Over the last year the industry has been touting 1080p as “Full HD”. Giving the false presumption that you’re not getting the entire HD signal or worse yet, confusing consumers into thinking that anything not 1080p isn’t worth getting.

1080i and 720p
While 720p (1280x720) has less than half the resolution of 1080i (1920x1080), an HD source displayed on a 720p TV looks remarkable and is unmistakably high-definition. That’s not to say that since 1080i has twice the resolution it has twice the picture quality. It is also arguable that the interlacing of 1080i negates the extra resolution.

The simple truth is that 720p offers great HD picture quality and resolution at all TV sizes; even at the grand scale that projectors output. That doesn’t mean there’s no reason to get a 1080i/p TV. In fact, with 1080i you will see more detail in TVs bigger than 50+ inches.

1080p offers the benefit of more detail for TVs bigger than 50+ inches. For TVs smaller than 50 inches, simply look for the best possible image, price, and reliability and ignore the resolution specifications. For cheaper 50+ inch TVs you may only have 720p as an option, and that’s not a bad thing at all, as bringing an HDTV home at an affordable price is truly a great thing.

1080p and Audio Syncing
One of the biggest downsides to 1080p is the video processing required in the TV to make it work. Since it is bleeding edge technology, the processors can only work so fast which can cause the video signal to be delayed.

Some older 720p models had issues with video delay as well. The industry fix was to create receivers that have an audio delay function. This is total crap. Needing to buy a receiver to fix a problem that originates in a TV is nothing short of a patchwork fix, and a scam.

1080p Sources
Even though broadcasters aren’t likely to broadcast 1080p anytime soon, you can get 1080p resolution from high-definition DVD formats like HD-DVD and Blu-Ray as well as X-Box 360 and the soon to be released PS3. These units can also display 720p and 1080i.

The funny thing is that even if you have a 1080p TV, the TV may not have a 1080p connection. Many 1080p TVs only convert sources coming into them to 1080p.

Conclusion
1080p is merely a spec and should only remotely be considered important in TVs bigger than 50 inches. There is certainly nothing wrong with 1080i or 720p TVs. Enjoy the HD video, not the spec.

The HDMI cables used for connecting HD-upconverting DVD players, and new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray formats has been nothing short of a consumer rip-off. The industry has misinformed consumers that HDMI is the only way to connect HD sources when Component Video cables do just as good of a job at transmitting an HD signal.

The reality behind HDMI is that the industry doesn’t want analog cable connections like Component used for HD sources since there’s no copy protection. HDMI is the demanded connection for many HD sources almost only due to copyright protection schemes, and the consumer pays the price with high priced cables and TVs as young as two years old that may not have HDMI connectivity as an option.

Stores Only Stock Expensive Cables
To add insult to injury, most stores are only stocking high priced HDMI cables. In many cases the HDMI cable costs more than the DVD player itself. There is simply no reason for this other than consumer fleecing. Charging $100 for four feet of cable is an absolute joke.

Digital is Digital
Audiophiles and Videophiles alike are used to spending extra money on better analog cables to get better sound and picture quality. However, with digital cables, quality is not commensurate with price. A cheap digital cable can produce the same quality as an expensive one.  Digital audio cables have been out since the introduction of the DVD player in 1996, and as long as a digital cable can deliver those digital ones and zeros intact, there’s no audible difference from cheap throw-in cables and expensive cables.

The proof that HDMI cable is overpriced can be found online and at Wal-Mart. At Wal-Mart you can get an HDMI cable for $40, and online at monoprice.com you can find even cheaper HDMI cable prices. For example, you can get a 50-foot HDMI cable from monoprice.com for the same price a 6-foot cable costs at Best Buy. You can even get short runs in the $10-$20 range.

Consumers are being ripped off and the industry needs to be called on it.