Item 3- Resolution
Resolution is defined as how much fine detail can be captured and displayed.
The Claim
HDTV is far sharper than standard 35mm motion picture film. Top name actors’ faces look flawless when seen at your local movie theater but appear dreadful in HDTV. Why? Movie film can’t resolve the wrinkles, acne scars, age lines or ther beauty defects in actors’ faces, but HDTVs higher resolution exposes everything. This notion has been reported by an “HDTV expert†and has been recycled over and over again by the mass media.
The Reality
This is a big lie. Film is far sharper than HDTV’s maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. Major movie studios through an industry initiative have settled on a digital cinema standard to assure all the detail within each 35mm movie film frame is captured when converted to video. How much more detail is in the digital theater standard? Over four times the resolution of HDTV. It’s 4096 x 2160. Every detail captured in movie film isn’t always reproduced in HDTV, because of films’ inherent higher resolution capability. Movie film can be far more revealing than HDTV and depending on the director’s technique, choice of lenses and other variables, actors’ faces can look worse on film, not the other way around.
What to do about it.
Next time you read an article that states how HDTV reveals skin flaws that make movie stars’ faces look lousy, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that the reporter is either misinformed or fibbing
Item 4- 1080p Displays
1080p displays are defined as HDTVs with a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 that refresh the entire image every 1/60th of a second
The Claim
1080p displays are the only HDTVs you should consider buying.
The Reality
The concept of a 1080p being the only HDTV you should purchase is a misinformed generalization. This myth has been perpetuated by various HDTV manufacturers and retailers. The reality, a high contrast ratio display with deep blacks will be perceived as sharper than comparable size 1080p display with a lower contrast ratio (see below for more on contrast ratio). Screen size is another factor.
1080p HDTVs, with screens less than 45†have little inherent advantage over 720p displays. The smaller the display the harder it is to see a detail improvement when compared to a 1080p display. Why? The 720p and 768p screens under 45†already pack the pixels very tightly together.
A similar effect can be observed with 7″ and under standard definition TVs (480 lines of resolution). Theses tiny TVs appear very sharp because the lines of resolution are very close to each other.
Another consideration what will be your viewing distance? The further back you sit from the optimum viewing distance for 1080p (see chart) the harder it is to see the difference between 720p and 1080p. When you sit back beyond the maximum 720p viewing distance, you simply can’t justify the added cost of 1080p display.
What to do about it?
For screens below 45†consider a 720p display with high contrast and deep blacks over a 1080p display with lower contrast ratio. With the picture controls properly adjusted, you will be seen a wonderful sharp detailed high definition image that looks better that the 1080p model and costs less.
Copyright 2006 HD Guru (sm) All rights reserved.
17 Comments
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We have recently had problems with our Polaroid 37″ LCD hdtv. After some research online i find we are not alone in this. We purchased this TV in 2007 around christmas, and now it wont even turn on. After reading the coments online about Polaroid tv’s and polaroid as a company I am not even will to get ours fixed or purchase anything with there name. Could you please recomand another HDtv brand that will last more than 1 1/2 years.
I am building a home in YUMA AZ. and would like to put a 50″ or 60″ plasma or lcd on my patio wall outside in the shade. In the summer it can get up to 120 degrees. Can you help me find the right 1080p for my backyard? Also I want to put a 50″ on the wall in my bedroom price range around $2600.00, what should I get?
David Fincher disagrees!
http://digitalcontentproducer.com/videoedsys/revfeat/video_going_tapeless/
“Everyone says we won’t have the resolution of 35mm, but the truth is, 35mm is maybe 4K, and that’s before they do things to it. You have all this color space with film, but you don’t ever use all that color space. As soon as you drop an orange filter over [the lens], you have suddenly limited your blue and green color space, for instance. And by the time you dupe it to inter-positive, then to inter-negative, and go to three dupe negs or six dupe negs, and make 3,000 release prints, then you are looking at something, in most cases, just over 1K. So I think it’s silly to get attached to [film] like that.”
4K is 4,096 by 2,160 which is 4 times the detail of HDTV
The HD GuruÂÂ
do you reccomend an hd antenna for local channels?? if so what is a good brand??
I recommend using an antenna to receive local HD for free. I can’t make a recommendation because reception conditions vary greatly. I do like Winegard antennas for their performance and construction (I use one). They make a line of indoor and outdoor units.
The HD Guru
Nice website, good info thanks
Just something to add to the nonsense file. I bought
a Panasonic Plasma yesterday from CompUSA, and in the
attempt to sell me an extended warranty the salesman
told me.
“this TV is a plasma, it has gases inside it, it will need to be recharged, that costs $500”
I laughed, problem is that probably works with alot of people.
Hello,people! Yesterday got new toy – WD-52631 from Mitsubishi. also i bought Key Digital 4×1 scaler and Pioneer Elite 80 a/v receiver. Something is wrong. I can see HD channels in HD. All the rest of them are a lot worst,then what i could see on my old CRT tv. The Key Digital scaler suppose to convert all HDMI incoming signals into 1080P. It says,that it does,but the picture shows no difference. With it,or without. Maybe I don’t understand something,but i wanted to see everything on my new screen in 1080P. Instead what the 4×1 box does – it zooms the pic in all regular channels,but the picture itself still mooshi-mashi – much worst,then old analog pic on my Sony CRT. Any solution? And Happy New Year, everybody!
