The Seven Days of Super Bowl in HD

An estimated two and a half million people are buying an HDTV for the big game this Sunday. Hard to believe, but last weekend, we saw plenty of pickups loading up big boxes at the big box stores. Though considering that CBS will be deploying 43 high definition cameras to catch all the action, it would be sacrilegious to watch in standard def.

In recognition of this super sociological sporting event, we are bringing you a playbook for scoring a winning touchdown that will have your party guests dancing an end zone celebration in your honor. (From now on, we pledge to try to keep our sports references to a minimum.)

Day One
Buying the HDTV

For many of you, our proverbial first day is past history. You have already succumbed to the allure of a super set. Presumably you had done your homework and made a judicious purchase. (If you wish, you can proceed directly on to Day Two.)

If you are still in the market, one of the first ways to filter through the choices of HDTVs available is by type: LCDs, plasmas, or rear projection TVs. (You can find a listing of the historical advantages and disadvantages of each type of TV in Evan Powell's article, Getting the Big Picture.)

To bring the discussion up to date, let's begin with rear projection TVs, (RPTV), which come in different technological flavors; but basically, inside the box behind the screen, a small light engine projects that image of Peyton Manning onto a set of mirrors, which enlarges the picture to the size of the TV's screen. Traditionally, the major advantage of RPTVs is the bang for the buck. Bang in this case is screen size. Compared to what you would pay for a plasma or LCD at a screen size like 60"; (if you could even find a plasma or LCD at that size), an RPTV is less expensive, often in the under $2000 category.

Because of all the different models and projection technologies, (LCD, DLP, and LCOS), we will not discuss picture quality. For many people, the quality is more than satisfactory, especially considering the size advantage. For others, when they see the bulky shape, the response is "don't even think about bringing that thing into this house."

To be fair, newer RPTVs have been on a tummy tightening diet with some thinning to less than a foot deep. Also, don't be fooled by their girth, that little light engine and mirrors do not weigh a lot. Even the 60" models tip the scales at around 100 pounds.

But if the RPTV profile is a non-starter and you or your significant other will settle for nothing less than a waif-like flat screen TV, then we are talking plasma or LCD. The battle over bragging rights continues to wage with each camp claiming must-have advantages over the other. And both teams are working overtime to improve on their deficiencies. Still, the common wisdom says that LCDs work better if a room is brightly lit and their screens aren't as reflective as plasmas. On the other side of the field, plasma proponents point to deeper black levels and better contrast. They also claim that plasma handles fast action scenes more adeptly.

Currently, (pre Super Bowl XLI), all things being equal, we prefer the added dimensionality that those vaunted black levels give a plasma display. We have never been that bothered by plasma's screen reflectivity. And since for almost everybody in 49 of the 50 states the sun will have set by the time Prince heats up the halftime show; on this particular Sunday, LCD's edge in brightly lit environments diminishes.

Pioneer PDP-6070HD
60" Plasma
Side View

Now, at the start of 2007, more 1080p LCD models are available. Most plasmas are still in the 720p resolution realm. (Our opinions haven't changed significantly from our article, To 1080p or not to 1080p.)

CBS will be broadcasting the game in 1080i. For those sitting close enough to the TV, they might notice more detail in the picture on a 1080p display. Of course, after your eyes are lubricated by a couple of beers, forget about sharpness.

If you are planning a football team sized party (a dozen or more), then you need to think about viewing angle, which simply is how far off center you are sitting. Unless you have installed stadium seating in your den, probably a few unlucky fans will be located off to the sides.

Viewing angle is critical because the farther off center usually the lower the picture quality. The image has a tendency to wash out and your friends won't be so impressed with your new status symbol.

From our experience, plasmas definitely can present a superior image over a wider viewing angle. Even though a lot of LCD manufacturers are touting wide viewing angles, we have found that feature is not consistent from model to model and sometimes anything over 55 degrees off center is totally unwatchable.

If you are scoping out TVs in a store, simply begin by looking at the picture from straight on and then start sauntering to the side and see when the image becomes unacceptable. We will discuss how you can compensate for viewing angles in our Day Three article.

To recap Day One of the Seven Days of Super Bowl, deciding on which HDTV to buy boils down to which factors, (screen size, picture quality, resolution, viewing angle), are the highest priority for you. We lean towards plasma because we prize picture quality and viewing angle. Though we have seen some great looking, sharp 1080p LCDs. And being able to buy a 60" RPTV for around $1500 is appealing.

Of course if you can spring for Panasonic's 103" 1080p plasma, you have the best of all HD worlds - though your pocketbook will be about $70,000 lighter.

Ah, what a high definition Sunday it will be.