Is it really worth it?

AV Geeza

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With all the talk about Hi Def TV and DVD I have been considering purchasing a 42" HD screen, Panny, Pioneer or NEC, but have started to reconsider.

I recently saw a thread on AVS which seemed to suggest that most people could see very little if any difference between SD & HD 42" screens when viewed from around 10-12 feet away. In many cases the screens were fed a Hi Def image.

So is it really worth getting a 42" HD screen, especially when there isnt much HD material around or HD broadcasts?
 
Well I've not seen HDTV running on a 42" screen yet, but I can hand on heart say that on the 50" Pioneer that I have seen it running on it beats the living daylights out of normal broadcasts. More and more dealers are trying to get their hands on equipment to demo HDTV now, so have a ring around and see if you can see one set up. The 50" was set up at Sevenoaks in Oxford in their new demo flat, very impressive indeed.
 
ahin4114, I've seen the new 50" Pioneer running DVD (SD) and even that was absolutely, positively, amazingly STUNNING!! The best SD picture I've ever experienced on a plasma display (and I've demo'ed a LOT of them).

As for HDTV, I also think the difference between 42" SD and HD screens should be rather minimal, though never actually seen that in action (in terms of actual comparison, an SD screen next to an HD one). However I think the backgrounds should provide more details, therefore re-inforcing a "3D" impression on HD screens. The real question is: is it worth the extra ££'s today, esp. when HD is still rare (and SD source is better shown on an SD display vs HD display).

At 50" and beyond I guess the difference should be more "tangible", though as for the 42", or any size for that matter, it also depends on how far you are from the screen ( as well as your eyesight "capabilities", s'thing rarely mentioned... :D ).
 
ahin4114,
All 50" are HD so I would expect a great picture with HD material.
The price difference between a 50" screen and a 42" HD screen is around £1K which in my books makes the 50" seem like better value for money.
I therfore have no doubts about the merits of a 50" screen when equauted to the cost.
42" HD is a different matter, although I must point out that I havent seen a 42" SD and HD side by side.
I would be interested in the thoughts of those of you that have compared the two.
 
AV Geeza said:
All 50" are HD so I would expect a great picture with HD material.

That's the theory. However, you have to make sure that the screen has digital inputs that support the necessary formats. If you don't, then you will be forced to supply an SD signal, and/or go through unnecessary D/A - A/D conversions, either of which will limit the results.
 
I disagree, in practice it's hard to tell the difference between digital and analogue signals, except on screens which have problems with analogue inputs, like the XDE pioneers.
 
I was wandering around Comet or Dixons (ahem, as you do) a few weeks back and was amazed by a picture running on a 50" rear projector that was eating all the other displays for breakfast. (bearing in mind I've seen demo''s of well set up 16k projection systems etc, this looked impressive)

Now I know that retail stores never have the best set up for showing pictures on their multitude of tellies and rear projectors are not renowned for great pictures (in my experience) I thought I might investigate.

Turned out that it was running a HDTV picture from a shuttle small form factor PC. So I would say as a member of joe pubic that there is a vast difference.
 
iranu,
I think you maybe missing my point. I have no doubts that a HD signal fed to a 50" screen will produce an excellent picture.
Im trying to find out others opinions or experience of the difference between a 42" SD & HD screen.
The price of 42" HD screens has dropped to a very tempting price, but so too have the SD screens!
Infact the SD screens are now at 36" CRT prices!

Those of you that have 42" HD screens did you consider any SD screens? Or was it just a case of the best picture quality available for the size regardless of how small the improvement in picture was?
 
come to john lewis in Bluewater if im readin right your from london
we have a hidef 50" rear projection sagem screen come and tell me if you notice the difference if im telling the truth its the best picture i have ever seen on a screen ever from any distance!!!
 
G1OSE said:
we have a hidef 50" rear projection sagem screen come and tell me if you notice the difference if im telling the truth its the best picture i have ever seen on a screen ever from any distance!!!

Just don't expect to use DVI output from a DVD / HD-DVD player, or Sky's HDTV service, as they based everything around an old proposal from Sky, and neglected to implement HDCP! Although they are working on a resolution.
 
Text is beter on an HD 42" than SD some material look sbetter ( but alot is to do with source and processing i have seen SD42" look much better than HD and vice versa (with SD source) not seen it done with HD as a source however it may make for an nteresting weekend of playing
 
hornydragon
Text is beter on an HD 42" than SD some material look sbetter ( but alot is to do with source and processing i have seen SD42" look much better than HD and vice versa
If this is the case generally, why have so many opted for 42" HD screen?
For the promise of forthcoming HD broadcasts?
Doesnt seem conclusive to me.

I seem to remember when the Panny 6 series HD screens came out a number of people thought that the improvement in picture over SD was too small to justify the price difference, so whats changed? :confused:
Is it because of the price drop as opposed to true picture quality?
 
Just to stoke the fires slightly more I saw Blu-ray in action yesterday in a Sony shop and it was absolutely awesome. There are apparently sixteen in the country at the moment and anybody who manages to see one working with a 42" plasma will be more than impressed.
 

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