You need to check with Mitsubishi to verify this, I do not believe your HDTV has a dot-by-dot setting for connenction to an external scaler. If this is correct you are going through two sets of scaler circuits (one built-in to the Mits and the one in the Key Digital) and that’s why your not seeing an improvement in the image. I suggest removing the Key Digital. Consult your dealer and Mitsubishi to confirm the lack of dot-by-dot aspect ratio.
Remember, in order to reap a benefit using any external scaler, the connected HDTV must have a dot-for-dot aspect ratio to bypass the HDTV’s internal scaler. Before purchasing a scaler, confirm your HDTV has this setting.ÂÂ
The HD GuruÂÂ
happy New years People
Hello I really like the honest remarks made about hdtv.I really like HDTV as I have it on my big screen tv 57 inch.I can tell by watching regular tv and HDTV.I have Direct Tv service and man I’m happy with the service.Just wanted to say thanks for the open honesty about it and keep up the good work. Beer is great
As reply to the comment/question about the 50″ Vizio Plasma:
I bought one a month ago from Sam’s Wholesale for just under $1700 (tuner included) and love it. I have it hooked up to HDTV cable and OTA rabbit ears and will soon have DirecTV HD DVR (waiting list).
It has two sets of inputs: RCA, component, HDMI and even PC monitor cable. The OTA tuner works great and the sound is terrific (TV speakers).
I am not a videophile, and possibly someone could find something to critique – but the blacks look black and the colors are clear and watching Discovery Channel HD is amazing.
We turned it down from “vivid” to “movie” and it still looks great.
I was wondering how well classic CRT technology mixes with HD. Are there any serious downsides besides the obvious weight and screen size limitations? Seems to me that CRT HD wouldn’t suffer from the brightness problems, poor grayscaling and “screen door” affects that you see with projection, plasma and LCD TVs.
Thanks for your time
Due to a number of factors, horizontal resolution is limited on HD CRT direct view TV to around 800-1000 pixels depending on the picture tube. Sony had a Superfine pitch CRT with 1407 pixels across, it has been discontinued for over a year. BTW it was quite dark (as in not very bright) I reviewed it when it was introduced.
LCD and Plasma panels are far brighter than any HD CRT.
The HD GuruÂÂ
Another way to equate resolution is to compare it with digital photography. The more “megapixels” in your camera,hence,if you blow up the image to large sizes,the more resolution the better the image because more information,pixels are packed in the image. So,in large screen sets,the image will look much better with full HD (1920x1080p)or 1920 pixels times 1080 pixels as apposed to 1366 pixels times 768 pixels. As far as I know for the home,only HD and Blueray dvd’s can exploit the progressive scan. If one were in the market for a new large screen TV,would’nt one want to purchase the best possible quality,meaning Full HD 1080p,among other things,if it’s within your means? That way you could exploit the new emerging tech.of Blueray.
Would you give me your opinion on the VIZIO 50″ plasma HDTV? Their website (obviously) has a lot of good things to say about their product and the price $1899.99 for a 50″ plasma HDTV is very good. They’re also located in Costa Mesa, CA which is very close to me.
Thanks for your indulgence.
I have not tested the Vizio 50″ therefore I cannot provide an opinion.
The HD GuruÂÂ
can you tell me is there hd tv 40 and up .that can be on for 12 hours and up a day since am home bound that will last without keep buying bulbs or other light sourses.i am looking to buy another tv soon .i have a samsung 42 rear projection for a year and a halve,i am on my 4th bulb at 200 a peice. thank you for your help. jim
Top plasma HDTVs with proper set up (see the archive)are rated at 60,000 hours. DLPs with LED backlights that are rated >20,000 hours have begun to appear. More LED backlight DLPs (with lower prices) should be available around the end of Q1 2007.
The HD Guru ÂÂ
I don’t understand the inherent advange of 1080p when used with a computer.
Doesn’t the display size still become a visual limitation to see the detail?
Is it true that the mirrors in a DLP TV have to be replaced every three or four yeard
File it under lie or nonsense. The panels will last years and years, the TV will be obselete long before you have a panel failure .ÂÂ
THe HD GuruÂÂ
I need your help, I am going to purchase a new wide screen HDTV but I dont know what is best for my family? LCD, DLP, Plasma, or LCD DLP rear projection. Our TV is on 8 to 9 hours a day, and I am told that the life span on most of the LCD rear projection bulbs are 3 to 5 years, with an expensive replacement cost. The plasmas have a half life of what 8 years, as well as the DLP. is this true? I just want a good quality HDTV, that does not require a lot of maintence. Help!
Plasmas with user controls set properly (see the HD Guru’s archive about best user settings, break in and turning down the contrast) will last 60,000 (industry call that the half brightness point) Thats about 20 years @ 8 hours a day 365/yr.
Projection bulb life varies greatly (about 2000-8000 hours) , but they would last the longest if you keep the TV on the full eight hours. Bulb assemblies generally run $200-$300
In 2007 I expect lmore LED backlit TV with no replacement till >20000 (about same price as bulb) and laser lit TVs (no lifetime confirmed yet but it should be >20000 hours, maybe longer.)
The HD GuruÂÂ
It should be noted that 1080p displays have a very definitive advantage over 720/768p when used together with a computer (HTPC for example) for gaming, web browsing, displaying photos…
Agreed. Thanks for mentioning it.
The HD GuruÂÂ