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Direct HD: Progressive Scan or Interlaced?

By Jim Askland

Eventually, all television channels will be high-def. Hi-def is the universal choice for greater clarity because of increased pixel count.

For the highest resolution of clarity in television viewing, HD offers double the pixels of regular analog TV. The nation's leading satellite broadcast company, DirecTV, for instance, offers 130 HD channels.

Pixel ratios for standard definition television receiver is 480 scanning lines (704 x 480) stacked top to bottom. The resolution of a fixed-pixel display is defined by the total number of horizontal pixels across each scanning line. Here we have 704 pixels for each scanning line.

For high definition television you need more pixels. Most common HD nomenclature has what it calls a 1080i progressive format. Naturally, a plasma, LCD or DLP devices need to have the capability to display those extra pixels.

1080i is the shorthand name of a format. 1080p resolution--which equates to 1,920x1,080 pixels. The letter i stands for interlaced. The "i" is opposed by another nomenclature "p". The alternate format of high-definition video mode, known as 720p, the p would stand for progressive scan.

HD resolution is in either 1080i or 720p. It's either broadcast as 720 lines (1,280 x 720 pixels) progressively scanned with a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio or it is broadcast as a "1080i" (1920 x 1080 picture) in a 16:9 widescreen image with 1920 pixels across.

With 1080i, you do see all 1080 lines at once due to residual light imprinting on your eye. It is much sharper when the image is still. With 720p the motion is smoother and better for viewing faster action situations like animals on the run or sports.

HD DVR recorders allow you to record high definition broadcasts and replay them later. Direct TV offers a free HD DVR that lets you record 50 hours of HD or up to 200 hours of standard digital broadcast television. You can even watch one show while recording another.

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