dojj

iTrader: (3)

off tomorrow to get a 50" screen
got to go to richer sounds so if it's not on one of their lists then we won't get it

pioneer is what the guy in the shop has recopmmended, but there's a £700 saving if i don't go ture hd and get something that is 1080i rather than 1080p

is it worth it? paying the extra i mean seeing as i'm also getting one of themhd upscaling dvd drives at the same time

(don't ask me, i have no idea what it is either, but it's from lg and it's got a 250gb hard drive as well)

SS1

iTrader: (3)

ive got the 42 inch version

http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...PION-PDP4270XA

picture

the ps3 and x-360 look so on it

dojj

iTrader: (3)

this one

http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...=PION-PDP507XA

dojj

iTrader: (3)

and this one

http://uk.lge.com/prodmodeldetail.do...&model=NOTHING

dojj

iTrader: (3)

looks like i'll be getting the 50 " version then

whoohoo!!!!!!

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

You have to ask yourself Dojj - are you planning on viewing lots of 1080p material?

It is highly unlikely that HD TV broadcasting (from Sky or Cable) will transmit in 1080p within the next ten years, so thats that out the window. Standard for this is currently 720p.

Freeview transmits at 576i, as do normal DVD's

HD-DVD's and BLu-Ray Discs WILL do 1080p, tho as of yet the majority still do 720p or 1080i....

The PS3 does 1080p

So you have to ask yourself - what is it going to be used for? If you are gonna watch a lot of HD-DVD's and Blu-Ray Disc films, and play your PS3 a lot, then yes - get it!

But if you are gonna sit n watch normal Sky, and play normal DVD's then it might not be the best idea....

Also, bear in mind one thing - ALL HDTV's contain a scaler in them - they have to to be able to upscale the incoming signal from 480p + 576i/p for standard def Digital TV and standard def DVD's, video's etc, as otherwise the picture wouldn't fill the screen. All an upscaling DVD player does is scale the image itself. Now this CAN be an advatage, but only if your TV supports 1:1 pixel mapping.

1:1 pixel mapping is where the input signal source (ie, a DVD) is in the exact same resolution as the native resolution of the screen - in this case, 1080p. So if the TV does support 1:1 pixel mapping, then you might get a better picture from an upscaling DVD player (which BTW will only play "normal" standard def DVD's and not HD ones, and upscaling does NOT mean it becomes HD quality - just means it gets larger to fill the screen

There is a reason Freeview mostly looks shite on LCD TV's - The panels are not upto the job of processing the information fast enough, coupled with the required upscale to portray a perfect image.

It is widely regarded that if you spend most of the time viewing SD content (Sky, Freeview, Cable, DVD etc) than a plasma is the way to do it, and not LCD

The same mind, can be said for upscaling to 1080p

Food for thought......

RS_Ant

dojj, id get a 1080p set if you can. More and More shows/DVD's etc etc will be broadcast in 1080p by the end of this years and when you consider that 1080p is TWICE the sharpness/detail as a 720p picture you'll be kicking yourself for not getting it.

And at 50 icnhes you REALLY need 1080p resolution as the pixels are far to big at close range on a 720p TV. A 720p picture will look pixelated on a screen of that size.

SS1

iTrader: (3)

Thrush

true my freeview box does look like normal tv on it.havent got sky

never bothered with sky as havent got much time to watch tv.more a dvd and games person myself..

and havent got time to use them ...........

i hate my job

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Here's a quote from a thread on the AVForum I use - this guy knows his stuff btw, so it ain't bullshit (he does this stuff for a living )

Have a read of the thread HERE as there is some interesting and usefull info in there

dojj

iTrader: (3)

the bloke in the store said that this was a proper 1080p version but iwanted to see if it was worth the extra over a non hd 50 iinch lg version which they are also floging for aroun the £1200 mark
thing is, i'm getting a deal on the dvd recorder as well as the cables and stuff i'll need AND the warranty they are offering on both items for 3 years so i'm saving about £200 so far

but do i save myself a few hundred and get the cheaper telly in the first place?

there should be a hair pulling out smiley

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Side by side on the same TV, Sky will always look slightly better than Freeview, due to SKy being able to use more bandwidth to transmit their pictures.

