|
New member Username: MeradinPost Number: 1 Registered: Apr-06 | Hello, this is my first post so please take it easy on me. I have tried to read as much as possible before posting but I haven't had much success. My question is this. I have an opportunity to buy a Panasonic PT-56DLX25 at a GREAT price. Is this a good TV? The reason I am reluctant is that it has a resolution of 1280x720P. It will display up to 1080i. I know there has ,uch debate over what is better 1080p or 1080i and I am very confused on this issue. My question is, should I buy this TV, I need to make a descision soon, or wait until I can compare a 1080p to a 1080i. Did I mention the price is right? specifically, how does the PT-56DLX25 compare to a samsung HL-S5687W? Are there other brands to look at. I can share the price I have been quoted on the panasonic but are there any TVs now or in the next 3 months that compare to the panasonic for about 2500? |
|
Bronze Member Username: JumpbackPost Number: 84 Registered: Nov-05 | This is just one man's opinion. Panasonic has what 1% of the market when it comes to televisions...Samsung has a 40+% share of the market. 1080p is the future of television. I just bought a Samsung 61" DLP HD (6168W) for $2999 at a local retail store. If you want to buy it over the internet go to www.bottomdollar.com and they will have 20+ retailers that will sell the same set in the $2500 range. To find in depth reviews of all televisions go to www.cnet.com Good luck. |
|
Silver Member Username: Xdrummer03Tenessee Post Number: 317 Registered: Jul-05 | Go with the Samsung because Panasonics are not so hot when it comes to RPTV.The Samsung is a nice set.I have seen one and the overall look especially with the stand is nice.I would go with the new Toshiba 56HM66(720p) if you want a awsome set for the price.If you want the newer style get the 56HM196(1080p).The way TV's are priced this year i would just get a new one.Cause the new 56HM66 is going to cost you right at the same as the 56 Panasonic LCD RP. |
|
New member Username: Noya83Portland, Oregon USA Post Number: 1 Registered: May-06 | I currently have a 57" Hitachi HDTV 1080i...yuck. At the local Bi-Mart (NW $5 membership store) they have the Panasonic PT-56DLX25 56" 720p DLP for $1388. I'm thinking about jumping on it and getting rid of the Hitachi. Has anyone really demoed or bought one of these? Did you at least do a simple calibration with AVIA? |
|
New member Username: Chris0311Denver, Colorado Post Number: 8 Registered: Apr-06 | Were not going to see a 1080p picture for some time as there are no formats for it yet that I am aware of. As far as the difference between the two, it's probably going to be night and day. Your going from a interlaced screen to a progressive picture. I personally like Samung better but to each his own I guess. |
|
Silver Member Username: FyiDallas, Texas Post Number: 680 Registered: May-05 | There are some people on this thread who don't understand the resolution numbers and what they really mean. Take Chris for instance, who said, "We're not going to see a 1080p picture for some time". The truth is that a 1080P set can only display 1080P. It will receive any format, but will convert or scale whatever it receives to 1080P because that is how it's made. Now remember, a 480i standard def signal scaled to 1080P is not HD. Only a 720P signal scaled to 1080P or a 1080i signal converted to progressive scan will be a true High Def program. Still, the benefits of a 1080P set are immediatly realized. Todd thinks there is a, "debate over what is better, 1080p or 1080i". The real debate is whether 720P or 1080i is the better broadcasted signal. If you are looking for a micro-display you will not find one that displays interlaced or 1080i signal. They all will receive an interlaced signal, but all micro-displays are progressive scan displays. They are either 720P or 1080P sets, period. A 720P display, which is what 98% of HD set owners have today, is really ideal for sets that are 50 inches or smaller. The new 1080P sets are great for larger displays. They don't make one smaller than 50 inches because your eyes can't discern the detail. Bottom line is, if you have the money, get the 1080P. It's a better set because it processes all the lines of a 1080i signal. The 720P set cannot do this. The 720P sets use a technique called "bobbing" to process a 1080i signal. You still get a good HD picture, but not as good as it was intended to be. |
|
New member Username: Noya83Portland, Oregon USA Post Number: 3 Registered: May-06 | "720P display, which is what 98% of HD set owners have today, is really ideal for sets that are 50 inches or smaller. 1080P sets are great for larger displays. They don't make one smaller than 50 inches because your eyes can't discern the detail. " Is that why some of the first 1080p displays were 37"-42" LCD's? "The 720P sets use a technique called "bobbing" to process a 1080i signal. You still get a good HD picture, but not as good as it was intended to be. " Most cable/sat. set top boxes give you the option of 720p or 1080i. And by the way, MOST current 1080p sets will not except a 1080p signal. And from what I've seen and read, 720p looks better than 1080i. Most cable/sat. companies compress their signals so much do to limited bandwith you might get "artifacts" with either set. Your hi-def picture is only as good as it's signal. For $1388.00 dollars your not going to get a better picture. You can get bigger with a last generation front-projector (Sanyo Z3 or Panny AE700). Your best bet is to go with 720p and wait for the prices of 1080p to fall like bricks as they become common in a couple of years (and when they'll actually accept a 1080p signal). |
