Is there a visible difference (to the naked, untrained eye) between 720p, 1080i, and 1080p?

Question

I'm looking to purchase a flat-screen tv and so have been doing the research. I'd like to get a nice tv, either a 32" or 37". While I'm still debating between a plasma or LCD, I find that I'm getting stumped by the numbers. I did some reading on what 720p, 1080i, and 1080p means. Does the pixel size really make that much of a difference?

For reference, I don't plan on doing any gaming; I plan on using this tv to watch movies and tv shows. What would be my best bet, for both screen quality and cost?

Answer 1

1. In that small of a screen size, you will never be able to tell the difference between 1080p and 720p/1080i. Mere mortals can't tell the difference in a screen size under 46" to 50", unless they sit inches from the screen.

2. There is NO 1080p signal input available except Blu-ray discs and a few Blue-ray games - none for OTA antenna or cable/satellite feed.

3. Save a few bucks and get the 720p/1080i, unless you just want your set to say '1080p' on the front to impress your techie friends.

4. The two top LCDs, in BOTH performance and reliability are Sony and Panasonic, in those sizes. A little bit cheaper is a very good Toshiba followed, perhaps, by Sharp. Buy only a quality, name brand!

5. You can ignore all the answers you have gotten so far because they don't know what they are talking about.

Answer 2

yes we have 2 1080 tvs and one other c**p hdtv that is 720 and we love our 1080 the picture is so much clearer also try getting a vizio they are much better priced and as good of quality i have this one in my room

http://www.macmall.com/macmall/shop/deta...

Answer 3

i suppose there isn't that MUCH of a difference,but nevertheless opting for a 1080i tv would be your best bet.

Answer 4

First off, the "i" stands for interlaced, and the "p" stands for progressive. You want to get the 1080p for several reasons. First off being that they are the industry standard now. Buying a 720i or 720p is not worth it. You are saving a few hundred dollars, and its not worth s******g yourself out of the tv you want. Second, the 720 or 1080 defines the resolution, and the higher...the better. Finally the newer tvs are all 1080p and they have the best tech in them. What you really should be doing is first determining the lighting situation in your room. Plasmas are great if the room is dark, but LCD do a better job if there are windows in the room and you get sunlight. Do some research into the contrast ratio's too. Plasma used to do blacks better, but now LCD has caught up. If you can swing it I would recommend a 120hz flat panel(if you go LCD) since they help reduce motion blur.