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Ghoser777 · 09:33 PM

Alright tell me if this is worth it:

~$1000 for a 720p 37" LCD TV
~$1200 for a 1080p 37" LCD TV

Is the extra $200+ worth it? Well I really be able to tell the difference and regret this decision later on if I go cheap?

Railroader · Oct 16, 2007, 09:49 PM

I have a 37" 720p model that a few TV snobs have mistaken for 1080p. It's the Sony 37" Bravia. I am pleased with it. I watch it from about 10-12' away.

What brands are you looking at?

Ghoser777 · Oct 16, 2007, 10:00 PM

Sharp Electronics - LC37D62U 37 LCD TV - LC37D62U - 1080p
Amazon.com: Toshiba REGZA 37HL67 37" 720p LCD HDTV: Electronics

mduell · Oct 16, 2007, 10:29 PM

1080p... and for those prices you should be getting at least another 5 inches.

Costco has a 42" Vizio 1080p for $1100, last weekend BestBuy had the 42" Westy 1080p for under $1000 out the door.

Ghoser777 · Oct 17, 2007, 07:05 AM

42 inches is probably going to be a little big. I'm trying to find a 37 inch with 1080p... but they seem a little hard to find.

Shaddim · Oct 17, 2007, 07:18 AM

Newegg.com - Westinghouse Silver/Black 37" 16:9 8ms 1080p HD Video Monitor Model LVM-37W3SE

I setup one of these a couple weeks ago and it had a very nice picture, especially for the price. It includes free shipping too.

Doofy · Oct 17, 2007, 07:22 AM

Generally, I find that buying the most expensive/advanced version of a thing you can afford makes good sense, since it'll usually last a little longer before becoming completely obsolete.

MacosNerd · Oct 17, 2007, 07:41 AM

Tell me this, other then hi-def DVDs will you be viewing shows in 1080p? From the limited knowledge I've gained regarding hi-def, cable tv does not broadcast at 1080p. I'm not sure about satellite however

Personally I'd get the best tv for my budget and if that means a superior 720p vs. an average 1080p, I'd opt for the 720. Just my $.02

Ghoser777 · Oct 17, 2007, 07:44 AM

Isn't cable going to switch over to 1080p eventually? Or is it going to be "stuck" at 720p for awhile? I won't be watching that many HiDef movies, and I might later hook one of my macs up to it, but it will be mostly for watching cable.

nonhuman · Oct 17, 2007, 07:57 AM

I've heard very good things about Olevia. I'll most likely be getting this in the very near future: Newegg.com - Olevia Silver 42" 16:9 8ms HD LCD TV Model 342i

If you don't want/need an HDTV tuner in the TV you can save a good amount of money by getting one that's simply 'HDTV Ready'. This is perfect for me as I'm going to be using it with a MythTV HTPC and one of these: products/hdhomerun - Silicondust

wallinbl · Oct 17, 2007, 08:02 AM

Can you really tell the difference at only 37"?

nonhuman · Oct 17, 2007, 08:06 AM

I'm pretty sure you can't. That's why I'm only getting a 720p TV. Mine will be 42" and watched from 8-9' away. 1080p would essentially be a waste of money for me (although there is definitely that little voice saying that I should spend the extra money to have the biggest number anyway).

MacosNerd · Oct 17, 2007, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by Ghoser777

Isn't cable going to switch over to 1080p eventually? Or is it going to be "stuck" at 720p for awhile? I won't be watching that many HiDef movies, and I might later hook one of my macs up to it, but it will be mostly for watching cable.

Probably but when? You may be getting another tv by the time they decide to upgrade the signal. They seem more interested in adding features and channels rather then upgrade to 1080p. There's only so much bandwidth available and I suspect that the cable companies compress the signals significantly to squeeze everything in as it is. Throw in 1080 and they may not be "squeeze" that in.

Ghoser777 · Oct 17, 2007, 09:46 AM

What's your opinion on the chart for this thread?

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...768167&page=26

According to that chart, the 37 inch TV should be at 720p...

nonhuman · Oct 17, 2007, 10:17 AM

Well, if that chart's good, then my choice of TV should be just about perfect.

Railroader · Oct 17, 2007, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by wallinbl

Can you really tell the difference at only 37"?

My point exactly. That's why I chose a superior picture regarding color and also factored in number of inputs and image processing.

Cold Warrior · Oct 17, 2007, 02:30 PM

Kind of on topic:
Do LCD televisions whine? With a conventional TV (CRT) getting a feed from coaxial cable or S-video, I can always hear a high-pitched noise when the set is on. The whine is less if I use component video cables. I hear the whine on any CRT TV.

Anyone else hear something similar? Have you noticed it on LCD TVs?

Railroader · Oct 17, 2007, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

Kind of on topic:
Do LCD televisions whine? With a conventional TV (CRT) getting a feed from coaxial cable or S-video, I can always hear a high-pitched noise when the set is on. The whine is less if I use component video cables. I hear the whine on any CRT TV.

