Will a 1080i set play Blu Ray (or 1080p)?

[Tahoe Gator]

Local shop has a steal on a 50" plasma and the only downside I see to it is compatibility with 1080i and not 1080p. I do not own a HD-DVD or Blu Ray player, but am trying to think for the future. Will a 1080i set play content from an HD DVD player? Adding to the complexity perhaps, do the new HD players provide 1080i, 1080p, or can you choose either? Not so caught up in subtle quality differences, just want to make sure future compatibility is not a problem.

(Separately for what it's worth, the set in question is the Philips 50PF9431D. If there's now way it will play hd dvd, I'll opt for the Panasonic TH-50PH9UK. The panny is a better set, but it's for a home gym and I'm not being so picky, just want compatibility for future.)

[Tahoe Gator]

Or, maybe the better question, is will Blu Ray or HD-DVD have an option to downconvert to a 720p set?

[edtyct]

You can select your TV's native resolution on the hi def players. Don't be dismayed about the lack of 1080p on these plasmas. First of all, you wouldn't be able to see the extra resolution on a 50" set from a normal viewing distance, let alone while working a treadmill. Second, the performance of a TV depends on many more things than the number of pixels on the screen. 1080p is a nice feature, with genuine benefits, but the buzz shouldn't obscure other matters of importance.

[N. Abstentia]

Whether you are going to use it now or not, I just can't see spending money on a TV today that cannot do 1080p. The minute you get a 1080p source you'll just be buying a new 1080p TV, so why not just do it now?

[elapsed]

N. Abstentia - there are only a handful of 1080p plasma's on the market, the cheapest of which start at $5,000. If I were in the market for a 1080p plasma I would probably another 1-2 years for prices to come down.

Now LCD, on the other hand..

[edtyct]

I understand that 1080p is the new BMOC, and most of us are on the prowl for the state of the art in consumer A/V (or at least the latest buzz feature) if and when we can afford it. But the state of the art isn't going to benefit everybody equally, or even every technology (certainly not when size of panel comes into play). What on person finds worthy of his/her money is never up to another person in cyberspace, but I would think that it's best to know exactly what 1080p gets you under various conditions before you pull out the plastic equalizer. I'm certainly not saying that 1080p is a red herring; every advance has its place and its value. But if you're acting on hype alone, you may get that new TV into your house, sit 10 ft. away from it, and wonder what all of the fuss was about--a kind of reverse buyers' remorse: I supposedly bought the best, but I don't see how it improves on my neighbor's 768p, 42" plasma. Then again, you might find new ways to pat yourself on the back for what you got, even if only because you can now brag about having 1080p. Of course, a new 1080p TV could very well have virtues that make it attractive but have nothing to do with pixel count. This has the makings of an interesting thread. Beyond 1080p being a big number with a little "p" at the end (which may be the most important feature), what's the consensus about 1080p? Is everyone drooling for it?

[drseid]

Beyond 1080p being a big number with a little "p" at the end (which may be the most important feature), what's the consensus about 1080p? Is everyone drooling for it?

I'm not... and I tend to be one of those SOTA kind of folks. I own both Blu-ray and HD DVD, and both look just fine on my 50 inch 768p RP LCD set (about as big as my room can stand). If I had a 100 inch projection screen I would be looking for 1080p for sure, but at the 50 inch and below screen size level the differences are negligable at best, and I dare say most won't notice any difference at all. I also agree that TV picture quality has more attributes than just 1080i vs 1080p and those other attributes should indeed also be taken into consideration (and dare I say be more of a factor) in TV choice.

---Dave

[Breezer88888]

Hi Tahoe,
Not sure if it's the same Philips 50 Plasma, but Costco has one for $1,499 using their "instant coupon" until March 18th. The item number is #150431 (don't know the actual model number). I'm pretty tempted myself, but the Toshiba 50HP66 is beautiful as well. Problem is I can't find a place that has these two sets together so I can compare. Oh well. Good luck.
Breezer

[westcott]

You can select your TV's native resolution on the hi def players. Don't be dismayed about the lack of 1080p on these plasmas. First of all, you wouldn't be able to see the extra resolution on a 50" set from a normal viewing distance, let alone while working a treadmill. Second, the performance of a TV depends on many more things than the number of pixels on the screen. 1080p is a nice feature, with genuine benefits, but the buzz shouldn't obscure other matters of importance.

Eloquently said.

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