HELP! HD TVs: is 1080p ONLY for Blu-Ray? Do different cable providers have different quality resolutions?

you

I want to buy my first HD TV. But I donât want to spend all that money, and âoverbuyâ, only to find out that cable providersâ HD signal is 720p. (This TV will be mostly for TV watching, and not watching DVDs). One salesman said that ALL cable providersâ HD signal is at 720p; (Comcast, WoW, AT&T U-Verse, even Direct TV/Satellite).

Weâre not going to buy a Blu-Ray player for a long time. So, does that sound right? If not, please inform me.

(i tried to check each cable providers' web pages to find out their signal, and couldn't find the info.)
Pioneer, i'm interested in your comments. i want to make an informed, intelligent buy. i'm especially interested when you say...

"..., because if you strictly limit yourself to 720p you are cutting out about 80% or TV from the list just based on that."

what do you mean when you say, "80& of TV"? i understand the quantitative value, obviously, but what does that number represent?

(also, btw, i'm finding that, for a 50" plasma, to go from 720p to 1080p, the price increase is anywhere from 33% to 45%; to me, that is significant.)

i don't want to spend 33% more for a resolution that I don't plan on using in the near future (3 years). so what you said is a key point for me.
Pioneer,
Can you please respond and clarify your comments? It would be most appreciated.
....



Pioneer,
Ok, thanks for the response and taking your time to answer. Sorry, shouldâve realized thatâs what you meant (80%). Also, sorry that I didnât mention the size. Iâm looking between 40â and 50â. Iâm 90% sure that I want a plasma.

Interesting point about game systems. However, does it matter what type of system it is? (i.e. an older, âlegacyâ system. I have a PS2, and my kids are still in diapers, so I donât plan on buying a new system for at least 5 years. I thought that only PS3 and Xbox utilize the higher resolutions. Is this a myth?)

Again, thanks a ton.
....


my price ceiling is $800, as the base cost. i guess i could go a little higher, for the right added amenity(ies).

Answer
Most TV's in bigger sizes of 32+ generally come as 1080p HD. The price difference is usually minimal between 720p and 1080p. Do not be afraid to buy 1080p, because if you strictly limit yourself to 720p you are cutting out about 80% or TV from the list just based on that.

DO NOT make the 720p be your deciding factor when buying TV. That is like buying a car based on its color or wheel size. It does not make sense.


TAKE TWO:

Here is what I mean by 80% of TV's. Lets say there are only 100 HDTV's available for purchase (for argument sake) If you want to buy only 720p TV's you will be left with only about 20 TV (down by 80 (%) from 100)

And yes you are correct that the bigger TV's have a price difference of 20-30%. Since I did not know what TV size you want to buy I assumed that you want to buy what average sales of TV's are (32"-42"), plus you have mentioned 720p (mostly more widely available on smaller sizes) so I assumed you are looking at smaller TV's.

If you tell me what price range you are considering, maybe even a TV size I can see what I can find. Also if anyone is going to play a PC or console games on the TV you will get better experience from 1080p especially on bigger screen size.


TAKE THREE:

I am not a console gamer myself, but I believe that any modern and current game systems can take advantage of full 1080p. Definitely xBox and PS3, I am not 100% sure about the others. The older games like Atari or N64 will have no where enough processing speed or bandwidth to produce 1080p quality image not even 720p. They will probably do a full screen on your new HDTV, but it will not be HD.

I see you are mostly set for Plasma. I have a website where I have many articles and guides related to HDTV only. One article compares top three flat screen technologies. Feel free to browse. You will find a contact me page there if you have any question. The website is still under construction, but it is mostly all there:

http://www.flatpaneltvinfo.com/index.php

I have done a quick search for you on amazon.com (you do not have to buy there but they have a wide selection) with all your requirements (40â+, $800-, Plasma (I included LCD and LED-LCD as well))

http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26redirect%3Dtrue%26ref_%3Dsr%5Fnr%5Fp%5F72%5F0%26bbn%3D979929011%26qid%3D1276547529%26rnid%3D1248877011%26rh%3Dn%253A172282%252Cn%253A%2521493964%252Cn%253A1266092011%252Cn%253A172659%252Cn%253A979929011%252Cp%5Fn%5Ffeature%5Fthree%5Fbrowse-bin%253A724227011%257C724228011%257C2232445011%252Cp%5Fn%5Fsize%5Fbrowse-bin%253A1232882011%257C1232883011%252Cp%5Fn%5Ffeature%5Ffour%5Fbrowse-bin%253A1232886011%252Cp%5Fn%5Fcondition-type%253A2224371011%252Cp%5F36%253A-80099%252Cp%5F72%253A1248879011&tag=flapantvinf-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

You can compare many TVâs (84) and see which one will suit you the best. I am not sure if you are comfortable buying online, just keep in mind that whatever price you find there it will most likely be more in store, plus tax on top of that.

