What to do with 720p signals

[martincva]

I would appreciate some advice.

I am strongly considering a new Panny 53" tv, but the specs do not tell me for sure that it accepts/displays a 720p signal. Some of the OTA broadcasts here in the Denver area are in 720p, so I want to be sure that it will be ok. I have a couple of questions into the Panasonic website.

If it turns out that the up-rez to 1080i or down-rez to 540p or 480p, that means the picture will display, but do any of you have experience with what happens to PQ when the signal is upped or downed? Am I better off just avoiding this TV, and making sure I get one that natively displays 720p? Or is technology today good enough that they can take the 720p and make it look very good in 1080i or 480p?

Thanks for your help. I just don't want to put this kind of money into it if it won't look good.

- Martin

 

[Kevinw]

Regrdless of display as long as it accepts 720p and then converts to 1080i your picture will still be superb.
If it does not accept 720p , you still have no worries because all STB's( set top box) will convert to 1080i which the TV will then accept. You will not see any loss in PQ between one or the other.

A lot of people make a big deal about 720p. In truth the PQ ( picture quality) of either are nearly identical and 99% could not tell the difference if they did not know what was being displayed.
BTW what model Panny are you thinking about?

 

[Neutron]

What type of display is it (CRT, Plasma, DLP, LCD)?

 

[martincva]

Thanks for the advice -- here is the model #

Thanks for the quick turnaround. Much faster than Panasonic

I am looking at the PT-53X54. I will be using it with I can get a PT-53WX54 for a couple hundred less, but it is last year's model. One of the new features on the X is direct access to the video inputs from the remote. That will make macros much easier to set up for my wife and kids.

The implication in the literature was that this is a new feature. If anyone knows different, let me know, and I will grab the WX.

I can get the WX for about $1300. The X will be about $1500.

If you have any other suggestions for something in the 50" - 57" range that is in the same price range, I am always open to good experiences. I do like this model -- the picture is crisp and the price is right.

- Martin

 

[Neutron]

Why not a Sony? You can get a 51" Sony widescreen HDTV rear projection for around $1300-1700 depending on where you get it from. The newer model that's out has an HDMI connection and 2 components as well as I believe 5 or 6 composite inputs. I know for a fact that it will take a 720p signal. My best friend has the model before this one in a 51" with DVI and the picture is very sharp even on SD.

I have a 30" Sony CRT tube widescreen with HDMI and it displays very nicely too.

 

[rad]

It's usually the set top box that will change the incoming signal to whatever your set will accept. So if the set does only 1080i/480p for example get a box that will output 1080i and it can upconvert 720p to 1080i for you, the tv set doesn't care.