eyes than me, and doesn't wear her glasses. I don't think she knows what she's missing!

I had my hearing tested up to 18kHz and am able to hear test tones down to around 18Hz, so I consider myself lucky there too. There is very little change in dB response throughout the testing either, so I consider that a huge bonus.

Not bad for being 34 years old, given the years in my 20's I walked around with a DiscMan blaring various CD's from Prodigy to The Verve.

Now I just need to be careful. Although I've been to Montreal to the F1 race 7 years in a row with no earplugs. Zoinks. That's around 130dB at least I'm sure. I may wear plugs this year.

[rogman]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

I had my hearing tested up to 18kHz and am able to hear test tones down to around 18Hz, so I consider myself lucky there too. There is very little change in dB response throughout the testing either, so I consider that a huge bonus.

Not bad for being 34 years old, given the years in my 20's I walked around with a DiscMan blaring various CD's from Prodigy to The Verve.

Now I just need to be careful. Although I've been to Montreal to the F1 race 7 years in a row with no earplugs. Zoinks. That's around 130dB at least I'm sure. I may wear plugs this year.

If I were you, I'd definitely bring the EPs to that one! 130dB is freakin' loud!

I found it interesting (and useful) that Pioneer provided a chart indicating what is safe for what duration. There was a message indicating how they wanted their customers to enjoy their receivers for a long time to come. Makes sense. If someone trashes their hearing, any receiver/speaker combo is going to sound like crap.

Aperion provides a similar chart w/their speakers, and also a SPL meter. I've used it extensively and call it the "argument ender" at my house. When the Mrs. says "it's too loud- you're gonna go deaf", now I have the proof that it isn't and I won't.

Of course, much like my three sons, I've used "selective deafness" to my advantage several times... "...I didn't hear you ask me to fold the laundry, honey..."

[Wreck]

Originally Posted by MOONPHASE

42 inches and above best for 1080p even a 36 inch might be ok but 32 inches and below better off in 720p/1080i

I CONCUR!

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by BigBLUballz

I CONCUR!

You're concurring with something that doesn't make sense.
Size of TV is irrelevant when you don't consider viewing distance.
A 32" 1080p TV will allow you to experience the full benefits of 1080p depending on your viewing distance.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by rogman

If I were you, I'd definitely bring the EPs to that one! 130dB is freakin' loud!

I found it interesting (and useful) that Pioneer provided a chart indicating what is safe for what duration. There was a message indicating how they wanted their customers to enjoy their receivers for a long time to come. Makes sense. If someone trashes their hearing, any receiver/speaker combo is going to sound like crap.

Aperion provides a similar chart w/their speakers, and also a SPL meter. I've used it extensively and call it the "argument ender" at my house. When the Mrs. says "it's too loud- you're gonna go deaf", now I have the proof that it isn't and I won't.

Of course, much like my three sons, I've used "selective deafness" to my advantage several times... "...I didn't hear you ask me to fold the laundry, honey..." DD

Yes I remember that chart from my last Pioneer receiver, 1014TX.

I don't know why we don't use earplugs. Sure there's a gap of over 1.5 minutes between laps, but once you're 20 laps into the race the cars are scattered all over the course. It's truly an incredible experience to hear an F1 car accelerating after a hairpin. Immeasurably louder than Indy.

Here's a decent text chart of dB.

http://makeitlouder.com/Decibel%20Level%20Chart.txt

147dB (N)FORMULA 1 RACE CAR, 700 HORSEPOWER, CHESTPOUNDING AND SUCTION FORCE

This is normalized to 1 meter. Sound decreases 6dB everytime you double the distance, so if we're around 4 meters away, as we've been in Row A the last three years in a row, then it's around 135dB. However as we're at the start of the Apex we experience a little less dB overall because the cars are slowing down. In which case the 147dB does not apply at the entry to the hairpin.

I'd estimate it's around 50 meters to the other side of the hairpin, which means as they engage maximum acceleration we're probably experiencing around 117dB constantly, which is still high, but nowhere near as dangerouns as 147dB, which is probably why we can both still hear.



