Why 1080p?

[Rodolfo]

What are 1080p manufacturers doing on their current 1080p sets? Are they really implementing all what 1080p can and should do? Do people need all what 1080p can do? When? How could one find out if a set is actually suited to be ready for near future 1080p media, such as Hi Def DVD coming in a few months?

I will cover all those subjects gradually in short articles, but first let us mention a couple of key points.

[url=http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/articles/2006/01/why_1080p.php]Read the Full Article[/url]

[HD Addict]

I made a point of seeking out the Sony SXRD HDTV set to see whether there was a improvement in the PQ since I have a 3 year old Grand Wega II. Quite frankly, my wife and I could not discern any appreciable improvement in the PQ, which came as a disappointment as well as a relief. I did not however have the opportunity to change the resolution to 1080i and view the result, for I find that 1080i on the GWII is perceived as far better to my eyes than 720p. So where do we go from here ?

[Rodolfo]

Mr HD addict (no actual name was provided),

Your experience goes along with some of the points I made regarding that some 1080p implementations on first generation sets do not necessarily show considerable improvement over good quality sets.

However, make sure you compare them at the proper distance for the content resolution before concluding which is worst or better.

Viewing 1080i or 720p on a 1080p set would put in front of your eyes that original resolution with the addition of over a million pixels that the video processing of the set interpolates (adds to that original image) to fill a 1920x1080p frame of video.

If the set is weak on that area, the resulting image could end up as a degradation rather than an improvement, the improvement anyone would expect when the buzz word of 1080p is used to advertise the product to make it sound as better. Sometimes having less pixels viewed at the proper distance is better than a set that adds pixels improperly with low quality interpolation to that image .

Regarding your question of 'next step?", when 1080p content becomes available in spring via Hi Def DVD players and movies, and when playing that content on a set that accepts 1080p avoiding unnecessary video processing, you should perform another round of viewing to make your final conclusion of 1080p on your living room, but viewing distance is very important to distinguish any improvements if any.

Best Regards,

Rodolfo La Maestra

[HD Addict]

Thank you for your comments. I must say that the Sony 60XBR1's PQ was still very good, but I guess I was anticipating more. We did step back to a distance that would approximate where I would have positioned the SXRD, which is further from where we have the GWII, and agreed that it was still of an acceptable quality.

So what you are saying is that Sony has introduced a HDTV the benefits of which won't really be appreciated until the Blue Ray and its rival DVD players arrive on the scene. The pocket book stands to take a double whammy in that case.

[Rodolfo]

HD Addict,

Interesting the way you concluded your view "So what you are saying is that Sony has introduced a HDTV the benefits of which won't really be appreciated until the Blue Ray and its rival DVD players arrive on the scene"

But no, I am not saying that cause/effect type of simplification. They will have their next model with 1080p inputs by the way.

HDTV and the surrounding components to perform the typical job of viewing and recording have never been simpe to implement and much less to understand so much complexity for just TV. It will never be as simple as 480i CRT was for many years, and perhaps will be as complex until is replaced.

You should be able to enjoy something better than 1080i viewing from non-1080p content if the RPTV sets perform better video procesing, but as they are now it is a hit and miss situation, some do better than others, but in general they could do a better job.

That is in parallel to what Hi Def DVD will bring. So even without Hi Def DVD you could eventually find a 1080p RPTV, perhaps on their second generation, that would make a difference to you.

You have to find the set that would do good without Hi Def DVD 1080p, because most of your viewing might be that exactly, for many years to come, unless you are movie viewer only, and your plan is to just use the set for 1080p content.

Be aware that so far Blu-ray is the only one that has announced 1080p outputs on April/May 2006, HD DVD is only 1080i/720p, and is schedulled for March 2006.

Best Regards,

Rodolfo La Maestra

[HD Addict]

What I meant was that since no HDTV is presently being transmitted in 1080p, at the moment, then even the SXRD TV sets will not be able to demonstrate what they are capable of until the Blue Ray DVD recorders/players arrive on the scene, and that is only if the machines will do the deinterlacing. I've seen no mention of when we might expect to eventually see 1080p HDTV transmissions. So until that time, the 1080p HDTV sets will not be able to produce a 1080p picture unless it is playing back Blue Ray deinterlaced recorded DVDs.

What I realised at the time, but stated incorrectly in my first response, was that the SXRD set was obviously producing only a 1080i satellite picture, which explains why I wasn't seeing any improvement over what I am now used to seeing on my GWII. The 1080p picture must really leave you sockless.

[Rodolfo]

HD Addict,

You are seeing a 1080p picture on the SXRD already, the problem is how this was created. The 1080i satellite you tuned was shown as a 1080p version, but deinterlaced in the set the best the set can do.

Even when you have no 1080p content, there is way to obtain an upconverted 1080i/480i/720p source via a good scaler that correctly performs 1080p deinterlacing and scaling. With ccertain exceptions those usually perfom better that the sets video proccesors.

Please read the 1080p series of articles to get an idea of the alternatives you would have opened if you buy a 1080p set that offers 1080p inputs, even when the internal video processor is not making you happy.

Best Regards,

Rodolfo La Maestra

[chris h]

I've noticed the Sony’s 60" Grand WEGA™ SXRD™ Rear Projection HDTV has 1080p output but not a 1080p input. Is there a model using sxrd technologly able to take a 1080p signal? The reason I ask is because Sony's Playstation 3 will include blu-ray.

[Rodolfo]

Chris,

None of the 3 RPTV SXRD (50, and 60 XRB, 70 Qualia) sets from Sony have 1080p inputs, they will in the next generation coming later this year, Sony is expected to formally announce their new products in their customary company Spring announcement, I was told at CES.

The SXRD Ruby 100 projector ($10K) does have 1080p input, and the Qualia SXRD 004 projector will have with an upgrade Sony is to offer to owners of the current model ($30K projector), but those are front projectors, many of their projection competitors also accept 1080p.

Sony Blu-ray will output and upconvert to 1080p, so Sony is planning to suit their TVs with 1080p input capability to close the loop (and be competitive).

HP and Brillian are other two RPTVs that have 1080p inputs. All of the others are not (over HDMI/DVI).

This 1080p input issue has been considered by most big manufacturers as something to offer on their next models, I would not be surprised if by the end of 2006 we will have lots of competition for that feature.

I will cover all of these issues in detail on the next articles.

Best Regards,


Rodolfo La Maestra

[colee1]

Nicole here. I just got setup with an HD receiver and HD programming now that I've started working for DISH Network. DISH offers a new blockbuster each month in 1080i and I think the picture is noticeably better than regular HD. I think that as more people get hooked onto HD more people are going to look for providers that are capable of meeting this demand. I'm looking forward to more from HD and I'm sure that DISH will keep in rhythm with the progression.