This is my first post, and apologies for just joining a message board to ask a question. :(

I'm looking into getting a new TV to replace my Sony 32" that I've had since 2001 or so. When it comes to things like TVs, I like to get big and nice so I don't feel the need to upgrade constantly.

I'm looking at 2 Pioneer models, I've read rave reviews of them. Both 50", one 720p and one 1080p.

I've read a few things online about the difference between the 2 resolutions. I know that the only thing currently that runs 1080p is HD-DVD/Blu-ray and some game consoles. While I do plan on buying a HD player, and I do have an Xbox, I must admit that the majority of what I do now is watch TV on it. So I know that right now most of what I'd be watching is in 720p.

Again, I'm looking at the future though, and 1080p may likely be in use in different formats.

I wouldn't have even blinked at buying the 1080p over the 720p, except the price difference in these 2 models is very high.

So the million dollar question is, will I notice it? Most of what I read says that the difference is negligible at best, but most of them also state that TV size and viewing distance are a factor. Since the TV is relatively large (50") and my viewing distance is relatively close (about 6.5-8 feet), I'm not sure if this is something I should be concerned about.

My gut feeling says to go with the 720p and be done with it, but I like to be armed with all the information before I make purchases like this. Any help on this matter will be appreciated. Thanks!

Here is one of many good threads on this question

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=974423&highlight=720+1080

hi and welcome

first off, if youre watching hd cable, most of what youll be watching is actually 1080i, not 720p. this will be relevant because if you get the 1080p set itll be displaying all 1080 lines of resolution without scaling...

i had the 5080 and sat at 8 feet. i didnt notice any SDE. that being said, ive compared the 2 sets side by side and you can definitely see a difference between the two. the closer you get to the set the more youll notice the difference. at 8 feet you might not notice it much, but if youre actually only 6.5" away youll REALLY notice it

just an FYI pioneer is ceasing production on the 768p sets

hi and welcome

first off, if youre watching hd cable, most of what youll be watching is actually 1080i, not 720p. this will be relevant because if you get the 1080p set itll be displaying all 1080 lines of resolution without scaling...

i had the 5080 and sat at 8 feet. i didnt notice any SDE. that being said, ive compared the 2 sets side by side and you can definitely see a difference between the two. the closer you get to the set the more youll notice the difference. at 8 feet you might not notice it much, but if youre actually only 6.5" away youll REALLY notice it

just an FYI pioneer is ceasing production on the 768p sets

Thanks for the link above, and for this info. So the 1080p set would do a better job for hd cable then?

We are still not exactly sure where we are placing the set, so the viewing distance will be somewhere between 6.5 and 8 feet. Likely closer to 6.5 than 8, though.

With this information, and considering how long I plan on owning the set, it seems now that the best route is just to bite the bullet and buy the 1080p, then.

Since this will be your first flat panel I would recommend that you stick with the 5080HD over the 5010FD. You will be hard pressed to see a large difference and you will be very happy with the picture quality of the 5080HD.

Chris

Since this will be your first flat panel I would recommend that you stick with the 5080HD over the 5010FD. You will be hard pressed to see a large difference and you will be very happy with the picture quality of the 5080HD.

Chris

Thanks. My only concern is really the size of the display vs how close we sit to it. Do you feel this is not a problem?

After months of research, I was set on buying a 5080 for my bedroom as the viewing distance from bed would have been about 12'. When I went to the store, to my surprise they didn't have it anymore (not even a display unit). Well it was only at this particular location that didn't have the 5080 and I made the trip to the store already, so I just went for the 5010 after working out a great price.

Long story short, I'm totally glad I went with the 1080p set, regardless of the $1k premium because I can sit anywhere in the room or on the bed and the PQ looks amazing without worrying about SDE.

Both the 5080 or 5010 are amazing tvs. You simply can't go wrong with either sets. But it all comes down to your budget (most important in this case) and your viewing preferences.

Thanks. My only concern is really the size of the display vs how close we sit to it. Do you feel this is not a problem?