But Freeview is getting better, and is still transmitted using SHED LOADS more bandwith than analogue TV

Freeview and other SD TV (Sky etc) will always look better ona plasma comparred to an LCD (for example, 42" LCD vs 42" plasma) as plasma's just do a better job is portraying them with their technology than LCD's do. It's just the way it (currently) is.

Still, for SD content, neither technology will beat a good quality CRT My 36" CRT still astounds me at just HOW GOOD it actually is with Freeview and DVD's Shame it doesn't do progressive for the DVD's or have a VGA input for the PC - reserved for digital screens sadly

RS_Ant

Thats not 1080p mate, that screen has a resolution of 1365 x 768 as it says of the bottom of the page on its sepciforcations.

1080p is 1920x1080 so that pioneer is miles off in terms of resolution.

RS_Ant

The new generation of LCD panels piss over plasmas, sony bravia panels piss over just about any plasma ive seen and ive seen hundreds. but plasma and lcd are both shit and being phased out soon anyway for the newer displays

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Read my post Dojj It's entirely down to what you will use it for!

Not much point having a 500mph car if all you use it for is poodling down the road to the shops once a week is it?

Same with TV's - I would love to have a fuck off big 40"-50" TV in my sitting room, but since I don't have Sky or Cable - so no HD TV programmes - and don't intend to get into the whole HD-DVD/Blu-Ray thing till it's all settled down, there was no point me getting one - considering all I will use my TV for is Freeview and (SD) DVD's!

In which case I was better off with the cheaper, and in this situation - the better performing, CRT TV...

So unless you are gonna benefit from a TV that can do 1080p50 then don't bother - as said, a downscaled 1080p source will still look nigh on as good as a 1:1 pixel mapped 1080p representation...

dojj

iTrader: (3)

i've read the thread, and it's left me even more confused

where i get confused is when they are on about 50 and 60 hz and then go on about 24/48 frames ps
how does that make any sense other than the guy saying they aren't multipules of 24?

i want to see a good picture on the telly when i sit on the sofa regardless of what it's being broadcast as and i want to have good pictures when i play the xbox360 (especially project gotham racing as that is still impressing me loads )

also, there are a few different versions of the telly i'm after, the pdp507xa and the pdp507xd

and yet i can't find any place that comapres the 2 or tells me what differences they are between them

RS_Ant

dojj my friend get this instead :

http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/stor...ory_oid=-28723

Aswel as being CHEAPER then that pioneer, its also TRUE 1080p resoltion aswel. It also has more HDMI sockets which meens you can hook up more HD components to it.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Price for price tho (as in a 42" LCD that costs the same as a 42" plasma) Freeview will STILL look better on the plasma than the LCD. It is simply down to how LCD's handle images whilst upscaling them - their technology (even the most expensive panels currently on the market) cannot do it as well as plasma's.

RS_Ant

Price for price?

You can get a 42 plasma for a grand these days, and a decent 32" LCD is around £1800. Lcds genraly have higher resolution pannels so tehre great at high def

SS1

iTrader: (3)

just checked on mine...

OPTIONS ARE

75HZ

100HZ

mines set on 75

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Yes, price for price. Yes you can get 42" plasma's for a grand - and they are shit - just like 32" LCD's for £399 are shit

Top quality plasma's cost more than a grand - just like Sony Bravia LCD's cost more money than shit sub £400 Argos LCD's

And your last point backs up MY point - LCD's typically have higher resolutions, which make them particulary good at HD content - and is the same thing that makes them NOT AS GOOD AT SD CONTENT comparred to a likened plasma

The other thing that makes them not as good as plasma's in this respect is their response times. There still isn't an LCD on the market than can outperform a plasma in terms of response time. Just as there isn't a plasma out there than can outperform a CRT in response times - a CRT will do it less than 1ms, whilst (top quality) plasma's can do in 2-3ms, leaving LCD's behind with their average of 5ms...

