Help me understand pixel resolution......

brettw22

Ok.....I have a 17" laptop screen that's set to 1440 x 900 pixels (capable up to 1600 x 1200......

When looking at these TV's......if a TV is 1080p and has a resolution rating of 1920 x 1080, why is that constant if the screen sizes change (42", 50", 65", 73" etc).......

Wouldn't that ultimately mean that the bigger you go screen wise, the pixels are so big that they show distortion due to the larger pixel design?

I'm all for going with as big of a screen as I can when I upgrade my TV, but it just occurred to me that I essentially have the same resolution on my 17" laptop screen as some of these 1080p sets......which means that I wouldn't get any better image by multiplying my laptop monitor by 12-20........or am I missing something?

Serendipity

There is more to an image than just resolution...

You're right though, 1080p is 1080p. So you essentially have the same resolution whether you are looking at a 40" TV or a 73" TV.

dorokusai

If a train carrying a bunch of Bible thumping Baptists leaves Chicago, traveling at 65mph and another train leaves Salt Lake City, carrying a ****/**** barbershop quartet, at 75mph....which one will arrive in Dallas, Texas first?

WilliamM2

New TV's are no different than the old CRT's, larger screens also had the same resolution, and generally small sets had s a sharper picture.

As far as comparing it to your laptop, I would asume that you would sit much farther away from a TV than your laptop.

Systems

brettw22 wrote: »

Wouldn't that ultimately mean that the bigger you go screen wise, the pixels are so big that they show distortion due to the larger pixel design?

With plasmsa's its called SDE for screen door effect.It is usually not a problem with normal viewing distances because you would normally sit further back the bigger the display.

mrbigbluelight

dorokusai wrote: »

If a train carrying a bunch of Bible thumping Baptists leaves Chicago, traveling at 65mph and another train leaves Salt Lake City, carrying a ****/**** barbershop quartet, at 75mph....which one will arrive in Dallas, Texas first?

Trick question !!!

The Salt Lake City train will be de-railed within 25 miles of hitting the Missouri border (assuming the ****/**** barbershop quartets are all Mormons).

The Baptist train will have to stop around Branson, Missouri and all the Baptists will become entrapped by the excitement of the Hillbilly Hoedowns (and other fascinating attractions at Branson) and will never be able to leave.

So the answer is: Neither one will arrive in Dallas, Texas.

mulveling

You're also sitting a lot further from the TV than your monitor (I hope)...which brings the perceived pixel size back in line.

What you gain from a larger screen:
* ability to pack more friends/family into the "sweet spot" viewing zone
* not all of the "big TV wow" effect is negated, even if sitting as the same relative distance as from a smaller TV.
* big speakers make small TV look ridiculous
* companies usually only offer their most premium technologies in larger (and more expensive) sizes.

tonyb

dorokusai wrote: »

If a train carrying a bunch of Bible thumping Baptists leaves Chicago, traveling at 65mph and another train leaves Salt Lake City, carrying a ****/**** barbershop quartet, at 75mph....which one will arrive in Dallas, Texas first?

Crap,thats easy.......the ****/lesbians of coarse.

After all,isn't Texas all about **** and steers?

What this has to do with pixels,I have no friggin' idea.:p

Imperitor

brettw22 wrote: »

Wouldn't that ultimately mean that the bigger you go screen wise, the pixels are so big that they show distortion due to the larger pixel design?

Yes but you are about 2 feet from your monitor, and a lot farther from your tv (hopefully) so it won't look distorted unless you sit really close.. The chart on this post is nice to see how close you need to be to see the difference in resolutions.

Screen Resolutions

Hope it helps you out.