HDTV 1080p vs 720pYour One-Stop Hub for 1080p and 720p HDTV Information

Plasma or LCD? Both are suitable, but each tends to be suited to different viewing requirements, CableOrganizer argues.

LCD, or liquid crystal display, has good color saturation levels and can be easily viewed even in rooms with high levels of ambient light. It is great for gamers, LCD screens are wall-mountable, and available in sizes up to 46 inches (diagonal).

Plasma display technology is considered to offer color-saturated images with excellent black levels. That makes it a good choice for home theater buffs who want the largest-possible screens. Plasma screens generally are more expensive, but come in sizes up to 60 inches.

Screen resolution also varies from 720 progressive to 1080 interlace and 1080 progressive, with resolution increasing in that order. Even though 720p is the lowest resolution within the HDTV standard, it delivers impressive pictures on screens that are less than 40 inches in size.

1080i is a good option for people who enjoy watching slower-moving programming with lots of close-ups, such as documentaries, non-action movies, and prime-time dramas.

1080p combines a rapid frame rate with high pixel density for the best high-definition pictures available. With the exception of Blu-ray, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and a relatively small amount of satellite TV programming, there’s not much true 1080p content out there right now, though. Although they’re backward-compatible with the lower resolutions, 1080p screens can’t live up to their full potential unless they’re displaying true high definition content.

Generally speaking, progressive scan is better for viewing fast-action movies, sporting events and video games.

CableOrganizer also argues that although HDMI cables are recommended for the best image quality, a steep price tag (News – Alert) isn’t always a reliable indicator of a high-quality HDMI connection. For example, the below price comparison between CableOrganizer.com’s HDMI cables and those from five leading A/V retailers suggest that there can be a $129.00 price difference between the most and least expensive models.

In fact, consumers can receive the same quality of performance and manufacture from a $7 cable as from one that costs anywhere from five to 19 times as much, CableOrganizer argues.

To ensure that a high-definition screen looks as impressive as it possibly can, don’t forget to compliment it with some well-thought-out wire clutter management, CableOrganizer argues. Managing HDTV cables not only hides them from view, but also prevents them from becoming tangled and disorganized.

One advisable HDTV cable manager is the Wiring Solution, a channel that installs vertically below wall-mounted screens to cover equipment-to-TV cable runs, and can be easily painted to disappear into your décor. CableOrganizer also highly recommends surface raceway, a type of latching channel that can be used in just about any configuration to route cables short distances, or even around an entire room. Like the Wiring Solution, raceway is easily paintable, and thanks to pre-installed self-adhesive backing, it has the added advantage of tool and screw-free installation.

This TV gives a great picture. It has so far been great for me and outperforms my roommates 1yr old Bravia XBR in a few areas. I was holding off for many months from buying and finally these were reduced to a reasonable price-size ratio. I couldn’t give 5 stars because there are several cons- none of which are deal breakers but they broke my heart to be missing or incomplete. Overall, great set and I highly recommend over anything else on the market for quality and looks, although as far as usability features go they could be refined a bit more.
As noted in there are some cons which I will reiterate here as well:

Pro:

- Great contrast ratio.
- Size of the bordering on the set are small.
- No LED lit logo (sony’s do that).
- Plenty of inputs.
- Great motion response: games look great. Great response in general actually: over a 25′ VGA cable it looks great as a computer monitor.
- Audio input for couple with VGA input.
- RS232 port and decent specifications in the documentation to control the set.
- Detachable speakers
Cons:
- No Picture in Picture: with so much screen, only one input at a time?
- No labeling of inputs: If your input is not digital it won’t know what it is.
- PC inputs are limited in resolution: Even though it is not practical to scale up to 1080p for VGA and be visible, it would be nice- especially since the set is tauted as being ‘Full 1080′. Although it does function and look nice at lower resolutions, not all of them are supported.
- No DVI.
- Speakers are not as great as they could be, although this set begs for wall mount and speaker removal (they are removable).
- One feature of this thing is the ‘Net’ which is a really dumb downed slow web utility to view ‘widgets’ like current weather, stock prices, etc. Usability of this feature is not so great and it is too slow to be purposeful. Would be great if it were always on and customizable (email notifications would be great).

