HDTV gets lost on small screens

1080p, the maximum image resolution for high-definition television, used to be found only on big-screen models with price tags in the thousands. But 1080p resolution has become so commonplace that it's being offered on models in the low 20-inch range, with prices down to $300. That sounds great for TV watchers on a budget or with limited space for a set. But there's a catch: On a relatively small screen, the benefits of this resolution level -- which crams 1,080 lines of digital information onto the display -- are minuscule.

But increased availability of smaller sets with 1080p displays can't be attributed solely to hype. In part, it happened because of who was making the TVs. Television manufacturers such as ViewSonic and Hannspree, used to be known primarily for their computer monitors. And 1080p does make sense, visually, for monitors. "It's really easy to tell the difference between 720p and 1080p when you're on a computer because text and graphics have lots of hard edges and the resolution difference there," said Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies Corp. "If you're hooking it up to a computer, no ifs ands or buts, get your 1080p." Making the leap into TVs was not difficult for these manufacturers. "If you're already making computer monitors, adding a TV tuner isn't very expensive," Gagnon said, "and it gets you into a whole new market."