Earplugs should be worn anytime you're going to experience constant dB's above 85.

Oops!

[Kaldaim]

Odds are you're going to have your HDTV for many years. You might not be sitting close to it now, but what happens if you move or replace it in 5 years with the latest and greatest? If you can afford to, I would definitely recommend 1080p for any HDTV 40" and above. In most cases, the difference in cost is not that significant if you're staying within the same generation/model group. Futureproof your investment, and you won't be left wondering "what if."

[MrRoy]

I had a 42" 720p plasma and got a 40" 1080p lcd instead and i can tell the diff at 8ft. So, I guess it really depends on what you see. The chart that is referenced is good, but not 100%.

[john_1958]

Originally Posted by Cinemaddict

I just read an article saying that 1080p is only worthwhile on HDTVs that are 50" or larger. What do you all think?

If that's true, it seems like it'd be very silly to buy a 32" 1080p HDTV, for example, because 720p would look just the same on a screen that size.

i say if you want your monies worth get 42" or higher
never a 720p

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by MrRoy

I had a 42" 720p plasma and got a 40" 1080p lcd instead and i can tell the diff at 8ft. So, I guess it really depends on what you see. The chart that is referenced is good, but not 100%.

There are plenty of other circumstances as well.
If you had a 720p/1080i set that didn't deinterlace properly and you're always inputting 1080i, chances are you've gone from 540p on the 42" to 1080p on the 40".
A better test would be comparing a 720p signal to a 1080p signal of the same source and seeing how much difference you notice.

As stated if someone has 40/40 vision this chart won't apply to them either, likewise someone with 15/15 vision may notice 1080p even earlier than the stated chart.

That's why the ranges are so wide.

[gamer2600]

yes

[Tyler2106]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

There are plenty of other circumstances as well.
If you had a 720p/1080i set that didn't deinterlace properly and you're always inputting 1080i, chances are you've gone from 540p on the 42" to 1080p on the 40".
A better test would be comparing a 720p signal to a 1080p signal of the same source and seeing how much difference you notice.

As stated if someone has 40/40 vision this chart won't apply to them either, likewise someone with 15/15 vision may notice 1080p even earlier than the stated chart.

That's why the ranges are so wide.

I think you are seeing things that aren't there...you think you are seeing extra detail because one is a 1080p set and the other is 720p and you know this so you are biased...

[Beta Man]

Sarcastic post removed

EDIT!

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by Tyler2106

I think you are seeing things that aren't there...you think you are seeing extra detail because one is a 1080p set and the other is 720p and you know this so you are biased...

I think you're quoting the wrong person. I don't know why you're addressing that post to me.

[J6P]

Originally Posted by Tyler2106

I think you are seeing things that aren't there...you think you are seeing extra detail because one is a 1080p set and the other is 720p and you know this so you are biased...

Hmmm. We went through a great deal of drama and strife as enthusiasts to establish an optical disc standard with 1080 lines of progressive information. Not faked. Not upconverted from 540. Why not use a display that can actually display that information? Seems logical to me.

Sometimes one can find oneself arguing strange positions just to defend a purchasing decision, but this seems an odd battle to pick as a Blu-ray fan. This, coming from somebody stuck back in 720p right there with you (waiting on those XBR-8s)!

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by J6P

Hmmm. We went through a great deal of drama and strife as enthusiasts to establish an optical disc standard with 1080 lines of progressive information. Not faked. Not upconverted from 540. Why not use a display that can actually display that information? Seems logical to me.

Sometimes one can find oneself arguing strange positions just to defend a purchasing decision, but this seems an odd battle to pick as a Blu-ray fan. This, coming from somebody stuck back in 720p right there with you (waiting on those XBR-8s)!

if it's not noticeable at a given viewing distance....then you're paying for something you're not using........

I have a 37" 720p at 10-12 feet viewing distance it's fine..... and I don't want a 1080p (if I did, I'd buy one) I have three LCDs and they're all 720p (One Aquos 37", Two 32" samsungs)

When I have room for a projector or a 60" plasma, I'll get 1080p