LCD's do not have the ability to reporduce balck levels anywhere near top kit plasma's either - and thats something that won't change using LCD technology, as the backlit panel lighting the crystals means you will never get true blacks. A plasma still won't get perfect likeness CRT level blacks, but it's FAR closer than LCD black levels....

I'm not trying to knock LCD's - the good one's ARE good TV's - but sooooooooo many people go out there expecting them to look FANTASTIC and out of this world, when in reality, for everyday day-to-day TV use, plasma's outperform them, just as CRT's outperform LCD's.....

dojj

iTrader: (3)

right then, that's at least one answer questioned tomorrow

dojj

iTrader: (3)

argh
i just want to see stuff on the telly

RS_Ant

id really get that samsung mate, cheapter, high resolution so its future proof, its just an all round better tv/buy

SS1

iTrader: (3)

Thrush

The Pioneer PDP507xa is set to be a plasma legend. Offering a jumbo 50" screen the PDP507xa makes a great first impression.

Yet it's more than just first impressions that count with the PDP507. Using a 7th generation screen the PDP507xa offers a better picture than ever before. Unique technologies such as PUREBLACK Panel 2 and Direct Colour Filter 2 make the latest Pioneer stand out from the crowd. As you'd expect from a Pioneer, the final result is a picture that's more absorbing than any of its rivals.

its confusing aint it

i am more than happy with mine though

dojj

iTrader: (3)

now you are saying it's the better one to get

ok, so if i were going to buy a telly, plasma, 50" fully 1080p thingy numbers, which one fits the bill?
or is there more than one?

RS_Ant

Id get the samsung, no dout.

SS1

iTrader: (3)

dojj

thats a copy paste of your screen specs from ritchersounds site..

the blokes there wont fob you off with shit TRUST ME

all staff are a master of one trade ..sound..picture hifi ect

thats why they work there..go down the shop explain what you want..

and the will tell you simple as PIE

there NOT pc world

ive been a buyer with ritchersounds for over 10 years..the blokes DO know there onions

SS1

iTrader: (3)

ive just thrown Black Hawk Down in the dvd player to watch..awesome film... on a 42 ....

dojj

iTrader: (3)

avid-fan
but he did my head in with his techo babble though

i understood what he meant, but then he's go off and talk about something i had no clue about, it was almost like listening to the mrs talking baout sewing, i know that there is needles and thread invovled but thats about it

but i'll ask him what the screen thing is, if it's not 1080p and what not i'll say "no thanks mate, i'll just take the dvd recorder thank you very much"

still need someone to answer me thins question though

ok, so if i were going to buy a telly, plasma, 50" fully 1080p thingy numbers, which one fits the bill?

CharlieSaff

What does 1080i and 1080p stand for?

So 1080p is better?...what does XBOX360 use, 1080p?

dojj

iTrader: (3)

i = fake hd
p = proper hd

i think

the 360 uses i
the ps3 uses p

i think

swerv

panasonic have just released a 50" 1080p plasma for just over £3k

pioneer 'the daddy' 50" plasma 1080p around the £5k mark

http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk/produ...oduct_id=11852

they are just starting to the filter in the 1080p 50" plasma's now so hold tight if you want one

p= progressive
i= interlaced

i think the xbox is 1080i but i dont have one so not sure

Phil

iTrader: (1)

I upgraded the 32" 720p/1080i TV in the bedroom to a Sharp Aquos 37" 1080p, and I can definitely tell the difference when playing back 1080p stuff!

dojj

iTrader: (3)

i don't have that sort of money to spunk o a telly to be honest, i was thinking that peole would say "go for the cheaer one as it's not that much different to the one you are thinking of gettign ebcause unless you have proper HD content you won't see the benifits" but i need to spend mroe and more money

stonehavencossie

Proper 1080p plasmas are over 3k as above.