What is the best TV for me?

HiTMANOXO

Id mostly use it for xbox 360 n ps3 n some tv im lookin for 50-52" what would be the best for under 1500

Answer
Get a Plasma. You'll get vivid colors, true blacks, deep contrast. You'll get a near instantaneous response time (0.001ms). You'll get the best TV option you can in a TV of that size and with that budget.

People will tell you that you shouldn't because of burn-in. But get a Panasonic or Samsung and you're fine. They offer anti-image retention features above and beyond the advances in the technology. Plasma stopped with the burn-in issue years ago. But it can't shake the reputation.

If you are really drawn to LCDs, then at least make sure you get some premium features for a 50" set. You will notice the advantages of having them (or see the flaws without them). So focus on 1080p and 120Hz/240Hz. If possible aim for LED LCD, though that might be above your budget.

Right now at Best Buy,

Panasonic TC-P50G10 - $1,400 on sale reg $1,600
- perhaps the best 50" TV you can own.

Panasonic TC-P50S1 - $1,200 on sale, reg $1,400.
- very strong set, but gives up some contrast to the G10

Samsung PN50B650S1F - $1,300 on sale, reg $1,600
- a solid choice from Samsung

LCDs

Sharp Aquos LC52D85U - $1,300 reg $1,700
Sony KDL-52S5100 - $1,500 reg $1,800

Again, I still recommend the Plasma, especially with your budget. I think for an LCD you would need to go down a size so you could say get a better model Sony or Samsung. Or you would need to increase you budget a couple hundred bucks at least. But I don't think you'll find any LCD that can beat the G10 from Panasonic. I highly recommend checking that one out in a store.

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What is the best TV for me?

HiTMANOXO

Id mostly use it for xbox 360 n ps3 n some tv im lookin for 50-52" what would be the best for under 1500

Answer
Get a Plasma. You'll get vivid colors, true blacks, deep contrast. You'll get a near instantaneous response time (0.001ms). You'll get the best TV option you can in a TV of that size and with that budget.

People will tell you that you shouldn't because of burn-in. But get a Panasonic or Samsung and you're fine. They offer anti-image retention features above and beyond the advances in the technology. Plasma stopped with the burn-in issue years ago. But it can't shake the reputation.

If you are really drawn to LCDs, then at least make sure you get some premium features for a 50" set. You will notice the advantages of having them (or see the flaws without them). So focus on 1080p and 120Hz/240Hz. If possible aim for LED LCD, though that might be above your budget.

Right now at Best Buy,

Panasonic TC-P50G10 - $1,400 on sale reg $1,600
- perhaps the best 50" TV you can own.

Panasonic TC-P50S1 - $1,200 on sale, reg $1,400.
- very strong set, but gives up some contrast to the G10

Samsung PN50B650S1F - $1,300 on sale, reg $1,600
- a solid choice from Samsung

LCDs

Sharp Aquos LC52D85U - $1,300 reg $1,700
Sony KDL-52S5100 - $1,500 reg $1,800

Again, I still recommend the Plasma, especially with your budget. I think for an LCD you would need to go down a size so you could say get a better model Sony or Samsung. Or you would need to increase you budget a couple hundred bucks at least. But I don't think you'll find any LCD that can beat the G10 from Panasonic. I highly recommend checking that one out in a store.

I need a new TV! What type should I get?

Amanda B

So my CRT TV exploded the other day filling the house with smoke. It's gone now and we need a new one. We recycled the old one at Best Buy and while there we were looking at new ones. Just about every single TV there looked exactly the same (At least the ones in the two main isles). They're all 32 inch widescreen flat screen TVs and are black. They're all different brands though and different models and different prices. The prices ranged from about $400 to $800 and up. I'd really rather not pay that much for a new TV, where is a good place I can find a decent TV? Also if you know anything about the specs on LCD TVs, please explain them to me. I probably will not be getting a plasma TV due to it's weight or a LED tv due to their prices.

