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Forums - Gaming Discussion - 720p Versus 1080p HDTVs. The Facts

tedsteriscool on 30 December 2009

Yup, that's why I don't sweat about having a 720P 40'' TV. Really doesn't matter...

 

Edit: I bought my HDTV 4 years ago this coming March (Samsung LNS-4051D)

Back then, $2,000 was a cheap 40'' and 720P-->1080P tacked on a $700 premium EASILY.



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greenmedic88 on 31 December 2009
JamesCizuz said:
greenmedic88 said:
JamesCizuz said:
nordlead said:
JamesCizuz said:
greenmedic88 said:

You're going to make me burn a DVD to test this, but I'm pretty sure if I burn a 1920x1080 QT movie trailer to DVD, I'll still be able to get a normal frame rate if I play it off the DVD drive of any current computer.

On the second thought; no need. Unless I could burn a 1920x1080 movie file with lower compression in the range of 30-50Mbps+ bandwidth, I know it would play off DVD for example (1080p trailers online generally run around 10Mbps which for a 3:30m clip is about 256MB or about 14 minutes of video per GB of storage).

So it's not the resolution at all that anyone should be debating, only the bit rate. Lower bit rate, higher compression 1920x1080 signal will play back just fine on DVD. Is the quality the same as a 40Mbps AVC compressed A/V signal on BD? Of course not; nobody said that. But the point was a 1920x1080p signal can be stored (and played back) on just about any storage media, assuming the data bit rate doesn't exceed the format/drive.

Technically, Nord's right on the money.

Burn a DVD, and buy an old 2x DVD drive, and run it on your computer. No matter what, you are having huge frame drops. Any computer you say? Current computer, theres the key word there. Not every DVD player is current, though I guess you can argue those old DVD players don't even have HD outputs, however older drives for computers thats a null point. Also, lower bit-rate = higher compress = more powerful hardware to decompress and stream.

but again, none of that matters when it comes to my statement that medium doesn't matter for storing 1080p video (or showing it), as it is possible. Sure, none of it is reasonablely feasible, but nothing is stopping anyone from doing it. I can say that watching 1080p on a Blu-ray drive is impossible on a SDTV, but all I'm doing is artificially restricting hardware just like you are. Obviously if people were going to make HD capable DVD drives, they would make sure the bitrate and processor power was high enough to handle the video.

I wasn't arguing with that. I was arguing the fact that medium in it's original state was never meant, nor can not store, nor play those files. We have to change and tweak to make it play those files, and the whole idea of creating a new format is a new standard, so every blu-ray player could play those files, not just 1% of DVD players etc.

Bringing up old 2x DVD drives as reasoning why you can't playback HD res video on DVD media is really just for the sake of a pretty pointless argument.

Most, if not all old computers that shipped with a 2x DVD drive, wouldn't be able to play back any 1920x1080 video files, even when stored on HDD.

The argument pretty much ignores the fact that anything less than 8x is a rarity these days and anything pre-dating that very modest standard basically predates HD video formats.

You also are a bit off as far as stating that lower bit rate via higher compression requires additional computing power over lower compression, higher file size video. Contrary example: non-compressed HD video won't play without huge frame drops, reading off a regular HDD on a current system with decent specs. Even a modest 1280x720 uncompressed file.

You also glossed over two key phrases which should have stopped you from bringing up old hardware in the first place.

"...if I burn a 1920x1080 QT movie trailer to DVD, I'll still be able to get a normal frame rate if I play it off the DVD drive of any current computer."

"But the point was a 1920x1080p signal can be stored (and played back) on just about any storage media, assuming the data bit rate doesn't exceed the format/drive."

Lastly: a 10Mbs 1920x1080 video clip plays just fine off of DVD. I'm watching it right now on a laptop.

Again, none of that matters. Play that same file, on any DVD player, be it a computer or a player. Run into problems? Oh thats right, because DVD was never made for that. Also, a 10 Mbps video file at 1080? Where please enlighten me. At 1080p 30 FPS, just pure video signal the bitrate is between 15-20, add audio, and then add features like subtitles etc? Bit-rat fluctuates true, and may dip down as low as 10 Mbps, but thats pure signal. Normal bit-rat for a 1080p for blu-ray video is 45-70 Mbps.

You're having a problem with reading comprehension my friend. And it's starting to sound as though you are simply arguing for the sake not wanting to admit when one is wrong.

The first computer that played that HD video file was a Mac laptop. Two desktop PCs. An Xbox 360. A PS3. All flawless playback.

I don't need to go any further than that or hunt down antiquated equipment that I don't own to find to know that any old system predating HD video standards won't play hi res video files. But any current system, PC or console as was clearly stated originally will not have this problem.

As for the files, just about any 1080p video clip (movie trailers, game previews)  you download, whether it's from Apple, PSN, wherever, will be similarly compressed. H.264 compression, 10Mb/s, HD 1080p is the current industry standard for HD video uploads.

And anyone with a PS3 who can actually watch the fluctuations in bitrates via onscreen display as they are watching HD video clips already knows this.

The max bitrate of BD is irrelevant as DL video (the type one might burn onto a DVD for example) never uses the lower compression rates of BD for the simple reasons of bandwidth and server storage space. That was never the point even though you keep bringing it up. Not all 1080p video is BD format as everyone knows.

 

 



ArnoldRimmer on 31 December 2009

I understand the original article like this:
"At the moment, there are only few cases where people will get a significant picture quality boost from buying a 1080p TV instead of a 720p TV. And since 720p TVs are still a lot cheaper, you should really think twice whether it's really worth to spend the extra money for 1080p or not if you're currently planning to buy a new TV."



Kenoid on 31 December 2009

Consoles in the next generation will most likely be running 1080P, considering how long it would take to come. (2015 anyone?)



                                  

                                       That's Gordon Freeman in "Real-Life"
 

 

Theo on 31 December 2009

If you're watching a stunning movie like Baraka, which was shot in 65mm, then you'll want to be watching it in 1080p to fully appreciate it.

And if your tv is only 32 inches, but still does 1080p, you better glue that baby to your face for the optimal viewing distance.



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xlost4 on 31 December 2009

Okay user Reasonable I will agree that 1080p is better than 720p on small TV set. But fact is you cannot notice it unless your really trying to look for the pixels hard.

From my point of view I see very difference but with that being said if I had to purchase another HDTV then it would be a 1080p set. Why? Well because they are cheaper and they are the new thing.

I know are argument was pointless but I wanted to point out as for me I see little different between the two HD configurations.

Pretty much I agree with users arnoldrimmer and theo on this thread. They basically summed up what I wanted to say about 720p and 1080p.

About picture quality, it hasn't reached pinnacle of greater but there is still potential but I see very little.

Sent via BlackBerry



Kudistos Megistos on 31 December 2009
NiKKoM said:
So... after all this nerd talk.. there is one question left: What does 1080p do for porn?

Yeah...

I once read a very wise comment relating to this. There are some things that should never be in HD. Porn is one of them.