Now I AM confused .... 1080p out of a 720p TV ?

[outerub]

OK, I have a Panasonic TH50PX80U 50" Plasma TV. A cursory look at the available documentation points to 720p as it's resolution limit. However, after spending an hour last night messing with the TV's various settings and my HR22's various settings it seems as if my TV will display 1080p. Here's the thing, when I check the box for 1080i I can see the "if you can see this message, your TV supports this resolution" message. Then, when I select 1080p, I see a "blip" on the screen and the picture-in-picture shows "Testing 1080p" with both the 720p and 1080i indicator lights lit up on the HR22's front panel. I quickly checked the resolution on the TV with the "info" button on the TV's original remote and I'll be damned if it didn't show 1080p in the resolution field ! At that point I see the "if you can see this message, your TV supports this resolution" message and am asked to press "info" to confirm then I see another message about "1080p is available!" but not being selectable from the "format" button on the remote.

So, how is all this possible ? The manual shipped with the TV refer's to 1080p as an available resolution. Here is an online copy of the manual that came in the box .... pg's 17, 40, 42 & all refer to 1080p.

h**p://static.tigerdirect.com/pdf/Panasonic-TH50PX80U-Plasma-HDTV-Manual.pdf


Here are a couple of online references that support my 720p limitation idea ...

h**p://www.panasonic.ca/english/audiovideo/plasma/specs80.asp

h**p://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3811029&sku=P333-5044&srkey=TH50PX80U


I'm sure I'm missing something but I'd bet that one of you guys will clear it up for me.

Regards,

UB.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I have the 1080p pz 85u, and it cant accept the 24fps signal. Dont get confused with thinking that just because a tv is 1080p it can support 1080p/24, because all cant. I wonder if Panny made the PX's able to accept a 1080p/24p signal? Very weird, are you sure its not a PZ?

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yepp, thats what it is. Thats pretty amazing that Panny built the same 1080p input abilities into the 720p sets last year. Sweet!

It just takes the 1080p signal and converts it to 720p for display. Good news is you can enjoy the better encode DOD 1080p movies, which some people with nice 1080p tv's cant do.

 

[mecro]

Yup. I actually also have the 50PX80U, and it accepts a 1080p input just fine. Makes a decent difference too, even though the TV is only 720p. I mainly notice it on games that support 1080p on my ps3.

 

[rad]

Put an LG model 19LG30 in the wifes home office. It's a 720p panel but passes and plays the Hulk 1080p/24 test DoD just fine and the HR20 reports it supports 1080p/24 and 1080/60.

 

[outerub]

Hmmmm .... How can a 720p panel show a 1080p signal ? And why does it say "1080i" or "1080p" if it is converting it to 720p ?

 

[rad]

Why not, it's like asking how a 1080p panel can show a 720p source, electronics just rescale it to match the native resolution of the display.

 

[outerub]

Why not, it's like asking how a 1080p panel can show a 720p source, electronics just rescale it to match the native resolution of the display.

Well .... I can easily understand how a 1080p panel can show a 720p source, it is subsumed under it. I liken it to a cars engine having, say, 300 HP, and only using 150 HP to cruise along the highway .... the reverse is not true. You cannot pull 300 HP out of a 150 HP engine.

Am I right or is my logic false ?

 

[rad]

Well .... I can easily understand how a 1080p panel can show a 720p source, it is subsumed under it. I liken it to a cars engine having, say, 300 HP, and only using 150 HP to cruise along the highway .... the reverse is not true. You cannot pull 300 HP out of a 150 HP engine.

Am I right or is my logic false ?

False I guess. The panel is not displaying a 1080p image, just a 720p image, it's 'throwing away' pixels so it can display it on the panel.

I guess your logic would fit the question how can a 1080p (or i) panel display a 720p or 480p image, how do you pull a 1080p/i image out from a source with less pixels in it?

 

[gadgtfreek]

Rad's right, it can accept a 1080p signal, just does not have the ability to display it. Dumbs it down to 720p.

 

[outerub]

Ahhhhhh ... OK.

That's kind-of a waste of time. Why accept it if it can't show it ? ( I will say this though .... it sure seems to look better when 1080i is shown as opposed to straight 720p. )

Thanks fellas.

UB.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Soooooooooooo, if you get a source like D* showing 1080p/24 movies, you can enjoy it and laugh at the guys with 1080p tvs that cant watch it

Im willing to bet that youll still get an improved PQ with the 1080p encode displayed on your tv.

 

[Jimbo]

]False I guess. The panel is not displaying a 1080p image, just a 720p image, it's 'throwing away' pixels so it can display it on the panel.

Thank you Rad, I was waiting for someone to mention that.