Click here to buy the Sharp Aquos LC52SE94U 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

From Mitch Cohen at www.mitchcohen.com

I recently bought an Apple TV. I’ve had a Mac Mini connected to our TV for 2+ years, but it never got the use I was hoping. The Apple TV is quickly becoming a big hit in our house due to its ease of use. It’s a great little device, especially considering it’s just a “hobby” for Apple.

I have several suggested improvements for the next generation of hardware and/or software. I have no expectation Apple will either see or pay attention. I’ll also not attempt to turn the Apple TV into something Apple clearly doesn’t want it to be. So no push to support every codec under the sun, no tuner/recorder, no blu-ray player, etc. Might be nice but a waste of time to suggest.

This has been in my drafts folder for a while. It’s way too long as-is, so I’m getting it out there.

Software Changes

Network sharing: Allow local computer users to share (play) media stored on the Apple TV. Basically, make it act like iTunes and iPhoto already does. This should follow standard restrictions on protected content, again just like any computer. This should also allow one Apple TV to share the content of another Apple TV. We’re having so much fun, getting a second may be tempting someday – but only if all content were accessible at all times.

Podcast improvements: I’m having a blast with video podcasts. First, we need better searching. The current Apple TV search is titles only, while an iTunes search is much more thorough. Also, allow subscribing to podcasts directly on the Apple TV. (General theme: do as much as possible through the Apple TV interface, not requiring constant access to the host computer’s iTunes.)

More codec support: I’m not suggesting XviD, WMV, etc. I think the Apple TV should support every codec available on the Mac desktop using QuickTime. This would allow users to play DV files, videos made on digicams, etc, without going through lengthy conversions. Some of these are better kept on the host computer to save space; the intention here is to save conversion time. Some large codecs might require more CPU power, or a hardwired ethernet connection, but most should be fine.

Also, for conversion, some simple batch-convert process for video. We can batch-convert music to MP3/AAC in iTunes, why not video? I know there are third-party solutions to this, but it should really be integrated. NEVER MIND – Advanced->Create Apple TV Version. I haven’t tried this yet; curious if it’s the same as Quicktime’s Export to Apple TV (a very high quality/large file size conversion with no options).

Manually set the poster frame: This is a lame one, but I’d like it. Pause a movie on your favorite frame, then set the poster frame. Also, manually add chapter markers the same way. These should be synced back to the host computer.

Sync while playing: The Apple TV can’t seem to sync with the host computer while playing video. That’s silly.

The ability to play more HD formats, specifically 720p/30 and 1080i/p (24 and 30). Most large (and more smaller) HD TVs are 1080p now. All my home video is shot 1080i/30 (or 1080i/60 if you count fields). It’s a shame I need to scale that down to 960 x 540. There might be a hardware component to this as 1080p video stutters even on somewhat modern computers.

Ditch the stupid .m4v format. I don’t get this one, although it has little to do with the Apple TV itself. .mov is a great container. Why the new format? Was it to say Apple was producing an open format? Try changing some tags in a large .m4v file. Takes forever. A .mov? Barely noticeable. Yes I can use .mov fine, but the quick exports from iMovie, Compressor, etc, all go to .m4v. Plus .mov can have multiple audio tracks, closed-caption tracks, etc.

Support multiple tracks of .mov files. Following from the above, allow the user to choose which audio track to play when watching a movie. When I RIP DVD’s for flights I include the main audio and any commentary tracks, all in the same file. In Quicktime Player I just select which I want to hear. The same should be possible on the Apple TV. (And imagine how many more movies Apple would sell if they included director/actor commentary tracks?)

Multiple users. This is a big one, and an easy one. We have three people in our house – why would we want the same set of favorites, or the same playlists, or the same YouTube account? I’m not suggesting a completely separate library (although some might want this). My wife doesn’t need to see my WWDC videos in her listing, and our daughter doesn’t want to see anything other than Sesame Street and Curious George.

