Should I be using 1080i? - Blu-ray Forum

dwesson · 12-31-2008, 06:39 AM

OK, I know this is discussed all of the time, but I'm hoping to get an answer specific to my current setup.

I recently bought a PS3 so I can start future-proofing and enjoying Blu-ray, but my HDTV is a couple of years old (Sony KDF-50E2000) and isn't exactly up to today's HD standards. I've played around with the settings on the PS3 and TV to the point where I'm happy with the picture, but I'm not sure whether to set the PS3 to output at 720p or 1080i (the PS3 "auto sets" itself at 1080i through the HDMI).

I thought the 1080i picture looked really good, and couldn't see an immediate difference switching to 720p, but I'm now finding out that my TV failed the "deinterlace test," which makes me wonder if I'm only seeing 1080i as better because of the larger number (placebo effect).

I need to know if it's best to output from PS3 at 1080i and let the TV downscale to 768, potentially losing resolution (despite me being unable to notice easily) or to output from PS3 at 720p and let the TV upscale to 768.

I'd like to know which will give me the better overall PQ, as well as which method is making my system do unnecessary work (if either). Sorry for the long post... I'm just really interested in hearing an answer other than "whatever looks best to you." My own perception is not satisfying me at this point.

EDIT: If it makes a difference, I will be using the PS3 for Blu-ray and DVD about 90% of the time, so any difference pertaining to videogames is not really an issue.

cdot2four · 12-31-2008, 07:51 AM

I went through this a couple years ago just let the ps3 decide. If it says 1080i then just leave it at that. I couldnt tell the difference either so just leave it alone

geneboi · 12-31-2008, 08:11 AM

same here....I am also using a HDready TV and couldn't spot the difference between 720p and 1080i. So I just left it at 1080i.

seigneur_rayden · 12-31-2008, 09:52 AM

In my opinion, blu looking better at 1080i than 720p. I was using 1080i with PS3 when I had a 720p TV and it was way better than 720p itself.

RiseDarthVader · 12-31-2008, 10:08 AM

But if you think about it since 1080i only draws half of the total lines at a time your really getting 540p. Which is less resolution then 720p.

dwesson · 12-31-2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

But if you think about it since 1080i only draws half of the total lines at a time your really getting 540p. Which is less resolution then 720p.

Yeah, but it draws them at double the intervals of 720p, so instead of 1 frame every 1/30th of a second, you get 2 fields every 1/60th of a second... your eyes can't tell the difference.

My concern, I guess, is over the fact that since my TV "fails the deinterlace test", I felt that maybe I was only getting the 540p because of the TVs inability to adapt to the interlaced signal... but if that were true, wouldn't I notice all sorts of lines and jaggies, especially during "action" scenes? I've tried a whole bunch of different stuff as reference, and it all looks great on my TV... clear as can be.

I just want to make sure I'm not forcing my TV to do anything it doesn't need to be doing, or physically can't do. But since most of you agree that it looks the same or better using 1080i regardless, I'm just going to leave it at that and enjoy it until I can upgrade to 1080p. Thanks.

BluLobsta · 12-31-2008, 12:12 PM

Yeah, there probably won't be much difference. ESPN uses 720p for HD broadcasting because of the fast motion sports where 720p is more stable, but most other networks use 1080i for shows/movies etc. But if your TV isn't de-interlacing properly, that would definitely be noticable on a standalone BD player. I'm just not sure about PS3s, though. As long as your TV de-interlaces properly, there is no difference between 1080i and 1080p TVs with a standalone BD player, for instance.

dwesson · 12-31-2008, 12:23 PM

Yeah, even though I'm being told that my TV doesn't deinterlace properly (nothing I have seen with my own eyes backs that statement up) I will probably continue using it set at 1080i until I notice some sort of distortion with the picture. I have been told that Sony sets are usually pretty solid with scaling, which may account for why I don't see a difference.

Johnny Vinyl · 12-31-2008, 12:30 PM

My situation is slightly different, but in a similar vein. My TV is a 720p/1080i and can accept a 1080p signal. What does that actually mean? I have everything set to accept 1080p and it looks great.

dwesson · 12-31-2008, 12:41 PM

I'm not 100% positive, but I've been doing a lot of research and it seems that a lot of HDTVs that are not "Full HD" (1080p) can still accept 1080i and/or 1080p signals. Only, instead of displaying the picture at that quality, which would be impossible, seeing as how the TV only has 720 or 768 lines of resolution, the TV scales the image to a resolution it can display.

So, it all comes down to what resolutions your TV will accept, and whether or not it looks better downscaling a 1080 signal, or upscaling a lower signal. I've been told the best option is to always feed the TV it's native resolution, but I swear 1080i looks nicer on my set. Either that or I'm just happier thinking it does.

hkpsitole · 12-31-2008, 06:13 PM

i have the same tv.. running to a sony bdps350 blu-player.. i am very impressed with this tv.. ive seen many other 720p(lcd.plasma..crt) i still think the grand wega beats them. i am running in 1080i. Dark Knight and cars/wall-e.. looked amazing. at this stage i dont see a need for a 1080P tv.

