Does screen size really matter ?
 

Is an HD DVD Player useless if you only have a 32" LCD tv ? My friend said I won't even notice the difference on my 32" screen. Is this true since I was planning on picking up the 360 add on. Thanks.

Yes...Size does matter. It begins at about 60".

I have a 30 inch HDTV in my bedroom. Looks much better with HD-dvd.

I read that I wouldnt notice a difference on my 34 inch Sony Tube. Not true. Huge difference. Impressed all my friends. Go for it.

It's actually a combination of screen size and viewing distance that matters. Basically, the farther away you site, the bigger the screen you'll need for it to be noticeable.

You can check out this site to figure out the viewing distance needed for your tv:

http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...alculator.html

Basically, with a 32" 1080 HDTV, sitting anything further than 4 feet away and you're losing detail. Of course, most LCD TVs are 720p resolution, so you could probably increase the distance to 8 feet before your eyes won't be able to tell the difference between HD and SD.

This chart might help too:
http://www.carltonbale.com/blog/2006...p-does-matter/

If you have any friends with the add-on, see if you can borrow theirs and view it on your screen before you take the plunge.

I would absolutely buy an HD-DVD add on for a 32" TV but only if your seating arrangment has it so your fairly close to your TV. If your watching your 32" set at like 9-10 feet away then you wont notice any difference at all. 32" is plenty big enough to see the difference between HD & SD, again it just depends on how far away you sit. So if your sitting pretty close to your TV then go for it, you wont be disapponited however if your sitting far awy most of the time, save your money and invest in a bigger TV.

PS..

I have two systems:
HDA1 > Panny 900 > 133" screen @ 720P
and
XBox360 add-on > Westy LVM 42" screen @ 1080P.

Both are totally different experiences, both are great in their own way.
I say no matter what the screen size, get the HD-DVD player, you will enjoy it!

You missed the most important thing.

The "what can the TV support" and "what resolution" is question #1.

"If" the TV has component inputs or better. Many of that size do not.

Seating arrangements are a huge, huge afterthought.

Many 32" hdtvs don't have component, dvi, or hdmi? That's news to me...

Also, he's going to see good picture even if his television "ony" supports 720p or 1080i.

Thanks for all the feedback, I decided to order the Xbox 360 HD Drive due to everyones advice. My Tv is a Westinghouse that supports up to 1080i, I have my 360 connected through VGA. I will adjust my viewing distance accordingly.

I think you will see a difference...Remember, the benefits arent only in improved clarity but the "way it looks", if that makes sense. The picture is just more "fluid" than watching SDVD. Have fun, and tell us what ya think.

I have a HD antenna on a 26" LCD and I notice the difference. I also connected my PS3 to it, and it seems better. I still haven't done a A-B comparison with DVD/BD

On my 55", the 360 and HD-DVD look great.

As I just said in another thread, HD discs look amazing on my 36" Toshiba HDTV, whether I'm six feet away, ten feet away, or sitting with my nose to the TV (not that I do that...). Absolutely worth the money.

I'd second that.

I can see a big difference on a 42" display (in stores). That's the smallest screen I've seen HD content played on.

My brother has a 32" HD LCD and just bought an XBox 360. He didn't have the HD cables, though. I told him he was really missing out by not feeding the display an HD signal.

He had been saying that the graphics were awesome without the HD cable, but after he finally bought the HD cable he sees a "night and day" difference. Needless to say, he won't use it without HD now. Now he's all set to get the HD DVD add on. Being able to buy it incrementally really helps.

I know feel inadequate with my 122" :(

LOL at kvrdave! When I have a house, I will be buying a projector and a 122" screen sounds pretty damn good. I've been reading some interesting stuff over on AVS about the 2.35:1 screens and set-ups.

I honestly don't think I will ever buy a TV set bigger than 40-42 inches, but I would still want 1080P just because I am OCD. If I think I am missing something I will be thinking about that all thru the movie. Used to happen when I watched VHS at friend's houses back when I had my LD player.

It's not the screen size that counts, its what you do with it.

:lol:

I have a 30" Sony CRT and I can also notice a considerable difference between HD and DVD. Enemy of the State was a prime example. The BD had so much more detail and life to the picture. It made the dvd look soft with lifeless color.

I also have a Sony 30" CRT set and also notice a huge difference with HD DVD and BD discs. Don't think for a moment you have to have a larger set to appreciate the new formats.

I have a 136" 2.35:1 screen and will never go back to a 16x9 screen again. HD-DVD looks fantastic even at 720p.

I have a 32" inch HD-set, and while I can tell the difference between HD and SD pretty well, it's not that huge, not because the HD looks "worse" than it should, but that the SD stuff looks a lot better than it would on a bigger TV. A screen bigger than 32" will bring out the imperfections of an SD image a lot more than the smaller screen would.

So comparing images on a bigger screen is a lot more "night & day" than it is on a smaller screen, only because it brings out the flaws a lot more.

I could very clearly tell what was SD and what was HD on my old 26" LCD, even if I was sitting 7 feet away.

Me too. I only have space for about 100-106 with my speakers. And am using a 90. Woe is us. Poor, pitiful little screens.