Plasma TV Resolutions
Have you gone to a store and looked at the specifications of a plasma TV, only to have no clue what they mean? Here is some helpful reference material to help you understand your potential plasma television purchase.
In resolution terms, people are often confused about the lines of resolution that a TV produces and may find themselves asking - Do I really need all the lines of resolution and how does it affect my picture quality?
1080p
This produces a resolution of 1080 lines of progressive video. Progressive video meaning it truly shows 1080 lines per frame. This is where the future of high definition wants to be.
1080i
This produces a resolution of 1080 lines of interlaced video or 540 lines per field. Interlaced video means that every other line is filled with resolution. 1081i delivers a half of a frame every 1/60th of second, while 1080P can delivery a full frame.
720p
This produces a resolution of 720 lines of progressive video. Progressive video means it show 720 lines per frame.
480p
This produces a resolution of 480 lines of progressive video. Progressive video means it shows 480 lines per frame. Standard DVD uses 480i or 480p. That gives you an idea of what the current standard is.
480i
This produces a resolution of 480 lines of interlaced video or 240 lines per field. Interlaced video means that every other line is filled with resolution, therefore the 240 lines per field. 480i delivers half of a frame every 1/60th of a second, while 480p can deliver a full 480 lines in a full frame.
Extra frame information
Sometime you see terms like 720p60 or 480p30. The extra numbers represent frames per second. 720p60 means 720 progressive lines at 60 frames per second. 480p30 means 480 progressive lines at 30 frames per second.
So what does this resolution terms mean to you?
The top end models will have the 1080p specifications but there are no TVs that accept the 1080p input signal. Why do they produce TVs if they have no 1080P input signal? Manufacturers want you to up convert your signal (i.e. 720P to 1080P). The future is providing video sources that can handle 1080P. It will take some time for that to happen.
It is added expense feature if a T.V has that feature.
The current broadcast in HDTV format is 1080i. In North America, the ATSC has approved 720P format. ATSC is the advanced television system committee that produces a standard for North America. Even if you have a 720p; the HDTV signal will be converted to 1080i and vice versa. All in good terms, you'll still get that great high definition picture we all crave about.
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