Quality of SD on 1080p

shayser

I've spent the last week or more doing all the reading. It seems to me opinions differ pretty wildly for a rainge of LCD/Plasmas accross the review sites. At this stage I'm a lot more familiar with the terms and definitions but not really any closer to making a decision on what to buy. I think I will end up picking one with a good review from cnet or somewhere like that.

I went to two bricks and morter shops and neither knew what they were talking about, to be honest. One shops sum total of information was the price and make of each model. The other had a HD promo DVD playing on all models which looked great on them all, but they would not hook up an SD source for me. There was one 42" LG playing SD and it looked awful.

I will be getting SkyHD. This will be my primary source, but of course only a small percentage of Sky's programming is HD, so far. Also, a PS3 and just might be getting a HD DVD.

So, I want to ask the boardsies who have bought a HDTV 1080p recently, how good is the SD image? On avforums they seem to be pretty much split down the middle on this. How does yours handle SD?

johnnyflav

You'll find the same varying opinions here too. I've found that Sky HD has improved my SD picture over the ordinary sky, probably because it's connected via component now.

As for trying to see what TV will do the best job for you will be difficult in store, I've found the on-line reviews the best aid in picking AV equipment. The reviews in reviewcentre, cnet and t3 usually give their impressions of SD and HD pictures on the sets. I've got a 1080i set and that gives very good picture with SD and excellent picture with HD.

shayser

Thanks, Johnny. What TV do you have? Are you happy with the SD picture? Was the improvement you got through Sky HD on the same TV? Sorry for all the questions... I was hoping to compliment the reviews by hearing what TV people have and if SD is good on their make/model.

Not really interested in the maths, more personal experience. Some of the reviews do say that SD is not the best on some models and then when I saw the state of that SD picture in the shop it got me worried.

savemejebus

My set, Xoro HTL 3742, handles SD tv very well. It's hooked up through scart and a sky+ box.

starman100

Have you looked at getting a plasma (not necessarily 1080p)? The new Panasonics (I have a 42" PV71F) and the Samsungs are much better for SD compared to LCD. For less than a 50" screen, the advantages of having 1080p are minimal.

Unless you will be looking at HD almost exclusively (limited programming on Sky HD like you said) and doing a lot of gaming, then I would seriously consider getting a plasma.

shayser

Yeah, I looked at plasma, then decided on LCD, then plasma, and then eh, LCD again

Initially looked at plasma becasue some have said it is better for fast moving images you get with sport and action films. I'll be watching a lot of football. Then, a local retailer told me that with the better LCDs there is no motion blur.

He has a Sony KDL40W2000 for €2599. Now, I know this can be got for €1700+ here, but they are doing a free 160GB HD DVD player (€459 price sticker on it) and I should be able to get a couple of hundred off the TV. Though, he will just have to go to the bother of hooking up an SD source before I would consider buying. Worth it?

starman100 wrote:

I have a 42" PV71F

I'm off for some more reading.... got a link to the panasonic, can't find a lot about it?

Anyone else very happy with their SD display?

starman100

Loads of info on the Panny plasmas on www.avforums.com

I got mine from Germany incl. delivery for judt ovrt €1300 - thats a lot cheaper than any Sony LCD with decent SD. I spend the savings on a 6.1 surround system .

If you wait a few more weeks, Panasonic have a new 1080p plasma coming out (PZ700 series).

I would definitely get the retailer to hook up an SD source if you're shelling out big money - Sky digital or NTL should look better than analogue too.

Fingleberries

starman100 wrote:

Have you looked at getting a plasma (not necessarily 1080p)? The new Panasonics (I have a 42" PV71F) and the Samsungs are much better for SD compared to LCD. For less than a 50" screen, the advantages of having 1080p are minimal.

Unless you will be looking at HD almost exclusively (limited programming on Sky HD like you said) and doing a lot of gaming, then I would seriously consider getting a plasma.

