If a TV can display 480i can it display 480p by default or does it have to be HD?

Answer 1

When talking resolutions and televisions you have to take into account if the set is analog or digital. There are numerous resolutions for televisions - breakdown below.

Analog TVs are 480i. 480p is when you move into a digital capable television.

Here's a breakdown of resolutions that will hopefully help you out, and also what is being broadcast in each.

There are numerous resolutions to Digital Programming, starting with 480p, then 720p, then 1080i and 1080p resolutions.

480p resolutions are standard broadcasts that will have a maximum resolution of 480p (same as a progressive scan DVD player). This is what you see when watching a digital channel and there are black bars on the side.

720p is the next step in the scale and is what is broadcast by many networks currently as it is the most universally accepted resolutions of TVs out there today. CBS does a lot of 720p for sporting events.

1080i comes next, and in many cases doesn't look as good as 720p, but is considered a higher resolution. This is what 80% of broadcasters are using for over the air, and through cable/satellite broadcasts.

1080p is the new buzz of the industry and very few sets on the market are even capable of it, only a few DLP TVs, and some LCD sets - the highest resolution plasma on the market is a 42" 1080i resolution set from Hitachi. Currently there are no broadcasts being done in 1080p and it will probably be a while before this actually happens over the air. The only way to get 1080p currently is through the brand new High Def Disc players - Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, though the first HD-DVD players that came out do not support it, only the newer models just released from Toshiba. Blu-Ray players will support and have many titles in 1080p.

I hope that this answered your question. You've made a good investment if your set is in fact a 1080p set and not a Virtual 1080p television.

If you have any other questions don't hesitate to email me through my profile, or check out my blog below for similar posts.

Answer 2

It's the other way around. A TV limited to 480i (usually the older CRT types) cannot display 480p nor will it accept 480p signals. However, a 480p set can accept either type. If it is a fixed-pixel set (LCD, plasma) it will display 480p regardless of the input. If it is a CRT, you may have the option of seeing a 480i or 480p (deinterlaced) picture, or it may automatically convert all to 480p as well.

There are 480p sets that are not HD (they are called "enhanced definition"), but they are disappearing in favor of true HDTV sets.

Answer 3

NO, a monitor that can display 480i can't by default display 480p.
However, a monitor could display 480p without being HD.
Sony has been selling professional 480p CRT monitors well before EDTVs came out. Old PC (CRT) monitors can still display 480p .