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gan6660

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 18, 2008
1,417
0
I was wondering does the iPad have an HD screen so that it can play HD videos from iTunes?
 

teidon

macrumors 6502
Dec 22, 2009
443
213
Yes. The definition of HD is that there's atleast 720 vertical lines. iPad has 768. The problem just is that the aspect ratio of iPad is "wrong", so if you want to watch 720p HD movie, it will either be scaled up or down depending on wheter you want to watch the movie in fullscreen (no black bars) or in native aspect ratio.

But you can watch 720p HD movies from iTunes Store on iPad.
 

gan6660

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 18, 2008
1,417
0
Yes. The definition of HD is that there's atleast 720 vertical lines. iPad has 768. The problem just is that the aspect ratio of iPad is "wrong", so if you want to watch 720p HD movie, it will either be scaled up or down depending on wheter you want to watch the movie in fullscreen (no black bars) or in native aspect ratio.

But you can watch 720p HD movies from iTunes Store on iPad.

Thanks just wanted to make sure I can watch HD videos before I start buying them.
 

G4R2

macrumors 6502a
Nov 29, 2006
547
4
Yes. The definition of HD is that there's atleast 720 vertical lines. iPad has 768. The problem just is that the aspect ratio of iPad is "wrong", so if you want to watch 720p HD movie, it will either be scaled up or down depending on wheter you want to watch the movie in fullscreen (no black bars) or in native aspect ratio.

But you can watch 720p HD movies from iTunes Store on iPad.

That's not correct.

As noted by spinnerlys, 720p has a resolution of 1280x720 with progressive scan. The iPad has a lesser resolution at a different aspect ratio of 1024x768 which would result in the edges of the video being cut off by 200 pixels.

The iPad, like many other devices, can scale the HD video to the correct aspect ratio but it won't be HD quality.
 

sushi

Moderator emeritus
Jul 19, 2002
15,639
3
キャンプスワ&#
Thanks just wanted to make sure I can watch HD videos before I start buying them.
Just wanted to throw this out. Food for thought.

HD videos take more storage space, er. a lot more space than SD videos -- maybe 3-4 times as much depending on the video. That means that you can carry fewer videos with you on your iPad. Selecting HD videos result in longer DL times. Additionally HD videos cost more.

Rounding out the negatives of HD movies:
- Require more space to store
- Longer DL times
- Cost more

On the positives, you get a better picture depending on the device that you watch them on.

Again, just some food for thought.

Hope this helps.
 

gan6660

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 18, 2008
1,417
0
Just wanted to throw this out. Food for thought.

HD videos take more storage space, er. a lot more space than SD videos -- maybe 3-4 times as much depending on the video. That means that you can carry fewer videos with you on your iPad. Selecting HD videos result in longer DL times. Additionally HD videos cost more.

Rounding out the negatives of HD movies:
- Require more space to store
- Longer DL times
- Cost more

On the positives, you get a better picture depending on the device that you watch them on.

Again, just some food for thought.

Hope this helps.


Thanks for that. So if the iPad scales the HD video to standard definition than it is not worth paying the extra.
 

Luke Redpath

macrumors 6502a
Nov 9, 2007
733
6
Colchester, UK
That's not correct.

Yes, it is. The only requirement for HD is 720 vertical lines. The pixel width is entirely dependent on the aspect ratio of the movie. So a widescreen movie (of any of the common widescreen ratios) will need to be downscaled to fit the screen without cropping, but a non-widescreen (4:3) aspect ratio video in HD will fit just fine.
 

