Help me understand pixel resolution......

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brettw22
brettw22 Posts: 7,623
edited March 2008 in Electronics
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?
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited March 2008
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    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.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,640
    edited March 2008
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    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?
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,811
    edited March 2008
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    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.
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,872
    edited March 2008
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    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.
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  • mrbigbluelight
    mrbigbluelight Posts: 9,878
    edited March 2008
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    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.
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  • mulveling
    mulveling Posts: 505
    edited March 2008
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    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.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,077
    edited March 2008
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    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
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  • Imperitor
    Imperitor Posts: 235
    edited March 2008
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    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.
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