1080i vs p: Which is Better

One of the most defining features of a television set, that's given major importance while making a purchase is its resolution. The resolution specifies the picture quality, clarity and degree of detailing that you can expect in the displayed picture. Ergo, it's but natural that it should be given more importance over other features. The next most important factor, considered while buying a HDTV, is the scanning technique used. The two prime video mode choices, available to consumers when selecting a new television today are 1080i and 1080p. Here is a comparative analysis that may help you decide between 1080i vs p, which is better of the two.

While planning to make a new television purchase, what would you think about besides the budget? You will consider the size, resolution and some add-on features. Out of these, the resolution and scanning of a technology is pretty much the thing that decides the overall viewing experience and the applications for which the TV could be used for. That's why you are bound to be sucked up into a 1080i vs p debate that can only be ended with a straightforward comparison. In what follows, all your doubts regarding these two terminologies will be cleared out.

1080i Vs 1080p - Comparison

1080i and 1080p are the two prime video mode technologies used by modern television manufacturers. Let me first define what the specifications of these video modes are and how do they fundamentally differ according to technology.

Specifications	1080i	1080p
Resolution in Pixels	1920 x 1080 pixels	1920 x 1080 pixels
Scanning Technique	Interlaced Scanning (i = interlaced)	Progressive Scanning (p = progressive)
Meaning	Displays 1080 lines in alternating or interlacing fields, containing 540 lines each	Displays 1080 lines sequentially
Used in	Over the Air Broadcasts, Satellite HD Channels (NBC, CBS), CRT HDTVs	Modern HDTVs (LCD, Plasma, LED, DLP TVs), Gaming Consoles (Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360), Satellite HD Channels, Camcorders, Cameras

Difference in Technology

First, let me clear the mystery about the number '1080'. The number refers to resolution and is in fact the number of vertical pixels that can be displayed on a TV. The full resolution should be actually referred to as 1920 x 1080 pixels, where 1920 is the number of pixels displayed horizontally or the horizontal resolution. As a short hand notation, the resolution is only written as 1080. Currently this is best resolution that you can have for a television. Both 1080i and 1080p resolution is the same and they differ only in the scanning technology. The 'i' in 1080i refers to 'interlaced' scanning while the p in '1080p' refers to 'progressive' scanning. To summarize, both 1080i and 1080p are abbreviations that convey the display resolution and scanning technology used in a device.

Progressive scanning technology, as its name suggests, is far more superior to the older interlaced scanning method. In progressive scanning, the video image is rendered by sequentially scanning 1080 lines within 1/24^th of a second. 1080p is the modern HDTV standard. 'Full HD' refers to television sets that present video output with 1080p resolution. Most modern camcorders, cameras and smart phones (like Apple iPhone 4S) provide 1080p video recording.

Older CRT monitors and TVs used 'interlaced' scanning while modern LCD screen and TVs use the progressive scanning method. Interlacing displays two separate fields with odd and even lines that form the image, while the progressive scan displays lines serially, one by one. Within 1/30^th of a second, first the field consisting of odd number lines is displayed, followed by even numbered lines.

Among the many advantages that progressive scan offers over interlaced scan, one lies in the fact that the picture it creates is less jittery and flickers less. It has no screen issues like 'interline twitter', which interlaced scanning is notorious for. It is the default standard used in HDTVs, LCD TVs and plasma TVs. It can display fast-moving images better than interlaced scanning. This is the main point of difference, when you debate which among 1080i or 1080p is better.

1080i vs p: Which is Better For Gaming & Video Editing?

In case you are wondering what are the other benefits of opting for 1080p video mode TVs, they are inevitable choices if you are going to use for gaming or a specialized application like video editing. All LCD monitors are based on 1080p video mode.

Gaming consoles like Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) or Microsoft Xbox 360 require a 1080p video mode TV. DVDs and BluRay discs provide superior picture on 1080p video mode. However, HDTVs are also compatible with 1080i video mode display. So my verdict is the following. Opt for 1080p as it is by far the better technology overall if you are buying a new television. 1080p technology is a bit costlier than 1080i, but it is worth the extra money with the excellent picture quality it offers.

Hope this article helps you decide between 1080i vs p, which is superior and which one should you go for. The choice, more often than never is dictated by the budget you are willing to allot for purchase. If you are planning to use your television for video editing or gaming, 1080p HDTV, with its progressive scanning technology is the one you opt for. Otherwise, the 1080i technology is good enough and can be purchased at a low cost. I would personally advise you to go for 1080p video mode HDTV sets as they offer amazing picture clarity and make for good investments in the long run.