Outputting PC to plasma. 1080i or 1080p?

[theonlyrick]

I've ordered a Panasonic TH42PX70.

From what world + dog says, it will be a fantastic telly.

But: It's a 1080i and I want to output my PC to it (VGA or DVI).

Is it worth me buying a 1080p instead? Would the image quality be much better than the 1080i?

All comments welcome!

Richard

 

[theonlyrick]

Just to clarify - I haven't yet bought the TV, but as using a PC is quite important, should I only be looking at 1080p models?

Richard

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Only if you sit closer than 8ft to your tv. You won't be able to see the difference otherwise.

 

[theonlyrick]

I'm pleased you've said that.

Can you just confirm that the 1:1 mapping on 1080p won't being about big improvements?

Thanks,

Richard

PS - Someone peed on my rug. What shall I do?

 

[MikeK]

I'm pleased you've said that.

Can you just confirm that the 1:1 mapping on 1080p won't being about big improvements?

Thanks,

Richard

PS - Someone peed on my rug. What shall I do?

AFAIK, this TV will accept 1080p input on it's HDMI sockets - the 1080i limit is probably on component.

It's a 1024x768 panel, which uses rectangular pixels to get the 16:9 shape - therefore 1:1 mapping from a PC won't work (well not in the normal sense of 1:1 mapping anyway)


The th42px70 seems to be around £700, but with the th42pz70 available at around £940 (this is a full 1920x1080 plasma TV), I think the full HD panel is probably a better buy, if you can afford the extra.

That said though, be aware that plasma TVs don't half burn some power - the pz70 is nearly 500W in operation (this surprised me TBH) while similar sized LCD TVs are using less than 200W!
Over the typical life of a TV, this could be a consideration

500W for 4,000 hours PA = 2000kw/hrs
2000kw/hrs at 10p per kW/hr = £200

200W for 4,000 hours PA = 800kw/hrs
800kw/hrs at 10p per kw/hr = £80

At £120 a year difference (assuming 4000hrs PA use), it mounts up over a typical 5 yr lifespan!

 

[theonlyrick]

Thanks - so:

if true that HDMI is 1080p,
and
I used the HDMI socket from my PC:

the quality be good, but the image stretched?


At some point I'm sure I'll be getting a 360 (or maybe PS3?), so I guess the same issues would exist with those?


I did look at the PZ70, but I would only spend that extra if it was really necessary.


I'm also wary of burn-in.

Panasonic issued a statement saying that burn-in is, to all intents and purposes, a non-issue. But even knowing about the burn-in period, I'm still wary.


Perhaps an LCD is the way to go...

 

[MikeK]

Thanks - so:

if true that HDMI is 1080p,
and
I used the HDMI socket from my PC:

the quality be good, but the image stretched?
.

No the image wouldn't be stretched - the Panny's internal scaler will take the 1920x1080p input form the PC (or any other device inputting 1080p to the TV, such as perhaps an XBOX360 or PS3, ) and scale it accordingly to it's own 1024x768 panel.
The internal scaler is aware of the square nature of standard HD video and PC pixels, and the rectangular nature of it's own panel's pixels, and adjusts as necessary!

Burn-in is apparently not the issue it once was, however Panasonic still warn you about it in their manual. Make of that what you will (but also consider that I've seen similar warnings in LCD TV manuals too)


As to LCD vs plasma - that's a tough one.
Each tech (and indeed each implementation of that tech) has it's own pros and cons - only the individual buyer can decide which offers the best all round package taking into consideration those pros and cons!
A cop out perhaps , but IMO that's the honest answer!

 

[theonlyrick]

If the image was just a teeny bit fuzzy at close up, then that would be OK.


I wish I had a DVI to HDMI cable. Then I could go down to John Lewis with a laptop and test it for myself...


The whole LCD v Plasma issue ranks up there with the great theological debates - but I still wish there was an easy answer! (I'm amazed to hear that LCD panels mention screenburn - I thought they were literally immune.)

 

[MikeK]

Shouldn't really be "fuzzy" at all!

You are downscaling a higher res image - always easier than upscaling a lower res one (and even that can be done reasonably well these days).

As for the warnings - even Panasonic's own LCD TV manuals mention it, and they even specifically mention "LCD" TV, so it doesn't appear to be a generic warning (you could also get screen burn on CRT TVs too)

Have a look at the manual for the TX-32LD50, on page 3.

