Buying new 1080i TVs? (1 Viewer)

[JGiampa]

Ok so I purchased a new 1080p Samsung DLP. And to be honest I feel like I paid way too much money for "1080p", and now that I have it I feel like it was all hype. Obviously all broadcasts are coming in at 1080i, also my XBOX360 add-on (1080i) looks better than my PS3, my PS3 also looks better in 1080i than 1080p! (barely, I just see some background grain in 1080p).

Heres my dilemma...My gf wants to buy a new HDTV. I really think it would be a waste of money for her to spend more money on a 1080p set. But are there any new cheap TVs out in 1080i? If not where can you find older models of 1080i TVs? Are they still in stock at places like Best Buy etc?

What do you guys think?

Thanks,

Joe

 

[SethH]

You should be able to find new 720p sets for significantly less money than 1080p. The only sets that really come in 1080i anymore are CRT projection sets -- and there aren't too many of those being made any more. Hitachi makes a 1080i 51" set for just over $1k.

But personally I would just go 720p with either DLP, LCD, LCD projection, LCoS, or plasma.

 

[Allan Jayne]

All 1080 non-CRT's are 1080p on the screen. Incoming 1080i and anything else must be converted to 1080p by the TV.

Most although not all convert 480i (old stuff) and 720p to 1080p reasonably well. But fewer than 5% of 1080p or 720p TV's convert 1080i to 1080p (or 720p) well. So you will at least future proof yourself if your 1080p TV has a 1080p HDCP input.

In the meantime, prior to buying a dongle* to hang on the back to do better 1080i to 1080p conversion, simply set the Blue Ray or PS3 or Xbox to 1080p or 1080i depending on what looks better to you.


Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/hdtvnot.htm

*something like a Lumagen HDP for $1500. or an iScan VP50 for $2500. Some of you may prefer to wait until 1080p TVs come along with good 1080i to 1080p using chips with names such as Realta and Gennum, so dongles are not needed.