What are the standards for high definition broadcasting?
There are two high definition broadcast formats: 1080i and 720p. These numbers correspond to the number of horizontal lines in the signal. 1080i creates a picture with 1080 vertical lines, each consisting of 1920 pixels horizontally, for a 1920 x 1080 (16 x 9) aspect ratio. The “i” stands for interlaced, meaning odd and even lines of information are sent to the display in alternating order to create the picture. 720p creates a picture with 720 vertical lines, each consisting of 1280 pixels horizontally, for a 1280 x 720 (16 x 9) aspect ratio. The “p” stands for progressive, meaning lines of information are sent to the display in sequential order to create the picture. As a result, 1080i provides the highest possible resolution, while 720p can provide a more stable rendition of moving images. But that all depends on the resolution of your TV itself.