|
Silver Member Username: FyiDallas, Texas Post Number: 682 Registered: May-05 | Michael, I think you're confused too. LCD computer monitors have been displaying even higher resolutions from video graphics cards for years. People sit right on top of them too. LCD TVs, until recently, have not been larger than 40 inches, but the makers don't want to miss out on the 1080P market share. I suppose they're fine for close up viewing like bedrooms or small apartments. In a " home theater setting" larger displays benefit from more lines of resolution. Notoriously, people have always wanted a bigger screen, even if they don't have the room to sit back away from it. It doesn't matter what signal your set top box delivers. Your HD set will convert any signal to it's native display resolution. Might as well set it to match the set's display for less scaling or just set it to pass through so the set does the only scaling. It makes no sense to have a set top box convert a 720P signal to 1080i only to have your 720P tv convert it back to 720P. Unnecessary processing degrades picture quality. Unless you have an older HD CRT you haven't even seen a raw 1080i signal. Those CRTs are the only native interlaced TVs. All modern HD TVs are progressive scan displays. Besides, our eyes couldn't tell the difference in 720P vs 1080i if our lives depended on it. Maybe, with similar displays (if they existed), and a fast action scene, you might see 1080i break down a little bit. Otherwise, forget it! All new release HD 1080P TVs will accept (not except) a 1080P signal on the HDMI input. Every 1080P TV ever made could accept a 1080P signal on the internal ATSC tuner, but broadcasters don't have the bandwidth to transmit 1080P at this time. It's not really necessary since the 1080P set can convert the scanning process of any interlaced signal. I consider your last paragraph to be total bullshit. |
|
New member Username: Noya83Portland, Oregon USA Post Number: 4 Registered: May-06 | "In a " home theater setting" larger displays benefit from more lines of resolution." Gee, I didn't know that. "It doesn't matter what signal your set top box delivers. Your HD set will convert any signal to it's native display resolution." I was simply talking about the quality of your HD signal. How compressed it is, and this varies between channels. "It makes no sense to have a set top box convert a 720P signal to 1080i only to have your 720P tv convert it back to 720P. Unnecessary processing degrades picture quality." I didn't say have your box output a 1080i signal if your display is 720p. Most people know processing and pass-throughs will degrade the PQ. "All new release HD 1080P TVs will accept (not except) a 1080P signal on the HDMI input." From what I've read in various magazines and forums, even the newest are not actually displaying the 1080p signal as the manufacturer claims. "It's not really necessary since the 1080P set can convert the scanning process of any interlaced signal." True...but there's another process. Also, what looked better on most 480 displays: a) letting the monitor have the 480i signal and process OR b) send the monitor a 480p signal from say, a Faroudja equipped DVD player? "Notoriously, people have always wanted a bigger screen, even if they don't have the room to sit back away from it." "I consider your last paragraph to be total bullshit." You said it yourself here, yet you say my last paragraph is bullshit. At the $1,500 price point, the largest 1080p set via froogle.com is a 37" Westinghouse. At 720p there are many options including various projector televisions 42-60" and a handful of front projectors that throw a 90-110" picture with the proper room. |
|
New member Username: Noya83Portland, Oregon USA Post Number: 5 Registered: May-06 | "All new release HD 1080P TVs will accept (not except) a 1080P signal on the HDMI input." From what I've read in various magazines (Sound&Vision, Home Theater) and forums (AVS & Hometheaterforum), even the newest are not actually accepting the 1080p signal through HDMI as the manufacturer claims. Some can handle it through DVI and components, but not HDMI. And with HD-DVD/Blu-Ray/PS3, why spend $2,500-3,000 on a monitor when the whole HDMI thing hasn't even been worked out? |
|
Silver Member Username: FyiDallas, Texas Post Number: 685 Registered: May-05 | Processing doesn't matter if it's good processing. If you're trying to make a case for 720P based on superior picture quality you're failing. If you want to say it's cheaper, fine. The HDMI bandwidth question was with previous 1080P models. These articles provide no evidence to support bandwidth restrictions on the HDMI connection with regard to new 1080P models. I'd rather spend a little extra for a better picture anyway and be prepared for the future of HD DVD. |
|
