how long to wait for 1080p plasma?

Oak244,

You plan to go with Blu-ray, but are looking to buy a 1080i rather than 1080p monitor. This doesn't seem to make sense, given the reason for Blu-ray is the higher resolution 1080p.

db

Sorry I am new to Plasma and the offerings of these TV's.. I guess I do not know the difference between 1080i and 1080p.. All I know is I want to be able to play Blue Ray and such to the best of its ability.. so I do not want to buy the wrong equipment.

dc is smack on. By the time Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, 1080i vs 1080p shakes out Canon and Toshiba will be launching SET technology. From what I understand SET is raising the bar significantly. I've got one plasma and I love it, but before I make my next purchase I'm holding out for SET.

I'm not so sure SET is the answer. From what I hear, they will be focusing on the professional community with the initial offerings and it will probably take years before trickling down to consumers. On the other hand, there is already development going on for 1440 displays, so it will be another "age of uncertainty". Only this time for video instead of audio.

In terms of all this resolution hysteria, the question I have is just how close do you really want to sit to your TV? The difference between 1080p and 720p on a 50" screen can only be seen at a distance of about 6 feet or so. Past that distance things like black levels, color saturation and response time are more important to picture quality than resolution.