HDTV 1080i - Compare it to 1080p
HDTV 1080i refers to 1080 lines of vertical resolution. The letter i after the number means that the resolution is interlaced rather than being progressive. This means that HDTV sets with 1080i will display widescreen movies without any difficulty. When you go out to buy a new TV set, you may wonder whether there is any difference between 1080i and 1080p. A set with 1080i is the same as one with 720p. It is not as expensive as one with 1080p, which is considered to be true high definition.
In a regular TV set with 1080i, the picture is painted on the screen. You do not get as sharp an image or the vivid colors that you will get with 1080p. The only way to really see the difference is to watch the same program on both televisions. This is possible when you visit a TV retailer. There is usually a wall of television screens each displaying the same channel. Then you can take your time and see which one gives you the better picture.
For the majority of consumers, the definition of HDTV and the various numbers means very little. What is more important is the size of the TV, the price and the quality of the picture on the screen. This is why more and more consumers are looking for a big screen TV and manufacturers are producing cheaper television sets to meet the demand. Big names such as Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer and others all have affordable TV's that are ready for HDTV. However, not all the channels you get from satellite and cable providers are in high definition. You will have to check the onscreen TV guide to find the HDTV programs.
Once you see both television sets in action, you will easily understand the difference between 1080i and 1080p and 1080p will win every time. The price is not the only thing you have to consider when you really want to watch high definition TV.