Maybe this isn't the correct place for this question (and maybe it's been answered before), but what would I be losing out on if I went with a 720p TV as opposed to 1080p? Technical terms and numbers don't mean much to me...I need a "real-world" type of comparison/explanation. Anyone have any advice?

CountryJustice, unless you are very picky or are a videophile, the difference is indistinguishable. The only place you are going to find 1080p video is blu-ray and games, but most people cannot tell the difference. The only exception is with larger TV sets, like 60in and above.

@CountryJustice: 1080 is a higher resolution, and thus a clearer picture.

Smaller TVs dont do 1080, because the screen isn't big enough to notice a difference with that resolution size cranked.

If you're buying a 50" TV, get 1080. If you buy 720, you're starting off with older technology. That price isn't all that great. Woot has better tvs for that price.

@CountryJustice: You're getting less pixels on a 720p than 1080p. You're getting 360 less, to be exact.

On smaller screens, this probably won't be as noticable. However, on larger screens, you'll see image deterioration.

Think about those pictures with the fuzzy dots. As you are close, you can't see anything, but as you step back, you see a complete picture. The more dots you have, the closer you can be to the dots in order for your eyes to make sense of the picture.

The best thing for you to do is walk into a Best Buy or Circuit City and look at the flat screen TVs hanging on the wall in the size you're interested in. Take a look at a 1080p and a 720p and figure out what the difference means to YOU.

@CountryJustice: It's about the resolution of the screen, and getting a "sharper" image. However, A lot of people can't tell the difference between 720p and 1080p. I chose 1080p because it's a higher resolution and I use my TV as a computer monitor.

If you're just watching movies, or TV, then 720p shouldn't be much different than 1080, for most things.

Then again there are other things besides resolution that affect the picture, but everyone has their own "technologies" that make it harder to compare. My best bet was just going to a Big Box Retailer and viewing them myself. You get an ideal of how a show will look and you can judge them with your own eyes.

@chiieddy: While most of your advice is correct, I can't help but point out that 1080p is actually a resolution of 1080 * 1920 (vertical x horizontal) = 2,073,600 pixels. 720 * 1280 = 921,600 for the 720p, which gives you an *actual* difference of 1,152,000 pixels, or 3200 times as many as you claim. The advice still stands, assuming the retailer is pushing 1080p to all the HDTVs, you should be able to compare the two fairly easily.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I don't have a Xbox 360/PS3, HDTV package, or a Blu-Ray player. I was just looking for a bigger, widescreen TV to watch TV shows and movies on. That's the main reason I was wondering if the difference between 720p and 1080p is all that substantial.

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