HD TV Screen Resolution
Televisions that support high definition programming usually carry the "HD ready" logo. This stamp of approval means that the TV screen supports the HD screen resolution and carrying it requires the TV to meet certain specification requirements.
There are three types of screen resolution to choose from on HD approved television sets: 720p, 1080p and 1080i. The number refers to the number of horizontal lines per frame and the letter to how these lines are scanned onto your TV.
i = interlaced:Devices that use interlaced scanning paint odd numbered followed by even numbered scan lines (referred to as a field) on to your screen. Each field is updated 50 times per second. While interlacing works well on smaller sets, on bigger TV screens the refreshing process may be more visible to the eye, creating occasional flickering.
p = progressive:Progressive scanning paints all of the scan lines onto the screen at the exact same time sequentially as a single frame, 25 times per second. This means a progressive scan has fewer jagged edges and can show movement in better detail with fewer trails.
720p: 720p contains 720 horizontal lines of picture data per frame using a progressive scan.
1080p: contains 1080 horizontal lines of picture data per frame using a progressive scan, giving a slightly better quality image than 720p.
1080i: contains 540 horizontal lines of picture data per field (2 fields = 1 frame) using an interlaced scan.
Remember, the larger the screen you purchase, the more you'll notice the difference in quality - a 1080p is the optimum choice for a large widescreen TV.
