Guide to Best HDTV Resolutions

HDTV-Resolution is the primary focal point in understanding the unique picture quality of High Definition Television. By providing a closer look at what TV resolution is, how it is measured and how it relates to TV picture quality, a non-tech consumer can get a better understanding of how completely different the HDTV experience is.

Actually the TV's resolution is limited to how finely detailed the displayed image can be, before the elements next to each other become too blurred to be distinguishable. However, TV resolution can be described, measured and specified in different ways. And these are:

• The number of lines per (mm or inch) both vertically and horizontally.
• The number of line-pairs per (mm or inch) - vertically and horizontally.
• The number of lines per total-display - Lines per Picture Height.

The resolution set by the SDTV Standard is 480 (i/p) - visible scan lines - either (i) interlaced or (p) progressive scan. The Standard for HDTV-Resolution is (any) one (1) of three (3) specified resolutions: 720p, 1080i and 1080p. Again, the numbers refer to visible scan lines, and interlaced or progressive scan, as applicable. A Digital TV that is able to "DISPLAY" TV signals in HDTV-Resolution - 720p - 1080i or 1080p - is "HDTV-Capable." A Digital TV that is HDTV-Capable - AND - has an 'Internal' HDTV Receiver is called an "Integrated" HDTV.

Usually Digital HDTV resolutions do NOT offer the buyer any 'useful' information regarding resolutions as such. The essential thing is for the consumer to know what resolutions the television will DISPLAY.