EXIF/IPTC tags while watching photos. While watching photos, we’ll sometimes wonder when the photo was taken. How about a popup of basic data? (And oh, by the way, iPhoto should embed this info into photos instead of storing the data elsewhere. Major multi-year pet peeve here.)

Be a wireless access point (and for some a repeater). My Apple TV is on Ethernet. Why can’t it be another access point for my home LAN? For those using the Apple TV on WiFi, making the Apple TV be a repeater might be nice, although throughput would drop in half so mixed feelings here.

Hardware changes

Apple will inevitably ship a new hardware version of the Apple TV, unless they kill it off of course. I’ll assume the device will have a better CPU and graphics card to support 1080p, etc. So that’s a given.

Gigabit ethernet and 802.11n WiFi. Obvious – move those video files faster.

A desktop (3.5″) hard drive!!! This is my biggest complaint about the first generation Apple TV, and the Mac Mini as well. Why on earth did Apple see it necessary to use a 2.5″ laptop drive in a non-portable device? They saved roughly six-tenths of an inch of space (height) on the device. Hip hip hooray. But they lost a ton of storage space – for a device where storage is key. Many 3.5″ drives are plenty quiet (I’ve had a Tivo for eight years, never heard anyone complain). A quick check at my favorite drive vendor shows 160GB laptop drives roughly the same price as a 500GB desktop drive. Apple is using desktop drives in the Time Capsule, and I’ve never heard anyone complain it’s too large. A perfect example of form obliterating function.

Bluetooth – to support more devices, remotes, etc. See theoretical changes below for more rationale.

External hard drive support – I think this is possible, but unlikely from Apple. They like closed devices. I disagree with their decisions here but accept them as part of the big picture.

Theoretical changes

SDK. Apple has the iPhone SDK, and it’s a huge success. The Apple TV is running OS X too. A real SDK (combined with the better processor and GPU likely coming anyway) could turn the Apple TV into a competitive gaming platform. I don’t play games myself so I don’t care, but it would make the device very popular. Integration with the App Store, etc. Apple would limit SDK functionality (muck like the iPhone), here to prevent the Apple TV from becoming too much like a computer and competing with their own Macs. That’s ok.

Through that SDK they could open the Apple TV to other content providers. (Whoa, is that the third rail I sense?) I don’t see Apple’s content being all things to all people. Access to NetFlix, Hulu, more photo/video sites, etc, is necessary. Apple has conquered music. They haven’t conquered video, and they won’t. Apple has not positioned the Apple TV as a loss-leader to content (like game consoles do). Open it up to the wider world, and Apple will own this market.

Give the remote an accelerometer. Just like the iPhone (and just like the Wii from what I understand). Would be fun for gamers, and probably useful for something. Otherwise the current remote is fine. Simplicity is Apple’s forté, and most do-everything remotes are horrid.

Subscription video service. Ok, this isn’t really a software feature. I think Apple did the right thing by avoiding subscription music. Video is another beast. Netflix’s video subscription is proving popular, at least among the tech crowd. Already multiple hardware boxes support it. If Apple could get the studios on board they could have a great offering.

Ok, I’m done.

Are there any differences between the two technologies?

When it comes to flat screen TVs the two technologies LCD and Plasma seem very alike with almost lifelike images and the ability to be hung on the wall. Although LCD tvs and Plasma tvs displays may look very similar in the shops, there are various differences between the two technologies.

How LCD tvs work

LCD is an abbreviation for Liquid Crystal Display. A LCD tv screen is made up of two clear panels between which is a matrix of colour liquid filled pixels. These pixels respond to a small voltage which makes them change state by twisting or untwisting which allows light to pass through them or to be blocked depending on the state of the pixel. This process of twisting takes very little power. The pixels are either red, green or blue and they are structured in a matrix of millions of pixels to make a picture. The coloured pixels of the panel are illuminated from Behind with a back light to show their colour, and areas of light and dark, depending on how the pixels are twisted. Lcd screens are available in small sizes for watches up to 108 inches for large televisions. Manufacturers such as LG, Samsung, Hitachi, Panasonic, JVC, Pioneer, Sharp, Toshiba, Philips and Sony have a range of lcd televisions available.