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,835
5,430
Atlanta
People are often confused by this and assume it will be HD. It will play 1280x720 HD content but it will be downscaled. The iPad is NOT HD (as well as most so called HD portable devices) because the display must be at least *1280x720 (about 1 million pixels) to meet HD's minimum requirements. Here is what will be shown on the iPad's 1024x768 screen.

iPad's display is 1.33 (3x4).................................1024x768
HDTV 1.78 (16x9) will be...................................1024x575 about 590,000 pixels (black bars=96 lines top & 96 lines bottom)
Scope (Panavision/Super 35) 2.35 movies will be..1024x436 about 450,000 pixels (black bars=166 lines top & 166 lines bottom)

*some 1st gen plasma's used 1024x720 (non square pixels for a 1.78 (16x9) aspect ratio) and were called HD
 

sushi

Moderator emeritus
Jul 19, 2002
15,639
3
キャンプスワ&#
Thanks for that. So if the iPad scales the HD video to standard definition than it is not worth paying the extra.
For me, SD is good enough. It allows me to carry more videos on my iPod touch.

For example, went on a ski trip a couple of weekends ago and wanted to take some video/movies just incase. I have a 32GB iPod touch 1st gen. I put 22 movies and this season of NCIS. Everything was in SD.

If I went the HD route, I would have been able to have 13 episodes of NCIS, and 2-3 movies. Definitely a much more restricted option.

Note, there is no doubt that HD quality is better. However, for me convenience and capacity are much more important.

YMMV.
 

G4R2

macrumors 6502a
Nov 29, 2006
547
4
Yes, it is. The only requirement for HD is 720 vertical lines. The pixel width is entirely dependent on the aspect ratio of the movie. So a widescreen movie (of any of the common widescreen ratios) will need to be downscaled to fit the screen without cropping, but a non-widescreen (4:3) aspect ratio video in HD will fit just fine.

You're seriously mistaken- It's not correct. I suggest you check your sources. By your definition 720p could be, ridiculously, 1x720 pixels. The pixel width IS NOT dependent on the aspect ratio of the movie to be considered high def. If that were the case then all movie makers could choose their own resolution for HD video and there would be no standard between camera manufacturers.

There are no 4:3 HD video standards. 4:3 video can be progressive scan but it isn't considered high definition, even when presented on an HD display.

High definition video has an aspect ratio of 16:9. This is why you'll notice that all HDTV's have this display ratio regardless of their size and there are no HDTV's with a 4:3 screen.

720p is a progressive scan (non interlaced) image displayed at 1280x720 pixels.

Don't take my word for it- Google is your friend.
 

drjsway

macrumors 6502a
Jan 8, 2009
936
2
People get caught up with resolution but your eyes notice contrast and color before it notices resolution. The iPad is the only portable Apple product with a IPS display, therefore it will have the BEST picture quality for watching media, even with the hit in resolution.
 

bozzykid

macrumors 68020
Aug 11, 2009
2,430
492
People get caught up with resolution but your eyes notice contrast and color before it notices resolution. The iPad is the only portable Apple product with a IPS display, therefore it will have the BEST picture quality for watching media, even with the hit in resolution.

IPS isn't as good as OLED so I'm not sure you can say it will have the best picture when clearly that isn't true.
 

donster28

macrumors 68000
Oct 5, 2006
1,722
805
Great White North
I stream and watch my blu-rays (via TotalMedia Theater in Windows 7) on my MBP 13" screen which has 1280 x 800, and the movies are sharper than my 1080p Sony TV.

What I'm saying is, you don't need full 1080p to appreciate HD on a smaller screen. As long as the material is 720p up, it will be sharper than a 480p material (regular DVD). I also watch some of my DVD's on my MBP and I can clearly see the difference between the two mediums.

The iPad should be as sharp or even sharper than your bigger HDTV when watching HD material.
 

Rapmastac1

macrumors 65816
Aug 5, 2006
1,120
47
In the Depths of the SLC!
Yes, the smaller the screen the better your content will look. If you want to go that route, get an iPod Classic and use it to watch video because it will look flawless.

Really though, he is just asking if getting HD content to primarily watch on this device is justifiable. Honestly I think as long as it really is 720P and up, you will be good. I get my media in the highest available quality so it will look at least decent when I get a bigger screen in the future. I'm glad I stuck to that because if not, I would be stuck with iPod Touch sized videos to watch on my 37" HDTV.

