HDTV full resolution: Why can't TVs reach it? (1 Viewer)

[Ryan Patterson]

I'm typing this on a $200 15" monitor that can go up to 1024x768 progressive resolution. They sell 21" monitors that can reach 2048x1536 progressive for under $1000. My question is, why can't they produce direct view TVs (or front & rear projection TVs, for that matter) that display the full interlaced resolution of 1900x1080 for the same price as what not-quite-full resolution HDTVs cost now?
Thanks,
Ryan

 

[Jack Briggs]

Some front projectors can display 1080i at full resolution. And RPTVs with nine-inch CRTs have the capability to reproduce full 1080i.

The problem with direct-view TVs is that the dot pitch would have to be so fine the set would be too dark to use in most consumer home-theater applications. It can be done, but it wouldn't sell, as most people--i.e., people who are not HTF members--don't really know how to watch TV properly.

Only two days ago I was talking to a woman in the newsroom whose boyfriend has a Sony KV-36FV27 WEGA, and he was completely unaware of the set's 16:9 mode. He only bought the thing for the screen size. That's not the sort of person who would appreciate a direct-view set that could truly resolve 1080i.

 

[Ryan Patterson]

What exactly does 'dot pitch' refer to? I see it advertised on monitors (ie. .28mm, .26mm) but I don't understand how it works, and why it would make a 34" direct view dark but leave 14-21" monitors bright and readable.

 

[Matt Stryker]

A TV has a much higher dot pitch (which means how far the dots or pixels are from one another) than a computer monitor. Thats why a 21" monitor costs $700, and a 21" TV costs $179.

Even though a set (or a monitor) says it can resolve 1024x768, it may not actually be displaying all the pixels (you can test this using a on-off pixel video pattern).

Its all about the benjamins unfortunately. A 9" CRT FPTV setup is not cheap, and until enough people buy (or a great technological leap is made) we'll still have TVs that cannot resolve the full resolution.

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

A Sony 24" w/s computer monitor sells for $2000 US ...

Anyone care to guess how much a 34" w/s tube would cost if it were data grade? Apply a 2.5 multiplier and we get to $5000 US ... possibly more.

Ouch ... it can be done, just too expensive right now.

Regards

 

[DaveF]

They sell 21" monitors that can reach 2048x1536 progressive for under $1000.

You sort of answered your own question: Notice that computer monitors max out around 21". As has been said, it's more difficult and more expensive to make high-resolution, large-size CRTs. So, you can choose small but high-res, or large and low-res. Or you can get large and high-res, but those are very expensive solutions, currently.

Considering 21" were > $2000 not too many years ago, and with the new projection technologies (LCD and DLP), I think we'll see large-size, high-resolution displays become ever more affordable in the years to come.

Also, until recently, there was no real market for such displays. Video sources were low-quality, so no need for high-resolution. And most computer users use a monitor less than 24" from their eyes, so huge displays weren't appropriate.


Only now, with DVD and HDTV becoming prevalent, is there the a growing consumer interest in large-size, high-res displays.

 

[RobertR]

One of the interesting things about front projection CRT displays is that they have NO dot pitch limitations--the concept simply doesn't apply. This allows for a VERY small spot size in relation to the screen--the only limitation is the tightness of focusing the beam and the associated electronics.

 

[Jason Caudill]

Why is it that you have to use a 9" crt in a rear projection in order to get the true hd resolution?

We had a slight disagreement at work today and I claimed that without 7" CRTs a tv could not do the proper resolution. I knew I had read it/ heard it before but I could not explain why.

I believe that only Mitsubishi (diamond series) and Marantz currently make sets with 9" CRTs. Is this correct as well?

Thanks, Jason

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

I don't know where you want to draw your line. 9 inch crt's are no guarantee that you will have full HDTV resolution.

The 73" Mits for instance does not do more than 1200 to 1300 lines of horizontal resolution. A far cry less than the 1920 lines.

It may be able to do 1080i without overlapping, but that is about it.

Ditto for some 30K front projectors that claim 2500x2000 resolution, but also cannot do 1300 linesx1080i.

No guarantee.

Regards