SD PQ Question!

[Bazzy]

Hi All, I have pretty much only ever considered Plasma as pretty much everything I have read states that SD performance on Plasma is generally far better than on a LCD. SD PQ is very important to me and even on most Plasma's the SD PQ usually leaves a lot to be desired which is why I still have not got anything. I may have got this wrong but is that referreing to the SD PQ when watching an analogue broadcast as from a standard aerial or from Freeview? I understand that everything will be Digital soon so does that mean, when the changeover takes place, the SD PQ will be better and if so, by how much - can one expect a drastic or very good improvement? Which will still be better with Digital SD PQ - Plasma or LCD or will/should they be of equal quality? Will I still need an aerial/freeview or will connecting to say Sky/Virgin/Freesat be enough and if one has Freesat, will one still need Freeview? I plan on getting a 40"/42" TV and possibly 46"/50" if I could be convinced I would still get a really excellent SD picture at these sizes - newer sets are coming out and I a reading some positive things. Thank you! Bazzy!

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Bazzy"] I may have got this wrong but is that referreing to the SD PQ when watching an analogue broadcast as from a standard aerial or from Freeview? I understand that everything will be Digital soon so does that mean, when the changeover takes place, the SD PQ will be better and if so, by how much - can one expect a drastic or very good improvement? ![/quote]SD sources are the analogue channels and the digital channels broadcast at 576i (Freeview and non-HD Sky, Virgin and Freesat)

Digital SD PQ is usually a bit better over Virgin and Sky than Freeview, dont know about Freesat quality When reviewers talk about SD PQ they are refering to digital SD not analogue.

Plasma tend to better rated at SD than LCD, but there are good LCDs and bad plasmas, so you need to go and look at a few. The best SD quality is a good CRT!

Freesat will have more channels than Freeview (eventually) and will have HD channels as well. And they are both free (you need a dish/decoder for Freesat). So if you have Freesat you wont need freeview.

Virgin and SKy you pay for, the more you want the more it costs, but they include the freeview channels in their basic packages.

If you want HD channels, you need SKY HD or Freesat HD (Virgin has very little HD, no ITV, Ch4...)

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="Bazzy"]I may have got this wrong but is that referreing to the SD PQ when watching an analogue broadcast as from a standard aerial or from Freeview?[/quote]

Most TVs now have a tuner able to receive Freeview from a standard aerial, so that's usually what it means when we talk about standard definition. If a TV has an analogue tuner, we'll test that too, though of course this is becoming less relevant as the digital roll-out/analogue switch-off proceeds.

SD can also encompass other standard-definition sources, such as DVD (unless you use an upscaling DVD player) and VHS video, which people do still use.

[quote user="Bazzy"]I understand that everything will be Digital soon so does that mean,
when the changeover takes place, the SD PQ will be better and if so, by
how much - can one expect a drastic or very good improvement?[/quote]

In theory, Freeview should look at least as good as current analogue reception, and better if you have a weak analogue signal and the TV picture is prone to interference.

However, current experience with Freeview suggests that the compression involved in cramming all those channels into not much spectrum can give some very blocky effects on bigger screens, especially on some of the minor channels which seem to be running a lower bitrates - ie sending less information for each second of TV.

[quote user="Bazzy"]Which
will still be better with Digital SD PQ - Plasma or LCD or will/should
they be of equal quality?[/quote]

It's not a matter of the type of screen, the quality of the tuner and the picture processing system used in a TV can have a much greater effect. There are good and bad plasmas, and good and bad LCDs.

[quote user="Bazzy"]Will I still need an aerial/freeview or will
connecting to say Sky/Virgin/Freesat be enough and if one has Freesat,
will one still need Freeview?[/quote]

If you use Sky or Freesat satellite services, or Virgin Media cable, you don't need an aerial any more. And if you have Freesat you won't need Freeview. But if you have an existing aerial I'd hook up the TV to that as well as using the Sky/Virgin/Freesat box - it means you can keep watching should the cable or satellite service break down.

[quote user="Bazzy"] plan on getting a 40"/42" TV and
possibly 46"/50" if I could be convinced I would still get a really
excellent SD picture at these sizes[/quote]

Good plan - but if you're thinking in terms of a 46-50in I'd make sure I saw it working in standard definition before you buy, and I'd also consider buying an HD Freesat box if you go for that distribution system - HD looks stunning on a screen that big.

 

[Bazzy]

Hi!

Thank you kindly for your replies and help! SD i of extreme importance to me! I will be approximately 9.3ft and viewing smack bang infront of the screen. While HD might look great, I am really worried that SD will look terrible - I would not be happy with SD looking just passable or OK, I want it to look very good which was why I was kind of limiting myself to a HD ready only set and 42". I get tempted by LCD's but even with the new Sammy's and Sony's I get the feeling that Plasma is still better?

Basically then, it looks like I need to ask, is there anything out there that can match/rival the SD performance of the Pioneer 42" Kuros and if not by what sort of margin do the likes of Panasonic 42" PX80/PZ80/PZ81/PZ800 and LG 42PG6000 trail by? I watch a lot in the dark but during the day, a large south facing window makes sunlight directly hit the TV! I am also now very tempted by the 46" Panasonic's (more screen for a little more syndrome!) and although HD may look great - I am really worried that SD may be very disappointing - is 46" too close and asking for trouble at 9.3 ft? I have read that at my distance a Full HD set may be of little use but may adversely affect SD quality?

Thank You - Bazzy!