HR20/21 - 1080i or 720p?

[cebbigh]

My older 1080i Panasonic 53" RS CRT suffered an equipment failure that would have made little sense getting fixed versus getting a new set. I purchased a 57" 1080p Mitsubishi DLP to replace it and love the new set. But now I have a choice in settings that I never had before. I had always just assumed that 720p produced a sharper picture than 1080i. But switching now between the two it seems to me that 1080i has a tiny bit more clean image. Motion stability looks about even. Just curious if this is way off base? Or is it better to just set to native?

 

[Jimbo]

My older 1080i Panasonic 53" RS CRT suffered an equipment failure that would have made little sense getting fixed versus getting a new set. I purchased a 57" 1080p Mitsubishi DLP to replace it and love the new set. But now I have a choice in settings that I never had before. I had always just assumed that 720p produced a sharper picture than 1080i. But switching now between the two it seems to me that 1080i has a tiny bit more clean image. Motion stability looks about even. Just curious if this is way off base? Or is it better to just set to native?

It's a personal opinion, every one has a different opinion.
I prefer to watch the way the show was originally presented, so I use the native feed and let the TV do the processing.
I have a 60" Pioneer Elite that is also 1080p.
I turn off the 480 options on the box and have it set for 720p and 1080i only.
Overall, go by what your eyes tell you, everybodies set up is slightly different.

Jimbo

 

[cebbigh]

It's a personal opinion, every one has a different opinion.
I prefer to watch the way the show was originally presented, so I use the native feed and let the TV do the processing.
I have a 60" Pioneer Elite that is also 1080p.
I turn off the 480 options on the box and have it set for 720p and 1080i only.
Overall, go by what your eyes tell you, everybodies set up is slightly different.
mbo

Thanks. I'll set it native on 720p and 1080i for a while and see how it works. What channels are native 720p? Is there a list?

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks. I'll set it native on 720p and 1080i for a while and see how it works. What channels are native 720p? Is there a list?

Not sure where you might find a list, I'm sure there is one somewhere.
I know that ESPN is 720p as is ABC and FOX, I'm not sure about others as it's been awhile since I looked into this .

Jimbo

 

[joed32]

My older 1080i Panasonic 53" RS CRT suffered an equipment failure that would have made little sense getting fixed versus getting a new set. I purchased a 57" 1080p Mitsubishi DLP to replace it and love the new set. But now I have a choice in settings that I never had before. I had always just assumed that 720p produced a sharper picture than 1080i. But switching now between the two it seems to me that 1080i has a tiny bit more clean image. Motion stability looks about even. Just curious if this is way off base? Or is it better to just set to native?

I'm the same way, 1080i looks a little better to me on my TV so I have 1080i and 480p checked and native off. Whatever looks best to you is the right choice. Everyone's set up is different.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

I'm the same way, 1080i looks a little better to me on my TV so I have 1080i and 480p checked and native off. Whatever looks best to you is the right choice. Everyone's set up is different.

The same with native on/off.

 

[atp1313]

What channels are native 720p? Is there a list?

DIRECTV High Definition Channels

 

[Jimbo]

I'm the same way, 1080i looks a little better to me on my TV so I have 1080i and 480p checked and native off. Whatever looks best to you is the right choice. Everyone's set up is different.

Curious Joed,
Why do you have the 480p checked ?
If you uncheck it, it will be upconverted to the same 1080i your others are.

Jimbo

 

[Jimbo]

DIRECTV High Definition Channels

Nice find :up

Have you seen the " Where is HD" site yet ?

Where is HD ?

Jimbo

 

[cebbigh]

DIRECTV High Definition Channels

That is a great list! I had no idea so many channels were 720P. Thanks.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

That is a great list! I had no idea so many channels were 720P. Thanks.

Not counting sports channels, there are only 4 720p channels. Most sports channels are going to opt for 720p.

 

[cebbigh]

I watch FX, A&E, Hist, and Nat Geo a lot.

I've noticed when set to native and only checked off as 720p and 1080i that the SD channels come up as 720p. And the SD does seem to look a little bit better as 720p. I don't notice an improvement if I include 480p as an option so I will that option off.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I'd love to set it to native. But I have this little problem of my HDTV set being incompatible with a 720p input.

 

[dcowboy7]

i hardly ever watch sd so i just keep it at 1080i....i watched a game on fox and set it to their 720p & i really couldnt see a difference.

as the saying goes "once u go hd u will never flee."

 

[joed32]

Curious Joed,
Why do you have the 480p checked ?
If you uncheck it, it will be upconverted to the same 1080i your others are.

Jimbo

My oldest HDTV is a rear projection CRT that doesn't do 720p and gets a better picture with 480p checked and 480i off. The installer set it up that way and right after he left I started trying all different combinations but that still looked the best to me. I use my receivers on a newer HDTV as well and don't want to change the settings back and forth. In other words, I don't know why but it looks good.

 

[cebbigh]

I'd love to set it to native. But I have this little problem of my HDTV set being incompatible with a 720p input.

My old Panasonic 53" CRT was also 1080i only. I left it set that way for everything. The HD picture looked great up until the day it died. I was left to wonder what I was missing with 720p and 1080p. To be honest, the resolution settings are nice but it does seem to come down to splitting hairs. I do love my new Mitsubishi but its for
other reasons.

 

[Jimbo]

My old Panasonic 53" CRT was also 1080i only. I left it set that way for everything. The HD picture looked great up until the day it died. I was left to wonder what I was missing with 720p and 1080p. To be honest, the resolution settings are nice but it does seem to come down to splitting hairs. I do love my new Mitsubishi but its for
other reasons.

Is your D* rec. set up to pass the signal thru to the TV without making any changes ?
I prefer it this way so that my Pioneer Elite uses it's electronics to do the adjusting, not the HR20-700.

Jimbo

 

[vedhead]

I've been messing with my settings too...it's my understanding that a 720p signal is superior to the 1080i signal, and that superiority is amplified with heavy motion and when displayed on a plasma tv.

makes sense that ESPN and co. send a 720p signal....if its good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

...I think...

 

[Jimbo]

I've been messing with my settings too...it's my understanding that a 720p signal is superior to the 1080i signal, and that superiority is amplified with heavy motion and when displayed on a plasma tv.

makes sense that ESPN and co. send a 720p signal....if its good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

...I think...

The biggest difference is the difference between Progressive and Interlaced, as for me, I prefer 720p for sports, others don't see it that way, but I don't want to start comparing the two in this thread, unless the poster needs more info.

Jimbo