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New TV...720P...1080P...Plasma...LCD???


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I can tell the difference between 720p and 1080i from across my 11' wide room on my Sony Bravia 32" LCD tv. It's not great, but gets easier to spot as I get used to looking for it. Based on what I saw when adjusting peoples' monitors at work some years ago, some see the diff quickly and some simply do not see it (or don't care).

The 1080i standard of PBS, CBS, NBC, CNN, Discovery, NGeo, etc., is welcome compared to ABC and others which still stick with 720p, last I looked.

So, aside from cost issues, I'd go for the 1080.

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It would be silly to buy a 720p vs. a 1080p at this point. I've got a samsung LCD and love it.

Do you mean other than the $500 savings for buying 720p native???

Bill

Yes. I mean, if you absolutely can't afford to buy a 1080p, by all means get the 720p. Otherwise, it's extremely short-sighted to not get 1080p just "because you don't need it."

The $500 savings isn't going to be so great when you decide you made a mistake and end up replacing it several years earlier than if you had purchased a 1080p to begin with.

I just replaced my old 720p Hitachi with a 1080p Samsung and from the moment I plugged it in, I knew I had made the right decision.

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Todd, I was going to make the same point. When I purchased my set, I knew I was going to have to have this for at least 10 years. With the way technology changes I didnt want to get a 2nd generation technology when they were already talking highly of 1080P(4th generation?).

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In a few weeks I'm getting a 40" Sony KDL-40 XBR9 LCD. These have the 240Hz refresh rate and the 10-bit video processors. I have sattelite and also a Mac 871 DVD player. At first I thought the 120Hz models were a big step up in motion just going from the 8 to 10-bit machines, but now the XBR9 has the 240Hz, life is getting even better!

The stores want $2,500 but I've found it off the net in the low $1,800 + shipping. After that I'll have to get the matching TV stand that goes with the stereo cabinet ($700 shipped).

Kinda lament over giving our old Samsung 25" tabletop to a friend. It's the last house item that resembles the long ago era when my GF and I first moved in together. We were very broke and neither of us had a good job (if any). Within the first month we lived together the fridge died, two TV's died and the dog died. But now she's arived and I'm barely keeping up.

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Guys...I appreciate the comments and AM listening...not trying to be argumentitive...here are a couple of things I think are true:

720p sets sold today (new models such as the 50X1 Plasma from Panasonic) are better than the 720p sets of a few years ago...

1080p sets are better than the 720p sets at showing 1080p (duh)

I looked yesterday at Best Buy and got to see all three sets in a row to compare...Panasonic 720p Plasma, Panasonic 1080p Plasma and the Samsung A850 LCD (50", 50" and 46")...the Samsung had the clearest picture on what it was fed at the store...however...I cannot speak for how the TVs were set up...it appeared to me that the Samsung was set up perfect for my eyes...both Panasonics appeared to be set a bit hot...screaming reds and greens...the 1080p Plasma was such a small difference "better" than the 720p...

The difference in cost (and I really DO understand what you all mean about savings not being worth it if I'm gonna grumble about why I didn't buy 1080p in a few months) is almost half again what the Panasonic 50" Plasma is ...Sears right now for $899...$599 for the 42"...$1599 for the Samsung I like...

You guys are really giving me points to think about so I really appreciate the help...

Bill

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We have 3 different LCD tvs here that we can watch. Sony 46" 1080p XBR 120hz w/Bluray player, A Philips LCD 42" 720p w reg DVD player, lastly a 32" 1080i AKAI w built in DVD player. In general we must be over the whole Bluray thing because no one seems to care which setup we watch a dvd or bluray movie on or what type movie it is. We can certainly discern the differences in the images but alas nobody is very hung up on it. Couple that to the higher Bluray costs and well you get the idea. If we rent a movie we rent the regular ole format and might shove it in the Sony. [;)]

I wouldn't get too hung up on resolution of these sets. Buy the tv that fits your budget and fits your viewing preferences. Our experiences here indicate we would be just as happy with three 720p tv sets. Your experience may vary.

