780p or 1080i? Component or DVI?

[suttree]

I can't tell a damn bit of difference between 780p and 1081i. Is there some industry position now on which is better, or does it depend on the show type? My receiver can do both.

Also, my receiver has a DVI out and my TV has a DVI in, but I crimped the cord and it doesn't work anymore. Now I am running everything through my components connections in Mr. Denon. Again, I really can't detect a difference, and it obviates the need of changing TV tuners.

Also, should I just cancel my entire DirectTV package except for HD, since I can't watch anything in 480i without getting annoyed? When the hell are they going to finish the conversion?

 

[TheSheriffIsNEAR]

The differences are slight. I've seen some arguments for one or the other being 'better'. But, that doesn't really matter now since you already have your TV. Here's why:

Ideally, you want the resolution of the incoming HD broadcast and the output of the receiver to match the native resolution of your TV. The native resolution is the resolution actually displayed on the screen, as documented in your set's specifications. However, the different networks broadcast at different resolutions, so it changes when you change the channel. Since the TV's native resolution is fixed, a conversion, known as scaling, has to take place. In the digital world, the less conversions you do along the path, the better the picture. If ABC broadcasts at 720p, CBS broadcasts at 1080i, and your TV is 720p native, ABC's picture will be better since there's no scaling taking place.

Since scaling has to occur at some point eventually, you can either have the receiver convert the resolution or have the TV do it. Normally, it's best to let the TV do the conversion, because the TV usually has the higher quality converter circuitry. To insure this, set your receiver's output to 'pass-through' or equivalent, not one of the fixed settings. If there is no pass-through option, choose what fixed setting is closest your TV's native resolution.

On the cable question: DVI and HDMI pass digital signals, and component/s-video/composite cables pass analog. Using analog cables in the path requires the signal be converted from digital to analog out of the receiver, and back to digital at the TV. This conversion is even more substantial than the scaling conversion (digital to digital) described above. Again, the less conversions, the better.

Now, with all this being said, if you can't see the differences, don't worry about it.

On the standard definition (SD) broadcasts question: This is a common complaint. Some HD-ready TV's handle SD signals better than others. There's nothing you can do about it now, short of swapping out for a more SD-friendly TV. The 2006 digital conversion deadline is for the networks only, I think (I could be wrong). Your typical cable channels are on their own timetable.

 

[Boozehound]

Just a thought - Are you sure your TV can output 720p? Most HDTVs on the market only handle 1080i...

 

[suttree]

You are correct, it upconverts everything to 1080i.