HD display or SD display

adox

I`m currently looking to upgrade my beloved Panny 32" CRT with a flat panel.

The largest size I can accomadate is 37" and I`ve more or less made up my mind to go for a plasma rather than LCD.

It will be used for dvd viewing and I may get a PS3 for Bluray but my dilemma is I`ll be using it as a main display so the majority of viewing will be from a Sd source. LCD has been ruled out as I just cant get on with how they handle SD and so that leaves plasma.I was intending to get a HD ready set but thinking about it,I`m wondering if I`d be better off just looking for a SD panel.

An SD panel would handle everyday viewing much better than a HD set and I`m wondering how much better HD would look on a HD set than a SD set at the size I`m looking at.

The HD set I have my eye on is the PannyTH-37PV70 which I intended to purchase from Alliance Electrical during the week,but the more I think about the SD thing the more indecisive I am.

Can anybody who is more knowledgeable than me and who is using a HD set for everyday viewing, give me some feedback and help persuade me one way or the other?:)

ongarite

I can help. I had similar setup to you.
I had my beloved Panasonic 32" 100Hz CRT and recently purchased 42PV70, bigger version of the 37PV70 you are looking at.
Its a stunning TV in HD and IMO SD looks fantastic on it also. It can be a bit soft obviously, never blocky. I watched Sin City & Thin Red Line on NET2 during the week and they looked very good for SD broadcast at viewing distance of 8FT.
I got mine from Alliance Electric before Christmas, can't fault the place, very helpful staff.

adox

ongarite wrote: »

I can help. I had similar setup to you.
I had my beloved Panasonic 32" 100Hz CRT and recently purchased 42PV70, bigger version of the 37PV70 you are looking at.
Its a stunning TV in HD and IMO SD looks fantastic on it also. It can be a bit soft obviously, never blocky. I watched Sin City & Thin Red Line on NET2 during the week and they looked very good for SD broadcast at viewing distance of 8FT.
I got mine from Alliance Electric before Christmas, can't fault the place, very helpful staff.

Thanks alot ongarite. That gives me a little more confidence.

Did they have the display set up in the shop? Ideally I`d like to have a look at it showing SD stuff and would be more confident of a place like that having it set up decently.

ongarite

I think they had the 37" TV in the window I think. They have or had the 42" setup in the shop when I went in before Christmas. Its was showing HD material, Pioneer Kuro feed I think along side 42" Kuro obviously and 42PY70 Panasonic.

Will you be watching SD material through aerial or through Sky, NTL. My viewing has been with aerial and this looked fine, with NTL digital or Sky should be even better.

adox

ongarite wrote: »

I think they had the 37" TV in the window I think. They have or had the 42" setup in the shop when I went in before Christmas. Its was showing HD material, Pioneer Kuro feed I think along side 42" Kuro obviously and 42PY70 Panasonic.

Will you be watching SD material through aerial or through Sky, NTL. My viewing has been with aerial and this looked fine, with NTL digital or Sky should be even better.

It will be mostly through a Sky box although I do have an aerial too.

Thanks again for your help.:)

Kintarō Hattori

I upgraded from a 26" Sony Wega to a 32" Panasonic LCD. Like yourself I was worried about the quality of a SD picture on the TV as 99% of my viewing is in SD. However if you stump up that bit extra for a quality TV it won't be an issue. I have a 100% Panasonic LCD and the picture is wonderful, even on regular auld DVD's.
Panasonic TV's win alot of awards and its easy to see why.

dc69

plasma handles sd very well,if you dont get a hd set you are basically throwing your money away imo,it will do absolutely nothing for your ps3,i doubt it even has hdmi connections as it wouldnt need them if it isnt able to handle hd material.go for a hd plasma,37 inch isnt huge and i guarantee once you get it set up at home it will look great

adox

Thanks for all the advice.


I picked up the Plasma today:D

Just waiting for my neighbour to get home to give me a lift with my old CRT.

adox

Just another quick question that actually may not be totally relevent to this thread.

Seeing as the Panny doesnt actually output full 1080p, should I change the output setting on my PS3 to 720p? I currently have it on 1080p which means the display has to then downscale it. Will I get a better picture outputting 720p?

Ghost Train

adox wrote: »

Just another quick question that actually may not be totally relevent to this thread.

Seeing as the Panny doesnt actually output full 1080p, should I change the output setting on my PS3 to 720p? I currently have it on 1080p which means the display has to then downscale it. Will I get a better picture outputting 720p?

its a personnal preference thing I think. Some people prefer the tv to downscale, some prefer to match the output to the display resolution. Sometimes one will give a slightly softer or shaper picture depending on the equipment used and the resolution of the content being played. Try it both ways and see which you prefer

ongarite

I have mine set to 1080p output. I have found that nearly all the game I've played on PS3 are 720p so PS3 sets the output automatically to that. Press "i" on remote to confirm.

The PS3 then outputs Blu-Ray films at 1080p and TV scales them automatically to its native resolution.

adox

Thanks again for the help.:)

I have to say I`m very happy with the set. Ran it in for 200 hours and then calibrated it,which took very little changes to the run in set up.

Its handling of SD dvds is fantastic.

adox

I`m having what might be an issue with my Panny set.

Its a black level retention issue. Basically on some dark scenes the black levels change from deep black to a lighter black depending on the amount of brightness in the rest of the scene. Its like the contrast is getting slightly confused and is over compensating.It can go from one level of black to another and back again as the scene moves around. I`m looking out for it now and its annoying me.

It doesnt happen on all dark scenes but it happens none the less and with all sources.


Anyone else have this "problem"? Is it something I should get checked out or does it come with the territory with a plasma?(Its my first plasma,hence my ignorance).

adox

Anyone help me out?:)

Conor108

Not really sure what you mean. Check your contrast/brightness settings maybe?

hargo

Adox, just wondering how you feel about your tv now. Like you i am looking at the 37" plasma over LCD for sd and hd viewing. I don't have sky and will view rte over an aerial and bbc on its new hd freesat service and want whats best for football and films.

adox

Ok I`ve tried re-calibrating again with DVE but I still have the same problem. It even mentions it on the DVE disk. The black levels are affected in the picture by brighter images being introduced resulting in black levels in certain scenes changing from black to a fog like grey(does any of this make sense?)

Do you think getting the set professionally calibrated could sort this out?

adox

hargo wrote: »

Adox, just wondering how you feel about your tv now. Like you i am looking at the 37" plasma over LCD for sd and hd viewing. I don't have sky and will view rte over an aerial and bbc on its new hd freesat service and want whats best for football and films.

Sorry hargo, I`ve only seen your post now.


Apart from the black level problem I am having(which I`m hoping is a calibration issue) the set is great. It handles SD broadcast very well, much better than any LCD I had seen up to the time of my purchase.
Footie looks infinitely better on plasma than LCD imo as do films.