Q. You have reported on the difference between standard-definition, high-definition, and ultra high-definition TV. I have a 70-inch 1080p smart TV. However, I subscribe to Dish network, and it transmits in 1080i. How does 1080i affect my viewing and your TV comparisons?—Janice Roamer, via e-mail
A. Both 1080i and 1080p have the same resolution. The difference is in the way each successive frame of the moving image is presented: either with all lines of video at the same time (1080p), or half the number at a time—first odd lines, then even, and so on (1080i). True 1080p content is filmed at 24 or 30 frames per second (the speed of most theatrical films), and “live-type” programs such as sports or the news are usually shot at 1080i. The good news: Your 1080p TV “upconverts” 1080i content, filling in the missing odd or even lines.
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This article also appeared in the December 2014 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
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