Feb
16
The Basics of High Definition
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While most people know that high definition is important, they don’t know the specifics of how HD works. In addition, the only product on the market that can make total use of HD is Blu-ray disc.
The primary way HD is measured is through resolution. Resolution is defined by how many pixels and horizontal lines there are. The higher the resolution, the higher the price.
High definition resolutions have either 720 or 1,080 lines, and either 1,280 or 1,920 pixels per line. This is much better than the original type of DVD, which can only have 480 horizontal lines and up to 720 pixels per line.
In addition to what the resolutions are, how the picture is displayed also has an effect on the overall quality. Images can be formed by either interlaced or progressive scanning. Interlaced scanning involves displaying odd numbered lines first and then the even numbered lines, while progressive scanning displays lines in sequence.
Progressive scanning is visually better because it produces a clearer picture. However, it requires larger amounts of data, which can slow down transmission if hardware is not up to date.
The main HD resolutions are 720p, 1080i, and 1080p. The number of horizontal lines used is denoted by the number, and interlaced or progressive scanning is done so by the lowercase letter.
While many HDTVs offer 1080p resolution, which is the best available, no stations broadcast in that form. Blu-ray players have 1080p capability, which means you can view movies in the most optimal fashion. It is expected that stations will soon begin showing programs in 1080p resolution.
With all the talk of the differences between resolutions, it may become important to one to get the best resolution. Realistically, a 720p HDTV looks about the same as even a 1080p one. Logically, it is not economically justified to get the 1080p, especially if you are on a budget.