When it comes to HDTV what does 1080i and 1080p mean and what’s the difference?
The “i” in 1080i stands for interlaced. The “1080″ represents each vertical line on the screen. Interlaced images scans every other line on the screen for example on the first scan it would do lines 1, 3, 5, 7…. and on and on. Once it finishes the first sweep it goes back up starts over from the top but this time it does lines 2, 4, 6, 8 and on and on. This is done very quickly to trick the eye and the brain into believing the image is all drawn at once.
The “p” in 1080p stands for progressive scan. Progressive means the each of the 1,080 vertical lines are scanned in order in one single pass starting from line 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and on and on.
On paper the 1080p standard is the king of the crop in HDTV. Because the image is painted on in one single pass line by line it allows for a smoother, crisper image especially when it comes to fast moving images like sporting events.
It’s probably nearly impossible for any average person to tell the difference between a 1080i vs. 1080p HDTV. I know I can’t tell the difference.