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/customer-Support/download-centre.asp


You can also take a look at the TX42px70 manual here too, and confirm 1080p via HDMI!

 

[Zarch]

Rick,

I have my 37" PX70 attached via a DVI to HDMI cable running 1366x768

Check out this PX70 PC Connectivity thread from the Plasma section.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=537951

Whilst the display is brilliant for watching films, its not what i'd call "brilliant" for desktop use. More "acceptable".

but seeing as my HTPC is only for watching films then its fine for me.

You can browse quite happily etc, but theres no way its a replacement for a monitor.

A DVI to HDMI cable is only a fiver, i'd get yourself one and see for yourself to put your mind at rest!!

 

[theonlyrick]

Mike & Mick: Cheers for both of your replies.

That doesn't sound too bad, then. I need to get home to check the manual and read through the PX70 connectivity forum, but your comments are cheering.

When using my PC with it, I'll only really be watching vids, so that sounds fine. (The only other thing that I'll double check is that XBoxing or PS3ing will look good on it as well, but I'm sure people have already said that.)

I guess I need to see for myself the difference between p and i. What my (quite geeky) friend told me about the picture quality made me think that getting a 1080i would be a huuuuge mistake…

Thanks again,

Richard

PS: Mick, (perhaps an old joke, but) how does it feel knowing that Axl Rose from Guns and Roses hates you as much as he does? ;-)

 

[Rygar]

That said though, be aware that plasma TVs don't half burn some power - the pz70 is nearly 500W in operation (this surprised me TBH) while similar sized LCD TVs are using less than 200W

Isn't that 500W at full power i.e all white screen, all settings on full? I always believed average power consumption on a plasma would be lower, and not much between plasma & LCD of similar size as the LCD's backlight is always on, even during dark scenes etc.

 

[leeb]

I've got the Panny 37" PX70 and output via HDMI on my HTPC at 1920x1080 and the plasma shows a fantastic image and reports it as 1080p.

 

[theonlyrick]

Cool. I assume there's no picture quality difference between 37 and 42"?

R...

 

[Zarch]

I've got the Panny 37" PX70 and output via HDMI on my HTPC at 1920x1080 and the plasma shows a fantastic image and reports it as 1080p.

Leeb,

Did you have to play about with the icon size and the text DPI cos i tried 1920x1080 and everything was tiny and pretty unusable, so i went back to 1360x768.

 

[MikeK]

Isn't that 500W at full power i.e all white screen, all settings on full? I always believed average power consumption on a plasma would be lower, and not much between plasma & LCD of similar size as the LCD's backlight is always on, even during dark scenes etc.

You may well be right - I was just a bit shocked to see the rating plate on the rear of a 42pz70 state 490W (or something close to that).

AIUI though, it's generally accepted that plasma technology requires the most power to operate, size for size - even if the figures above do quote worst case, "normal use" will still use more power than LCD apparently.
Just a consideration perhaps, in these days of soaring energy prices!

 

[theonlyrick]

Rick,

I have my 37" PX70 attached via a DVI to HDMI cable running 1366x768

Check out this PX70 PC Connectivity thread from the Plasma section.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=537951

Whilst the display is brilliant for watching films, its not what i'd call "brilliant" for desktop use. More "acceptable".

Thanks for that, Mick. When my TV arrives and I come to set it all up, there's gonna be some useful stuff on that thread... As one of the recent posters said, there's a world of difference between knowing about something, and know it well enough to put that knowledge into practice.

At the mo', my PC is connected by DVI to my monitor. It doesn't list 1366 x 768 as an available resolution, (although it does other, higher resolutions.)

Do you know if this means that my graphics card won't support that resolution, or will the list of available resolutions change according to what monitor is connected?

(On a related note, I hope I can get a Y-cable that is DVI at one end and which splits into DVI and HDMI at the other.)

Cheers,

Richard

 

[leeb]

Leeb,

Did you have to play about with the icon size and the text DPI cos i tried 1920x1080 and everything was tiny and pretty unusable, so i went back to 1360x768.

Yes Mickwall, I originally left the text as it was but it started to give me a headache with it being so small so I bumped up the font size very slightly. Looks good now in all modes and is perfectly useable. I also used 1280x720 and didn't have any problems with that either. Only went to 1080p when got my LG HD drive.

I'm still impressed that my BE-2400 (2.3Ghz) and integrated X1250 gpu can play my 3 HD-DVD VC-1s perfectly with about 70% cpu usage.