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Last updated on 22 June 2010

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Click here! to go to the information on this page on 120Hz LCD TVs.

You can buy 720p and 1080p LCD and plasma TVs. The p after the 720 and 1080 stands for progressive-scan, which defines particular TV sets as being capable of refreshing the whole screen at once instead of in interlaced mode, which refreshes the odd-numbered and even-numbered lines of the screen alternatively. TVs that are specified as 1080i, or even the older 480i, can only use the inferior interlaced mode of operation.

720p vrs 1080p is how the TV manufacturers are inclined to market their high-definition TVs (HDTVs) to differentiate between basic HDTVs (720p) and high-end models (1080p).

1080p screen resolution - 1,920x1,080 pixels - is currently (January 2008) the high end of HDTV resolution, because most 1080p HDTVs display all of the pixels of the highest-resolution HD broadcasts. They have more than twice the screen resolutions of 720p models, which are usually 1,366x768, 1,280x720, or 1,024x768 pixels. HDTVs that use any of those three native screen resolutions are usually tagged with a 720p specification.

A HD TV with a screen resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels can display a full HD 1080p image. You can buy 32" models with a 720p (1,366x768 pixels) resolution, but they are not much cheaper than 37" or 42" sets and therefore are not worth buying. To view Full HD's 1080p detail optimally, a 37" model at least is recommended.

For more information of screen resolutions, visit the Monitors section of this site.

Over the last two years, the large price gap of 720p and 1080p models has reduced, but, especially with plasma sets, you still have to pay significantly more for 1080p models.

The prices are constantly changing and you can often find big price differences between dealers, so I am not going to give examples of the price differences between actual models of LCD and plasma 720p and 1080p models. If you want to find out what the price differences are, you can make use of a suitable search term in the Google search box provided at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled). Search terms such as 720p + lcd or 1080p + lcd or 1080 + plasma, etc., should bring up the links to the major price-comparison sites and information and vendor sites.

1080i used to be the high-end of HDTVs. It has the same 1,920x1,080 screen resolution as 1080p, but produces the images in an interlaced format. Remember that the i in 1080i stands for interlaced.

In a tube-based 1080i CRT TV, the odd-numbered lines of the screen resolution appear on the screen first, followed by the even-numbered lines. Non-interlaced formats, such as 480p, 720p, and 1080p produce all of the lines of resolution in a single pass, which produces a clearer, more stable image, especially with motion-intensive graphical content.

Unfortunately, high-definition (HD) broadcasts are still in either 1080i or 720p resolutions, and it is not likely that they will move to 1080p soon, because of the bandwidth issues that 1080p creates.

Even high-definition games on the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 are usually viewed in 720p native screen resolution, although they can be upscaled to 1080i or 1080p in the user settings of those games consoles.

Currently, the only way to get 1080p output, apart from connecting your PC to a HDTV, is to make use of a high-definition Blu-ray or HD DVD player. All Blu-ray players (and some high-end HD DVD models) support 1080p, moreover, the majority of Blu-ray and HD DVD discs are encoded at 1080p.

Note that Toshiba has abandoned is HD DVD standard, having lost the HD war to Sony's Blu-ray standard.

Currently, all except CRT (tube) TVs come in 1080p versions. However, the more affordable models use the 720p screen resolution.

When a broadcast is interlaced (1080i, or even the older 480i), all fixed-pixel (non-CRT) LCD and plasma TVs convert it to progressive-scan (e.g., 720p) for display.

All flat-panel TV screens always display everything at their native resolution, which is all they can display. On a 720p TV, all incoming video is displayed at 720p, and on a 1080p TV, all incoming video is displayed at 1080p.

The process of converting resolution is usually called scaling, but it is also called upconverting or downconverting.

Video scaler - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_scaler

When a 1080i broadcast is picked up by a 1080p TV, it is converted to 1080p with no resolution conversion. The 1080i broadcast is de-interlaced for display in 1080p. Some HDTVs do a better job of this de-interlacing process than others, but, usually, the degredation produced by improper de-interlacing is difficult for most viewers to detect.

Nevertheless, how well a TV does or does not handle scaling and de-interlacing are significant factors in how desirable it is regarded as being. However, both of those factors are difficult to capture as a specification, so it is advisable to read professional reviews of TVs in order to find out how well they handle them before you make a purchase.

When a 1080i signal is picked up by a 720p TV, it is scaled to 720p. Most recent HDTVs have this capability.

When a 1080p signal is picked up by a 720p TV, if it can accept a 1080p signal, it will be scaled (downconverted) to 720p. However, note that many older 720p HDTVs, and even some older 1080p models, do not accept 1080p signals at all, in which case the screen will be blank. Fortunately, most recent HDTVs accept 1080p signals.