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JL...some more good points...I agree that BluRay has the WOW factor but I have no real complaints about standard DVDs...in fact, perhaps a jump to a better DVD player would be in order...I am currently watching things on my Sony Trinitron 36" Tube TV and upstairs (non theater) on a 50" Sony rear screen projection...I want to have something better in the Home Theater downstairs and even considered putting the Sony 50" rear screen projection LCD (720p native 1080i available) downstairs for the Home Theater and putting the new one (whatever it is) connected to my AT&T U-verse...even getting a slightly smaller (say it isn't so) TV for upstairs...46" or even 42"...

Bill

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I have top of the line 720-50" panasonic plasma from 2006. it was the 5000.00 model and i bought it for a song right when the 1080 sets first came out. I have a top of the line 32" panasonic 1080 in the den form 1 year ago. the 1080 is running of a hi def box from direct TV with box store HDMI cables. The 720 plasma had a direct TV DVR running into my Sony ES Ht receiver using audioholic HDMI cables all around. For what ever reason this particular 720 set looks slightly better than my 1080 in the den. Tis is the case for both direct TV and blue ray through a Sony 550 player It also looks better than several of my friends 1080 sets in their homes. Everybody who see this set comments on how good the thing looks. I would like to replace it at some point with the latest greatest whizbang contraption with all of the bells and whistles but I see no reason to do so. I am not going to sit here and make an @ss out of myself by arguing that 720 is as good as 1080. No way it can be. I just know what I see and at this point I would have a hard time buying a new 1080 set unless it was absoultely necessary based on the present differences. Personally I would hold off and wait on the feed quality and new technology to improve further. If I had it to do over again I would have bought a 720 instead of a 1080 in the 32" for the den and spent the difference on speakers.

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Everybody who see this set comments on how good the thing looks.

I think I can understand that -- I don't like Sony's edgy, unnaturally-colored picture, and probably would prefer something that can do a better job with natural colors. Sony's pic reminds me of digital sound's (sometimes) unnatural edge and instrumental tone qualities.

The greatest challenge IMO is skin tones. Actually, the best picture I've ever seen for that was my 1971 85% tube TV. Unfortunately, it died a few years ago and can't be fixed. But its (monophonic) sound and people picture quality were unsurpassable. Maybe your 2006 Panny plasma does something like that, and, if so, I might prefer it myself.

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I agree with those who think there is hardly any difference between 720 and 1080. The difference in price on the lower-end sets is marginal - maybe a couple hundred dollars or so, so it will not be a huge amount to "ovespend" if you go with 1080.

I do not think you will come to really appreciate the extra $200, unless you just feel good about knowing you spent more for a newer technology. You really will not notice it when you sit down to watch movies. I doubt anybody ever watches a TV with such scrutiny as they do when they are actually giving it an "eagle-eye" look-over in the stores.

Wal-Mart is selling the 50" Samsung plasmas for around $850, I think.

There are sets that cost sooooo.... much more than the low-end. But, really, the low-end ones seem to be totally sufficient.

We have Vizio 42 LCD 720, and Vizio42 Plasma. LCD is brighter. Plasma is not as bright but plenty bright enough.

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One additional thing I will comment on and thats the glare problem. When shopping back a few months ago I noticed this difference in the LCD 50" tvs:

Sonys have a nonglare matt type finish on the screens. The Samsungs have a highly reflective finish. The difference was huge when trying to watch in the store.

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went back to Best Buy tonight...armed with the Fry's ad (albeit past
the sale date) and they weren't interested in moving off their
price...weren't interested in resetting the TVs (2 Panny plasmas and
the Samsung A850 LCD) to zero so I could get a baseline...not really
interested in selling a TV...and I brought the truck and
everything...who says there is a bad economy...sadwavey.gif



Looks like the TV gods were not smilin' on me tonight...

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