1080i and 1080p are the same resolution

(Credit: Geoffrey Morrison/CNET )

There still seems to be some confusion about the difference between 1080i and 1080p. Both are 1,920x1,080 resolution. Both have 2,073,600 pixels. From one perspective, 1080i is actually greater than Blu-ray. And, you can't even get a full 1080p/60 source (other than a PC).

True, 1080i and 1080p aren't the same thing, but they are the same resolution. Let the argument commence...

1080i and 720p Because our TV world is based around 60Hz, and because there's a limit to how much resolution could be transmitted over the air (due to bandwidth and MPEG compression), the two main HDTV resolutions are 1080i and 720p. Let's start with 720p, as it's the easier to understand.

OK, 720p is 1,280x720 pixels, running at 60 frames per second (fps). This is the format used by ABC, Fox, and their various sister channels (like ESPN). I've seen some reader comments in response to other articles I've written ridiculing ABC/Fox for this "lower" resolution, but that's unfair in two big ways. The first, in the late '90s when all this was happening, there were no 1080p TVs. Sure, we all knew they were coming, but it was years before they started shipping (now, almost all TVs are 1080p). The other big way, was the sports. Both ABC and Fox have big sports divisions, which played a big role in their decision to go with 720p. This is because when it comes do... [Read more]