About two years ago, many 1080p TVs were not as sharp as their manufacturers claimed. In other words, many older 1080p models could not display all of the two million-plus pixels of the 1080p resolution; they could not display every line of a 1080i or 1080p broadcast. Fortunately, that situation has now changed. Most 1080p TVs are now capable of resolving 1080i and 1080p video fully.

Most professional reviewers agree that with TVs 50 inches (50") and smaller, the added resolution provided by 1080p has a very minor affect on the quality of the picture. When 720p TVs are placed beside 1080p TVs and they are displaying the same content, whether it is 1080i or 1080p content, even from the highest-quality Blu-ray and HD DVD players, it is usually very difficult to detect any differences in the way that grass, hair, fabrics, or country scenes appear. The more so from further than eight feet away from 50-inch or smaller TV. Note well that high-end sets are not an exception in this regard. 1080p resolution, which determines picture sharpness, is the same, and must not be mixed up with black levels and colour accuracy, which are separate issues.

The additional sharpness provided by 1080p TVs is only noticeable when watching 1080i or 1080p sources on screens that are larger than 50 inches, or with projectors that display a wall-sized picture. That said, you can sit closer to a 1080p TV without noticing the minute structure of its pixels.

Therefore, if you want a very large 55-inch or larger screen, or you like to sit really close to the screen, and you have a 1080i or 1080p HD source to feed the set, the extra resolution of 1080p may make it worth the still considerable difference in price. It might also be worthwhile buying 1080p if you want to use the TV as a computer monitor, because it provides extra sharpness. Otherwise, a 720p TV is will do just fine. The HD display will be excellent.

In any case, no matter which make of 720p or 1080p LCD TV you intend to buy, you should first view it in action in a showroom displaying both high-definition and standard definition Blu-ray/HD DVD material or TV broadcasts, and compare its output to that of other makes/models. As with the screens, keyboards, and the touch pads of laptop PCs and PC monitors, you have to have hands-on experience of a HDTV in order to be sure that it meets your requirements for every kind of viewing.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)

The 1080p screen resolution provides the highest screen resolution currently available. It allows up to a million more pixels than 720p-resolution televisions, providing a truly amazing picture quality - detail, colour and sound.

The fastest most efficient data transfer (sound and graphics) is provided by an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connection via a single HDMI cable, which allows uncompressed streams of digital data to be transmitted, providing the highest level of sound and image quality.

HDMI - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI

Just connect an HDMI cable from your DVD player to your TV to enjoy pure digital picture and sound quality. HDMI is currently the only connection that can provide an 1080p screen resolution from a video source, such as a DVD player, to a television (which must support 1080p). Of course, the device you are connecting to your TV (DVD player, desktop PC, etc.) must also support HDMI (have an HDMI port). If you buy a DVD player that supports HDMI, make sure that it comes with an HDMI cable. Otherwise you will have to buy one.

If the TV has multiple HDMI connectivity (several HDMI ports on the TV), you can connect several digital devices simultaneously without having to switch cables manually.

Q&A - Will a current HDTV with a Freeview tuner built in be able to receive HD broadcasts when they are made available?

Question: If I purchase a 1080p HDTV equipped with a Freeview tuner today, will I be able to receive HD programmes when they are eventually transmitted?

Answer: The national rollout of the four proposed Freeview HD channels will take place between late 2010 and 2012. To be able to receive them requires having a special Freeview HD set-top box or HDTV with a built in tuner that can decode MPEG-4 transmissions. The current transmissions use MPEG-2 technology. Several HDTVs claim to have this capability. Some current Freeview HDTVs can be upgraded or retrofitted, but if your HDTV does not have that capability, you'll have to buy a new set-top box or a new HDTV with a built-in tuner that can deliver MPG-4 decoding. -

Freeview - http://www.freeview.co.uk/

MPEG-4 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4

An alternative service is Freesat, the digital service from the BBC and ITV, which requires a satellite dish. The receiver (set-top box) must have an Ethernet network port that allows software upgrades to be installed, thereby solving the problem of having to get new hardware every time Freeview technology changes.

How to get up and running with Freesat -

http://www.freesat.co.uk/index.php?page=installation.Main

LCD TVs with a cinema 21:9 aspect ratio

Note that if you have plenty of money to spend on a LCD TV screen that shows movies in the same aspect ratio as they are shown in cinemas, ultra-widescreen TVs are available that have a 21:9 aspect ratio. Watching movies on such a screen shows no black bands at the top and bottom of the screen, but the experience of watching TV programs can vary depending on the original aspect ratio in which the programmes were recorded - 16:9 or 4:3. The 16:9 programmes can be stretched by software built into the TV to cover most of the screen, but there are black bands on each side of programmes recorded for a squarish 4:3 aspect ratio.

