High Definition Resolution F.A.Q

[Platform]

It seems to be a lot of people think that HD starts at 1920x1080, but it does not ......HD starts at 1280x720

What is HD ?

HD stands for High Defenition. It is used in new cameras and has come to video cameras as well, but for the moment they are very expensive.​

Why HD ?

Because it has a lot higher resolution and it is better for your eyes since the picture will be more crisp and clear. Also the future of video and TV is HD. ​

How to burn HD disks ?

Well to do that you need either a Blue-Ray burner or an HD DVD burner. They are not out for sale for the commoners yet but will be later this year. Apple has joined the Blue-Ray side of the game, so for a mac user maby go for Blue-Ray ​

Anything above 1280x720 is true HD.

So the PowerBook's allready have HD diplays.

What is HDTV ?

High-definition television is a new format for broadcasting TV programming. The existing format is called NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) and is analog. By contrast, the signals in HDTV are digital.
​

Do I need a TV to watch HDTV ?

Yes. You must have a high-definition tuner and monitor to properly decode HDTV signals and display them accurately. Your normal TV simply ignores HDTV signals that are being broadcast. When you want to step up to watching HDTV, you'll need to get a new high-def TV set.​

What's different about HDTV versus the existing signals/TV's ?

The HDTV signal is digital resulting in crystal clear, noise-free pictures and CD quality sound. For the technophile, there are about 20 megabits per second of information per broadcast channel. HDTV has many viewer benefits.
​

Benefits: Aspect Ratio

Most televisions today are manufactured in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which means the screen is 4 units wide by 3 units high. But theatrically released movies are usually in a much wider aspect, taking advantage of the human field of vision (which is wider across horizontally). HDTV signals are sent in a 16 by 9 aspect ratio, mimicking the wide scope of movies. HDTV's aspect ratio makes for a more immersive and intense viewing experience.
​

Benefit: Picture Resolution

Resolution is a measure of picture sharpness/how many small dots there are on the screen. Current analog television contains about 480 active scanning lines resulting in a picture resolution of about 330 lines of resolution. By comparison today's VHS VCR's have about 240 lines of resolution which is why VHS recordings don't look as sharp as the original picture. DVD's offer higher resolution typically on the order of 400-480 lines of resolution. (Note the number of scanning lines does not equal resolution. For example, both the VHS and DVD formats have 480 active scanning lines but have different resolutions.) HDTV offers resolution that is at least twice that of analog television. You can expect razor sharp images from HDTV. It is also better for your eyes.​

HDTV formats — 720p and 1080i. Difference between these formats and

can my TV receive both these formats?​

Regardless of the HDTV format being broadcast, all new HDTV receivers can receive both formats. New HDTV televisions will convert any received signal to a format that is compatible with your new display. The 720p format uses progressive scanning, which is just like your computer monitor. Progressive scan offers crystal clear images that virtually eliminates those scanning lines that are visible on most large screen televisions.

The 1080i format uses interlace scanning just like today's analog televisions. Scanning lines are less visible on big screens due to the number of lines. Most older projection HDTV's use 1080i.​

Benefits: Digital Sound

Just as your CDs sound better than your old audio tapes, HDTV's digital audio signal sounds better than standard television's analog sound. Also, some HDTV programs include Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Properly decoded, each audio track can be sent to a different speaker, creating full 5.1 Dolby Digital sound.
​

What do I need to receive HDTV ?

In most areas, HDTV is only available as an over-the-air broadcast signal. This requires the use, in most cases, of an outdoor antenna pointed in the direction of the broadcaster's tower. You will also need a new HDTV receiver that can decode the digital signals. HDTV channels are typically different than your cable or over-the-air channel.
​

Is HDTV replacing standard television ?

Not immediately. Broadcasters will continue to offer programs in the standard format for at least the next several years. Thus, the next few years will be a transition, as television networks add more digital broadcasting to their offerings. And in the future HDTV will take over the analog
​

Anything missing please say

 

[JFreak]

HD starts at 1280x720

true. i have enjoyed a HDTV projector for a year now, and have also had my powerbook connected to it every now and then. my only regret is that apple has not yet provided native support for 1280x720 resolution for powerbooks, and have had to use switchresx for that purpose - maybe they have added that little feature into tiger, can anyone confirm...?