If you are sitting over 6 ft away from your tv its very difficult to see the difference between 1080i & 1080p. Its only close up it becomes really apparent.

For your first hd set i would not spend to much money.

HD technology is changing so quickly because it has just come on the scene. If you buy the fancy pioneer its just gonna be out of date in 6 months !!!!

Just get an average set and see what you think about the HD thing.

The only advantage ur gonna get out of an expensive 1080p set is better looking hd dvd/blu rays and mayeb a SLIGHTLY better PS3 pic.

Ive got an LG50pc1d and i believe it can be had for £850 these days. Not quite as good as the pannys/pioneers with sd material but its just as good as if not better with 360/ps3/sky hd

http://www.digitaldirectuk.com/produ...id=555&mfid=87

dojj

iTrader: (3)

thats the sort of answer i'm looking for to be honest, and while i appreciate all these techy questions and answer and explanations and all sorts of other wonderfull stuff they've provided for in various hd posts, i'm after something that will last for a good few years, i can plug stuff into the back of without worrying that there won't be anough connections and go from there

i'd even consider a projector if i thought they were any good but i just don't have the cealing highet for one of them

all in all, a very enlightening thread and a nice refresher to get my head thinking about stuff, but ultimatly, if i can see no difference ebtween the £1200 telly and the £1800 telly, i'm going to save myself £600 so that i can get the mondeo suspension realigned properly

and thats what it's all about eh, not spending on proper stuff so we can shell out loads of our motors

stonehavencossie

do you need the hard drive in the lg cause you can save another £350 on the tv in the link above. its essentially the same tv without the hard disk/pvr?

EssexBoyRacer

lol @ this post, it shows just how complicated TVs have got! no longer can you just buy a TV with a good picture knowing it will be the same with pretty much anything you plug in via scart!

Some good points by Thrush, he's pretty clued up

To clarify the 1080p and 1080i:

P = progressive
I = interlaced

The picture on your TV is lots of still frames (25 frames per second on uk PAL tvs) changing quickly to make up a moving picture.

However there is a difference as to how the picture is drawn on the screen.

Progressive:
Each time the frame changes the entire picture is drawn horizontally from top to bottom. Every single line one after another.

Interlaced:
Each time the frame changes only the odd or even horizontal lines are updated each time. So frame 1 - just the odd lines are updated (1, 3, 5 etc), Frame 2 - just the even lines are updated (2, 4, 6 etc). Frame 3 - The odd lines again, Frame 4 - the even lines again. This happens so fast you dont notice it from the naked eye.

Advantages? With progressive you are getting a fresh picture each frame which really comes into effect when you have fast moving objects on the screen (sport for example) - it appears a lot clearer and smoother to the eye.

Disadvantages? With progressive you are sending twice the amount of information for each frame - this is effectively doubling your bandwidth which if you compensate by increasing compression (thats another ball game!) you can end up with a worse picture.

Confusing eh!!

EssexBoyRacer

Also I forgot to add that if your TV is 1080p but the signal from your picture is 1080i, your TV has to basically convert that interlaced signal into a progressive one.

Different tvs use different techniques to do this (one way is to just join frame 1 and 2 together and show the frame twice for example) and that will also effect that quality of the picture you get.

Dannn

PDP507x is best Plasma on the market - looked at one in the shops and it stood out from the other plasmas (including the panosonic) and LCD's. I would have one but they are expensive. You can get a pan 50PX60 for under a grand if you can find somwhere that has them in stock and they dicontunued now.

The new gen pan 50PX70 is nice 1080I and pioner are releasing their 8th gen soon (may already be out).

Also both panosonic and pioner are just about to release their 1080P plasmas.