Answer
TV size matters. If you are looking at 37" or smaller, then you don't need to get hung up on all the high end tech specs. Most consumer and 'guru' guides will tell you that you just won't see the advantages of those features on sets under 40". If a model in your budget has a high end feature, hey great, it won't hurt you at all. But the guides just say, its not worth paying for, you don't get a return on the investment.

The tech specs are 1080p (vs 720p), 120Hz/240Hz (vs 60Hz), LED LCD (vs CCFL LCD), and Plasma (vs LCD). So if you're looking at 37" or smaller a CCFL LCD that is 720p and 60Hz will be absolutely fine for you.

You do want to stick with the better brands though. Its worth spending the money to get a decent model from a better brand. The cheaper brands just have to many issues in terms of image quality and kind of suspect long term reliability.

The big 3 you want to deal with in 37" or smaller are Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony. If you go larger then just Samsung and Sony (Panasonic moves to Plasma in larger sets). In all sizes of LCD you can also consider Sharp Aquos, LG, and Toshiba, as those 3 do make solid sets as well.

Best Buy is actually a good place to snag a TV from. The key is to just find a good sale. Your timing is just a bit off though. The Father's Day sales were huge and really good on some sets. Though there are constant sales on that are fairly respectable.

Right now at Best Buy,

Panasonic TC-L32X1 for $478 ($122 off reg price)
Samsung LN32B460 for $550 ($100 off reg price)
Sony KDL-32L5000 for $480 ($60 off reg price)

I think the Panasonic is the strongest of the lot. I really like its picture quality for an LCD that size. That is more personal taste though than anything else. But it being the cheapest of the 3 certainly would sway me there even further.

But any of those 3 would be really top tier options. I think any of those would provide you a very strong 32" set in both image quality and reliability.

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HELP! HD TVs: is 1080p ONLY for Blu-Ray? Do different cable providers have different quality resolutions?

you

I want to buy my first HD TV. But I donât want to spend all that money, and âoverbuyâ, only to find out that cable providersâ HD signal is 720p. (This TV will be mostly for TV watching, and not watching DVDs). One salesman said that ALL cable providersâ HD signal is at 720p; (Comcast, WoW, AT&T U-Verse, even Direct TV/Satellite).

Weâre not going to buy a Blu-Ray player for a long time. So, does that sound right? If not, please inform me.

(i tried to check each cable providers' web pages to find out their signal, and couldn't find the info.)
Pioneer, i'm interested in your comments. i want to make an informed, intelligent buy. i'm especially interested when you say...

"..., because if you strictly limit yourself to 720p you are cutting out about 80% or TV from the list just based on that."

what do you mean when you say, "80& of TV"? i understand the quantitative value, obviously, but what does that number represent?

(also, btw, i'm finding that, for a 50" plasma, to go from 720p to 1080p, the price increase is anywhere from 33% to 45%; to me, that is significant.)

i don't want to spend 33% more for a resolution that I don't plan on using in the near future (3 years). so what you said is a key point for me.
Pioneer,
Can you please respond and clarify your comments? It would be most appreciated.
....



Pioneer,
Ok, thanks for the response and taking your time to answer. Sorry, shouldâve realized thatâs what you meant (80%). Also, sorry that I didnât mention the size. Iâm looking between 40â and 50â. Iâm 90% sure that I want a plasma.

Interesting point about game systems. However, does it matter what type of system it is? (i.e. an older, âlegacyâ system. I have a PS2, and my kids are still in diapers, so I donât plan on buying a new system for at least 5 years. I thought that only PS3 and Xbox utilize the higher resolutions. Is this a myth?)

Again, thanks a ton.
....


my price ceiling is $800, as the base cost. i guess i could go a little higher, for the right added amenity(ies).

Answer
Most TV's in bigger sizes of 32+ generally come as 1080p HD. The price difference is usually minimal between 720p and 1080p. Do not be afraid to buy 1080p, because if you strictly limit yourself to 720p you are cutting out about 80% or TV from the list just based on that.

DO NOT make the 720p be your deciding factor when buying TV. That is like buying a car based on its color or wheel size. It does not make sense.


TAKE TWO:

Here is what I mean by 80% of TV's. Lets say there are only 100 HDTV's available for purchase (for argument sake) If you want to buy only 720p TV's you will be left with only about 20 TV (down by 80 (%) from 100)

And yes you are correct that the bigger TV's have a price difference of 20-30%. Since I did not know what TV size you want to buy I assumed that you want to buy what average sales of TV's are (32"-42"), plus you have mentioned 720p (mostly more widely available on smaller sizes) so I assumed you are looking at smaller TV's.

