[mythtv-users] 1080p minimum TV size

[R. G. Newbury]

David Fishburn wrote:
> Try searching this forum for buying TVs, very difficult since TV is
> mentioned a zillion times.
> 
> I am in the market for a new TV (still using my 27"  Sony).
> I have been following a number of threads on advice for TVs, they are all good.
> 
> I have also read the OT: Why 1080p? thread.
> 
> I didn't really see anything that indicated a minimum TV size where
> changing from 720p to 1080i to 1080p would be worth while.
> 
> In my case, I think I am looking at the 40" zone.  Not that big of a
> room, but huge compared to the 27" we are using now.
> 
> Given a 40" TV, can you notice a difference between the 3 resolutions?
>  1080p is really the new thing in the store which comes at a premium.
> I am trying to figure out if it is worth while to spend the additional
> bucks.  If we end up saying it is not worth it since the TV is too
> small to see a difference then great, I will save my money.
> 

Well I recently bought and returned one LCD tv and got a different one.

Some sites will expound that you cannot see the difference between 720 
and 1080 at anything less than 42". I would suggest that it really 
depends upon your viewing distance.

Having gone there, I don't think that is really the tiebreaker on 
choosing an LCD TV.

I ended up with an LG 37LB4D in place of the Sharp 32" which I had first 
purchased.

The Sharp had very noticeable waviness in the picture if any sort of 
expansion was in use. My wife likened it to there being water on the 
lens. I disliked that model, not only for that reason, but also because 
a) it had no VGA input;
b) it was extremely hard to change from the digital ATSC tuner (antenna) 
to the analog (cable) tuner. (My wife likes to channel surf and does not 
like using the mythbox Live-TV...too slow..still).
c) the S-video input was ...muddy.

I took it back. I looked at the SONY KDL37XBR4. The web-site stated that 
it had 2 coax inputs, but that was wrong. It had the same multiple step 
select and enter craziness for getting from one type of input to the 
other. Both the Sharp and the Sony have the control pushbuttons on the 
TOP of the display, which makes them very hard to see, unless you are 
taller than the mounted height of the top edge.

The LG has the control buttons on the side. Very useful for testing 
purposes and you can read the descriptions!
It has a VGA input (plus HDMI, of course, but no DVI)
The colours are fantastic.
The input sources include Antenna and Cable. Select with one push!.
There is a serial port for control and the reference manual sets out the 
full control structure. A program which outputs the correct statements 
out of the computer serial port can set/control every setting on the LCD.
Did I mention that the colours are fantastic.
It ended up costing $100 less than the Sharp, $400 less than the Sony 
would have been, and is larger (37" versus 32".

We had a 29" Sony Trinitron tube box before. I sit about 10 feet from 
the screen and 37" is FINE. I doubt I *could* tell the difference 
between 1368x764 and 1920x1080 at this distance.

Geoff