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bobbysmith

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2012
108
0
The iPad doesn't do 720p HDTV format.

It does 768p and 720p. :D
720p=1280x720 (16:9 aspect). It refers to only this resolution.
Nexus=1280x800
iPad=1024x768. 1024*(9/16)=576. That means 1024x576p is the highest supported 16:9 resolution. HD content has to be downscaled before playing on the iPad.

I don't think it matters though. It's not video that looks bad on the iPad, it's text.
 

hyteckit

Guest
Jul 29, 2007
889
1
720p=1280x720 (16:9 aspect). It refers to only this resolution.
Nexus=1280x800
iPad=1024x768. 1024*(9/16)=576. That means 1024x576p is the highest supported 16:9 resolution. HD content has to be downscaled before playing on the iPad.

I don't think it matters though. It's not video that looks bad on the iPad, it's text.

iPad does 768p resolution. 1024x768 is 768p resolution at 4:3 ratio.

Neither the iPad or Nexus does 720p fullscreen without scaling, letterboxing, or cropping since neither has a native 720p resolution at 16:9 ratio.

Nexus will do 720p fullscreen by letterboxing, adding black bars on top and bottom to the 16:9 video.
iPad will do 720p fullscreen by cropping the left/right of a 16:9 video.
 
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bobbysmith

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2012
108
0
iPad does 768p resolution. 1024x768 is 768p resolution at 4:3 ratio.
Saying that it does "768p" is meaningless. There is no 1024x768p broadcast standard.

Nexus will do 720p fullscreen by letterboxing by adding black bars on top and bottom.
Yes, showing every pixel in the video with no scaling (in theory, anyway).

iPad will do 720p fullscreen by cropping the left/right of the video.
720p means 1280x720p and only this. It means nothing else. It refers to a broadcast standard.

It is not short for 720 vertical lines with any arbitrary aspect ratio. It also doesn't make any sense to use a p when denoting the iPads display resolution, because the display does not use progressive scanning.

The iPad can only show 720p content by downscaling or cropping (which actually means it both crops the sides and upscales and interpolates vertically to 768, not 720 pixels).

Again though, as far as arguments against the mini go it's one of the less significant ones.
 

yegon

macrumors 68040
Oct 20, 2007
3,403
1,979
I find mba/mbp & Mini & phone a killer combo. I use my mba at all times in the house, while my Mini slips perfectly in my coat pocket when I go out. As such, my iPad 3 gets little use ( I really ought to sell it). I'll be first in line for a retina mini though, I consider the mini one of the best purchases I've ever made and is close to perfect bar one very obvious omission.
 

hyteckit

Guest
Jul 29, 2007
889
1
Saying that it does "768p" is meaningless. There is no 1024x768p broadcast standard.

720p means 1280x720p and only this. It means nothing else. It refers to a broadcast standard.

Just because you don't know what 768p means, doesn't make it meaningless.

You know what's meaningless? Talking about broadcast video signals on an iPad since I can't even receive over the air HDTV broadcast signals on my iPad cause it lacks an ATSC tuner.

Video can come from many sources and not just broadcast video.

You believe the only way to get video onto a LCD screen is from broadcast standard signals? You believe all videos are 16:9 aspect ratio?

You seem to be only recognize vertical resolution and ignoring aspect ratio.

I can encode video in 720p 16:9 aspect ratio or 720p in 4:3 apect ratio. If I want to encode video on my iPad, I can choose to encode it in 1024x768 and crop out the left/right side of the video.

So yes, my iPad Mini can play back 1024x768 videos, or 768p with a 4:3 aspect ratio, at native resolution.

It is not short for 720 vertical lines with any arbitrary aspect ratio. It also doesn't make any sense to use a p when denoting the iPads display resolution, because the display does not use progressive scanning.

You do know both iPads and LCD TV use LCD technology right? Are you saying it doesn't make any sense to use a 'p' when talking about 1080p LCD TV/Monitor? I agree with you there's no need to use a 'p' for describing the resolution for LCD TVs or monitors/screens because it's progressive by nature.

Progressive means non-interlace.

Progressive and interlace is meaningful when talking about the video signal/source. The 'p' is denoting the video signal/source as non-interlace or progressive.

