HD content

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › HD content

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek

#86778 13-Jul-2011 14:25

Hi,

I'm in the market for a new TV, about 32", and I am wondering if it is worth it paying extra for Full HD as in 1920 x 1080 over HD Ready at 1366 x 768.

Now I know the initial response is high res = better. But my question is how many truly HD source for content are there out there that would really show the difference?

I know Blu-Ray would and I know there is full HD content on YouTube. I figure there is some downloadable stuff out there but I also figure it is illegal or iTunes expensive and these would be massive files which would push the band-width cap.

I will be watching Freeview and dvds along with playing on the x-box, so no Blu-Ray player a la PS3.

So, what are the other content sources I haven't thought of?

crackedbycracku

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

1 | 2

3886 posts

Uber Geek

#492897 13-Jul-2011 14:40

You need to think about the use of the TV over its lifespan. For example HD content will steadily increase, and in time a BR player will be standard. My suggestion would be to spend a little more now and give yourself a degree of future-proofing.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek

#492903 13-Jul-2011 14:59

Yeah, I figure you are right.

One fine day NZ will have a VoD service worthy of HD.

TV lasts what 10 years? We will have a reason for Full HD by then.

I am a former Mini-Disk owner so I am very weary of early adoption.

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#492904 13-Jul-2011 15:00

On the other hand, how much are you saving and how long will you have the TV for? How far are you watching from? 32" is not that big, and sometimes the difference is not that noticeable. Of course, since most TV's these days are Full HD, it may be the HD Ready screens are lacking in other departments too, rather than just resolution.

jjnz1

1363 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#492908 13-Jul-2011 15:12

Check this chart out...

Might help you decide if you need a full HD 32" TV, I would say not in most cases.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#492910 13-Jul-2011 15:14

On a 32" TV it's borderline whether you could ever tell the difference between 720 and 1080 content, the screen is just too small.

What particular model did you have in mind? When I was out looking at TV's with somebody a few weeks ago I noticed that virtually every 32" set is now full HD anyway, the only one I saw that wasn't was a Panasonic with the full HD model on display next to it for something like $30 more so I'm guessing it may have just been an old model.

jjnz1

1363 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#492911 13-Jul-2011 15:14

Sorry, heres the reference:

http://s3.carltonbale.com/resolution_chart.html

jjnz1

1363 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#492912 13-Jul-2011 15:16

sbiddle: On a 32" TV it's borderline whether you could ever tell the difference between 720 and 1080 content, the screen is just too small.

What particular model did you have in mind? When I was out looking at TV's with somebody a few weeks ago I noticed that virtually every 32" set is now full HD anyway, the only one I saw that wasn't was a Panasonic with the full HD model on display next to it for something like $30 more so I'm guessing it may have just been an old model.

Not quite true, the Samy 32" 'D' series (2011) 6 series? is only 720p. Just bought one a few weeks ago.

EDIT: Sorry, it was a series 4 LED TV.

http://www.samsung.com/nz/consumer/tv-audio-video/television/led-tv/UA32D4000NMXRD/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&returnurl=

Very nice, slim, LED TV. Sticks less than an inch off the wall including bracket. Looks good above the fireplace. Would recommend, should be able to get for $800-$900 with bartering.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek

#492914 13-Jul-2011 15:18

Thanks for the replies,

I was looking at good old Dick Smith.

720's seem to be starting around the $550 mark with 1080 starting around the $850 mark, so the question is would I be better off spending that $300 on something else.

If the TV lasts 10 years or more and there isn't another big jump to something else such as 3D, probably best to sink it into the TV.

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

LookingUp

411 posts

Ultimate Geek

#492919 13-Jul-2011 15:24

Go 1080, as you might want to use it to show photos, and the extra resolution makes all the difference in that instance.

Things are LookingUp.... A photo from my back yard :-)

Oblivian

7301 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#492921 13-Jul-2011 15:27

Also keep in mind, there is a lot more 1080 FTA conent since June.