I own a 5080 and sit 10' away. At that distance, the picture looks ideal (the Grammy's tonight were UNBELIEVABLE!!!). However, if I stand at 6.5' I CAN notice SDE and less detail than the 5010. At 8' it is right at the border line. If you can sit at LEAST 8' away then go for the 768p model. If less, you'll need to go 1080p or get the 42' set. The catch is that you can buy almost TWO 50' 768 sets for the price of ONE 1080p set from Pioneer - both non-Elite and Elite alike. It all comes down to seating position.

I own a 5080 and sit 10' away. At that distance, the picture looks ideal (the Grammy's tonight were UNBELIEVABLE!!!). However, if I stand at 6.5' I CAN notice SDE and less detail than the 5010. At 8' it is right at the border line. If you can sit at LEAST 8' away then go for the 768p model. If less, you'll need to go 1080p or get the 42' set. The catch is that you can buy almost TWO 50' 768 sets for the price of ONE 1080p set from Pioneer - both non-Elite and Elite alike. It all comes down to seating position.

Thanks for this, very helpful.

I agree, if the price difference wasn't so outrageous, I'd have taken the 1080p without hesitation, but 1500+ dollars is not chump change...to me anyway. :)

Welcome to the Forum.

I sit roughly 8 to 9 feet from my PDP-5080HD and can tell no difference between it and my Samsung HLS-5087 DLP which is an outstanding 1080P set. And I am a really anal retentive type person when it comes to my hobbies. Or Obsessive compulsive, whichever the case may be.

Thanks for this, very helpful.

I agree, if the price difference wasn't so outrageous, I'd have taken the 1080p without hesitation, but 1500+ dollars is not chump change...to me anyway. :)

+$1500 difference? You're either shopping at the wrong stores or you're not negotiating the price down enough.

Your specific case may be different due to your 1337 negotiation skills, but +$1500 is about right as a general rule since the 5080HDs have come way down in street price and the 5010FDs haven't nearly as much.

The 1080p panel is better; if you notice it or not thats up to you to decide.

If price is the only factor, wait 6 months.

with all due respect creemail, the fact that its his first plasma has absolutely nothing to do with this decision,. sitting 6.5 feet away from a 1080p 5010 will almost surely look better than sitting 6.5 feet away from a 768p 5080, regardless of how many TVs he's owned

i owned a 5080 and sat 8.5' away...i didnt notice any SDE myself. if i was sitting 6.5' away i probably would have though. ive also seen the 5080 and the 5010 side by side at a local store...one of my friends was trying to justify the extra cash outlay to his girlfriend so we took her and asked her to pick which picture looked better. granted its not ideal lighting or feed, but even she picked the 5010 as having a more lifelike and smooth picture. that was at about 6 or 7 feet away. again its not ideal conditions, but at least they were consistent...

anyway at the end of the day i would buy the 1080p. if i didnt id probably always regret it, even if the difference is small. id rather pay the extra and get the peace of mind that i can just enjoy my toy without worrying if the grass is greener somewhere else

.one of my friends was trying to justify the extra cash outlay to his girlfriend so we took her and asked her to pick which picture looked better. granted its not ideal lighting or feed, but even she picked the 5010 as having a more lifelike and smooth picture. that was at about 6 or 7 feet away. again its not ideal conditions, but at least they were consistent...

You have to experiment with the settings. On my STB, downsampling to 720p in the box produces smoother results than the downsampling done in the 5080.

I do agree that 6' would do better with 1080p because of SDE.

id rather pay the extra and get the peace of mind that i can just enjoy my toy without worrying if the grass is greener somewhere else

If you are sitting at 8'+ for a 50" set, then the 'peace of mind' you get from the 5010 is very costly...especially for a whole lot of nothing.

If I really wanted 1080p and a kuro...I would get the 6010...not the 5010.

which box do you have?

i was basing my advice around the 6.5' distance not the 8'

ps-i had a 5080 but returned it for a 6010 ;)