1024x768 LCD is 768p with a 4:3 aspect ratio
1280x720 LCD is 720p with a 16:9 aspect ratio
1920X1080 LCD is 1080p with 16:9 aspect ratio

So yes, my iPad Mini can play back 1024x768 progressive videos, or 768p with a 4:3 aspect ratio, at native resolution.
 
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kazmac

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2010
10,086
8,627
Any place but here or there....
I was in the same boat as the OP

Until I realized how painful holding the iPad 4 was for more than a couple of minutes. I swapped out for a mini this morning and my wrists thank me for it.

Also, I'm perfectly fine with the non-retina screen despite my myopic peepers. I really haven't seen much of an improvement with retina on anything save for the 15" rMBP so for me this was no loss. Comics, movies, pdfs and games look just fine. And that's good because many of my dvd rips are in Standard Definition.

Plus I don't feel the addtional pain of buyers remorse of plunking down almost a grand for an iPad now. I wish this size would have been offered at the get-go, because it is the iPad I always wanted but never knew I wanted until now.

Once again, I need to listen to myself and not reviewers, message boards etc. One size does not fit for everyone and I'm glad we have choice. :apple:
 

craftytony

macrumors regular
Oct 3, 2012
226
0
Sycamore, IL
I was on the same boat as just about everyone when I heard the mini didn't have a retina screen. Then my sister in law got one and brought it over....I LOVED IT! I don't know how anyone could say the screen is horrible, it looks just fine, not RETINA fine, but great nonetheless....
 

bobbysmith

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2012
108
0
You believe all videos are 16:9 aspect ratio?

You seem to be only recognize vertical resolution and ignoring aspect ratio.

I can encode video in 720p 16:9 aspect ratio or 720p in 4:3 apect ratio.
No, you can't. 720p refers solely to the 16:9 ratio. You can't just redefine established terms as you please. Maybe I'll start calling my iPad an Atari Lynx.


You do know both iPads and LCD TV use LCD technology right? Are you saying it doesn't make any sense to use a 'p' when talking about 1080p LCD TV/Monitor? I agree with you there's no need to use a 'p' for describing the resolution for LCD TVs or monitors/screens because it's progressive by nature.
It is not at all given that an LCD is progressive. In fact, I'd wager that most are not.
 
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hyteckit

Guest
Jul 29, 2007
889
1
No, you can't. 720p refers solely to the 16:9 ratio. You can't just redefine established terms as you please. Maybe I'll start calling my iPad an Atari Lynx.

It is not at all given that an LCD is progressive. In fact, I'd wager that most are not.

So 'p' in 720p means 16:9 ratio now? I'm pretty sure the 'p' stands for progressive and not limited to 16:9 aspect ratio.

4:3 is still a very common aspect ratio. Most LCD monitors and TVs before the HD widescreen switchover were the conventional 4:3 aspect ratio. Most video games let me use the 4:3 aspect ratio. My xbox 360 lets me select between the 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio.

What's 480p?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/480p


Standard Resolution Aspect Ratio
480p 640×480 4:3
480p 800×480 5:3
480p 720×480 3:2
480p 854×480 16:9


You keep thinking 'p' means 16:9 aspect ratio, when it isn't.

480p => 480 is the vertical resolition. p means it's a progressive, non-interlace signal.
 
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hyteckit

Guest
Jul 29, 2007
889
1
No. Work on your reading comprehension. Here it is in big bold letters:

720p = 1280x720p


Not 720p? It's pretty simple.

No, you need to work on your reading comprehension.

Making it bold doesn't make it true.

720p => 720 vertical lines with progressive scan. Not limited to 16:9 aspect ratio.

960x720 => 720p at 4:3 aspect ratio
1280x720 => 720p at 16:9 aspect ratio


480p 640×480 4:3
480p 800×480 5:3
480p 720×480 3:2
480p 854×480 16:9

Really not that hard to understand.
 

bobbysmith

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2012
108
0
No, you need to work on your reading comprehension.
No. 720p is an internationally established shorthand term for 1280x720p. Nothing else. It holds this sole meaning across the globe, as well as any other planet humans may set foot on.
 

Luis2004

macrumors 6502a
Dec 30, 2012
615
1
You won't notice the ram to be honest.

Maybe not now, but when the 1st gen iPad mini is not upgradeable to higher iOS's because of its inability to power the latest apps and games, it will be very noticeable.

