My telly, I'm a bit confused about the HD'ness

[Feek]

I've got a Panasonic TX-32LXD700 (http://www.hdtvorg.co.uk/reviews/lcd/panasonic_tx32lxd700.htm) but I'm a little confused about exactly how HD it is.

The instructions list both 1080i and 1080p as available inputs via either HDMI and Component and up to 1366x768 on the PC input.

I've currently got my Xbox connected via the PC input and my Wii via the component.

But is 1366x768 the equivalent of 1080p/i? I always thought it was lower, ie 720p/i If that's the case, wouldn't I be better off connecting my 360 via component and moving the Wii over to the PC input if such a cable is available?

[Flibster]

Welcome to my hatred of 'HD Ready'

You screen is not an official HD resolution. This is extrordinarily common.

1366x768 is closest to 1280x720 - if you can do 1:1 pixel mapping then you will have black borders all aroudn the image in the middle.

If you push 1280x720 to the tv this will get resampled up to 1366x768 - thus decreasing the quality.

If you push 1920x1080 through it - it will get resampled down to 1366x768 - again, losing quality.

Whats wrong with producing HD Ready sets that MATCH THE BLOODY HD RESOLUTIONS?!

Thing is - even 852x480 is considered HD - thats barely better than DVD.

I really wish that the spawn of satan bizzarre resolution tv's would just bog off. 1280x720 is official - make a panel that IS that resolution. 1920x1080 is official - make a panel that IS that resolution.

Ranting over for the moment... ;)

Really, on the Xbox and Wii front- the Wii is probably best over component as there is an official cable for that, and get the 360 on either HDMI or VGA. Will make very little difference at all.

Simon/~Flibster

[Feek]

Gotcha.

So, when I download a 1080p .mkv and convert it to play on my telly through the 360, which one of the following should I choose?

http://www.feek.ukfsn.org/temp/conversion.jpg

[divine]

MPEG2 6144kbps 720p 192kbps

or

H.264 720p 3072kbps 160kbps

First one should be better quality as it's higher bitrate.

Unless MKV passthrough plays it direct, in which case i'd use that, however i'm not sure what that actually means.

I also share Flibsters frustrations, it's disgusting how common the use of non standard resolution is, along with plastering numbers like 1080p all over TVs just because they can process those signals but are otherwise exactly the same as non '1080p' sets.

I personally wouldn't buy anything other than a 'Full HD' 1920x1080 panel if it were me.

[Feek]

The 360 won't directly play the mkv files hence needing to do the conversions, I'll have a play tomorrow and check that that first one plays.

I picked up this particular set partly on the grounds of the review I linked in the first post here and it certainly does me well, but I have the advantage in that I can change my telly every year or so if I want so I might have to look at that later this year. Not sure how easy it is to get a 'full HD 1920x1080' set in the size I'm after though, really don't want to go above 32"

[Mark]

Nice TV. Panasonic have long been regarded for the quality of their screens - regardless of the funny resolutions (which is not just a Panasonic thing - other manufacturers use them too most likely due to some fascination with XGA resolution).

You may in fact find that the panel is only using 1280x720 pixels - CRTs used to bury the edges of the display in the bezel, and while LCD monitors don't do this, there's nothing to stop LCD TVs from doing it and using marketing doublespeak. Marketing hype aside I think I'd prefer that over 6.6% upscaling.

I can't fault divine`'s selection of resolutions, but the choice of MPEG2 over H.264 might not be as clear-cut as it would at first seem since H.264 is supposed to be more capable at lower bitrates. Might be worth trying one of each and seeing which you prefer - if you have the time. I haven't done this comparison so I don't know if this information is correct.

PS - I'm thinking of getting the 26LXD70 for my bedroom. 32in is a bit big for there. :)

[divine]

I can't fault divine`'s selection of resolutions, but the choice of MPEG2 over H.264 isn't as clear-cut as it might at first seem since H.264 is supposed to be more capable at lower bitrates. Might be worth trying one of each and seeing which you prefer - if you have the time. I haven't done this comparison so I don't know if this information is correct.

