For HD TV & Sports viewing: 720p or 1080p?

[tinman30]

I'm a first time poster here, so I'm wet behind the ears and almost certainly short-sighted. That said, I'm finishing my basement and trying to figure out which HD Projector is the best fit for the family. My screen size will likely be 100"-110", and one small window (half moon in the door) in the room can be completely covered to block out any light.

Our primary viewing will likely be TV shows and sporting events (e.g. NCAA hoops, NFL, NASCAR) with a movie every week or so, and a game system in the future (likely the Wii). So I would love some viewpoints on what would be my better choice.

Multiple A/V reviews from varying sources have me leaning towards two Panasonic products:

720p: PT-AX200U
or
1080p: PT-AE2000U

I could ramble on with more info, but just looking for your insights. Cost is not an issue, but the $1,400 difference could definitely be applied to other parts of my future system (receiver, speakers, etc).

Thanks in advance for your help.

[rex]

I have seen a side by side comparison of 720p vs, 1080p on much smaller screens. The improvement is definitely noticeable, so if money is no object go for 1080p. That being said, if you are mainly watching TV, there are curently no broadcasts in 1080p; satellite is not even true 720p or 1080i since the signal is compressed. Still, I think you would definitely notice the improvement when watching Blu-ray movies.

[rlpiii]

It does not make much sense to buy a 720p projector if a 1080p projector is not that much more. I never bought any 720p displays once 1080p was available. Even though 1080p is not being broadcast, it does not mean that it will never be. Also, depending on your pre-amp or receiver you could up-convert to 1080p which is still better than up-converting to 720p. I think that on a screen size of ~9ft. as you are getting, you would see a difference between 720p and 1080p.

The ideal situation would be to see both projectors and A/B them on ~9ft. screen then you could really see if the difference in $ is worth it to you.

[tinman30]

Originally Posted by rlpiii

It does not make much sense to buy a 720p projector if a 1080p projector is not that much more. I never bought any 720p displays once 1080p was available. Even though 1080p is not being broadcast, it does not mean that it will never be. Also, depending on your pre-amp or receiver you could up-convert to 1080p which is still better than up-converting to 720p. I think that on a screen size of ~9ft. as you are getting, you would see a difference between 720p and 1080p.

The ideal situation would be to see both projectors and A/B them on ~9ft. screen then you could really see if the difference in $ is worth it to you.

Thanks for the responses. The one thing that stuck out in my mind is that much of our sports viewing will be during the day, when we would want the room to have lights on. I've read that the PT-AX200U (720p) is better suited for multipurpose use (day/night, sports/videogames/movies, etc). Can anyone out there attest that they love their PT-AE2000U - or any other comparable 1080p - for watching their Sunday afternoon sporting events?

Thanks again.