Buying a HD-TV: Do I really need 1080p?

[rayden54]

I just bought a Playstation 3, and I'm thinking about buying an HD-TV to go along with it. But, I'm not really sure what I need. I'm not looking for a so-huge-you-can't-get-it-through-the-door TV. I don't have room for that. I'm thinking something in the 20in range.

But at that small size, do I really need 1080p? Will I really be able to tell the difference?

[guns1inger]

20 inch - possibly not. That said, I have a 1080p 32 inch, and I certainly notice the difference (Modern Warfare will play at 1080p and does look better than playing at 720p).

[zzyzzx]

Doesn't matter since (at least when I was looking) the smallest 1080p TV that was offered was a 32 inch.

[yoda313]

1080p isn't necessary. It's good don't get me wrong. But you can get by with a 720p.

[zzyzzx]

One also needs to take into account, that at least for OTA broadcast TV, everything that's hi-def isn't broadcast in 1080, a lot of it is in 720p,

[vhelp]

Actually, what I am more interested in knowing is, when they do make the switch (tomorrow) the question:

1) -- With all the 4:3 ratio shows out there, will they pillar box them or do something funky
2) -- And, what about current programs: ie, most Disney's shows are 4:3, will they pillar bar those or..

..are they hidding certain facts like, they shoot larger than 1.33AR, say ie, 1.60AR or something. I can see how these strange specs could be transformed into decent 1.778AR or close to it for todays widescreen presentation.

Also, some shows, (Disney for example) do strange things to their framerate/interlace. They seem to remove and blend from fields to make interlace while their source origin seems to be progressive: ie, their current tv series, "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody" and "..on Deck" are both Progressive and Interlaced: ie, some episodes are progressive while others are interlace. I don't get the purpose of this see-saw nonsense.

So, given the nature of HD and its piculariour Image processing functions, I can't help wonder how some of these broadcasts are going to fair, unless they re-do those to HD spec. I don't know. But from my previous mpeg-2 encodings from hardware-based devices, I've seen how my ATI HD-3450 (and build-in image processor) handle those sources, and they are quite poor. So, I worry about this aspect.

-vhelp 5038

[stiltman]

Actually, what I am more interested in knowing is, when they do make the switch (tomorrow) the question:

-vhelp 5038

The mandate now pushed to June is for digital only and has nothing to do with HD and aspect ratios.

That being said, many stations are broadcasting in HD now, and many will when they convert to digital. That is by choice/competition not by the FCC/Congress