So, went to local BB to do some comparisons on a couple of TVs yesteray..

The models I had in mind were
Samsung 40" LCD
and
Sony 40" LCD


I knew they are not true 720P resolution and have this weird 1366 x 768 resolutions, but I figured they're probably very similar to true 720P and wanted to see if anything could be noticed..

I don't know if it was the signal they were using in the store or what, but I was pretty disappointed in the picture qualities and now I'm seriously considering down-grading to DLP or LCD projection models..


So, does this pseudo 720P make that big of a difference, or was it just me? I would feel very uncomfortable spending 2000+ bucks on something I would be less than ecstatic with...

 

NEVER make a decision based on what you see at a mass merchant like BB, they crank up the contrast and color to make them stand out and look good in the store, with weird artificial lighting. You will not have the unit set up like that at all in your home, so don't base your decision on what you see in the store or on the specs alone.

As for the "fake" 720p if you don't have HD-DVD, blue ray or HDTV it should be enough, DVD's look best, to me, using 480p. My projector is capable of up to 1080p and everything down and unless you have a true HD signal its a waste, even with the fake 720p my DVD player produces, most of the time its not as good.

 

I have never seen a set that actually has a native 1280x720 resolution. Everything I've seen just scales the image to whatever the actual resolution of the panel is.

 

Have you considered plasma? Oh and before you go nuts. Most HD 42" plasmas are 1024x768 which is a 4:3 resolution. Don't worry about the resolution so much. Worry more about PQ.

 

Yeah, there are some, but then there are also some that are 1366 x 768. Both are technically 720p sets. Kind of like how 56k modems were really 57.6kbps....

 

Well, I've never been a fan of LCD... so I'd go with either DLP or Plasma... depending on your budget. But the LCDs you listed are 720p. No such thing as pseudo 720p....

 

I would stay away from tv's whose pixles are not at least in a 16:9 ratio (like 1024x768). You will be fine with 1366x768. I dont know how this applies to plasma because as a big gamer I am not interested in them.

 

For 720P resolution, there are 720 pixels vertically, and 1366 x 768 has 768.. So, it has to stretch 720 pixels into 768. So, for every 100 pixels, it's trying to fit in extra 6 or 7 pixels. This is what makes me a bit uncomfortable.. Whatever it is, it is not the same as the original 720P signal it received, right?


I know it probably wouldn't make a bit of difference when you're sitting away from the TV, but the fact that it looked really crappy at the store really turned me off..


I'm probably going to end up getting an LCD projection TV from Sony or DLP from Samsung for much cheaper.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you can get an LCD that does "native" 720p. I belive LCD are bound to the traditional resolutions given its technology. Hence a 1366x768 is as good as you'll get.

And I wouldn't let that deter me from buying one.