HD and TV resolutions?

djcla

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2005
Messages
8,107
Reaction score
729
Points
1,457
Location
Bristol
OK, If a TV is HD ready what difference does the resolution make i.e. 1024 x 720 and say one with 1366 x 768 etc. etc. Is there a certain resolution that is better for connecting a HTPC for instance? or does it not make a lot of difference?
 
It's best to get an HDTV which matches the resolution of the sources you will be using.
1024 x 768 is a commonly used PC resolution (1366 x 768 is the widescreen version of this), this would probably be the easiest one to set up with an HTPC as most/all graphics card will have this a pre-set selectable resolution.
On the otherhand, most HD material is actually available in 720p (1280 x 720) or 1080p (1920 x 1080).
HD sources such as SkyHD, Xbox 360 etc. most commonly use 720p so if these are what your going to be watching, it is best to get a display with a native resolution of 1280 x 720, so that no scaling takes place.
Seeing as I bought my screen mainly for my XBox 360 I made sure it had this resolution.
If you look at most available screens they will have a resolution of 1366 x 768, you won't see any major problems when viewing 720p material but some scaling will take place.
 
There's a huge amount of debate about this, so I wouldn't listen to any single opinion, or worry about it too much anyway. In general, the more pixels the better, and the more likely you are to get a smoother, sharper picture, other things being equal.

However, the correlation is a loose one, and other qualities are probably more important. The fundamental thing is whether a TV is genuinely "HD ready" or not. (HDTV ready or other descriptions do not count at all). That will give you at least 1024x720 resolution, which is sufficient.

Many here would prefer 1280x720 because it will match many of the likely HD sources, and should avoid the display having to downscale the video. However, I believe there are no 1280x720 plasmas, and few LCDs. Many HD displays now have 768 lines and work fine, but I wouldn't buy one instead of a 720 line display JUST BECAUSE it has more lines. Other things are probably more important.

Nick

Edit: You may find it easier to play films with a PC if you have a 16:9 resolution like 1366x768 or 1280x720, rather than 1024x(anything).
 
I thought that to be officially classed as HD a screen had to be capable of displaying 1280 x 720 without downscaling i.e. 1024 X 768 or 1024 X 1024 is not HD. Not saying the picture wont be good just that it wont officially be HDTV.

;)
 
I thought that to be officially classed as HD a screen had to be capable of displaying 1280 x 720 without downscaling i.e. 1024 X 768 or 1024 X 1024 is not HD. Not saying the picture wont be good just that it wont officially be HDTV.
No. To be "HD ready" it has to accept 720p and 1080i input signals over a digital input that supports HDCP, and be able to handle 50 or 60Hz versions of either. It also has to have a vertical resolution of 720 lines or more. The horizontal resolution can be anything. So a single column of 720 pixels is officially HD-ready. :rolleyes:
 
NicolasB said:
The horizontal resolution can be anything. So a single column of 720 pixels is officially HD-ready. :rolleyes:
I don't have a link to hand, but I read somewhere that the horizontal resolution is supposed to be "reasonable".

It would seem that 1024 is generally accepted as reasonable, and I can't imagine we will ever get any HD ready displays with less than the current lower limit of 1024x720.

Except from a few fleabay fly-by-nights trying to pass off 852x480 as HDTV ready! The buyer still has to beware.

HD ready also requires analogue component inputs capable of accepting at least 720p & 1080i. Which could yet prove to be rather useful.

HDTV is essentially an American colection of standards, and is not at all the same thing as HD ready, which is a European EICTA standard.

Nick
 
welwynnick said:
HD ready also requires analogue component inputs capable of accepting at least 720p & 1080i. Which could yet prove to be rather useful.
Nope. That was originally part of the "HD Ready" specification, but it has been explicitly repealed since.
 
NicolasB said:
Nope. That was originally part of the "HD Ready" specification, but it has been explicitly repealed since.
That's rather a shame. Another option for confusion. I must have blinked and missed the change. The HD ready agreement on the EICTA website still refers to component inputs, though.

http://www.eicta.org/files/LicenseAgreement-114914A.pdf

What do you know?

Nick
 
paulfoley said:
I thought that to be officially classed as HD a screen had to be capable of displaying 1280 x 720 without downscaling i.e. 1024 X 768 or 1024 X 1024 is not HD. Not saying the picture wont be good just that it wont officially be HDTV.

;)

if you can see the difference from HD in 1024X768 and 1270x768 then you are god.

:smashin:
 
NicolasB said:
Nope. That was originally part of the "HD Ready" specification, but it has been explicitly repealed since.

Not according to the HD Ready official website it hasn't.
 
There was some specific company - I forget which - Sony, possibly - which kicked up a huge fuss about the fact that their otherwise-HD-Ready plasma TVs couldn't be sold as HD Ready under that definition because they lacked component inputs, even though they had HDMI. I can't remember the details now. But EICTA caved in and changed it.
 
hey guys i need help. i live in australia and you can find the samsung sp67l6hx dlp-rp quite cheap, around $3500 AUD. now what i need to know is, r these tvs any good. r they good for hd television viewing and very importantly how good are they for the xbox 360. In regards to gamming is there any ghosting or other problems and is the picture quality good. Does this tv take full advantage of the xbox 360. is this tv worth buying considering the cheap pricing? Please some help me with info on the samsung sp67l6hx.
thanxs
 
The word seems to be that they are very good as long as you only want 720p resolution. better, but mor eexpensive, TVs are on their way this year. Have a look in the Rear Projection TVs Forums for more comments.

Cheers, Nick
 
I live in U.A.E (Dubai) there is no HDTV technology introduced as yet.All channels are still digital but i was planning to buy LG 42PC1RR and a xbox 360 as well. So is it worth buying LG 42PC1RR or samsung PS-42S5h or Panasonic TH-42PV600 i need a HD Ready Tv.Sorry i dont much abt HD and Plasma tv's.
 
welwynnick said:
I don't have a link to hand, but I read somewhere that the horizontal resolution is supposed to be "reasonable".

It would seem that 1024 is generally accepted as reasonable, and I can't imagine we will ever get any HD ready displays with less than the current lower limit of 1024x720.

Nick
I think this lower resolution of 1024x720 is only reasonable with Plasmas where the pixels are not square and therefore 1024x720 will still give a wide aspect.

Cheers, Dave C.
 
welwynnick said:
Except from a few fleabay fly-by-nights trying to pass off 852x480 as HDTV ready! The buyer still has to beware.

Nick

How come manufacturers are still producing sets with these resolutions? If I've understood this correctly, a resolution of 852x480 is not even SD, but they are still available to buy brand new. (I believe they stick an HDMI port on them and call them HD Compatible, don't they?)
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom