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It seems that many people are in the market for an HDTV right now. With the Super Bowl fast approaching and the holiday splurges fading from memory, the lure of that new TV is hard to resist.

There are a lot of decisions to be made when choosing an HDTV. Do you want Plasma or LCD? Direct view or rear projection? How many inches? And then there’s the thousand-dollar question:
What resolution do you really need?

Of course, almost everyone would take the very best solution they can manage. However, you can save yourself a considerable amount of money if you realize that you can’t see or dont’ care about the difference between 720p and 1080p. That knowledge could mean a difference of $1,500 or more for the same size television.

I have found composed a resolution comparison demo video help illustrate the differences between the different television resolutions. The source file is a 1080p clip made by Red Digital Cinema with their jaw-dropping Red One (2540p @60fps native) camera.

The video is 1920×1080, silent, and composed of several sections:
SD (standard definition)
ED (enhanced definition)
720p
1080p

In the full-length comparison, each of the reduced resolutions is demonstrated in two ways. First, it is displayed in native resolution to demonstrate the original pixel dimensions of the clip. Next it plays again in fullscreen to simulate the picture quality of a television of a fixed size stretching the indicated resolution to cover.

(Click here for a full-resolution screen capture)

The comparison ends with a fullscreen side-by-side comparison with 1080p, 720p, and 480p bars of the same film striped across the screen. This side-by-side segment is also available by itself in a separate download.

Most computer screens aren’t as big as 1920×1080. If your screen is not that big, I suggest watching the video at 100% zoom so the pixels aren’t distorted.

Download Torrents Here

There are two versions of the HD resolution comparisons available:
Torrent full comparison video. (232MB)

Torrent side-by-side comparison only. (50MB)

Some friends and I went to see Date Movie last night. While some of the jokes were genuinely funny, most of them were dragged out for way too long. For example: the cat’s toilet monologue, the opening dance number, and the introductory scene for “Andy” could have all been cut down by 75%.

Several of the gags, such as the bum fighting, charred mother’s remains, and zit popping scenes were completely over the line. The writer/directors for these movies need to realize that drilling the humor into the ground isn’t the best way to make audiences laugh. Bring on the subtle humor. Bring on the nuance. Bring on the Knights Who Say Ni!

Sharon: “I feel like I almost got my seven dollars worth.”
Paul: “You paid nine dollars for that ticket.”
Patrick: “I certainly didn’t get nine dollars worth of entertainment.”
Ian: “Is it just me, or are comedies just not as funny these days?”
Emily: “It’s not just you.”
Rating: 2.0/5

Emily and I just got back from The World’s Fastest Indian (trailer) starring Anthony Hopkins. We both agree the film earns our “best uplifting new release in recent memory� award.

Despite this film’s decent television ad campaign in the last week, it is only playing at two indie theaters here in the Emerald City. Considering that this movie has been out for some time in New Zealand, I can only the US theaters are taking it slow and letting the lower budget theaters test the waters. Of course, I don’t know what they’re waiting for. It’s not as if there’s anything else worth watching right now. Just two days ago, Big Momma’s House 2 was the most widely screened movie in the area.

Finally, we also agree this movie deserves the “biggest misuse of suspenseful music� award for the scene where Burt approached the mystery house after his trailer broke down.
Rating: 4.5/5

Other recent movies of note:

Memoirs of a Geisha
Emily: “I wish it would have delved more into the traditions of Geisha.�
Ian: “I wish they would have played up Sayuri’s sharp wit.�
Rating: 4.0/5

Underworld: Evolution
John: “I’ve seen worse.�
Ian: “I’ve never seen anything worse.�
Rating: 0.5/5

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Emily: “Don’t take your kid.�
Ian: “The bow was the most useless prop ever.�
Rating: 3.5/5