The screen is capable of playing HD, but it isn't capable of showing it in its native size. HD is for high quality but at the same time it's for movie/theater standards. The 16x9 argument is part of it, but there are very few movies out now that are that size anymore. I can't think of more than a few bluray movies I have that actually play in fullscreen on my tv. All of them are in a 2.48:1 aspect ratio, which sucks but that is the way things are.
 

FrankieTDouglas

macrumors 68000
Mar 10, 2005
1,554
2,882
HD matters when you begin increasing screen size. On a 40' screen, you want the highest video resolution possible to slow the pixel degradation. Think in terms of photography. A small jpg looks fine full screen on an iPhone. Put that same jpg on a 17" laptop, fill the screen, and it begins to look a little fuzzy. Put it on a 30" monitor and it looks even worse. A form (though not exactly) of interpolation is taking place. So you want the size of media to be in proportion to the size of screen it will be displayed on. SD video on an ipad screen is within acceptable scaling. On a 30" monitor, it degrades much more noticeably.
 

roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
7,409
3,134
On a 10" screen at 2ft away, you probably won't notice the difference.

That is probably the best point. I buy some HD movies and TV shows from iTunes and watch them on a 52" HDTV via Apple TV, however the file sizes are larger. But if I want to sync one of those movies to my iPhone it auto syncs the SD version. On the Apple TV I can choose which version. When the iPad comes out we will know based on whether we have a choice. But I agree that putting the HD version is most likely a waste of HDD space in the iPad and that you won't notice the difference at it's size, resolution and proximity to you.
 

stu212

macrumors member
Jan 23, 2009
94
0
I've just been converting lots of mine to 480P and some to 720P just to see how they look on it.
 

drjsway

macrumors 6502a
Jan 8, 2009
936
2
IPS isn't as good as OLED so I'm not sure you can say it will have the best picture when clearly that isn't true.

OLED is unwatchable in sunlight so yes, IPS is better considering people will want to use this outdoors.
 

SpaceKitty

macrumors 68040
Nov 9, 2008
3,204
1
Fort Collins Colorado
For me, SD is good enough. It allows me to carry more videos on my iPod touch.

For example, went on a ski trip a couple of weekends ago and wanted to take some video/movies just incase. I have a 32GB iPod touch 1st gen. I put 22 movies and this season of NCIS. Everything was in SD.

If I went the HD route, I would have been able to have 13 episodes of NCIS, and 2-3 movies. Definitely a much more restricted option.

Note, there is no doubt that HD quality is better. However, for me convenience and capacity are much more important.

YMMV.
You are forgetting that on the iPod Touch/iPhone, only SD shows can upload to them so HD content is non applicable here.

I buy all my shows in HD because you always get two copies, HD for use on your computer or Apple TV, SD for use on iPhone/Touch/iPod.
 

DoFoT9

macrumors P6
Jun 11, 2007
17,586
98
London, United Kingdom
IPS isn't as good as OLED so I'm not sure you can say it will have the best picture when clearly that isn't true.

OLED is unwatchable in sunlight so yes, IPS is better considering people will want to use this outdoors.

im confused. i thought LED/OLED was the way the backlight is produced. and IPS/TFT etc is the way the picture is made? how can you compare IPS->OLED if i am correct?

That is probably the best point. I buy some HD movies and TV shows from iTunes and watch them on a 52" HDTV via Apple TV, however the file sizes are larger. But if I want to sync one of those movies to my iPhone it auto syncs the SD version. On the Apple TV I can choose which version. When the iPad comes out we will know based on whether we have a choice. But I agree that putting the HD version is most likely a waste of HDD space in the iPad and that you won't notice the difference at it's size, resolution and proximity to you.

in the past, it was the best point. watching SD vs HD on a 2inch screen - yup it wont make a difference @ 480p. but now that we can watch it on a 10" screen ~720p the differences will become noticiable. will the iPad still down-convert to 480p? either way, i think that you would notice a difference, i might start using HD content more (not that i use SD anymore anyway ;)).
 
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