 

[mkrishnan]

I think its a good point (about which I don't care much! ) but it's also important to point out that an LCD screen with a vertical res of 720 is great for 720p signals, but will have inherent compromises for 1080i or 1080p, right? If you want to make a FAQ, some background, à la, "What is HD, when is it used, and what terminology is used to describe it?" might be appropriate, too.

 

[Platform]

I think its a good point (about which I don't care much! ) but it's also important to point out that an LCD screen with a vertical res of 720 is great for 720p signals, but will have inherent compromises for 1080i or 1080p, right? If you want to make a FAQ, some background, à la, "What is HD, when is it used, and what terminology is used to describe it?" might be appropriate, too.

Thanks for the respons will try to do so then

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

An HDTV-compatible TV usually uses a 16:9 aspect ratio. The high resolution images (1920 pixels × 1080 lines or 1280 pixels × 720 lines) allow much more detail to be shown compared to analog television or regular DVDs. MPEG-2 is currently used as the compression codec. Like NTSC and PAL, 1920 × 1080 broadcasts use interlacing at 50 or 60 fields/sec to reduce bandwidth demands, at 24, 25 and 30 frames/sec progressive scan is used. Alternating scan lines are broadcast 50 or 60 times a second, similar to PAL's 50 Hz and NTSC's 60 Hz interlacing. This format is entitled 1080i, or 1080i60. In areas traditionally using PAL 50 Hz 1080i50 is also used. 1080p, "true high-definition", is currently used for broadcasting with less than 50 field/sec. Progressive scan formats are also used with frame rates up to 60 per second. The 1280 × 720 format only supports progressive scan (with the entire frame refreshed each time) and is thus termed 720p. FOX, ABC, and ESPN currently broadcast 720p60 content.

from the usual place...

 

[Nermal]

Just to add to that, there is also a 4:3 HD format, 1440x1080, at 50/60 fields per second.

 

[mkrishnan]

And that the successful implementation of HDTV in America is about as likely as Longhorn being released ahead of schedule.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Just to add to that, there is also a 4:3 HD format, 1440x1080, at 50/60 fields per second.

I think that's called SDTV, and not HDTV... isn't it...?

Edit: Digital SDTV, that is...

 

[mkrishnan]

I think that's called SDTV, and not HDTV... isn't it...?

Edit: Digital SDTV, that is...

I thought SDTV was when you had normal broadcast resolution in a digital signal (Standard Definition TV)?

Hehe, maybe we do need a FAQ!

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I thought SDTV was when you had normal broadcast resolution in a digital signal (Standard Definition TV)?

Yes, that was my understanding, too... untill nermal mentioned the digital 4:3 format... I'm not quite sure if that counts as (digital) SDTV or HDTV... My impression was that HDTV was 16:9 format...

Hehe, maybe we do need a FAQ!

Definitively...

 

[Dafke]

okay, i have a question about this HD;

why isn't the 20" Apple display called HD? 1680 x 1050 pixels is enough to display a 1280 pixels × 720 lines movie.

 

[ftaok]

okay, i have a question about this HD;

why isn't the 20" Apple display called HD? 1680 x 1050 pixels is enough to display a 1280 pixels × 720 lines movie.

Simple, Apple chooses not to call it HD. However, that doesn't change the fact that the 20" is capable of displaying HD material in HD resolution.

 

[mad jew]

Awesome thread, thanks for all the input Platform. Just one thing though, for future searchers, maybe change the title to include High Definition because searching for HD is pointless and also because it saves any confusion people could make with hard drives.

 

[Nermal]

Yes, that was my understanding, too... untill nermal mentioned the digital 4:3 format... I'm not quite sure if that counts as (digital) SDTV or HDTV... My impression was that HDTV was 16:9 format...

