[mythtv-users] OT: Why 1080p?

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Tue Nov 7 20:49:43 UTC 2006


On 11/07/2006 02:57 PM, Ed Gatzke wrote:
> >
> > 720p would look better on a 1080p display than 1080i display, but
> > 720p would also look better on a 720p display than a 1080p display
> > since no scaling is required at all.
> >
>  Upscaling you usually don't lose a lot of quality, IMHO.  Similar to
>  the old TV line doublers, you may get a better picture with more
>  resolution even if you have to interpolate or extrapolate some.
>
>  I think 1080i and 1080p scaled down to 720p would be a worse option
>  than upscaling 720p.  To me, it makes sense to upscale or deinterlace
>  to 1080p than downgrade 1080i and 1080p to 720 lines.
>


In reality, at the size of screens available today (even with the 103" 
1080p screens), there's really very little noticeable difference at 
proper viewing distances (and, to many people, no noticeable 
difference).  Both 720p and 1080p resolutions are far more pixels than 
required for a good quality video image on a screen up to 10 or 20 feet 
in size.  And, assuming a reasonably sized house, you won't have space 
to go over that size and still maintain a good comfortable viewing angle 
that doesn't require moving your head to see all parts of the screen.

I laugh to myself when watching TV with friends (on my or their HDTV 
set) and they see an SDTV-sized video upscaled to HDTV-size for 
broadcast and think it's HDTV.  (Wow.  That /must/ be HDTV.  Look how 
clear it is. ;)  The great thing about video is that it changes fast 
enough that you don't have time to focus on the details if you're 
actually watching the show (as opposed to just looking for signs of 
whether it's HDTV).

If you're installing a 70 foot theater screen, you might see 
differences.  I'm thinking even the 25 foot screen used for an UHDTV 
demo ( 
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/224845?search_string=%5Bot%5D;#224845 
), didn't need the pixels they were putting on it.  It probably would 
have been just fine with 1080p and would show little--if any--difference 
at proper viewing distances with 720p.

So, IMHO, just pick the argument you like best and propagate that myth 
as fact to help rationalize a purchase or to explain to a friend why 
your system is better than his.  :)

Mike



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