No, I am not missing the point. The HDTV's will display exactly what they say they do baring that the input is not exceeding the HDTV's native resolution. I have said this before.

Fixed-pixel displays follow a few basic rules:

No matter the resolution of the source material, whether VHS, DVD, or HDTV, a fixed-pixel display will always convert, or scale, it to fit its native resolution.

If the incoming source has more pixels than the displays native resolution, you will lose some visible detail and sharpness, though often what you're left with still looks great.

If the incoming source has fewer pixels than the native resolution, you're not getting any extra sharpness from the television's pixels.

So a good portion of HDTV's have poorer processing, it's still not something the average consumer is concerned with because there really isn't enough of a significant difference for most to tell. As long as the new source is sharper and cleaner to what they were a custom to before the word HDTV ever existed they are happy. Once they are in, they will eventually grow and learn with this evolving industry.

Please don't underestimate the darn Overscan, still present from the old ages...

The statment is meant to be taken in a general context.

I would go further and say that an informed consumer should ask for the remote and make adjustments. I have seen sets that the colour was poorly set up, probably to sell the one with higher profit margin that was properly set up. These techniques are very old but people just do not get it and most never will.

Manufacturers specifications are simply a marketing tool. There are some manufacturers that are reliable but the problem as consumers is how to identify which are legitimate. One should try and surf the net and get as much information as they can but at the end of the day nothing should replace viewing and tweaking the adjustments yourself. Did you all know that in the USA, products can contain 97% MSG in food and still be able to advertise MSG free? Why would you expect this kind of practice would not apply to all consumer products. Governments did the largest disservice to consumers when they allow de-regulation. Manufacturers are now permitted to display statistics without an independent testing agency to confirm reliability.

Now should you believe what that web site reviwer states? After all it's a .com not .org. As long as there is advertising how do you know that what you just read is legit? Maybe he sells those products that he reviewed favorably, maybe not. Are you qualified enough to understand his test method? Does he have the same viewing taste as you? Are his eyes equal to yours? Or is it that people just believe the reviewers because they use terminology that a they do not understand, so the reviewer must be correct attitude?

Why not bring your own disc with fast action sequence, my favorite disc just so happens to be the same one the reviewer uses, The Fifth Element. That is the one of the few discs that I have that if feel has it all. Bring your own test disc with the Indian head and see how the set handles jitter etc... Why would people spend 2 or 3 thousand dollars without testing? that's what advertising and reviews are for, to convince the meek minded that they don't have to think just go in and buy it because I said so and got paid very well for it. The better the reviewer does his job the more money he gets $$$.