advice?
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Is 720p or 1080i better?
I've heard lots of different things.

720p is better at stills, but 1080i better in action.

720p has more information, but when I did the math:
720x1280 . . =..[921,600]
1080x1920/2=[1,036,800]

The first HD-DVD's are 1080i so 720p require conversion.

Is the technology more important than resolution? Some LCD's look a tad flat.

1080p rules?

Also, why do HD-DVD's upconvert bettr? Is it because they are newer, or something about doing it befor the TV gets it?

I use - EXTERNAL LINK - to compair products if it can help you.

What about the lifespan?

Everytime I've talked to anyone at a BB, C-city, Ult. Electronics, or Fry's the story is always the same: LCDs tubes last for about 4-years, DLPs tube lasts about 2-years however, if you buy some extra cooling system you can get a possible 6-years our of them. Plasmas, I've been told, should last up to 12-years like most standard TVs. I should note that Best Buy offers a tube replacement package on their LCDs -- costs extra, of course -- once the tubes die after the two-years.

I don't know about the rest of you, but my choice would be for long lifespan. And after looking at a few plasmas over the last few months, I do see a lot of improvments made from just a few years ago. In fact, a few sets threw me off as I thought they were LCDs or DLPs. The only disadvantage I've been told about is the plasma can get a lot of screen glare if you have it in a room with plenty of windows. This will be no problem for me as I like my rooms dark like my women.

to be honest, all the set styles look remarkably better than what I have and you'd have to have the eyes of a hawk to tell the difference. I mean, I can see a slight difference between the 720 over the 1080. However, I can't tell the difference between 1080i or 1080p -- I'm getting older and the eyes are not what they used to be. Nevertheless, and after much shopping, I think I'm going to stick with the plasma. I would not have said that a few years ago, but as I said, I can see that improvements have been made.

Tim (wow, that's great news!) (=

[Post edited by Tim Raynor on Jul 19, 2007]

Never listen to a salesperson when it comes to "lifespan" of a TV. I work in a electronics store and the biggest profit we make is on extended warranties or service plans. Most stores max out there service plans at 5 years, because most products last more then five years. Essentially meaning you've shelled out a couple extra hundred bucks for nothing.

Movielover,

So, then . . . if you work in an electronics store, what's your take on it?
Is the lifespan spew I get from every retail store a myth?
If so, what's the truth?

Tim (=

Hello Tim - here's some info for your post...

LCDs and DLP's do not have "tubes". They have various types of BULBS.

Flat Panel LCDs are rated to last 50,000 to 60,000 hours until half-brightness, and if you watch them 8 hrs a day that means the bulbs won't reach half-brightness for 15 to 20 years.

But, IF you were referring to Rear-Projection LCDs, and/or SXRD LCD (or JVC's D-ILA), and also DLP, then the sets' bulbs will last between 4000 to 6000 hrs, before expiring, but these are user-replaceable bulbs, meaning for a few hundred dollars the sets are back to "like new" quality.

Also, as far as I know, there is no way to replace the bulbs inside of flat-panel LCDs once they reach half-brightness, but surely the owner would then upgrade to a new set.

Other new sets to consider are those using LED lights, featured in Samsung's new 1080p DLP sets (with the slimmer sizes), and their forthcoming premium 1080p LED flat-panel LCDs (the 81 series this fall). LED lights in rear-projection sets (the DLP), will last around 20,000 to 25,000 hours(!), and for flat-panel LCDs even longer.

And next year, we will see a few smaller sets with OLED technology [very-thin screens with yet another form of lighting usually lasers I think] - check the web for updates about OLED. I believe both Sony and Toshiba will be releasing some small-screen OLED sets [14 to 27 inches from what I've read].

-Love Hendrix!

wow! there's actually a post where no one says Blu Ray sucks. I'm amazed.

Hahaa, not sure anyone being honest could realistically say that Blu-Ray sucks at this point. Neither could they say that about HD DVD. Both have areas for improvement for sure, but sucks is a huge stretch.

You/someone may hate one or the other for various reasons with the result being you think it sucks because it is taking away from your preferred format (or at least someone may perceive that), but the formats themselves do a very good job of delivering excellent HD images and sound when it all comes down to it.

My issues with Blu-Ray have little to do with the format and almost everything to do with Sony/BDA and the way they (Sony/DBA) have gone about pushing the product/format. I am sure some/many feel the same way about Toshiba/MS and that is fine also. Everyone has their own perspective on things.

That said, for what are relatively brand new technologies they are both preforming pretty consistently amazing. Variations in quality, while unfortunate are a reflection of the master or mastering process and not due to any limitations of the tech as far as I have seen.

Things will only get better.

Cheers,

Richard

The lifespans of TVs IMO are really more closely related to brands then any particular type of HDTV. For instance we've had to repair or replace several of our Philips Plasmas due to burn in or the TV just not working anymore. Whereas Plasmas from higher end companies we've had no problems with.

The best way to judge how long a TV will last is to look at the maximum length of the extended warranty coverage. If it's for three years for instance the store is assuming you'll have no problems for three years. Essentially they're trying to get you to pay for nothing. If you shell out two hundred dollars and never get a repair done to your TV that's two hundred dollars in the stores pocket. Are there occasions when something happens to your TV within that time? Yeah but something like ninety percent of TVs sold with an extended warranty never end up getting a repair during the Warranty period so it's a pretty safe risk.

The only TV's I'd be concerned about as far as repairs are Plasmas. Not that Plasmas have shorter lifespans but the repair costs on them are so much higher then comparable DLPs or LCDs. Usually the only thing you have to replace on a DLP is a bulb which is like five minute repair. Plasmas on the other hand are quite a bit more labor intensive.