TVNZ flicked the 1080 switch on 1/2 some months ago (there was a "did anyone else notice" thread), and the list they recently released indicated the majority of their primetime series orders were the more costly HD version from June on, matching with the new season announcements in the US.

Survivor, albeit not my thing. Is a good show off example of how creepy HD can be.

I got an expensive Sharp Aquos 720 panel (rather than a cheap nasty one) before the manufacture and demand costs fell through the floor. Regretting it now, however have had my good use of it. It also has no inbuilt digital tuner so relies on the HDMI processing of what I have plugged into it, which I find lacking compared to built in tuners or a good processor.

A clearance Samsung C600/650 or newer D6000 (same panel, upgraded from 100 to 120hz 3D processing) all the way :)

LookingUp

411 posts

Ultimate Geek

#492923 13-Jul-2011 15:32

Also, just had a look at the chart above, and would say that the person that compiled it needs glasses. My wife and I sit 15~20 feet from a 46" screen, and being used to HD content find most SD content unwatchable. 720p is much better, but there is a noticable difference between 720p and 1080i on relatively static images at our viewing distance.

According to the graph I shouldn't be able to tell the difference, but it's significant.

Now, before everone posts to say that it's because SD TV content is compressed to buggery and therefore generally appalling anyway, I'm refering to SD DVD content through a top-of-the-line upscaling Blu-Ray player - with and without the upscaling enabled.

Go 1080.

Things are LookingUp.... A photo from my back yard :-)

nzskater

93 posts

Master Geek

#492953 13-Jul-2011 16:42

crackrdbycracku: TV lasts what 10 years? We will have a reason for Full HD by then.

I am a former Mini-Disk owner so I am very weary of early adoption.

10 years?! I'd say maybe 3-4 at best?

And given 1080p has been available for a few years now I think we're past the early adoption stage. I'd go for a 1080p set with a 40" as a minimum; having purchased a 32" in the past, I was burnt by the 'I'm sure it will be big enough' mindset...

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek

#492957 13-Jul-2011 16:46

Looks like I'll be saving for a bit longer, by the responses here.

While we are on the subject does anybody know why TV retailers JB and DSE spring to mind do such a crap job of convincing me to buy a TV?

The lighting is nothing like a home setting, the shop shelves mean it is bloody hard to decide if a set is too big, big enough etc, and worst of all they don't have the TVs playing HD content with similar if not the same settings.

Yeah, I know a new TV is going to be better than my old one but it is hard to compare.

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

Wade

2225 posts

Uber Geek

#493003 13-Jul-2011 17:58

Generally the 720p sets are entry level, 1080p usually throw a few other benefits besides the extra resolution, for example dlna might be a deal maker if you have other compatible devices such as laptops and or phones

scuwp

3886 posts

Uber Geek

#493044 13-Jul-2011 19:46

crackrdbycracku: Looks like I'll be saving for a bit longer, by the responses here.

While we are on the subject does anybody know why TV retailers JB and DSE spring to mind do such a crap job of convincing me to buy a TV?

The lighting is nothing like a home setting, the shop shelves mean it is bloody hard to decide if a set is too big, big enough etc, and worst of all they don't have the TVs playing HD content with similar if not the same settings.

Yeah, I know a new TV is going to be better than my old one but it is hard to compare.

DSE I can agree with, however our local JB salespeople are great and they are always streaming quality (picture) content, so maybe you got a bad one? Lighting is always a problem in stores and they display the TV's with the displays wound up or in display mode to fudge the normal screen image a tad. Be wary also of proximity placement - where they group TV's together to highlight one in particular or de-tune the models that don't quite have the same profit margins.

If you aren't getting much joy from them you could always go to HN or similar - they often still will compete on price matching.

A new 'big' TV will always look too big when you first get it home. But you will very quickly get use to it and after a while wonder why you didn't buy something bigger!

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

1 | 2