I am a huge fan of HDTV's and have been drueling over them at Best Buy for a long time. My current favorite is the Samsung DLP. I would like some definitive explanations of the different resolutions and formats. I'm not even sure what exactly to ask, but I will start with a specific question, and please fell free to elaborate and go off on as many tangents as you like! The Samsung DLP is listed as 1280x720 resolution, and it also says that everything is converted to 720p (what is the p?) format. But, the Best Buy guy told me that the tv is also capable of 1280i. I don't really understand the difference, and when I see something like #x# I assume that it is dimensions, i.e. the tv has 1280 pixels width-wise and 720 pixels height-wise. All I know for certain is that the bigger the number the better the resolution, and that regular tv is 480i (what is the i?), and that the most common hdtv format is 1080i.
PLEASE HELP! Thank you!
J. Vigne
Unregistered guest
Posted on
plug HDTV resolution into a Google search and you will find your answer.
That's how I got here, looking for the same information (or more of it, to be exact).
I know this much so far... 1920x1080 allows 1080i format HDTV with 1,080 horizontal scan lines in an interlaced format (the first 540 odd-numbered lines in one frame, then remaining 540 even-numbered lines in the next frame of video). He was mistaken about 1280i is not an HDTV spec.
1280x720 resolution allows 720p horiz. lines in a progressive format (all 720 lines are displayed in every frame of video) which is arguably better in perceived quality since there is twice the rate of complete frames displayed. The NFL is focusing on this format currently. The Samsung can convert the 1080i signal to 720p display with digital signal processing.
Regular TV is not 480i actually, but since some of its scan lines aren't shown (off screen) that's not a bad approximation. DVD video is usually framed at 720x480 resolution in widescreen & 640x480 fullscreen so that it can be played by most new DVD players as 480i or 480p (interleaved or progressive scan modes). These are not technically HDTV signals.
Lastly, I think there is an Extended EDTV spec around called 540p which would be 960x540 resolution by my guess.
The kicker is finding a digital display(LCD or DLP or Plasma) with 1920x1080 pixel capability in any reasonable size and price range. Most HDTV's are converting the digital image data to an analog display system (projection guns, CRT tubes) which can't quite do justice in image quality to the full potential of this signal format.