PS - I'm thinking of getting the 26LXD70 for my bedroom. 32in is a bit big for there. :)

I know H.264 is meant to be much better but i'm dubious as to it's ability to half the bitrate yet keep identical quality. The MPEG2 stream also has [slightly] higher quality audio accompanying it, something that swayed my choice a tad.

I probably should have expanded more than 'it's higher bitrate' as it is true the codecs themselves play a huge part but either way I think the 6144 MPEG is likely to edge the 3072 H.264 due to the sheer difference in bitrates.

I think 32" Full HD TVs are becoming more common now, so shouldn't be hard to find soon really...

[Mark]

Agreed - and I hadn't noticed the audio difference (as I'm currently re-ripping all my CDs at ~256kbps VBR MP3 for quality reasons I really should have).

[divine]

Quality = lossless = FLAC :p

Start again!! and buy a 500GB hard drive or two for all the space that'd need

[Mark]

I'm not a pedantic audiophile. Like most people, my ears can't tell the difference between 256kbps MP3* and the original source CDs, so for me lossless = FAIL. :p

* I actually use 192kbps to 320kbps high quality VBR, which seems to average out somewhere around 245-250kbps

[Garp]

168-192vbr should be about all you need for MP3s. Personally i prefer WMA at that level, i find it indistinguishable from CDs.

[Flibster]

FLAC only on my mp3 player for my own CD's

However, radio shows I tend to record at anything from 128kbps to 320kbps depending on what it is.

[Feek]

What do you think of the choice of format for the video conversion, Flibs? I'm interested to hear all opinions.

[Flibster]

I'd go with the Mpeg2 720p version to be honest - double the bitrate of the H.264 which should compensate for the lower compresion ability - it's the audio that pips it. if there was a 256 or 320kbps version or even AC3 then that would be the winner.

[Feek]

Arse.

It's all a moot point really, I just did a test with a small sample .mkv file and it plays the H.264 version perfectly but refuses to play the MPEG2 one :(

[leowyatt]

Can't play mpeg2 without the extender, think I mentioned this in my 360 video thread.

[Feek]

I think you did, but I couldn't remember which was which! I don't mind doing the H.264 conversion, it just takes a little longer.

[Mark]

Yeah, it does. H.264 is a lot more CPU intensive both to encode and decode.

[Mondo]

Just wondering, Sainsbury is selling the Sony KDL40U3000 for £599, is it good ?

[leowyatt]

I seem to remember reading on avforums that they suffer badly from backlight bleeding. But you're better having a search to be sure.

[Mondo]

Well, could you be kind to recommend a unit for £600 ?

[leowyatt]

You want an LCD unit? Does it need to be 1080p?

If it doesn't have to be 1080p then the Samsung LE40R87BDX can be had for around 600 notes.

[Mondo]

i don't even know what 1080p is....

[leowyatt]

1080p (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p)

[Desmo]

Ray, if you don't know what 1080p is or does then I'd hazard a guess that it's not really for you. Save your money and get a 720p set :)

[Mondo]

Now I get it, thank Leo.

Desmo, you are right, I prob won't need it, I mean I am happy with DVD so the improvement in quality will be significant over the CRT anyday. I've got my dad to go get it for me now, it's hard since i am at work so buying it off the net is a lot trickier.

[leowyatt]

Glad that cleared it up, I was going to say the same as Desmo. Enjoy the new set, pics when you get the chance :D

[Mondo]

It's here !!!

It might be a touch too big for the living room lol

http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/8813/sonykr1.jpg

[Desmo]

Nice...what model is it? :)

[Mondo]

Sony KDL40U3000

Not the best TV i know but the best bit is I didn't pay for it !

[divine]

Sony KDL40U3000

Not the best TV i know but the best bit is I didn't pay for it !

Shoplifting is bad mmmkay.

[Mondo]

lol, it was tricky walking out with that box i tell ya !!! :p

[Mark]

There was a 40inch Samsung LCD (not sure if it was an R87) in use all day outside the Three Guineas in Reading on Saturday. No-one made off with that one. ;D

Not paying certainly counts as a result. :)