HD Output Settings 1080i vs 720p

[dmspen]

A bunch of us at work were debating the merits of 1080i vs 720p with regards to DISH receivers.

Is it 'better' to convert to 1080i, even a 720p picture?
Or is it 'better' to downcovert a 1080i signal to 720p?

Please take the poll so I can see what you have your output set to.
Thanks!

[DanB33]

Mine is set to 1080i because that is the native resolution of my TV.
James Daniel Bishop

[GrumpyBear]

Personally I watch all the Football, Soccer, and Rugby, I can. The orginal broadcast is 720p if its HD why change it? Sports look better at 720p, than 1080i. Now if you are watching nature shows, or other slow moving shows, upconverting is just fine.

[snowcat]

I actually have one set to 1080i and two set to 720p. Those are the native resolutions of my HD sets.

[RASCAL01]

I have it set to 1080i which is native for my tv.

[Stewart Vernon]

There's a lot of "it depends" so this is not an easy answer.

Most channels in HD are 1080i, though there are quite a bit of 720p (notably FOX and Disney/ABC/ESPN family of channels).

Viewing them in their "native" broadcast resolution in most cases would be better than conversion up or down.

But... another fly in the ointment is the different types of HD TVs and what the native resolution of that TV is.

There are still many HD TVs that accept 1080i signals but actually do not display them at that resolution. There are other TVs that will display 720p or 1080i natively (without cross-conversion) while others will always convert to one resolution or the other.

Then if you're talking about a <50" vs a >60" HDTV... many find that until you get to a 50" screen it is difficult to tell a resolution difference from 720p to 1080i anyway.

The ultimate catch-all answer is to try both settings and test multiple channels of both resolutions... then leave your receiver set on what looks best to you.

[olds403]

I have it set to 1080i on my 60" 1080p television. Native passthrough would be awesome but I have given up hoping for that feature.

[tsmacro]

720p for the same reason others have mentioned, it's native to my tv.

[mhowie]

My native resolution is 768p. That being the case, is one setting better than the other?

[Stewart Vernon]

Originally Posted by mhowie

My native resolution is 768p. That being the case, is one setting better than the other?

I'm not sure how those TVs work... With a 1080i signal does your TV only display a 720p equivalent? Or would it use those extra ~48 lines for some more detail?

[RasputinAXP]

generally a 1366x768 screen will downres a 1080i signal to native, whereas a 720p signal will get uprezzed. Personally I think downrezzing is a better choice.

[mhowie]

Originally Posted by RasputinAXP

generally a 1366x768 screen will downres a 1080i signal to native, whereas a 720p signal will get uprezzed. Personally I think downrezzing is a better choice.

I appreciate the input. I understand this logic if every source were 1080i. But, let's take a 720p signal (like ESPN). If I have the Dish receiver output 1080i, then won't there be two translations (720p to 1080i and downrez to 768p)? Is there any value in manually switching the receiver to match the source signal or is it virtually indiscriminable and one should just leave Dish receiver on the 1080i output for the 1366x768 screen and forget about it?

Thanks,

[RasputinAXP]

Originally Posted by mhowie

I appreciate the input. I understand this logic if every source were 1080i. But, let's take a 720p signal (like ESPN). If I have the Dish receiver output 1080i, then won't there be two translations (720p to 1080i and downrez to 768p)? Is there any value in manually switching the receiver to match the source signal or is it virtually indiscriminable and one should just leave Dish receiver on the 1080i output for the 1366x768 screen and forget about it?

Thanks,

Just like Ron Popeil always says...set it and forget it. You're pretty much not going to notice anything.

The only time I notice a difference between 720 and 1080 is when I'm playing Madden on my 360 and my field of view is wider.

[Dave]

I think they should have a 1080P setting for those of us that do have a 1080P HDTV. Some of us also have OTA. So if some day we ever get lucky and are locals send out a 1080P we are ready and waiting. Back to the question. I have mine set to 1080i.