I'm waiting til at least the 2nd gen.
 

hyteckit

Guest
Jul 29, 2007
889
1
No. 720p is an internationally established shorthand term for 1280x720p. Nothing else. It holds this sole meaning across the globe, as well as any other planet humans may set foot on.

For ATSC HDTV standards maybe.

But an iPad isn't a HDTV nor is it meant to be one. It doesn't have an ATSC tuner to receive HDTV channels.

And the iPad does 768p at 4:3 aspect ratio just fine.

So stop saying the iPad can't do 720p. The iPad can do 720p and 768p at 4:3 aspect ratio.


I play pc games on my 1080p LCD TV. Guess what? It supports 1080p, 768p in both 16:9 and 4:3, 720p in both 16:9 and 4:3.


Your brain seems to be limited to the concept that video only comes from broadcast TV and that's why you think 720p means 1280x720p only. It is not.
 
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bobbysmith

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2012
108
0
Your brain seems to be limited to the concept that video only comes from broadcast TV and that's why you think 720p means 1280x720p only. It is not.
Again, 720p is an internationally established shorthand term for 1280x720p. It means nothing else. It doesn't matter what the video source is. It isn't a term for any arbitrary horisontal resolution. It could have been, but it isn't.

But yes, it is derived from broadcast. You don't say that an LCD (or whatever) panel is 1280x720p or 640x480p, because it's a meaningless term in that context. You have no idea how the LCD driver actually updates the display, nor is it really of any interest. The iPad has a 1024x768 resolution, not 1024x768p, not 768p. Shortening it at all doesn't even really make any sense as it's a leftover from the analog CRT TV world where there was no horisontal resolution, and not something that has been used in the computer world.
 

hyteckit

Guest
Jul 29, 2007
889
1
Again, 720p is an internationally established shorthand term for 1280x720p. It means nothing else. It doesn't matter what the video source is. It isn't a term for any arbitrary horisontal resolution. It could have been, but it isn't.

There are a bunch of 720p plasma TV that has the same resolution of the iPad, which is 1024x768 resolution.

For example:

http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/TC-P42C2?t=specs

Resolution: (1,024 x 768)
Moving Picture Resolution: 720 lines or more
HDTV Display Capability (1080p, 1080i, 720p): 720p

So panasonic doesn't agree with you.


But yes, it is derived from broadcast. You don't say that an LCD (or whatever) panel is 1280x720p or 640x480p, because it's a meaningless term in that context. You have no idea how the LCD driver actually updates the display, nor is it really of any interest. The iPad has a 1024x768 resolution, not 1024x768p, not 768p. Shortening it at all doesn't even really make any sense as it's a leftover from the analog CRT TV world where there was no horisontal resolution, and not something that has been used in the computer world.

You haven't been using computer for long have you? It is often used in the computer world. From video files, pictures, to pc games. If you have a crappy video card, you can play games in interlace instead of progressive. It just means you are only seeing half the vertical lines.

i = for interlace
p = for non-interlace

Interlace and progressive usually applies to video signal/source or images. Applies to video signal coming from broadcast, video camcorders/cameras, DVD players, game systems, pc games, video files, pc applications, and so forth. Not limited to broadcast.
 

bobbysmith

macrumors regular
Nov 4, 2012
108
0
There are a bunch of 720p plasma TV that has the same resolution of the iPad, which is 1024x768 resolution.

For example:

http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/TC-P42C2?t=specs

Resolution: (1,024 x 768)
Moving Picture Resolution: 720 lines or more
HDTV Display Capability (1080p, 1080i, 720p): 720p

So panasonic doesn't agree with you.
That's not a 720p panel, nor is it 4:3 like the iPad, nor can it display 720p without downscaling. My 480x320 cell phone will also play 720p by downscaling it, but I'm not sure how it's relevant.

You haven't been using computer for long have you? It is often used in the computer world.
Since the 1980s. Shortening a computer display's resolution to just the number of lines has never been common. No one refered to 640x256 as "256" or "256p".


Again, 720p is an internationally established shorthand term for 1280x720p. It means nothing else. It doesn't matter what the video source is. It isn't a term for any arbitrary horisontal resolution.
 

Nychot

macrumors 6502a
Aug 15, 2011
790
71
If I have to rate my tablets:
1. Ipad 3
2. Nexus 7
3. iPod touch 5
4. Ipad mini
 
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