1440x1080 counts as HD because it has more than 625 horizontal lines, the maximum supported by a standard TV (525 with NTSC/American TVs).

 

[Platform]

Awesome thread, thanks for all the input Platform. Just one thing though, for future searchers, maybe change the title to include High Definition because searching for HD is pointless and also because it saves any confusion people could make with hard drives.

Thanks and will do

 

[Nermal]

Well, you half did it, so I'll actually change the thread title (as opposed to just the title of the first post) and will also correct your spelling error for you

 

[Platform]

Well, you half did it, so I'll actually change the thread title (as opposed to just the title of the first post) and will also correct your spelling error for you

OK thanks will try to do some more though

 

[The Black Rock]

Simple, Apple chooses not to call it HD. However, that doesn't change the fact that the 20" is capable of displaying HD material in HD resolution.

In the end that's true ftaok, but I would also venture to guess they ddin't call it that because it can't show all the HiDef formats. It's just 30 pixels away on one side, and 240 on the other.

Other than that, I suppose we can just wait until that 23" HD iMac comes out, but I'll be fine with 720p for now.

 

[beatle888]

your cool. thanks, i forgot i was at macrumors.

its funny cause my buddy and i were checking the inSANE quicktime 7 which is mindblowing especially on the 30 incher....DAMN. its beautiful.

we were talking about trying to ride the crest and generate a business plan to obtain a business loan through the SBA and your little summery will help fill in the blanks of such a plan.


i always thought...oh why spoil your eyes with super quality...you wont be able to look at a regular tv again...isnt tv good enough?

well the answer is NO. i showed my girlfriend and she said it was like 4D TV (a private joke...she thinks she saw a movie at someones house where the image of the movie was all around her she thought it was real...i told her she was partying too hard). she pointed out how everything looks 3 dimensional and she was right. just look at the HD section on the quicktime page and look at the bald eagle movie. the depth is amazing.

anyway i just wanted to say thank you for your poignantly time and informative (as well as well formated) post.

very relative to life at the moment.

 

[beatle888]

And that the successful implementation of HDTV in America is about as likely as Longhorn being released ahead of schedule.

why so sad mkrishnan? whats ever released ahead of schedule?

off topic PLEASE someone with knowledge answer....
what is the likelyhood of longhorn being a totally state of the art BEAUTIFULLY full functioning OS? i mean...people are pretty happy with XP...long horn could be amazing .

 

[MisterMe]

Just to add to that, there is also a 4:3 HD format, 1440x1080, at 50/60 fields per second.

IIRC, there was for a while a 4:3 HDTV aspect ratio. Today, the HDTV is defined as having an aspect ratio of 16:9. Extended and standard definition may be either 4:3 or 16:9. Many people assume that the HDTV standards require square pixels. They do not. Sony's consumer camcorder records 1440x1080 pixels for 16:9 display. The resulting image is composed of rectangular rather than square pixels.

 

[Platform]

your cool. thanks, i forgot i was at macrumors.

its funny cause my buddy and i were checking the inSANE quicktime 7 which is mindblowing especially on the 30 incher....DAMN. its beautiful.

we were talking about trying to ride the crest and generate a business plan to obtain a business loan through the SBA and your little summery will help fill in the blanks of such a plan.


i always thought...oh why spoil your eyes with super quality...you wont be able to look at a regular tv again...isnt tv good enough?

well the answer is NO. i showed my girlfriend and she said it was like 4D TV (a private joke...she thinks she saw a movie at someones house where the image of the movie was all around her she thought it was real...i told her she was partying too hard). she pointed out how everything looks 3 dimensional and she was right. just look at the HD section on the quicktime page and look at the bald eagle movie. the depth is amazing.

anyway i just wanted to say thank you for your poignantly time and informative (as well as well formated) post.

very relative to life at the moment.

Thanks....I was hopeing to make people understand that HD is not just 1920x1080....soooo many people were saying it....also added a few extras

Well if anything should be added to make it a propper FAQ then say