[phrelin]

My old Pany Plasma seems to give me the sharpest picture from 720p. And the ViP722 and ViP612 seem somehow to have fewer video problems with both the 720p and 1080i original content, though I wouldn't swear to it.

[Stewart Vernon]

Since getting my new DLP HDTV (1080p) I have considerably less overscan at 1080i than my old CRT.

But, I've noticed even less (practically no) overscan displaying a native 720p signal...

So, that might be the one scenario when it might be something noticable... not the resolution, but if your HDTV puts more of it on the screen.

[GrumpyBear]

Originally Posted by Stewart Vernon

The ultimate catch-all answer is to try both settings and test multiple channels of both resolutions... then leave your receiver set on what looks best to you.

Actually have somebody else make the setting changes, and see if you can tell the difference. Sometimes when you do it yourself, you don't have a unbiased viewpoint.

[4HiMarks]

I have an older 720p DLP, so mine is set to the native resolution. I would always choose progressive over interlaced anyway. When there is a reasonable amount of 1080p source material, then I will consider purchasing a 1080p set (or more likely a front projector). Until then, 720p on a 50" Samsung is fine.

[Michael P]

Originally Posted by Dave

I think they should have a 1080P setting for those of us that do have a 1080P HDTV. Some of us also have OTA. So if some day we ever get lucky and are locals send out a 1080P we are ready and waiting. Back to the question. I have mine set to 1080i.

I thought there was a 1080p setting for the VOD content in 1080p. Or is that setting only available wile viewing 1080p VOD content?

I'm currently watching my 622 through an SD set using the S-Video jack so I have no real world experience with HD connections.

[otnipj3s]

1080i....finally after a year and a half of multiple channels, sports vs movies, locals vs nationals ect. 1080i seemed to look a little better than 720p.

[mhowie]

Originally Posted by 4HiMarks

I would always choose progressive over interlaced anyway.

I'm curious as to why progressive would be preferred over interlaced?

[bgothard72]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JXfyvlPh0

Check this out. I prefer 720p over 1080i. Just waiting for 1080p!

[GrumpyBear]

Originally Posted by mhowie

I'm curious as to why progressive would be preferred over interlaced?

Progressive scanning starts at the top and paints each line in order 1 thru 720, in this case. Interlacing Starts at the top, paints all the odd lines 1-1079, and then starts over and paints all the even lines 2-1080 on your screen, this leads to that blurring effect you see during Football, Soccer, Hockey, heck even Basketball or any show with lots of fast action.

Watch simulations and you will see that the 720p will paint the entire screen faster than the 1080i tv with the same rates.

Granted if your TV is 1080i native nothing wrong with leaving it that way. If your TV viewing is your avg TV News, Drama, or Sitcom show, you wont really be able to tell the difference, unless your set is really large in the 55" or larger group. Granted those with TV's that large are screaming for 1080p broadcasts and support, but the Broadcasters aren't going to make that move anytime soon, wish they would but.... want in one hand......

To do a real test, leave the room, have somebody else make the changes, comeback in the room, view, leave room again, have your friend make changes and then see what you think.

Most will really see a difference by actually calibrating thier TV, rather than setting 720 vs 1080i. Way to many people have thier Sharpness and color setting way out of whack.

[Stewart Vernon]

Originally Posted by bgothard72

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-JXfyvlPh0

Check this out. I prefer 720p over 1080i. Just waiting for 1080p!

I hope that was a joke. I stopped watching once he said 1080i<720p.

I swore to never get dragged into this old misinformation debate again... so I won't. But I do wish people like the guy in the video who clearly don't understand the technology would stop presenting misinformation as if he were an expert.

[HobbyTalk]

Mine is set to 1080i. My Panny is 768p but will convert a 720p signal to 1080i before it downcoverts to 768p. So I eliminate that step by outputting 1080i.