New member Username: Noya83Portland, Oregon USA Post Number: 6 Registered: May-06 | You're on crack FYI. As "YOU" said, people want the biggest screen possible for the money. A friend just bought the 56" DLP Panasonic. The Picture is the best you can find for $1,388.00. Yes, it's FAR "cheaper" than 1080p, and I'm sure it will hold its own value wise until 1080p becomes reasonable and necessary. And forget you, as I said, I subscribe to Sound & Vision and Home Theater Magazine. I constantly read AVS, hometheaterforum.com, and audioholics.com. The CURRENT crop of 1080p televisions DO NOT accept 1080p via the HDMI inputs. If you want to disagree with that I'll quote you line for line out of any of the above. I bet you're just one of these "schmoes" who got conned into buying a 1080p before they're actually necessary and taking it out on everyone else. And these articles which I quote are from May and June issues of Sound & Vision and Home Theater Magazine. Bang for the Buck, you cannot beat the Panasonic 56" DLP for the price. And as you say "better picture with HD-DVD" you're only going to realize that with a 1080p front-projector throwing a 110"+ picture...not with your 50-70" RPTV. |
|
Silver Member Username: FyiDallas, Texas Post Number: 686 Registered: May-05 | I've been around here a little while, Michael. While you are welcomed to express your opinion you certainly lack maturity, candor, and respect for long time posters. I entered this thread to dispel some resolution misconceptions. I have no real axe to grind here. I just share my personal knowledge and experiences. I own a 720P, but have viewed many 1080P sets, which I feel display a better picture with better contrast using today's HD content. If you like the Pan...ic set, fine. I don't care. If you want to believe everything you read in articles, fine. I don't care. I've personally seen a DVDO iScan scaler output a 1080P signal through the HDMI port to a 1080P HP DLP with exceptional results. If that set-up works I'm sure other vendors will have no problem. A 1080P resolution is going to look much better on a 50" to 70" RPTV than a 110" front projection screen unless you spend major cash $20k+ on a high end front projector. Todd started this thread with a concern for resolution and wanting information for the $2500 range. There are several nice 1080P models in that price range. I don't think he really cares about "bang for the buck" at $1388. If that's what you want, fine. I don't care! The last word is yours. I'm finished with this thread. |
|
New member Username: Witsend2006Albuquerque, New Mexico USA Post Number: 2 Registered: May-06 | FYI...sometimes you just have to ignore the idiots. They think they know everything and they don't know ANYTHING. I want you to stay and let these idiots show how much stupidity they have. |
|
New member Username: Noya83Portland, Oregon USA Post Number: 7 Registered: May-06 | Anything is possible with money, as you've clearly stated with the DVDO iScan. What do those go for? About a grand or so, right? Yes, Todd was comparing a $1,388 720p to a $2,500 1080p. Yet, he specifically mentioned the price of the Panny SEVERAL times in his one post. MOST people would conclude from his mentioning of the price not just once, but twice, that he was looking for VALUE as MOST consumers do. A 1080P resolution is going to look much better on a 50" to 70" RPTV than a 110" front projection screen unless you spend major cash $20k+ on a high end front projector. That's all a matter of proper seating distance. You said it all right there, pal. $20k for a decent front projector, right. Anybody still reading this thread, I want you to go to your local Fry's or anywhere that has front projectors set-up. Now realize these projectors are thrown up with no calibration and usually not even a real screen. The last time I was at Fry's they had a Mitsubishi HC3000 set-up with a modestly priced upscaling DVD player. It's a newer 720p DLP projector. Retails for about $3,000 and online for less. Anyway, it was throwing about a 100" picture from a standard 480 line DVD that looked better than most televisions (save for a Pioneer Elite class plasma or a 1080p TV with some "expensive outboard processing"). Check out projectorcentral.com. There are a couple of 1080p projectors for less than $10k. 720p range from $1500 for a Sanyo Z3/Panny AE700 to $4000 for an Optoma H79 with Texas Instruments DarkChip 3 (DC3) DLP chip. A screen can vary from $100 for a DaLite on eBay to several thousand for a high end Stewart. Hey Rod, IF you don't have something constructive to add...keep your mouth shut. Here's a "cheap" 480p Infocus projector screenshot at 100"+ It's resolution is too high for posting. It looked like crap when ecoustics compressed it. |
|
New member Username: Witsend2006Albuquerque, New Mexico USA Post Number: 3 Registered: May-06 | Michael's last name should be nauseous. Don't even tell me what to do you idiot. I was constructive and people like you think you know everything. But I didn't even mention your name, so keep it to yourself nerd. Or are you going to cry? Immaturity is your best trait. |
|
New member Username: Noya83Portland, Oregon USA Post Number: 9 Registered: May-06 | Calm down old man, you don't want to give yourself a coronary. You might want to re-read your "constructive" post and obviously your most recent. And when you realize what a dick you are and apologize profusely, I just might accept it. |
|
New member Username: Witsend2006Albuquerque, New Mexico USA Post Number: 4 Registered: May-06 | Hey people, you have a chance to see one of the greatest retards this earth has seen. I have known people like you...you are so full of it that you love sticking your head up your butt and licking your own sh#t. Putos like you belong in the garbage. LMAO at you pendejo!!! |