Plasma question

[youthinksoo]

I have this plasma

It says it is a 720P TV, does this mean that it cannot display a 1080i broadcast? Or is the signal down converted to 720P?

[dirio49]

I think it only takes 720P from the broadcast. And possible the dvd/hdvd player if you have one, downgrades it for the tv. i would think it does not even accept or downgrade it to 720p.

[toomanycats]

Your TV will accept all HD signals and upgrade/downgrade (scale) them to 720p. Specifically you can view all HD formats but 720P is it's native format. Put more simply it will play whatever you put into it but it is native to 720p. If you read the product description it states 480p/720p/1080i/1080p compatibility. That aside I would purchase an LCD direct view over a Plasma for longevity. If you already have purchased the TV, enjoy. You may have to sey the signal in the menu (it probably has an auto feature built in0.

[RFBurns]

All tv units, as required by the ATSC and FCC standards for the US, are to be able to accept (a few of them at the very least )and display the format transmissions from broadcast/cable/sat/direct input signals.

I think the big worry is the fact that there are 18 different modulation formats for the ATSC system, and not all of them will be incorporated into recievers. That would put the price range of an HD set way byond the reach of most. This is something that I addressed to the NAB convention back in 1997 regarding the purpose and reason why there needs to be more than 1 format standard. Unfortunately there was never a straight answer to this. I even stated that having so many formats would make the recievers more expensive than they need to be, confuse the heck out of the consumers (like there isnt enough confusion already eh?!!) and make it possible that someone would buy a set in LA and move to NY and find that their expensive set cannot pick up a certian channel in NY but it could in LA because the two stations are transmitting a different modulation format, even tho both stations are of the same network...ie ABC for example. Now that poor consumer who spend 7 grand on that nice pannel tv is left hanging in the wind and more than likely would have to spend more funds on some form of upgrade for their unit or be without it for awhile so that the manufacturer can perform some silly module upgrade and/or firmware upgrade.

Doesnt make any sense but thats the way it is. Hopefully before the big switch takes place (Feb 2009) there will be a better control over this rediculous 18 format transmission system.

[youthinksoo]

damn. My dad has the Pioneer 720P which is about 1,000 dollars more. The ESPN and network broadcasts look so beautiful, soo hard to believe it's only 720P! I thought 720P TVs could display 1080i just not 1080P. I semi-regret my purchase, even though the unconverted dvds and HD channels look very very nice