12-31-2008, 06:39 AM	#1
dwesson Active Member Member since:Dec 2008	Should I be using 1080i? OK, I know this is discussed all of the time, but I'm hoping to get an answer specific to my current setup. I recently bought a PS3 so I can start future-proofing and enjoying Blu-ray, but my HDTV is a couple of years old (Sony KDF-50E2000) and isn't exactly up to today's HD standards. I've played around with the settings on the PS3 and TV to the point where I'm happy with the picture, but I'm not sure whether to set the PS3 to output at 720p or 1080i (the PS3 "auto sets" itself at 1080i through the HDMI). I thought the 1080i picture looked really good, and couldn't see an immediate difference switching to 720p, but I'm now finding out that my TV failed the "deinterlace test," which makes me wonder if I'm only seeing 1080i as better because of the larger number (placebo effect). I need to know if it's best to output from PS3 at 1080i and let the TV downscale to 768, potentially losing resolution (despite me being unable to notice easily) or to output from PS3 at 720p and let the TV upscale to 768. I'd like to know which will give me the better overall PQ, as well as which method is making my system do unnecessary work (if either). Sorry for the long post... I'm just really interested in hearing an answer other than "whatever looks best to you." My own perception is not satisfying me at this point. EDIT: If it makes a difference, I will be using the PS3 for Blu-ray and DVD about 90% of the time, so any difference pertaining to videogames is not really an issue. Last edited by dwesson; 12-31-2008 at 06:41 AM.

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12-31-2008, 07:51 AM	#2
cdot2four Special Member Member since:Jun 2007 Location:Metro Detroit PSN:cdot2four Blu-ray collection:158 Blu-ray reviews:23 Trading Score:4	I went through this a couple years ago just let the ps3 decide. If it says 1080i then just leave it at that. I couldnt tell the difference either so just leave it alone

12-31-2008, 08:11 AM	#3
geneboi Senior Member Member since:Aug 2008 Location:Singapore (ASIA) Trading Score:1	same here....I am also using a HDready TV and couldn't spot the difference between 720p and 1080i. So I just left it at 1080i.

12-31-2008, 09:52 AM	#4
seigneur_rayden Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Feb 2008 Blu-ray collection:1097 Blu-ray reviews: 12	In my opinion, blu looking better at 1080i than 720p. I was using 1080i with PS3 when I had a 720p TV and it was way better than 720p itself.

12-31-2008, 10:08 AM	#5
RiseDarthVader Power Member Member since:Sep 2008 Location:Australia Blu-ray collection:136	But if you think about it since 1080i only draws half of the total lines at a time your really getting 540p. Which is less resolution then 720p.

12-31-2008, 12:12 PM	#7
BluLobsta Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Rhode Island Home Theater Gallery:86 4K collection:81 Blu-ray collection:420 DVD collection:1 Blu-ray reviews:2	Yeah, there probably won't be much difference. ESPN uses 720p for HD broadcasting because of the fast motion sports where 720p is more stable, but most other networks use 1080i for shows/movies etc. But if your TV isn't de-interlacing properly, that would definitely be noticable on a standalone BD player. I'm just not sure about PS3s, though. As long as your TV de-interlaces properly, there is no difference between 1080i and 1080p TVs with a standalone BD player, for instance.

12-31-2008, 12:23 PM	#8
dwesson Active Member Member since:Dec 2008	Yeah, even though I'm being told that my TV doesn't deinterlace properly (nothing I have seen with my own eyes backs that statement up) I will probably continue using it set at 1080i until I notice some sort of distortion with the picture. I have been told that Sony sets are usually pretty solid with scaling, which may account for why I don't see a difference.

12-31-2008, 12:30 PM	#9
Johnny Vinyl Moderator Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Jul 2007 Location:At the crossroad of Analogue Dr & 2CH Ave Home Theater Gallery:19 Blu-ray collection:205 DVD collection:7 Blu-ray reviews:3 Trading Score:8	My situation is slightly different, but in a similar vein. My TV is a 720p/1080i and can accept a 1080p signal. What does that actually mean? I have everything set to accept 1080p and it looks great.

12-31-2008, 12:41 PM	#10
dwesson Active Member Member since:Dec 2008	I'm not 100% positive, but I've been doing a lot of research and it seems that a lot of HDTVs that are not "Full HD" (1080p) can still accept 1080i and/or 1080p signals. Only, instead of displaying the picture at that quality, which would be impossible, seeing as how the TV only has 720 or 768 lines of resolution, the TV scales the image to a resolution it can display. So, it all comes down to what resolutions your TV will accept, and whether or not it looks better downscaling a 1080 signal, or upscaling a lower signal. I've been told the best option is to always feed the TV it's native resolution, but I swear 1080i looks nicer on my set. Either that or I'm just happier thinking it does.

12-31-2008, 06:13 PM	#11
hkpsitole Junior Member Member since:Dec 2008 Blu-ray collection:16	i have the same tv.. running to a sony bdps350 blu-player.. i am very impressed with this tv.. ive seen many other 720p(lcd.plasma..crt) i still think the grand wega beats them. i am running in 1080i. Dark Knight and cars/wall-e.. looked amazing. at this stage i dont see a need for a 1080P tv.

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