720p vs. 1080p HDTVs: 2009 update2. How much extra does a 1080p TV cost?When I wrote my original article a few years ago, you had to pay a huge premium to get a 1080p model at the same screen size as an HD-ready set. While the gap has certainly narrowed, there's still a notable difference. In the case of a 32-inch LCD, for instance, you're looking at around a S$500 (US$368.13) to S$1,000 (US$736.25) price bump. For example, the Sharp LC-42A53M goes for S$2,399 (US$1,766.27), while the step-up 1080p version, the LC-42A83M, retails for S$3,399 (US$2,502.52).As you move up the LCD size chain, your 720p options become more limited because vendors are going with 1080p displays in most LCDs larger than 37 inches. Some manufacturers such as Philips have also dropped 720p models altogether in their current lineup. When it comes to plasma, Panasonic's entry-level 42-inch TH-42PV8 carries a price of around S$1,599 (US$1,177.27), while the step-up 1080p version, the TH-42PV800, come in at S$3,299 (US$2,428.90). Move up to 50-inch 1080p models and you're looking at a steep S$5,499 (US$4,048.65). 3. Why is 1080p theoretically better than 1080i?1080i, the former king of the HDTV hill, actually boasts an identical 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, but conveys the images in an interlaced format (the "i" in 1080i). In a CRT, 1080i sources get rendered onscreen sequentially: The odd-numbered lines of the image appear first followed by even lines, all within 1/25 of a second. Progressive-scan formats such as 480p, 720p, and 1080p convey all the lines sequentially in a single pass, which makes for smoother, cleaner visuals, especially with sports and other motion-intensive content.4. What content is available in 1080p?Today's high-def broadcasts are done in either 1080i or 720p, and there's little or no chance they'll jump to 1080p anytime soon because of bandwidth issues. As for HD gaming, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games are available in both 720p and 1080p resolutions. (Also, the 720p titles can be upscaled to 1080i or 1080p in the user settings of those consoles).Really, the main way to get true 1080p output--aside from hooking your PC to your HDTV--is to get a Blu-ray player (yes, HD-DVD players are another potential route, but Toshiba killed HD-DVD last year). All Blu-ray players support 1080p output. More importantly, the vast majority of movie discs are natively encoded in 1080p. Tags: 1080p, TV, LG Electronics Inc., HDTV, manufacturer |
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