First, we observed NTSC video at 480i, and liked it, because you do not know any better. Then some (and by) intrepid home theater enthusiasts had the chance to 480p, thanks to the Faroudja LD-100 enjoy doubler line or Runco IDTV configurations. Because the Faroudja units cost $ 20,000.00 in the early 90s, and only with the data or graphics grade projectors worked, were not only the mass market. As technology improved, prices fell and more people could enjoy free progressive scan videoin their home theater.
Fast forward 15 years or so. Now you can add a DVD player with Faroudja Progressive Scan on a chip for less than $ 200.00. They can buy almost all the TV and projector, it does progressive scan. In fact, digital TV and home theater projectors are progressive video conversion, because they need the video to progressive scan feature set to the native resolution. If the video is not the right format, will be converted into the set. Most DLPused or LCD imaging chips used in televisions and projectors, consumers now have a native resolution of the two vertical lines 480, 576 or 720. Most LCD and plasma lines were 480, 720 or 768.
In the fall of 2005, manufacturers began to show the latest generation of video products. Here! 1080p! Why all the fuss? Why 1080p is the top dog in HDTV, so. It has the highest resolution of all 18 approved HDTV formats with 1920 x 1080 pixels. There are two circuit breakers in 1080for HDTV, 1080/60i and 1080/30p. The advantage of 1080p over 1080i is that, like a computer monitor, a 1080p display will show all 1080 lines with every video field, whereas a 1080i device will only show ½ at a time. Digital displays require progressive video, so any 1080i program material is deinterlaced inside the set, converting it to 1080p. Up until the advent of 1080p displays, it was also down converted to the native resolution of the imaging chip or flat panel.
One caveat at this point, amazingly enough, many of the first generation 1080p TVs do not accept a 1080p input. Huh?? You read that correctly. It's true, of the first 1080p sets introduced, only the HP units will actually accept a 1080p input. The Mitsubishi will accept 1080p, but only through its computer input. Most of the flat panel displays don't seem to have this limitation and will accept 1080p.
At this point in time, there is no commercially available 1080p program material, with the exception of some Microsoft Windows Media HD discs. With respect to HDTV you can get 720p or 1080i, but no 1080p at this time. Fox, ESPN and ABC broadcast in 720p. while CBS, NBC, TNT, the WB and HD Net all use 1080i. Soon, however, Sony will release Blu-Ray Disc and Toshiba, DH-DVD. HD-DVD and Blu-Ray Disc will have the capability to support 1080p. When the time comes, you'll be able to just buy or rent a disc and enjoy 1080p in all it's splendor. Good News! Netflix has announced they will rent both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD as soon as they are introduced.
