Q: What are the 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p numbers?

A: These are video formats: the numbers represent the total active lines of the image; (the higher the number the more total lines) the last letter (i or p) indicates how your TV displays these lines. “i” stands for interlaced which means that the display shows every other line in a picture frame in one pass, then shows the remaining lines in the next pass. “p” stands for “progressive” and in this format all the lines in a picture frame are shown in one pass.  In general progressive is smoother than interfaced (more film–like) but requires twice the bandwidth; interlaced is not as smooth but can send more pixels in a given bandwidth.  For example, the 720p and 1080i uses the same bandwidth; 720p generates a smoother image, while 1080i shows more detail.

BACK TO FAQ DIRECTORY