DLP question

[ryk]

I am in the market for a big screen DLP television. I currently own a 6 year old Sony 61 inch CRT RPTV (it is not high def). I recently vistited a number of stores and have asked questions about 1080 vs 720.
I have been looking at the new Mistubishi line model 628's, the 62 inch version. This unit is a little pricey for my budget, but I have seen some of the 720 models that are lower in price point now that they have to push the new 1080p machines.
The saleperson at the store tells me that 1080 is the way to go (no doubt)...but presently, to my limited knowledge, there are no true 1080 signals being sent over cable (which I have). I watch DVD movies a lot and I get Digital Cable (not HD) from Comcast. I have watched these 1080p televisions with a 480 DVD signal and present HD broadcast and it does show artifacts and that screen door effect everyone talks about. When they show a 1080 signal it looks absoultely BREATHTAKING!!!
I have a large DVD collection I don't want to have to replace all of my DVDs.
I was in a Tweeter store and they had a Mit 1080 next to a Mit 720 and I swear they had the 1080 raised to the MAX to try and sell them. The salesperson kept on saying "look at the picture how much brighter and better it is!!!!" I personally liked the colors and tone of the 720 Mit on display better.
Any and all advice would be helpful, I know the salespeople are just doing there job trying to push the latest TVs.

My question is; Will the less expensive 720 DLP be a bad choice???
Any other suggestions to brands other thatn the MIT???
Even if the signals go to 1080 in the future will the 720 still look great?
Will Blu Ray or HD DVDs will still look great on the 720?

[edtyct]

How to start? I don't know where you live, but I've always had respect for Tweeter as an operation in my area (New England). Nonetheless, regardless of which format you ultimately choose, distinguishing the quality of 1080 and 720 sets on the basis of brightness is nonsense. In fact, the first thing that any knowledgeable consumer should do with whatever set s/he buys is to turn the brightness down as soon as the set enters the house--way down. Citing brightness as a selling point is the oldest ploy in the book, and frankly, I'm surprised that you encountered it at Tweeter, which is just one notch down from a genuine high-end store, at least in Massachusetts where the chain was born.

In the evolution of HD, 1080p certainly represents another rung on the ladder of progress. But the fact that this generation of 1080p sets won't accept 1080p signals is a travesty. When 1080p material finally appears, the owners of the current crop of 1080p sets will have to buy a new TV to watch it, just like anyone else who's interested, much to the manufacturers' glee. Moreover, the lack of 1080p input capability on the current sets even prevents the use of external 1080p deinterlacing for 1080i material, which might help to minimize the artifacts (twitter, softness, judder, and jaggies) that these sets produce when they have to scale/deinterlace 480 material to fill the screen. Part of the problem in your case is that a 62" TV is rather large for anyone to inspect at close quarters on a showroom floor (further complicated by poor setup in most stores, which can exacerbate inherent flaws). You should be about 10 feet away to avoid seeing the picture elements. That said, 480 lines or less might not ever look as tight and sharp on these sets as it does on 720 sets. Signals at 1080i, however, have a distinct advantage on 1080p screens, since they are already at the requisite native resolution.

As to whether 720 is still a viable format, my answer is definitely "yes." But you should be aware of the ramifications. HD DVD and BluRay will both appear as 720p and 1080i formats. At this point, HD DVD has no plan, and no easy way, to ratchet up to 1080p. BluRay can do so, but whether it ever does, or does so within a generation or two, will depend on whether it wins the war and then whether it has any good economic reason. On a level playing field, how good HD broadcast or DVD material will look on a 720p display as opposed to a 1080p one will depend largely on how far away you sit. At a distance of, say, 12', any advantage in sharpness that a 62" 1080p set has over a 720p set for material shown at 1080i or 720p may be imperceptible. However, a seating distance close enough to get the benefit of the extra detail (but far enough away not to see the pixel gaps or any distracting artifacts) could well make the extra detail noticeable. Many people will never be in position to appreciate what 1080p can deliver, simply because their viewing habits and/or environment don't really suit it. A 62" TV in the right room (and the right sensibility) can certainly make a case for 1080p, though at this point, it has to be qualified with the lack of 1080p sources. Price and 1080p's practical limitations might make 720p attractive to many savvy customers.

Ed

[ryk]

Wow!!! Thanks Ed. I really needed some expert opnions on the state of this technology. I have to say that the room my present TV is in is 13' wide X 23' long I sit about 12 to 13 feet from the screen presently, so distance is not the problem. I have dimmer lights and an Audio/Video essentials to calibrate the set when and if I get. If have a Yammy 757 receiver and Paradigms all around in my 6.1 setup.
Can you recommend any other brands I may need to look at?
I think I just may go for the 720 set. Oh by the way, I am in Southern New Jersey and The Tweeter is in Deptford.
Once again, Thank You for your reply.

[edtyct]

Ryk,

You might take a look at the Toshiba as well as the Mitsubishi. But see whether you can adjust whatever TV that you're inspecting to the warm or low temperature setting to make sure that it isn't biased incorrigibly toward blue; a medium or low color temperature should bring the red out (especially if brightness and contrast are near the halfway points). I recall Mits TVs defaulting to a blue cast if left to their own devices, though that might be unfair to current models and technologies. Also, be on the lookout for DLP's rainbow effect, which afflicts a relatively small percentage of viewers. The spinning wheel that produces the colors on these sets works sequentially, relying on our persistence of vision to create the illusion of simultaneity. Sometimes, however, the process fails, leaving color trails on screen, particularly with head movement. If you stand in front of a DLP set at eye level for a while without seeing these color traces, you're probably immune to them, like most people; the unlucky few, however, often find the distraction unbearable. If you have a family, they should do the test as well.

Apart from the rare rainbow effect, I have no gripe whatsoever with DLP; it may well be perfect technology for you. But if you see the JVC HD-56FH96 nearby, you might want to give it a look. It might be a little more expensive (and smaller), but it is supposed to be the jewel in the DiLA crown thus far. It might even rival Sony's LCoS sets, to which it bears some resemblance. Happy hunting.

Ed

[jocko_nc]

I have had a Toshiba 52 inch DLP for about 18 months now. I would highly recommend them.

1080i resolution is fabulous, though I only get that on a couple of channels, particularly Discovery HD and certain sporting events. The main determining factor I see is the format of the original content. Movies and film are not so great. Programs shot with an HD digital camera are fantastic. Not all cameras are equal at sporting events, either. You can tell the expensive rigs.

jocko

[godfatherofsoul]

I have had a Toshiba 52 inch DLP for about 18 months now. I would highly recommend them.

1080i resolution is fabulous, though I only get that on a couple of channels, particularly Discovery HD and certain sporting events. The main determining factor I see is the format of the original content. Movies and film are not so great. Programs shot with an HD digital camera are fantastic. Not all cameras are equal at sporting events, either. You can tell the expensive rigs.

jocko

Careful - you actually get 720p resolution on your set, not 1080i. If I am correct, your set actually sets everything (or at least attempts to) to its native resolution...
Ed, you are a GOD among men in the knowledge of these things!

Cheers!