HD might be good, but it still doesn't beat real nature, even when that nature comes to you through a window. In a recent study people who looked through a window at a natural scene recovered faster from minor stress than people who looked at the same scene on a HD plasma screen. People looking at the HD plasma recovered as soon as they looked at a blank wall...
Still the people looked as much at the plasma screen as they did at the window, however the plasma screen held the attention of the participants less than the window did. The more often they looked out of the window the faster their heartbeat decreased, when looking at the plasma screen nothing happened.
Interesting would be to know what happened if the participants didn't know they were looking at a plasma screen (by hiding it) and at what definition (which might not commercially be available yet) they would not be able to measure a difference.
I think it depends on the scene, some examples:
if it showed:
- footie on the plasma vs window of park
- xxx on plasma vs window of park
- console game on plamas vs window of park
I'm sure hearts will beat quite fast. 
"recovered faster from minor stress"
What? LOL. I get this visual of some poor bastard who has the shakes because he almost got run over by a car. He's just in minor stress. If the car had actually hit him, then I'm sure it would be major stress. Anyway, getting back to the story. Joe, let's call him Joe, is in this hospital with minor stress and they put him in this white room with absolutely no windows, just a plasma screen. Now, the first thing going through Joe's mind is, "c'mon, what the fuck?". Then the doctors (AKA "researchers") flip the switch and on comes the plasma. Beautiful waves, swaying palm trees, singing birds... you get the idea. Now, if you were Joe, do you think with all this you'd have more stress, or less? Think about it.
This message was edited at: 17-06-2008 21:55
Hmmm, this was my problem in school. I was always more interested in the squirrel on the wire outside the window.
This study is most interesting indeed and I find it remarkable that someone paid to have it done. But, the results are certainly food for thought.
People are funny. Once I read that when you speak, your blood pressure will rise. However, when people speak to say a pet dog or cat, for some reason, their blood pressure goes down.
@ BitRate
Already been done. It's called Survivor.
In theory, everything you said sounds good but then in the outside world I wouldn't be able to chew bubblegum while kicking some alien ass.
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