720p vs. 1080p HDTVs: 2009 update5. What kinds of TV technologies offer 1080p resolution?Aside from CRT which has been basically discontinued, everything comes in 1080p versions. That means you can find 1080p-capable versions utilizing all fixed-pixel technologies, including what's left of microdisplays (DLP, LCoS, and LCD rear-projection/front-projection) and flat panels (plasma and LCD). Of course, as specified above, more affordable entry-level models are still limited to 720p resolution. But whatever the resolution, all fixed-pixel (non-CRT) TVs are essentially progressive-scan technologies. So when the incoming source is interlaced (1080i or even good old-fashioned 480i standard definition), they convert it to progressive-scan for display.At this point, I could just expand on that last point and specify that all fixed-pixel screens always display video at their native resolution. The process of converting resolution is called scaling--or sometimes called upconverting or downconverting. A related factor is deinterlacing (see point number 8, below). How well a TV does (or does not handle) these processes is a big factor in how desirable it is--and something that casual shoppers often overlook since, compared to the screen size or resolution, it's not as easy to show as a spec sheet bullet point. This whole previous paragraph should probably be put in bold though, because the message never seems to get through. So, at the risk of overkill, let's restate it with specific resolutions. 6. What happens when you feed a 1080i signal to a 720p TV?The 1080i signal is deinterlaced, then scaled (downconverted) to 720p. Nearly all recent HDTVs are able to do this.7. What happens when you feed a 1080p signal to 720p TV?Assuming the TV can accept a 1080p signal, it will be scaled to 720p. But the caveat is that many older 720p and even some 1080p models cannot handle 1080p signals at all. In which case, you'll get a blank screen. Thankfully, most newer HDTVs can accept 1080p signals.8. What happens when you feed a 1080i signal to a 1080p TV?It's converted to 1080p with no resolution conversion. Instead, the 1080i signal is deinterlaced for display in 1080p. Some HDTVs perform a better job of this deinterlacing process than others, but usually the artifacts caused by improper deinterlacing are difficult for most viewers to spot.Tags: 1080p, TV, LG Electronics Inc., HDTV, manufacturer |
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