HDTV Forum

On my Pio Pro 910 which can do 720p and 1080i would it be better to watch Fox at 720p and CBS at 1080i when the native resolution of the set is 1024 x 768.

The Pioneer 910 is a plasma that while it ACCEPTS all the usual source scan rates, it ONLY DISPLAYS 1024x768. There are always scaling artifacts, but it is better with 720p. 480i and 480p look horrible to me on this particular TV, as the internal scaler does a very poor job with these two rates. I installed one for a coworker's Father-in-law and he was totally dissapointed with it. His Father-in-law, however, liked the idea of having a plasma and didn't mind the scaling artifacts.

TommeyJ, It's a GREAT set for watching ABC, ESPN, and FOX. The pixel errors that come from scaling from 720 to 768 are minor. When watching CBS or NBC at 1080i, you won't see the errors, at least I couldn't, but you are losing some resolution, even if you don't notice it. The deinterlacing of the 1080i signal to 768p is handled quite well by your set. IMO, however, it is a TERRIBLE TV for watching DVD. Sorry. It just can't do it well.

As far as which one looks better... I prefer 720p on your TV. But only by a smidgen.

it is a TERRIBLE TV for watching DVD

Using 480I/480P yes. The fix is scaling DVD to 720P using an external scaler, a DVI enabled player or a gray market 720P component video player. The Zenith could work too, it is not gray market (they screwed up by enabling the analog video at HD scan rates).

I have the LG 3200A hooked up to this set and have scaled all signals to 720p. I have a 59avi Pio dvd player scaled to 720p and I think the picture looks preety good. You are absolutly right on the 480i signal on the Pio 910HD. It looks terrible. I have a Panasonic TH-42PHD6UY in the bedroom with the HD Tivo and at 480p sd pictures look so good. After watching these two plasmas for the last 4 months the HD looks better on the PIO and the SD looks better on the Panny. Both these sets have been calibrated. Just my thoughts.