Philips’ 21:9 aspect ratio TV on video -

http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/01/29/philips-219-aspect-ratio-tv-on-video/

720p - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/720p

1080p - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p

Official "1080p Vs. 720p" Thread Discussion -

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=768167

HDTV Buyer's Guide 2008 -

"A roundup of the most popular high-definition televisions from Sharp, Samsung, Sony, Hitachi, and more, along with a guide to HDTV technology basics." -

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml...

Telly vision: future display technologies -

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/11/feature_future_display_tech/

Toshiba REGZA 42-Inch 1080p LCD HD TV -

A YouTube video review. This page provides access to popular video reviews of other LCD and plasma TVs. -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5TY4P8EqXA&feature=related

Turn your TV wireless -

"As we reported earlier in the week, many manufacturers are planning on releasing wireless TVs in 2008. However if you've already got a TV you're happy with, but still want to get rid of all those unsightly AV cables, then the Flywire from Belkin will interest you. Put simply it converts any HDMI equipped TV into a wireless TV..." -

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/shopper/news/153804/turn-your-tv-wireless.html

HDTV For Gamers -

"Video games have always been on the cutting edge of visual technology, and the shift to high definition is no different. Gamers who opt to remain ahead of the pack want their HDTV, but tread carefully before plunking down the cash for a new set..."

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Gamers-Guide-HDTV,review-2384.html

How to calibrate your HD TV [or PC monitor] -

"You've splashed out hundreds of pounds on a new television; but unless you calibrate the TV properly, you'll be watching a less than perfect picture." The reader comments are worth reading.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/advice/7725390/...

The next section of this page deals with 120Hz LCD TVs and the new anti-judder feature that some of them provide.

120Hz LCD TVs

Flat-panel LCD TVs now come with a 120Hz refresh rate, which refreshes images at twice the speed of standard 60Hz models.

Visit the Monitors section of this site for more information on refresh rates.

The slower refresh rates and response times of LCD TVs and PC monitors makes them susceptible to motion blur when displaying quick-motion movie/video ouput.

Because this weakness does not apply to plasma or rear-projection HDTVs, the LCD manufacturers are marketing 120Hz TVs as hard as they can.

However, according to reports and reviews on the web, most of the time, a 120Hz refresh rate doesn't appear to reduce motion blur significantly.

However, when a fast-moving ticker crosses the bottom of the screen, the letters and numbers seem to appear slightly sharper, but how worthwhile is that given the fact that there is now no significant motion-blur problem with new 60Hz LCD TVs?

Note well that there is often motion blur within the content that is being viewed that appears as such on whichever platform is being used to view it.

Now, LCD manufacturers are grouping 120Hz LCD with a video-processing feature that is supposed to eliminate judder in movies, which is usually most noticeable in slow camera pannning, or scenes shot with a handheld camera.

The manufacturers have different names for the feature: Sony calls the feature Motion Flow, Samsung, Movie Plus, Sharp, TrueD, and Toshiba, Film Stabilization. Some function better than others.

Motion blur and judder are two different problems, but they are being combined by the LCD manufacturers because they both affect the clarity and stability of the image. An anti-judder feature can have a major impact on the quality of the picture.

The Sony KDL-46XBR LCD TV's Motion Flow feature is highly regarded.

It has two settings: standard and high. In the standard setting, the difference in the stability of the picture becomes apparent immediately - it appears noticeably more stable. However, the picture sometimes looks unnatural, particularly when the anti-judder suddenly kicks in during a fast pan to stabilise objects moving across the screen. In the high setting, the picture becomes rock solid. However, the high setting tends to introduce noticeable imperfections in the picture that look like a little glitches, which appear for a fraction of second.

Eliminating judder in movies is not to everyone's taste, because it is part and parcel of what makes film look like film, which when removed, makes it look more like video.

Currently (December, 2007), you pay extra for a 120Hz LCD TV. The reduction of judder, not motion blur, is worth having, so if a model has anti-judder and it works well, and and it also provides good picture quality created by decent black levels, colour saturation, colour accuracy, and resolution, then you might consider paying more for it. In any case, if you want such features, you should visit a showroom where you'll be able to see a demonstration. Have a look at a standard 60Hz set and then compare it to a 120Hz set with anti-judder.

PC Buyer Beware! Copyright © Eric Legge 2004-2010. All rights reserved.