Why are HDTVs not advertised as 1080i anymore? Only 720p or 1080p?

Question

I bought a TV this spring and it was "1080i". Now I look in the flyers and there is not one TV advertised as 1080i...only 720p or 1080p. Even the TV I bought is only advertised as "720p" now.

Hmmm....I'm Canadian and looked at the Bestbuy American site and they still advertise 1080i...but on the same TV on the Canadian site they are 720p.

**I take that last comment back...the American site does not advertise 1080i anymore either**

Answer 1

From a technical point of view, if a TV can do 720p, it can certainly do 1080i as well. So 720p covers both.

Similarly, 1080p covers both 720p and 1080i. You never see a TV advertised as 1080p, 720p, 1080i, 480p, 480i (although the detailed specs may have all these numbers)

So 720p or 1080p keep the message simple and to the point.

Answer 2

Everyone is being told that they need a progressive scan tv by the people who have one.

Everyone in the consumer electronics marketing machine of the world thinks the same way. Especially if they can sell you another TV in the process.

The reality is no US TV broadcast can give you a 1080p signal if it is transmitted on over the air channels 2 through 69 anyway. The ATSC specifications do not allow 1080p. But High Definition DVD players and gaming systems can do 1080p.

720p, 1080i or 1080p sets can all display the same images it is just how well does it look for those who have the eyes and can tell the difference. And then it depends on the source. If the source is 480i the difference would depend on other factors such as contrast ratio for a person to say, "I like how it looks on that tv set."

If you cannot tell the difference from your chair then it does not matter which set you buy. If you can tell ... then it matters.

Answer 3

You have to understand what those numbers mean. The numbers 720 and 1080 refer to the number of horizontal lines of pixels on your screen. The letters i and p refer to how the picture is put together, interlaced or progressive. Interlaced means the the picture is drawn using even numbered lines first then odd numbered lines, eg, 2,4,6,8... then starting at the top again 1,3,5,7,9 etc. This happens so fast that you really don't notice it. Progressive is the other way, 1,2,3,4...to 1080.

Some televisions are advertised as 1080p but that does not mean that your screen in 1080. You can have a 720p screen which means it has a native resolution of 720 horizontal lines and it draws the picture progressively but it is capable of receiving a 1080p signal and will convert it down to 720p which will eliminate some of the picture.

A true high def screen will have a native resolution of 1920x1080. 1920 pixels across and 1080 pixels up vertically. The other thing to note is that the broadcast standard being adapted by North American broadcasters is 1080i. This is because the difference in cost between 1080i and 1080p technology is too great, especially when the average person could not see the difference in picture quality. Therefore, the only benefit to a 1080p T.V. is that you will be able to watch programs from a high definition DVD player playing in 1080p. Even then, most T.V's today will accept a 1080p signal and convert it down to 1080i or 720p.

Look folks, I don't care what TV guy says, if your native resolution is only 768 or 720 as it would be advertised and called, then there are only 768 horizontal lines of pixels on the display screen. Therefore, if a signal source is 1080, wether it be from a broadcaster or a DVD player, then it needs to be converted down by 312 lines in order to fit the 720 display. I'm not saying that a 720 display will not show a 1080 signal but you will have to change your settings from your source. For example, if you have a HD digital terminal from your cable provider and you have a 720 TV, you will need to change the setting in the terminal from 1080i to 720p in order for it to display on your screen. I know, I do this all the time in my job. 2478 points or not, TV guy has provided misinformation. And I don't know where he's from, but I've been watching ad for a long time and the only time you do not see the native resolution in the title of a TV ad is when it is not true high definition, for example 720. In those cases I will bet more time than not that if you look at the specs you will see the truth. But, if it is a true hi def than they will always advertise it as a 1080i or p right there for you to see. Don't take my word for it, check it out.

So I guess the shortest answer to the question is, because they have something to hide. But alot of good a short answer is.