tv not a 1080p but showing 1080p in movies and games?

Question

I got a 42in vizio 720p/1080i tv and some how i can play the xbox 360 in 1080p and my hd dvd player in 1080p.how is my tv doing this when it is not a 1080p tv. hey let me know because I'm enjoying 1080p without a 1080p tv

update i called vizio and they said this tv can output at 1080p if the source is there like a hd dvd player,blu ray or 360 or ps3.make you wonder way pay all that money for a 1080p tv

Answer 1

Two cases.

Your TV is a 1080p TV. Check the specs for its native resolution. If it is 1920x1080, then it is a 1080p TV.

Your TV is a 720p (1365x760) BUT CAN ACCEPT 1080p. You TV simply scales the 1080p signal DOWN. So you think you are watching 1080p, but you actually watch in 720p resolution.
If your TV is a 720p, I recommend using all your sources in 720p mode. This way you avoid one more scaling step.