If you tell me what price range you are considering, maybe even a TV size I can see what I can find. Also if anyone is going to play a PC or console games on the TV you will get better experience from 1080p especially on bigger screen size.


TAKE THREE:

I am not a console gamer myself, but I believe that any modern and current game systems can take advantage of full 1080p. Definitely xBox and PS3, I am not 100% sure about the others. The older games like Atari or N64 will have no where enough processing speed or bandwidth to produce 1080p quality image not even 720p. They will probably do a full screen on your new HDTV, but it will not be HD.

I see you are mostly set for Plasma. I have a website where I have many articles and guides related to HDTV only. One article compares top three flat screen technologies. Feel free to browse. You will find a contact me page there if you have any question. The website is still under construction, but it is mostly all there:

http://www.flatpaneltvinfo.com/index.php

I have done a quick search for you on amazon.com (you do not have to buy there but they have a wide selection) with all your requirements (40â+, $800-, Plasma (I included LCD and LED-LCD as well))

http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26redirect%3Dtrue%26ref_%3Dsr%5Fnr%5Fp%5F72%5F0%26bbn%3D979929011%26qid%3D1276547529%26rnid%3D1248877011%26rh%3Dn%253A172282%252Cn%253A%2521493964%252Cn%253A1266092011%252Cn%253A172659%252Cn%253A979929011%252Cp%5Fn%5Ffeature%5Fthree%5Fbrowse-bin%253A724227011%257C724228011%257C2232445011%252Cp%5Fn%5Fsize%5Fbrowse-bin%253A1232882011%257C1232883011%252Cp%5Fn%5Ffeature%5Ffour%5Fbrowse-bin%253A1232886011%252Cp%5Fn%5Fcondition-type%253A2224371011%252Cp%5F36%253A-80099%252Cp%5F72%253A1248879011&tag=flapantvinf-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

You can compare many TVâs (84) and see which one will suit you the best. I am not sure if you are comfortable buying online, just keep in mind that whatever price you find there it will most likely be more in store, plus tax on top of that.

What is the best TV for me?

Q. Id mostly use it for xbox 360 n ps3 n some tv im lookin for 50-52" what would be the best for under 1500

Answer
Get a Plasma. You'll get vivid colors, true blacks, deep contrast. You'll get a near instantaneous response time (0.001ms). You'll get the best TV option you can in a TV of that size and with that budget.

People will tell you that you shouldn't because of burn-in. But get a Panasonic or Samsung and you're fine. They offer anti-image retention features above and beyond the advances in the technology. Plasma stopped with the burn-in issue years ago. But it can't shake the reputation.

If you are really drawn to LCDs, then at least make sure you get some premium features for a 50" set. You will notice the advantages of having them (or see the flaws without them). So focus on 1080p and 120Hz/240Hz. If possible aim for LED LCD, though that might be above your budget.

Right now at Best Buy,

Panasonic TC-P50G10 - $1,400 on sale reg $1,600
- perhaps the best 50" TV you can own.

Panasonic TC-P50S1 - $1,200 on sale, reg $1,400.
- very strong set, but gives up some contrast to the G10

Samsung PN50B650S1F - $1,300 on sale, reg $1,600
- a solid choice from Samsung

LCDs

Sharp Aquos LC52D85U - $1,300 reg $1,700
Sony KDL-52S5100 - $1,500 reg $1,800

Again, I still recommend the Plasma, especially with your budget. I think for an LCD you would need to go down a size so you could say get a better model Sony or Samsung. Or you would need to increase you budget a couple hundred bucks at least. But I don't think you'll find any LCD that can beat the G10 from Panasonic. I highly recommend checking that one out in a store.

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Best 1080p TV Deal for under 800 dollars?

best led-lcd tv under $800 image

Jagamus Pr

So, I've been working on some spec to try to find a good deal on a TV. I have a few requirements, though...

- The TV must be 1080p (and actually display at 1920x1080 or 1920x1200)
- At least 42 inches, though bigger is better.
- As cheap as possible, but no sceptre brand unless they've gotten better since I bought my monitor.

Size, weight, type of TV, all not concerns. I have no preference on the technology. A 1080p projector, rear projection TV, LCD or Plasma TV would all work just as well for me.