Starman - perhaps a newbie question: If you're looking at SD primarily (analogue aerial, DVD, sports, etc.) and quite a bit of gaming (xbox 360) which would you recommend - LCD or Plasma?

I'd ideally like to avoid motion blur because it could ruin a good game, or movie.

azzeretti

I have an LG 42" Plasma TV, and the SD is pretty good (actually its great). But I noticed this depended on the source. When I first got the box I had a standard Sky digibox with a Scart output. The quality was poor. I tried getting a decent new scart lead but this didn't work. I did notice that the DVD source was much better than TV. I was waiting on a SkyHD box and once that arrived the difference was unreal. The SD Sky channels look much better through the HDMI port than they do with Scart and obviously HD is great too.

I have had people say how great the SD channels look thinking it was HD! Some channels are worst than others though, for some reason RTE's are very good and the BBC is far better that Sky.

Anyway, my point is it really depends on the source, Scart is pretty poor, with component but slightly better. I got an upsacler DVD (waiting for a decent HD-DVD player) and that is a lot better than my old component DVD player. Really dependens on the source, me thinks!

Sideshow Mark

Fingleberries wrote:

Starman - perhaps a newbie question: If you're looking at SD primarily (analogue aerial, DVD, sports, etc.) and quite a bit of gaming (xbox 360) which would you recommend - LCD or Plasma?

I'd ideally like to avoid motion blur because it could ruin a good game, or movie.

Motion blur is a LCD problem, but I still think if you are after a smaller screen and will be using a HD source that LCD would be the way to go. If you want a bigger screen (32"+) and will be using mainly a non HD source then go for a Plasma. If you want a good 42" gaming Plasma than you can't go far wrong with a Panasonic TH-42PX70, as screen burn is not a problem with that model.

johnnyflav

shayser wrote:

Thanks, Johnny. What TV do you have? Are you happy with the SD picture? Was the improvement you got through Sky HD on the same TV? Sorry for all the questions... I was hoping to compliment the reviews by hearing what TV people have and if SD is good on their make/model.

Hey Shayser, only saw this post again there now, I've got a Sony 40S2010, entry level HD LCD. I was a little skepical about the SD picture at first especially with the aerial reception, but after fiddling with all the picture settings I was pretty happy with it. The picture with Sky was better than the aerial picture and the Sky HD picture for SD channels was better again. Overall I'm much happier with the SD picture through Sky HD, a lot less artefacts and blurring. All observations were made on the same TV.

shayser

johnnyflav wrote:

Hey Shayser, only saw this post again there now, I've got a Sony 40S2010, entry level HD LCD. I was a little skepical about the SD picture at first especially with the aerial reception, but after fiddling with all the picture settings I was pretty happy with it. The picture with Sky was better than the aerial picture and the Sky HD picture for SD channels was better again. Overall I'm much happier with the SD picture through Sky HD, a lot less artefacts and blurring. All observations were made on the same TV.

All I've got too at the moment is an analog aerial input and an old SD DVD player. The aeriel recption is not just bad, it's near unwatchable. The DVD is better but dull and undefined. I've trawled throught all the forums reading literally hundreds of opinions/recommendations on the best settings and for me adjusting these only makes a marginal improvement. I'm hoping the Sky HD box, which I'm getting this week, will make a big difference. I'm glad to hear it improved things for you. My set - Sony 40W2000 - also has bad backlight bleed. Again, I'm going to see how much the HD box improves things before I will look to get it changed for another one.

johnnyflav

shayser wrote:

My set - Sony 40W2000 - also has bad backlight bleed. Again, I'm going to see how much the HD box improves things before I will look to get it changed for another one.

That's a pretty sweet TV, I'd don't have any problems with back light bleed but the contrast in mine could be a whole lot better. I may look to upgrade to that TV at end of the summer.

Hopefully you'll be more impressed with Sky HD.