1080p

 

Bronze Member
Username: Tommyv

Rowlett, Texas

Post Number: 15
Registered: Aug-06
I was at best buy last night looking at a 1080p lcd with a blue ray disc player connected when a sales person walked up and asked if i needed any help. i said no i was just looking and commented on how nice the TV looked. he said that 1080p tvs were not that great right now because you cannot transmit a 1080 p signal via HDMI and they dont make TVs yet with this special connector. he said to wait till next year to get one. is this true because it sounds like alot of hooie to me.
 

Silver Member
Username: Hawk

Highlands Ranch, CO USA

Post Number: 965
Registered: Dec-03
He was right, Tommy. Personally, I am shocked that you had a salesperson at Best Buy who actually knows what he is talking about.

Problem is, HDMI is not one specification, but 4. There is HDMI, HDMI 1.1, HDMI 1.2, and now HDMI 1.3. Only ver. 1.3 can transmit a 1080p signal, but it was just adopted a few weeks ago. Nobody has product out yet that uses ver. 1.3. Another problem is that the HDMI ports are even a different size! So you can't plug a 1.3 cable into a 1.2 port.

Here is an excerpt I cut and pasted out of Audio/Video Revolution, which is about two months old:



title: HDMI's 1.3 Spec Is Announced Yet Big Questions Remain
by: Jerry Del Colliano
date: July 6, 2006

"If you were wondering how a format like Blu-ray can launch without a player from its leader Sony, the answer is likely that they were waiting for the HDMI 1.3 spec. While the difference between a version 1.2 and 1.3 of anything seems like no big deal to most consumers, it is important to understand just how powerful this change is in the digital media transmission format. It is so important that Sony made certain it was in the Playstation 3 platform, as well as its Blu-ray players. It is so important that some video industry executives suggest the increase in bandwidth not only allows impressive multi-channel audio on the same cable as video, but also that the video itself can make stunning HDTV look as much as twice as good. Reportedly, it is the difference between millions of colors and billions of colors to your HDTV. It's the difference between stereo audio and high-resolution surround sound from Dolby and DTS on the same cable as your improved video. But all isn't perfect in a world with one cable to connect your new player to your HDTV or receiver.

While the group behind HDMI says their format is "backwards compatible" (meaning an HDMI 1.2 device will function in an HDMI 1.3 system), the plugs are different sizes, creating the need for yet another adapter or even a cable change. I know the camcorder market is big, but is this ever bad planning on the part of the HDMI group. But things get worse -- how many devices will be able to be upgraded via firmware updates? Many components, players and switcher devices have chip sets that can handle HDMI 1.2. It has been suggested to AVRev.com that the 1.2 performance is as far as many of these products will go, so early adopters will be investing in more gear again. Moreover, how many consumers will know to upgrade their gear, even assuming they have the technical chops to do so? Can you imagine the support calls or, worse yet, the trips to Big Box retailers who won't have a clue how to get your system up to the new standard without selling you all-new gear?

While video improvements are always championed by enthusiasts, almost no video monitor on the planet can accept the new connection and/or has chip sets designed for HDMI 1.3. 1080p video is great but, unless you spent a fortune on your projector or TV (think an upgraded $30,000 Sony Qualia 004 video projector), you are out of luck with sending your HDTV pure 1080p video. Almost every set being sold to you today as a "1080p HDTV" doesn't have a true 1080p input. This means that your HD inputs are scaled inside your TV to 1080p. It isn't a tough job, like a 480i DVD to 1080p, but it isn't true 1080p unless you have the absolute newest HDTV at the highest prices. For example, plasmas finally can do 1080p, but they cost $10,000 for the luxury (or necessity, depending on how hooked on video you are)."
 

Bronze Member
Username: Tommyv

Rowlett, Texas

Post Number: 17
Registered: Aug-06
wow, i am surprised he did also. usually when i am in best buy, the sales people are so clueless that they end up learning something from me instead of the other way around. i guess i will just stick with a 1366x768 LCD.
I was in Tweeter a few weeks ago and they had a 1080p pioneer elite 50" plasma with a samsung blue ray player with some demo disc in it and the picture was truly impressive. the detail seemed even more than i have seen with other HD sources; HDMI issues or not.
 

Silver Member
Username: Hawk

Highlands Ranch, CO USA

Post Number: 970
Registered: Dec-03
LOL! ! ! ! !

You have nailed it my friend! I almost always feel Best Buy should pay me for educating their sales staff, except too often their eyes just glaze over.

Let me make a suggestion concerning your purchase. I don't know what you really want, but in my case, I have digital cable from comcast. I checked with them and learned their HD signals are sent out in 1080i. So check to see what resolution your content provider is braodcasting in. If it is 720p, then the 1366x768 LCD makes a lot of sense. However, if it is 1080i, as in my case, you will get a better picture with a set with native 1080 (i or p) capability. This is because the set will not have to convert the signal to your set's resolution. The difference is small, but I have noticed a difference when you do not have to convert the signal. In my case, I found the new Hitachi 42" Plasma has 1080i native resolution (1024 x 1080), and it looks great. I think the same is true for any set that has either 1080i or 1080p resolution. So check with your service provider to see what resolution their signal is.

Good luck!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Tommyv

Rowlett, Texas

Post Number: 24
Registered: Aug-06
Hawk, I actually have direct TV with an HD Tivo unit. It seems that some programs come in 720p and others in 1080i because there is a light on the front that indicates what resolution it is (it almost always has 1080i but i have seen it switch to 720 only a couple times). I have an off air antenna to pick up all the local digital channels as well. This gives better quality picture than that compared to Direct TVs local HD channels and i get alot more stations that way.

Take Care!!
« Previous Thread Next Thread »



Main Forums

Today's Posts

Forum Help

Follow Us