How plasma tvs works

A Plasma tv screen comprises of millions of tiny ‘light bulbs’ which are tiny glass cells filled with inert gases such as xenon and neon. These cells are illuminated by a current being applied to electrodes in the gas filled cell and its atoms become ‘excited’ to a plasma and emit photons of ultraviolet light. These photons in turn strike a phosphor coating which emits visible light. The colour of the visible light emitted by each cell depends on the three different coloured phosphors – green, blue and red, and can together make billions of colours when combined. As with the LCD tv screen, the millions of cells combine to form the image on the screen. Currently the only manufacturers of Plasma tvs in the UK are Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, LG, and Samsung. Plasma tvs are available in sizes from 32 inches to 150 inches.

A comparison of the Picture quality and Performance

The Brightness of the picture

The picture on LCD tv screens can be brighter than Plasma tvs. Depending on where the television is located and what is being viewed will determine how this difference in screen brightness is perceived. However both Plasma tv and LCD tv screens are capable of producing brightness levels that in normal viewing conditions are in excess of what is needed.

Black Levels and the Contrast Ratio

This is a measure of the difference of the luminosity of the brightest white on the screen and the darkest black. So a contrast ratio of 3000:1 means that the brightest white is 3000x brighter than the darkest black. Details can be more easily differentiated the higher the contrast ratio is as long as the the black levels aren’t ‘grey’. Previous models of LCD tvs had lower contrast ratio than plasma tvs because the pixels weren’t able to block the back light for dark areas and the light would leak through making the image lighter. Improvements in technology have reduced this leakage so that the contrast ratio is much closer to those of plama tvs. But ultimately plasmas are able to produce blacker blacks because the pixel cells are able to be switched off instead of blocking the light as lcd tvs do. The blacker the black on a tv the better the picture quality it is able to produce. The colour saturation or colour palette is affected if the blacks aren’t black enough . When the black level on a plasma is compared with the black level on an comparable priced LCD tv, the plasma tv black often makes the LCD tv black look grey.

Colour Saturation

colour saturation is a measure, in the presence of grey shades, of colour purity or how accurate the colours are on the screen. The higher the colour saturation the more accurate the colour rendition. With blacks that aren’t as black the grey shades will be higher resulting in a lower colour saturation. Plasma offer better levels of colour saturation due to better black levels because of their ability to switch of pixels that aren’t in use, preventing diffusion of colours by stray light emissions. This results in hues and tints that are more life like colourful.

Colour Gamut

The colour gamut is the set of possible coulors within a colour spectrum that a screen can display. The top end models of Plasma tv and LCD tv manufacturers are claiming that the colour gamut is near to the full spectrum. On comparable priced LCD tv and Plasma tvs, the Plasma tv again out performs the LCD tv on all but the top end models. The reason for this is that for the same manufacturers the colour gamut isnt as good on the lower models. On plasma tv models the cheaper models don’t have such a difference compared to more expensive models from the same manufacturer.

TV Screen Resolution

The screen resolution is a measure of the total pixels that makes the screen. The higher the definition, the higher the resolution and greater the detail and sharpness will be in the picture. LCD HDTVs have a resolution 1920 pixels x 1080 pixels or 1080P are, size for size, at a lower price than comparable Plasma tvs. 1080 is the vertical reolution and the P is for progressive scan because it isn’t interlaced. The best Plasma tv and LCD tvs screens above 37 inches are HDTVs with the same 1080P resolution i.e. there is no difference. At sizes of 37 inches down to 32 inches the best LCD tv screens are still 1080P set but the Plasma tvs are lower resolution HD ready 720P (1280 pixels x720 pixels) models. There aren’t any Plasma tvs smaller than 32 inches, but there are many LCD tv models.

Response Time and Refresh Rate

How a screen is able to deal with fast moving pictures without blurring is a combination of the refresh rate and the response times. The response time is a measure of the speed of a screen to quickly change when an input signal is received. Early LCD tvs had a lot of motion blur caused by slow response times because the pixels took too long to change from on to on to off, and back on to on to refresh the image. Improvements in screen technology has improved this response time to the point where it is no longer the cause of the motion blur. Now the cause is mainly the refresh rate or frame rate.

