Is a 1080p HDTV worth buying?

Meh....

That article is for the UK market & it's true our broadcasting in HD is currently way behind & poor.

I just bought a top of the range Samsung 100Hz Lcd 1080p,a Panasonic DVD recorder that upscales to 1080p & a 360Elite.

I can download everything I wish to watch in HD from the US & I'm now set for a good number of years to come.

I weighed up the cost difference & the performance differences. The latest TV's have more connectivity & other tweaks than the older 720p models so it was an easy decision to go for the 1080p.

 

you can get a 1080p set within a hundred bucks or so of a 720p set
some 720 sets native resolutions are 1024x768 .... way behind 1920x1080
regardless if broadcast ever hits this resolution, many components do

if you're buying a 37" TV, then maybe not
anything 50" or larger - definitely

1080p LCDs are getting cheaper by the day
1080p Plasmas is still pricey, but most say worth it
most RPJ's are 1080p already anyway

fwiw, you can get a Sony KDS-55A300 (1080p) SXRD for $1499 (US)


it's better to take a 720p signal and upconvert it to 1080p than take a 1080i signal (Ps3) and downconvert it to 720p

---i've been reviewing LCD's/Plasma/RPj's for a good week now
and the only 720p sets I'd even consider are the Panasonic px77u series
Panasonic TH-42PX77U 42" 720p Plasma - $1299
or the Samsung HPT-xx64 series Plasmas - Samsung HPT4264 42" Plasma HDTV $999

 

too bad Australia's outlawing Plasma
imo, 720p LCD's look rough in Standard Definition

furthermore, anyone with a Ps3 or BluRay that buys a 720p display is wasting money - if you plan on connecting the Ps3 to this, it's a no-brainer

 

It is a no-brainer, IMO. 360 with HD-DVD or PS3 with Blu-Ray...if either of these are in your plans, go 1080p.

The SXRD is an excellent example of great 1080p value. $1499. I paid $1200 more for the prior generation Sony (same size, 55"), and that was with a $1000 discount.

 

Oh yes a Sony KDS-55A3000 is a sweet 1080p set

Got mine a few months ago for $1700, and now they are $1500? They'll probably just go lower and lower. Of course it's a rear projection tv, but that's fine with me. It's really not that big or heavy.

Maybe broadcasts aren't typically taking full advantage of a tv like this (yet?), but like Puck said, many other formats like PS3, 360, BR, HD DVD do.

 

^ the A2020 rocks, depsite the lack of component 1080p capabilities (which I found out the wrong way), and I hear the 120hz is great on the a3000, as long as there's no motion. I've actually seen some mentioning the A2020 being slightly sharper

i suspect the next generation SXRD may be LED or even laser lit (mitsubishi has announced a laser DLP)

I think the biggest innovation currently is the Realta HQV processor which is available in a Gateway 1600p (yes 1600p) "Quad HD" display to bad it's only available in 30" (XHD3000)
there is an Olevia 47" 1080p LCD (747i) that also has the chip in it and it's won several "Best of" awards and was runner up only to the Pioneer Pro FHD-1 Plasma... a little pricey at $1799 (hard to find, but it can be ordered through Amazon/Target), but there probably isn't a better LCD available for under $2000
the best thing about the Realta HQV processor is that is successfully de-interlaces standard defintion on it's way to 1080p - it's easily one of the best scalers in any TV available today.

check out the HQV site ( hqv.com) also check out their benchmark test DVDhttp://www.hqv.com/benchmark.cfm

 

That's a hot tip, Puck. Thanks.

 

Gunny, Puck and the GLinks sitting on one thread all by themselves. May I say I feel like (in no relative order) Superman, Batman and Martian Manhunter watching earth from the JLA Watchtower in high orbit. (How's that for geeking out?)

Good to see you, gentlemen.