What appears to be a 1080p TV, may actually not be a 1080p TV

June 8, 2006

Buyer beware! If it isn't bad enough with the format wars for high definition, coupled with the strangling DRM of the content constraints, now we have to be darn careful if we decide to buy a device to watch the content upon! In a report last week, TD Daily wrote about some new 1080p displays hitting the market. Trouble is, only the chip inside the set can appreciate it, as the picture will be downrezzed to fit the resolution of the TV! Talk about misleading...

Chicago (IL) - Shame on us. Last week, we reported about four new LCD TVs from Hitachi that integrate a new generation video processor that is capable of "advanced 1080p histogram processing" for about $2200 in a 32" package. Our conclusion that the highest grade of high definition - that we generally see advertised in glossy ads and TV commercials - is finally heading for the mainstream was drawn too fast. Turns out, the existence of a 1080p processor does not necessarily translate into a 1080p capable TV.

Bill Whalen, senior prod manager at Hitachi, told us that while the chip can create and convert the highest resolution, the TV itself cannot. In fact, the chip may take a 1080i (interlaced) or 1080p source, convert it to 1080p (in case of 1080i sources) - and then render it back down to a resolution the TV actually supports. In the case of the four new Hitachi LCD TVs, which will be introduced later this year for prices between $2200 and $3000, that would be 768p (1366x768 progressive).