HD 101: A Guide to High Definition
Why 1080p? What's the Big Difference from 720p and What's 1080i?
It seems like everything is being claimed as high definition (HD) these days. Youtube streams in HD. Now there are HD capable cell phones. The technology, it seems, knows no bounds in the brief time of its market presence. This is not a “what we think you should buy” article in terms of brands and products. Instead this will tell you everything you need to know about the tech and specs, so when you get to the store, you can choose yourself and not be at the mercy of an overly pushy sales associate.
What is High Def?
The term refers to increases in visual display resolutions. What this means is that every frame of a video is shown with one or two million pixels through a digitally compressed video format. For comparison purposes, the amount of pixels (the smallest units of a picture, thought of as dots or squares) is about double that of standard definition. This means, the detail in the display is much more intricate. There are of course varying degrees or types of HD. These types are, as with most things technology, constricted to a timeline of when they were introduced.
The first was 720p. The 720 number stands for the amount of scan lines which are a part of the display resolution. The letter stands for the form of delivering the display. In this case (p), it stands for progressive rather than interlaced. Therefore 1080p means it is a resolution with XXXX x 1080 pixeles and it is a non-interlaced or progressive scan. 1080i would be the interlaced model, interlacing is a way of improving quality without expanding bandwidth.
Why 1080p?
First of all it is capable of scaling any other input resolutions to size. If you are planning on using as very large computer monitor, 1080p is a good idea. It will give good computer connectivity at a 1920x1080 and won’t make you have to zoom the desktop or switch to lower resolutions just to see icons on the desktop in the right size. Also, if you are going for a much larger screen or want to watch fast occurring videos, 1080p is your choice. In truth, many larger sets are no longer made in 720p and interlacing has become the old king of a vanquished thrown. That being said, if you are just buying an extra 32 inch TV for a bedroom, 720p should serve more than fine in this tough economy.
Related Material:
- 720p vs. 1080p HDTVs: 2009 update; http://reviews.cnet.com/720p-vs-1080p-hdtv/
- 1080 and the Acuity of Human Vision; http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/1080p-and-the-acuity-of-human-vision
- What are 720p, 1080i and 1080p HDTV Resolutions?; http://tv.about.com/od/hdtv/a/whatisHDTV.htm