What exactly are 720i, 720p, 1080 i and 1080 p resolutions?

Answer 1

720i does not exist. No 1080p is being broadcast right now. It's either 720p or 1080i. LCD and DLP TV sets that have 1080p displays convert the 1080i signal to 1080p for display by what is called "de-interlacing". They convert 720p, 480p and 480i signals to 1080p also ("scaling"). Some video games and future high definition DVD players will output 1080p, but very few sets at this time can accept that input. Finally, the full resolution is (horizontal x vertical pixels) 1280 x 720 for 720p; 1920 x 1080 for 1080i or 1080p.

Answer 2

To explain it in simple terms, here's is it

Pixel Count (The amount of details the Tv can produce)
720p = 1280 x 720 x 50** = 46 million pixels of details
1080i = 1920 x 1080 x 25* = 52 million pixels of details
1080p = 1920 x 1080 x 50** = 104 million pixels of details


*1/25 second is the time taken for interlaced piture to scan its top+bottom fields
**1/50 second is the time taken for progressive scan picture to scan both fields

Conculsion - at a time, 52million pixels and 46million pixels of details are displayed on a 1080i and 720p respectively. Although 720p loses out 6million pixels of details, but because of its Progressive Scan, movements/motion on 720p are displayed more naturally. U can say that 1080i will only be better than 720p if a still image is being displayed. =) Of course 1080p is the very best among all. There's no 720i btw.

Source(s):

"What Video" a professional HDTV magazine.

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What exactly are 720i, 720p, 1080 i and 1080 p resolutions?

Answer 4

720p Vs 720i

Answer 5

i = Interlaced scan and p = Progressive scan.

Interlaced scan means in one 'pass' every other horizontal line on the screen is drawn, and on the next pass, the remaining are drawn. This has less picture quality than progressive scan, which draws all the lines in each pass. 720, 1080, are just the number of lines. 1080p is the top end right now.