42" plasma 1024 x 768 - Does anyone miss 1366 x 768 ?

I was in the same pickle as you. But after comparing HD content on a 46 inch 1366x768 LCD vs a 42inch 1024x768 plasma i couldn't tell the difference. Hence i just purchased a 42 inch philips plasma.

And like you i view this as a stop gap purchase until 1080p displays are chep enough in my country.

It all depends on your viewing distance.

In my opinion you probably wouldn't notice much difference.

increased detail on a 50" 1366x768 over a 42" 1024x768 has to be in your head. There is actually MORE pixel density in a 42" 1024x768 than a 50" 1366x768.

And in my opinion plasma always beats LCD, regardless of pixel count.

Too many consumers buy into the whole "well this one has more pixels, so it has to be better". There's more to a display/tv than how many pixels it has. Don't you love how marketing for companies brainwash consumers? "True HD (1080p)" vs "Fake HD (1080i)"??? hahahaha

Nonsense. Pixel density has nothing to do with detail. It simply minimizes SDE if you sit very close. The horizontal pixel count determines what detail your display can resolve.

The 1024x768 plasmas can only display 80% of the detail in a 720p HDTV picture signal, and only 36% of the detail in 1080i and 1080p HDTV picture signals. By contrast, 1365x768 plasmas resolve 100% of the detail in a 720p HDTV picture signal and 51% of the detail in 1080i and 1080p HDTV picture signals.

A few pics are appended below to illustrate the effect of varying horizontal pixel counts:

1280x720 from a 720x720 source
1280x720 from a 720x480 source
1280x720 from a 480x720 source
1280x720 from a 240x720 source
1280x720 from a 120x720 source

So you're saying that a 1024x768 only displays 80% of the detail from a 720p source? Then why does panasonic advertise them as native 720p displays?

Because back in August of 2000, after intense lobbying from several manufacturers, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) declared that manufacturers -- for marketing purposes -- could claim 720p regardless of how how many horizontal pixels their display could resolve. Manufacturers are also able to claim 1080p regardless of the pixels the display can resolve. As a result, we get marketing departments that claim 720p for 1024x768 displays and 1080p for 1080x1080 and 1280x1080 displays.

In reality, if a display can't do 1280 horizontal pixels, it can't reproduce the full detail in the 720p signal. Similarly, if a display can't do 1920 horizontal pixels, it can't reproduce the full detail in a 1080i/1080p signal. It is the horizontal pixels that contain all the detail in the picture signal. The number of vertical lines (720, 1080, etc) has nothing to do with the actual detail in the picture signal.

I'm sure you've seen the latest marketing where manufacturers claim "True 1080p" -- they do this to indicate their display has full 1920x1080p, because other displays that claim "1080p" may or may not offer full 1080p resolution.

Now I'm slightly peeved about my plasma purchase. I was convinced and told by many a clerk that my tv was a full 720p.

No, you wont miss any of those pixels. Nor will you miss the other issues that LCDs have. They can have their 1366x768 pixel grid.... I'll just *suffer* with my lowly 1024x720 pixel grid....

Remember, its NOT about numbers, its about picture quality and that doesnt come down to pixel count. It comes down to contrast, black levels, and color accuracy....all of which are VERY strong on the Panny plasmas. Let the weenies argue pixel counts, I'll just sit back and watch the show.

If you sit 10' or more from that 42" screen, you wouldn't see a difference anyway. You would only benefit from full 720p resolution (as opposed to 80% of it) at a viewing distance of 8' or less.


The pixels are not square, so you shouldn't see any compression.


There's no such thing as a 1366x720 panel. The majority of plasmas now on the market are either 1024x768, 1366x768, or 1920x1080. With the previous generation of plasma manufacturing, we only got the 768p plasmas at sizes of 50" larger. With this upcoming generation (2007 models), we'll see the 1366x768p plasmas at 42" sizes.

To produce all the detail in a 720p signal, you need 1280 horizontal pixels. To produce all the detail in a 1080i/1080p signal, you need 1920.


If you think pixel count doesn't matter, take a look at the linked screenshots above where color, contrast, and lines are identical, with the only difference being pixel count.

Picture quality is a function of contrast (black levels), color decoder accuracy, video processing, and pixel count. But you are certainly correct that you need all of those -- contrast alone or pixel count alone will not produce a great picture. IMO, many buyers make the mistake of buying a cheap 1080p LCD with poor contrast when they could have gotten a superior picture from a 768p plasma with excellent contrast for the same price (or much less). One such example is the $4500 52" Sony XBR3 vs. the $2600 50" Pioneer 5070HD -- the latter knocks the socks off the Sony, when viewed in most rooms from 10'.

I know it matters but it seems that everyone jumps on the "more is better" philosophy without taking into consideration all of the other things that you mentioned. I agree with you..... for the most part.

From 10 feet away or so from a 42" to 50" TV, most people would have a hard time seeing much difference between 720 and 1080. 720 to 768? Forget it. Like you said, pixel count is only ONE variable in th equation of Picture Quality and I'll take rich blacks, contrast, and color accuracy over more pixels ANY day. Sure, my neighbors XBR Sony LCD certainly looks a little sharper on nature type shows, but its not like my plasma looks fuzzy or something! On the other hand, with movies and some other content the XBR gets beat badly by my Panny. Most plasma sIve seen just look more natural to me, perhaps I LIKE the ever so slightly softer look of the 720 displays as oppopsed to the in-your-face, edgy 1080 stuff???? Bad eyesight I guess.

Think about it...if the first million or so pixels are crap, why would you want a million more of them?

BTW: The Pio 5070 is a killer display.... I love my Panny but DAMN them Pioneers!

Rawk, nicely put.

That is what I want.
Do you have any links to announcements?

Yes it does.

Well I certainly noticed the difference in resolution when I went from DLP to Plasma, the DLP was 1280x720. While it had excellent detail, it had poor blacks and colors. Now the plasma is 1024x768 and I definitely noticed that it was SOFTER.