Less expensive models of Plasma televisions and LCD televisions operate at frame rates of 50 frames per second or 50hz. Recently 100hz tv models were launched on more expensive models which reduced motion blur by creating an extra middle frame which is placed in between the normal frames. This middle frame is created by advanced signal processing software that interpolates what the middle frame would look like. The addition of the middle frame results in moving images that are fluid with little, if any definition loss. Even with 100hz the best plasma tvs still out perform the best LCD tv models but by a narrowing margin because of reduced response times and 100hz and 200hz.

The Viewing Angle

This is the maximum side angle that a viewer can see the image on the screen clearly. Plasma tvs usually have a viewing angle of between 160 degrees to 180 degrees whereas LCD tvs have a viewing angle of around 100 degrees after which the picture dulls.

The screen surface

LCD tv screens are available with matt finish screens which reduce glare whereas Plasma tvs have a reflective screen.

Image Burn-in

For Plasma tvs With prolonged displaying of non-moving images, graphics or text, such as a menu bar, channel logo, or news scroll a permanent ghost image can be permanently burned on the screen with a darkened appearance. SO even if the image on the screen is changed or removed it can’t be removed for the rest of the plasma tvs life and is always seen as a shadow image. Regardless of how long a static image is displayed on an LCD tv they aren’t affected by burn-in. But the problem of burn-in is exaggerated and unlikely under normal viewing.

Image retention

image retention is often confused with burn-in which has similar characteristics. However image retention is a ‘ghost image’ that appears on a plasma tvs after a still picture has been displayed for an extended period of time, but then disappears when a bright new image is displayed. Or it vanishes after a few seconds. By having a ‘break in’ period of about 100 hours from new, this can be minimised. Whist watching programs during this break in period care should be taken to watch programs that don’t have any static bright images like station logos and scrolling news headlines at the bottom of the screen. Also try to watch programs that fill the whole of the screen. It recommended that during this period the brightness and the contrast is kept at about a mid level. These characteristics of image retention and burn-in have been greatly reduced by technical improvements to reduce the possibility of burn-in or image retention.

Power consumption

The power consumption of an LCD tv is virtually constant because they have a back light that is on all of the time. The back light can be manually adjusted but uses less power on a low setting and more power on a high setting. The modulation of the LCD tvs screen pixels takes very little power.

On a plasma tv the gas is charged in each of the pixels to emit light. When more light is in a scene the plasma tv uses more energy. When the brightness is high the plasma tv use more energy and when the brightness is low the plasma tv uses less energy. So the power consumption will vary depending on what is being displayed.

On paper it might appear that the Plasma tvs employ a lot more power than LCD tvs. Plasma tv manufacturers have a tendency to quote the most power usage at full brightness. But the plasma tvs power power consumption varies depending on the signal and the amount dark and bright areas on the screen. Studies have shown that when watching predominantly dark programs and movies the average power power consumption of an identical sized plasma tv is really lower than LCD tv. However if lots of cartoons and sport are watched then the LCD tv consumes less power. Accordingly on average with varied viewing content there is little difference between LCD tvs and Plasma tvs. Plasma tv manufacturers are shortly going to be launching models that will lessen the power consumption by over half.

Plasma tv Life expectancy

Many ‘experts’ claim that plasma tvs don’t last very long. But in reality manufactures are publishing life expectancy figures of 100000 hours, this equates to 11.5 years of non stop use. Clearly there is no reason for concern.

Conclusion – which should you buy?

Both technologies have advantages. Plasmas tvs generally have a superior subjective picture with healthier black level, higher contrast, and better colour rendering than LCD TVs. Although LCD TVs have higher brightness, and no screen burn-in worries, and are lighter and thinner. This is not always the case becausea good LCD TV could have a better picture than an average or poor plasma TV. Although on balance I think that a plasma tv is the better option with added advantages. Ultimately you get what you pay for so spend as much as you can manage to pay for on you preferred format.