What is 1080p?


HDTV (High-Definition Television) offers a clearer and more detailed picture because it contains more information. Television pictures are made up of many dots or picture elements (pixels) that form the image you see, therefore by using more of these pixels, in a high-definition (HD) transmission a more clear and sharp image is available. Normally, an HD signal can contain up to around five times the information compared to standard definition (SD) in terms of the number of pixels used. SD signals are made up of approximately 500-600 vertical lines of pixels depending on transmission system used, whereas HD transmissions can go up to 1080 lines.

 

1080 is the highest number of vertical lines available (screen resolution is 1920 horizontal x 1080 vertical). The ‘p’ stands for ‘progressive’ scan. Progressive-scan is the way lines of resolution are shown on screen - sent sequentially in a single pass, which makes for a smoother, cleaner image, especially with sports and other motion-intensive content (this is compared to 1080i, the inferior method). So 1080p is the best viewing resolution you can get on the market today.

 

To learn more about 1080p, go to our sister site 1080p vs 1080i.