1080p Does Matter

The shows that I watched in 1080 I can watch in 720p since I can just set the output of the recorder to 720p. This is what I've done in my personal tests just to see if I could see a difference. So I wasn't only sampling two different shows at their native resolution. I also, said Lost and Prison Break since they are my favorite two shows right now.

I still think there is something up with these articles, maybe they're paid by some TV manufactures to push out larger screens. I don't know but their science seems a little shotty. I'm not a scientist as you well know but there has to be some other calculations they both need to apply other then what the eye could see from previous vision/distance tests. I say this because TV's are outputting light rather then light being reflected like everything else we see.

After looking more closely at the graph (and adding a vertical line @ 42" for clarity), it looks to me like 42" intersects with 1080 (the red line) at about 6 feet, and is in "becoming noticeable" territory at about 7.5.

Assuming the data in that article is correct, it doesn't seem that the human eye (even if you did have really good vision) is capable of perceiving those differences in resolution at 9 or ten feet, so it isn't really a matter of preference as far as that goes.

That being said, I'm sure there are probably lots of other differences in color, saturation, etc. between different content sources, and I would propose that perhaps the varying content you are comparing is of differing quality in those areas as well (not just resolution). In other words, the Prison Break content may "look better" than Lost for reasons other than just resolution.

In any event, you and Jason definitely know a lot more than I do about all that HD stuff. I do know that for me, if I ever do eventually want to get an HD TV, I will definitely pay a lot of attention to those other aspects of picture quality and clarity (such as the ones you mentioned). According to this article, I won't pay much attention to resolution, since I plan to do most of my viewing from around 10 feet away, and I'd probably even go less than 42" if possible.

Oh I did look at the wrong line but at least it represents a more realistic graph then the one Jason linked to. Since a 42" 1080p would need to be 5 feet away where this one shows it being noticeable up to 8 feet.

Either way I still don't believe all of these measurements since I can sit 9 feet away from my old 42" HDTV and switch between 720p and 1080i on a shows that are broadcasted in 1080i (Prison Break) and 720p (Lost) and I fully notice a difference. I don't have the above average eye sight either. And it's not because I know there's a difference either. Because I always though Fox shows looked better then ABC and not until recently did I find out the two providers send out base resolutions for the channel independent of whatever show it is.

Everyone is different though, I plan my next purchase to be extremely critical especially since most of my HD watching is through cable which only goes up to 1080i. I'd suggest to everyone to go to the store and view the sets in person because IMO size doesn't matter as much as crisp brightness and black levels.

Not according to this chart. Did you read the scale at the bottom that indicates screen size?

A 42" screen is at the lower end of this scale, and according to that graph, you will not be able to tell the difference between 1080, 720, or even 480 at 15 feet on a 42 in. screen.