My question is, where can I go to compare deals and browse TVs? I've tried best buy's website, walmart's website, newegg, circuit city, ABC Warehouse and others. Is there a de facto website to go to? Does anyone know of any phenomenally good deals? I'm not above used TVs (that work) from craigslist, etc or reliable refurbs/open box.

Answer
Phenomenally good deals = stolen goods. Don't go there.

Best Buy has good deals on their sale items. And they will price match major competitors. So they are a reasonable place to go. You could also check out J&R.

To meet your size, resolution, and price demands, you need to go Plasma. You're not going to find a decent LCD with those desired parameters. But you can find a really great Plasma 42" right at your budget limit.

The Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P42S1 42-Inch 1080p Plasma is listed at $790 on Amazon right now. I think that's about as good a price as you'll get on that. And that is a top flight HDTV through and through. You get all the Plasma advantages (perfect fast motion playback, vivid colors, true blacks, and deep contrast), you get Panasonic reliability (the top dog in Plasma right now), and a good price (to get a comparable quality LCD, you'd need an LED LCD with 120Hz refresh rate at least, which would be well north of $800).

Honestly I think that's the single best TV you can get for your specs. Other sets would require a compromise in quality in some sense or the other, OR, would require you up your budget.

What's the best kind of Televisions for gaming?

John

Well I've been looking through Google reading all the opinions that are about the best TV's for gaming.
I have always believed that LCD/LEDs are the best televisions for gaming. Recently though I have been reading about something called "input lag". And I have been seeing that a lot of people say Plasma televisions are better for gaming as they have refresh rates of 600hz with this gaming mode or something. I heard the Plasma TV also have burn-in or something where an image can become burned into the television if left on too long (such as the HUD), but I have also read that new models aren't so bad.

What's your opinion for the best gaming TV? Panasonic or LED/LCD. And what size do you recommend? My TV at the moment is an Full HD LCD 42". But I'm getting a new TV for myself. Thanks.

Answer
Plasma TVs are MADE for gaming, sports, and action movies. They have true black colors, giving the overall picture a darker look than LCD and LEDs. They are not energy efficient, costing about $35 a year to run one. The have a glass screen, causing glare if there is a light source opposite of the TV. They are the least expensive TV to buy, and are great for many things. They have a 600hz refresh rate, giving smooth motion control in all programming (thus making it good for gaming and sports). The burn in issue is a problem of the past. They're equipped with an anti-image retention device, which will flush the gases to eliminate any still picture that would have been left in it.The weight of a 50" plasma is usually under 100 pounds. Plasma TVs start in 42" (price $400+) and go up from there. An average price of a good 50" 1080p plasma is $800.

LCD and LED TVs are identical in the way the colors are produced. The ONLY difference between the two is the light source. LCD uses fluorescent lighting, while LED uses LED lights on the edge or back of the screen. They will have brighter colors than a plasma, but they will not achieve true black colors. They have a matte (plastic) screen, eliminating some glare problems. They come in 60hz, 120hz, and 240hz. It's difficult to find TVs with 240hz, plus the naked eye typically cannot tell the difference. The lower refresh rate makes gaming and sports a little blurry at times. They are more energy efficient that plasma TVs. It will cost about $20 a year for an LCD and about $16 a year for an LED. The lifespan on LCD and LED TVs is about a year or two longer than a plasma. The weight of a 55" LED is around 70-80 pounds. The price for a 55" Samsung LED Smart TV typically runs about $1500. LEDs are the most expensive.

The programming you watch and the room you're putting it in are going to determine which type of TV that would suite your needs the best.
The energy consumption dollar amounts I gave are based on 50"-55" TVs, with smaller TVs being less expensive.

Only buy name brand TVs, or you'll suffer some serious quality issues. Only buy Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, or LG. The Sharp Quattron is also an excellent LED TV. For plasma, Panasonic is the top making, with Samsung following closely. Samsung and Sony make great LED and LCD TVs. LG makes pretty good TVs, but the other brands I named tend to have better pictures, in my opinion.

3D technology varies depending on brand. Most brands use an active 3D technology where the glasses lenses shutter back and forth. You can get a 3D Samsung 1080p plasma 51" for about $900. A 3D Samsung 55" LED is about $1600. LG uses a passive technology for 3D, allowing you to use the movie theatre glasses, unlike with the passive technology. Active 3D will allow for a full HD 1080p signal, while passive will not.

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