is it really necessary to go for 1080p over 720p? looking to buy 46-57" tv?

Question

all this talk about 2009 going digital? will it matter if the signal is broadcast in 1080 if i only have 720? i think it's a marketing scam.

Answer 1

Your 720p set will display 1080i just fine, since it's part of the DTV standard.

As far as the quality issue goes, 720p will still look better than standard NTSC (analog) TV. There's a good article on the 1080 quality debate at the source reference below.

Answer 2

On screen sizes like that and larger, there's a slight improvement in clarity. 720P looks just fine to me, though.