Help explain this HD malarky please!

HGLTsuperstar

Right this may be a thick question, but can someone please explain the difference between 1080p HD and 1080i HD. Also, with regards to video camera purchase to view on my "full HD?" TV - which one do I need.
Hope that makes sense and thanks in advance,
Holly

JasX

you want 1080p (progressive),

1080i (interlaced) is a set which has had corners cut and only 'scans' every other line of every other frame that a progressive one would

boliston

Interlace is definately a "legacy" technology based on CRT tubes. Unfortunately it still persits even today. I think sky still broadcast in 1080i.

Iconic

I have seen HD tv and sometimes cannot tell the difference between SD tv. Perhaps the TV sets were not set up correctly but the pictures were not 5 times better as advertised.

Someone posted this on another thread... 'Unless you're planning on buying a 50" screen or sitting less than 8ft away from it at 40" or 5ft at 32", don't get hung up on getting 1080p'

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2499739

Are they right?

aliEnRIK

Iconic wrote: »

I have seen HD tv and sometimes cannot tell the difference between SD tv. Perhaps the TV sets were not set up correctly but the pictures were not 5 times better as advertised.

Someone posted this on another thread... 'Unless you're planning on buying a 50" screen or sitting less than 8ft away from it at 40" or 5ft at 32", don't get hung up on getting 1080p'

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2499739

Are they right?

Peoples eyesight definitely comes into play. My mate whos in his 50s cant tell the difference between SD and HD (it is a HD READY tv mind). But I easily could, as I could on my 42" Pioneer and my 46" sony looks incredible

5 times better? Thats a marketing gimmick relating to the number of pixels. As youve stated, the tv needs to be calibrated first (Even the might pioneer 50" tvs which are still considered the best tvs in existence looked cr*p in default settings)

The source used (The bluray player and the bluray) can obviously make quite a difference too. Watch AVATAR in the flying sequence if you want to see HD at its best

Iconic

aliEnRIK wrote: »

The source used (The bluray player and the bluray) can obviously make quite a difference too. Watch AVATAR in the flying sequence if you want to see HD at its best

Like the OP I am looking at buying a HD camcorder. Would AVCHD footage edited or played directly from the camcorder would be as good as bluray?

aliEnRIK

Iconic wrote: »

Like the OP I am looking at buying a HD camcorder. Would AVCHD footage edited or played directly from the camcorder would be as good as bluray?

Sorry, no clue about camcorders. But I seriously doubt it would be 'as good as'

BillScarab

Most consumer AVCHD camcorders up till now have been 1080i, there are some more reasonably priced 1080p ones starting to appear now though.

I've got one that's 1080i and the picture is excellent although I doubt if it's up to Blu_ray standards. Apart from anything else I doubt if the quality of the sensor and lens in a £300 camcorder is as good as in a professional camera used for films.

moonrakerz

boliston wrote: »

Interlace is definately a "legacy" technology based on CRT tubes. Unfortunately it still persits even today. I think sky still broadcast in 1080i.

JasX wrote: »

you want 1080p (progressive),

1080i (interlaced) is a set which has had corners cut and only 'scans' every other line of every other frame that a progressive one would

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. ALL broadcast TV is 1080i !!!

almillar

moonrakerz - All broadcast HDTV is 1080i - you were close!
Camcorders - no, if you buy a £300 1080p camcorder, it will not look like a bluray!
It's the same as cameras. You can buy a 10MP camera in Argos for under £100. Or you can buy a 10MP SLR for £500, and buy a lens for £500 - the SLR's pictures will look far better. 1080p and 10MP is simply a count of the resolution, the number of pixels. It completely ignores the lens, lighting etc used to get the picture, still or moving.

JasX

moonrakerz wrote: »

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

as would be the spurious assumption OP is only ever going to watch broadcast TV and not say, blu-ray disks etc etc