Anyone else hear something similar? Have you noticed it on LCD TVs?

I also am annoyed by the whine emitted by most CRTs. My LCD rear-projection has no noticeable whine.

zerostar · Oct 17, 2007, 03:34 PM

I voted 720p because at 37" I don't think there will be a difference. I honestly cant see one. Also I think this is a decision your eyes need to make, get some 1080p content and see it on both a 720p and 1080p set at 37" see what differences YOU see.

Eug · 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

Tell me this, other then hi-def DVDs will you be viewing shows in 1080p? From the limited knowledge I've gained regarding hi-def, cable tv does not broadcast at 1080p. I'm not sure about satellite however

1080p is not a broadcast standard. It's 1080i.

However, 1080p and 1080i are the exact same resolution of 1920x1080 of course, so 1080i can look better on a 1080p TV.

More important though is the quality of the TV and the viewing distance. At a distance of say 8', getting a 1080p 37" TV is a total waste of time and money.

In fact, I did this very test with two Toshiba Regza TVs from 5-6' feet away. At the 42" size, I could only just make out some differences in the text, but everything else looked the same. Considering I was planning on a 9+ foot seating distance for this TV, I went for the MUCH cheaper 720p.

Oh and I got the 720p Regza 42" with 3 HDMI inputs and 24 fps input support for all of $1299.

Originally Posted by nonhuman

I've heard very good things about Olevia. I'll most likely be getting this in the very near future: Newegg.com - Olevia Silver 42" 16:9 8ms HD LCD TV Model 342i

If you don't want/need an HDTV tuner in the TV you can save a good amount of money by getting one that's simply 'HDTV Ready'. This is perfect for me as I'm going to be using it with a MythTV HTPC and one of these: products/hdhomerun - Silicondust

I bought a 37" 768p Olevia for my mom. It's OK, but the 42" 720p Toshiba Regza's picture is noticeably better in terms of contrast and detail in the darks.

P.S. With regards to that table...

I'm watching a 720p 88" projector screen image from 8-9 feet.

Looks pretty good.

Ghoser777 · Oct 17, 2007, 07:16 PM

So it sounds like at 37 inches, 720p would make the most sense (even though the votes don't actually go that way...). The more I read online about optimal viewing distances, the more confused I get. My viewing distance is between 7 (sectional couch) and 10 ft (bar stools). According to some websites, a 50" would be optimal (TV Frequently Asked Questions). But according to another website (LCD TV Suggested Viewing Distance Calculator at DTV City), 37" would work best. I'm leaning towards the 37"... but all these parameters are annoying me.

nonhuman · Oct 17, 2007, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

I bought a 37" 768p Olevia for my mom. It's OK, but the 42" 720p Toshiba Regza's picture is noticeably better in terms of contrast and detail in the darks.

Interesting, I'll check it out. Does the Regza come in silver? (I don't care, but I've been told that only a silver one will go with our living room decor...)

wallinbl · Oct 17, 2007, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Ghoser777

So it sounds like at 37 inches, 720p would make the most sense (even though the votes don't actually go that way...). The more I read online about optimal viewing distances, the more confused I get. My viewing distance is between 7 (sectional couch) and 10 ft (bar stools). According to some websites, a 50" would be optimal (TV Frequently Asked Questions). But according to another website (LCD TV Suggested Viewing Distance Calculator at DTV City), 37" would work best. I'm leaning towards the 37"... but all these parameters are annoying me.

Find some things around your house that you can make into the size and shape of a 37" TV and put it where your TV goes. Sit in various places and see how it looks.

Also, 720p vs 1080p isn't as big of a deal as picture quality. I have a 1080p, but that's only because when I viewed it right next to the 720p model (same size/manuf), it had much more vivid color and was brighter. The resolution wasn't really a factor.

Ghoser777 · Oct 17, 2007, 09:23 PM

I think this is the one I'm leaning towards: FRYS.com�|�TOSHIBA

Looks like a good price for the set. Thanks everyone!

scaught · Oct 18, 2007, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

and for those prices you should be getting at least another 5 inches.

That's what she said.

rickey939 · Jan 6, 2008, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Ghoser777

I think this is the one I'm leaning towards: FRYS.com�|�TOSHIBA

Looks like a good price for the set. Thanks everyone!

I am tempted to buy this same TV; however, at Tiger Direct for $799! How do you like the TV now that you've had it for a few months?

Ghoser777 · Jan 6, 2008, 08:21 PM

I ended up getting my TV from ABT instead of Frys, and they gave me a pretty comparable deal. So far I've had no complaints, and I love the 3 HDMI ports!

cSurfr · Jan 7, 2008, 01:35 AM

I have a panasonic plasma from a couple of years back that is only 480p native, but will accept 720, and 1080, and to be perfectly honest, I can't tell the difference between mine and a friends tv that's 1080 native. YMMV of course, but a lot of it has to do with how your screen is calibrated, the quality of the input and most importantly, your viewing distance.