Most networks broadcast in 1080i..

One with 20/20 vision needs to be 6' or closer to see any difference between 720p and 1080p on a 32" TV. You need to sit about 4' away to be able to resolve all the pixels in a 32" 1080p display. So, if your eyes will be within this range, you could see a slight difference with the more expensive set. Personally, I would save money if I were to sit >5 ft away. At 4-5ft, it would be worth it to me.

 

 

i would challenge ANYONE at any distance to tell between 720 and 1080 on a small tv

 

It looks like you got your question answered, so I'm gonna highjack.

I recently brought my 52" DLP home from work. It's 1080p. My living room is small and we sit 7.5" from the screen. It's like the front row at the IMAX. Bloody ridiculous. We are giving the monster to my inlaws and looking to get into a 42".

We watch mostly digital cable, movies and no HD. The room is fairly dark. I am torn between LCD and Plasma. I think I'm ok with 720. I went to Ultimate Electronics Saturday and made the rounds. Everything looked grainy and crap-like. Even the HD stuff. I'm going to try another store and hope for better.

Any thoughts 42" plasma or LCD? I've been to AVS forums and could use more perspective. TIA.

 

What is the difference between 1080i and 1080p?

 

I can tell the difference on my 1920x1200 24" monitor. Was that bet for money?

 

About 540 lines of resolution.

 

p = progressive, i = interlaced.

In a 1080p broadcast, every frame includes all 1080 lines of resolution.
In a 1080i broadcast, every frame only includes every other line of resolution, so 540 lines. Then your digital TV takes two frames, puts them together, and displays the entire 1080 lines at once. Most new sets deinterlace very well, and you basically cannot see a difference between 1080i and 1080p unless you're watching very fast paced things.

Old tube TVs were 480i, and broadcasts were also 480i.. so the TV would only be displaying 240 lines on the screen every frame.. and the next frame would be the other 240 lines.. it happens so quickly though, that your eye can't see it. New digital TVs will wait to get both frames and display all the info at once.

Nin009, at 7.5', you won't really be able to tell the difference between 1080 and 720 on a 42" screen.. save your money and buy a 720p set, or spend some more and buy a nicer 720p set for the cost of a less expensive 1080p set. Personally I would go with a plasma.. 42" pioneer kuro #1, or 42" panasonic or samsung #2. Resolution is pretty much the least important factor in creating good PQ.. color accuracy, contrast, black levels are more important.. so spending equal money on a better 720p instead or a lesser 1080p set can give you a better overall picture.

 

Since nobody is even broadcasting in 1080p, I wouldn't waste my money unless you have a massive blu-ray collection. This goes for any size screen.

 

1080i will look virtually identical to 1080p unless your set is a piece of shit. For example.. take a blu ray player that can output both 1080i and 1080p.. you won't be able to tell a difference between the two outputs except on fast paced scenes.. like action, sports, etc.. then the 1080i might look a little choppy.