32 inch - Is 720p LED the sweet spot?

[MyMedia08]

Looking to replace an old 27" crt with a new 32" flat panel for the bedroom TV.

The normal technology choices are of course;
720p, LCD
720p, LED
1080p, LCD
1080p, LED

Am I correct in assuming that at this size ( 32"):
- there is no real benefit in 1080P over 720p
- any BR player would still output to 720p
- broadcast quality over a Rogers terminal, even if upgraded to 1080p in future, would still work with a 720p display
- LED draws less power than LCD

...and this the sweet spot is 720P LED... correct?

[57]

You don't mention how far you're going to be sitting from the TV since it's the apparent size of the TV that matters, not the actual size. There have been numerous threads regarding 720P vs 1080P. Here's the FAQ on "how large" and in that is a link on distance vs size vs resolution:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76075

Your other assumptions are correct, however LCDs are 768P, not 720P and LEDs are simply another way of backlighting LCDs.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=73528

[MyMedia08]

Points taken.

We are about 8-10 feet away ( typically lying down!) so I dont think I'd see the difference. That said , the premium of 1080pLED vs 720pLED is really small ($30-$50)

The real savings seems to be 1080pLED vs 720p/768pLCD which is about ($70-$130 cheaper)

[cooper83]

In addition to viewing distance, the other big deciding factor is whether you'll be connecting a computer to it. If yes, 1080p is the way to go.

[Jake]

The biggest price delta is jumping from LED Edge Lit LCD to LED Array LCD. Also, at that viewing distance and 32" I would say go with 720P LED Array LCD if it is in your budget.

[PPL4GOLF]

The other factor is the pricing on 32" 1080p stays high perennially because it is pretty much the biggest size for desks and there is a niche demand for it.

These days, 40" 1080p can be had for $4xx and a decent 32" 1080p is probably not much less than that.

If budget is an issue, 32" 720p is just fine even if you connect PC but sitting from a few feet away. I personally stay away from 720p because my devices are all 1080p so I rather do 1:1 with no overscan/scaling, nothing.

For bedroom use, you might as well go as big as you can. 40" is pretty much minimum IHMO.

[Arthur Dent]

In 2012 there is no longer justification for the existence of TV with less than 1080p resolution. I wouldn't advise anyone to get anything 720p. It screams "compromise" everywhere, not just the with resolution.

[PhotoJim]

I wouldn't say 720p TVs are unwarranted. I suppose it all depends on how much money you care to spend.

Our bedroom TV is a 32" Panasonic LCD that I bought in January. Our bedroom is of a modest size, and with the bed located where it is, the TV image is quite large. We would find a larger TV to be too big for the room, but 32" is comfortably large.

As for resolution, we have 1080P in the living room (46" Panasonic plasma) and I would not do without 1080 there (although at normal viewing distances, the improvement is subtle). In the bedroom, 720p looks extremely good. I imagine if I put a 1080 beside it that I *might* see a difference - I suspect not - but I don't find that the 720p lacks compared to the 1080p in the living room.

I do have everything set to output 1080i/p though. That way it's downconverted by the TV to its native 768 resolution. Native 720p cable broadcasts might suffer slightly but I've not noticed any ill effects.

I've no regrets about forgoing 1080 in the bedroom at all. The only caveat I would mention is that for use with computers, it's nice to have 1080.

[JamesK]

Looking to replace an old 27" crt with a new 32" flat panel for the bedroom TV.

One thing to bear in mind is that a 32" HDTV actually has less screen area than a 27" analog set. So, you may want to bump up a size or two.

[cooper83]

Originally Posted by JamesK

One thing to bear in mind is that a 32" HDTV actually has less screen area than a 27" analog set. So, you may want to bump up a size or two.

True, but only when watching 4:3 content.

32" is fine for bedroom TV's. Though 40" is better There's always the WAF that weighs heavily in the decision...

[MyMedia08]

Good discussion guys ; thanks .

Re money, the differences here are so smalll, I am not going to consider that as a determining factor we are not talking thousands or hundrede) ; rather I will think thorugh the other aspects.

Re screen format, I think I acaaully have a 26" CRT. Turns out a 32" flat panel is the same height, and thus a good choice for me : Good tool here: http://www.displaywars.com/26-inch-4x3-vs-32-inch-16x9

Re screen size greater than 32", it might be overpowering for the room. As well need to worry about weight as now I need to mount the thing. Ironically, the CRT was a perfect fit for the wall unit its now in; I need to modify the big cavity I now have, with a centre post to attach a mount to.

Re LED vs LCD, I am used to LCD so I remain open to either.

Re LED array vs LED edge, I wasnt even aware of that distinction, having never bought one. Thanks for that one!!

Re 1080p vs 720p (/768), I hadnt thought of the computer factor. I suspect 720p would be fine, but to the 'this is 2012' point, and the price point, I think I will opt for 1080p. Set is intended for bedroom now, but who knows where it will be years from now.

Re 1080p TV vs 1080p monitor, this is another one I wrestled with, ie do I even need a "TV" or just a "monitor" given Rogers terminals and BR players have HDMI outputs. I think its now a moot point as the montors seem to be much higher priced, typically dont have built in audio, the option of component video, or a tuner if I ever needed one.

All to say, I think I am now leaning to 1080p LED array, and will wait for the next big sale - perhaps Father Day.

[PPL4GOLF]

I am in an older house and the bedroom size is fairly modest.

I had a 40" Samsung LCD before and 'upgraded' to the 55" 3D LG and it's not entirely excessive or out of sort

Everyone quickly got used to it. honestly, 46" would be a better size.

[JamesK]

True, but only when watching 4:3 content.

My mistake. I was thinking less height, not area. A 32" screen is not quite as high as a 27", though it is wider. Either way, after a 27", he may prefer something a bit larger than 32". Also, since the HDTV will be much thinner than an analog set, the screen will likely be further back.

[MyMedia08]

Question 1 - Is it generally true any decent 32" flat panel I would would buy these days has an ATSC tuner?

Reason I ask. As I explore by "get-off'-Rogers" options, I had not realized that HD OTA was still out there. I had those OTA was no longer available period, but I gather its just Analog OTA is not available but HD OTA is alive and well.. and one needs an ATSC tuner for that scenario.

Question 2 - I assume that if I went the route of HD OTA for the bedroom, I could not have a bedroom PVR in the mix - correct?

[Danster]

Any TV built in the past few months have ATSC tuners built in.

If you put a PVR in the bedroom, you could have it connected on a HDMI port and use the OTA signal as normal.