# Blu-Ray on a 1080i TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 2, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-on-a-1080i-tv/527448 "2010-02-02T22:55:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-on-a-1080i-tv/527448/21 "2010-02-04T21:56:29Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > I guess I’m unclear why a TV w/ a split-screen function is not a good comparison for two different inputs simply because it’s at a big box, as long as the source for each side is correct for what it purports to be inputting? > > It’s my personal opinion that a split screen is a better comparison because it shows the difference for a given TV, versus two TVs side-by-side that have to be otherwise set up exactly the same; i.e. a splt screen eliminates all variables but the source. Because it’s not a real split screen function. It’s artificially created, and designed for one thing - selling bluray players, and not “giving you a chance to decide for yourself.” The decision’s been made at that point. It’s being played off of ONE input. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-on-a-1080i-tv/527448/22 "2010-02-04T22:02:55Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Because it’s not a real split screen function. It’s artificially created, and designed for one thing - selling bluray players, and not “giving you a chance to decide for yourself.” The decision’s been made at that point. It’s being played off of ONE input. Not necessarily. A split screen can happily show two different inputs on lots of TVs. It’s still unclear to me why doing this in a big box is inferior to doing it at a high-end TV store. I shop online, so I have no dog in this hunt, but I have been in ordinary big box stores and seen split screen comparisons with two different inputs. Looks like the image I linked. As far as being designed to sell you BluRay, well of course it is. That what stores are for, big box or specialty. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-on-a-1080i-tv/527448/23 "2010-02-04T22:08:34Z")
All I can say is I have a 52" Sony and by changing inputs and sources I can go from broadcast TV to HD TV to DVD, to DVD upconverted to Blu-Ray. There is a noticeable jump in quality with each change I described above. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-on-a-1080i-tv/527448/24 "2010-02-05T01:27:27Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > Not necessarily. A split screen can happily show two different inputs on lots of TVs. It’s still unclear to me why doing this in a big box is inferior to doing it at a high-end TV store. I shop online, so I have no dog in this hunt, but I have been in ordinary big box stores and seen split screen comparisons with two different inputs. Looks like the image I linked. > > As far as being designed to sell you BluRay, well of course it is. That what stores are for, big box or specialty. You’re misunderstand what I posted. I’m not saying to do a split-screen at a high-end store over a box store. I’m saying “don’t look at a split screen, because they’re bogus\*”. I’ve NEVER seen a split-screen that wasn’t a contrived image playing from one input - usually a bluray player with a special promo disc from the manufacturer to “clearly show” the superiority of bluray over regular DVD. The result looks just like the image you linked. \*I specifically said “side-by-side” (i.e. two screens) and “switch between inputs” (one screen, copious use of the “Input” button). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-on-a-1080i-tv/527448.md?page=1)