720 vs. 1080 in LCD TVs
- The numbers 720 and 1080 refer to the resolution of TV screens and are the number of pixels per inch that the screen displays. A 720 television will have 720 vertical pixels, while a 1080 television has 1,080 vertical pixels. A higher number of pixels mean a higher resolution and a more detailed image. Standard televisions offer around 480 vertical pixels.
- You may also see the letters "p" and "i" behind the resolution number, as in 1080p and 1080i. That refers to the format of the pixels. 1080i means the pixels are displayed in an interlaced format where the television renders each line of pixels in an alternating pattern. This can lead to a choppier image. 1080p means the pixels are rendered in a progressive scan format, where each line of pixels is rendered consecutively and creates a smoother image.
- HD-DVD and Blu-ray players both offer 1080p output, while XBOX 360 and Playstation3 have some titles at that resolution. High-definition television programming is mostly broadcast in 720p and sometimes in 1080i, but some cable and satellite providers are beginning to offer 1080p broadcasts through on-demand channels.