I guess your logic would fit the question how can a 1080p (or i) panel display a 720p or 480p image, how do you pull a 1080p/i image out from a source with less pixels in it?

Careful when your answering this one though .... don't mix up the (i) with the (p)'s

Jimbo

 

[Jimbo]

Ahhhhhh ... OK.

That's kind-of a waste of time. Why accept it if it can't show it ? ( I will say this though .... it sure seems to look better when 1080i is shown as opposed to straight 720p. )

Thanks fellas.

UB.

So all the shows that are 1080i, like anything on CBS or NBC you don't want to be able to watch ?
Your TV is a 720 panel, but the broadcast is 1080i, or even if it was a 1080p you still want to be able to watch it, right ?
Like Rad and elwaylite have said, your TV displays the 720 and removes the unwanted pixals.

Jimbo

 

[gadgtfreek]

I think he see it as a waste because hes not getting the full resolution, but he needs to realize that sending a tv more data than it needs is way better than sending it less than it needs.

Like a 480i signal into a 1080p set

Secondly, I still think its awesome panny made such a flexible 720p set

 

[Jimbo]

I think he see it as a waste because hes not getting the full resolution, but he needs to realize that sending a tv more data than it needs is way better than sending it less than it needs.

Like a 480i signal into a 1080p set

Secondly, I still think its awesome panny made such a flexible 720p set

Your 720 Panny is still only displaying a 720 resolution.
You don't have anymore pixals to do any more.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Your 720 Panny is still only displaying a 720 resolution.
You don't have anymore pixels to do any more.

I know this, but there have been times where a 720p tv produces a better picture from a 1080i source as opposed to the same 720p source. Im referring to bluray and dvd upconversion. Ive generally seen, on the 720p tvs ive owned, that they produced a sharper image from a blu-ray/dvd sent as 1080i not 720. Its strange, but who knows. Im willing to bet he may see a sharper image from the 1080p/24 movies, stricty because they are a better encode.

Will he see a 1080p resolution? No, but he'll see one sharp 720p feed. For him, it will prob be very comparable to what a bluray player would give him on the same tv, which is great.

 

[outerub]

elwaylite is 100% correct ! The picture IS sharper when the feed is 1080i. I have no idea why because I now comprehend the logic as explained by rad above and it is irrefutable. However, the fact remains that we are having a MAJOR snow storm here in Michigan and I have had LOTS of time to try different channels today and there is definately a difference in clarity between a 720p channel and a 1080i channel.

... and yes elway .... it IS excellent that my panel will accept all available resolutions.


Thanks to all ....

You guys are a credit to the business.


Regards,

UB.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

I know this, but there have been times where a 720p tv produces a better picture from a 1080i source as opposed to the same 720p source. Im referring to bluray and dvd upconversion. Ive generally seen, on the 720p tvs ive owned, that they produced a sharper image from a blu-ray/dvd sent as 1080i not 720. Its strange, but who knows. Im willing to bet he may see a sharper image from the 1080p/24 movies, stricty because they are a better encode.

Will he see a 1080p resolution? No, but he'll see one sharp 720p feed. For him, it will prob be very comparable to what a bluray player would give him on the same tv, which is great.

elwaylite is 100% correct ! The picture IS sharper when the feed is 1080i. I have no idea why because I now comprehend the logic as explained by rad above and it is irrefutable. However, the fact remains that we are having a MAJOR snow storm here in Michigan and I have had LOTS of time to try different channels today and there is definately a difference in clarity between a 720p channel and a 1080i channel.

... and yes elway .... it IS excellent that my panel will accept all available resolutions.


Thanks to all ....

You guys are a credit to the business.


Regards,

UB.

OK, I'm spit ballin' here, but the reason this may be true could be that the scaler in your TV set is better than the one in the DirecTv box. When you consider the price you paid for your TV to your DVR, it's easy to see who was cutting costs on critical components. That's my explanation, and I'm sticking to it. This is a good reason to use native resolution on your Sat. box. Let your TV do the conversion work, the bad thing is the slower channel change speed. I'm not a big channel surfer, so it doesn't bother me.

 

[outerub]

OK, I'm spit ballin' here, but the reason this may be true could be that the scaler in your TV set is better than the one in the DirecTv box. When you consider the price you paid for your TV to your DVR, it's easy to see who was cutting costs on critical components. That's my explanation, and I'm sticking to it. This is a good reason to use native resolution on your Sat. box. Let your TV do the conversion work, the bad thing is the slower channel change speed. I'm not a big channel surfer, so it doesn't bother me.

Yep. Mine's on "native" as well. Slower channel changes is a non-issue for me.

... and to think I had set my HR22 at 720p and left 1080i/p unselected for the last month !

Good thing I found you guys ..... :up


UB.