What is 1080p

See all comments 0. No comments yet Comment from the forums. HD aka p. Is it twice is good as 4K? Is 4K the same as Ultra HD? Here's everything you need to know about TV resolutions current and future. When it comes to resolution with TVs and phones, there's a confusing alphanumeric soup.

You'd be right to assume 8K must be greater than 4K , but is it twice as good? Is the difference even noticeable? And where does p fit into the equation? Resolution isn't the most important factor when buying a new TV -- especially because most TVs are now 4K TVs -- but it's still something to consider.

More importantly, knowing what all the numbers really mean can help you feel more confident in your TV choice. Resolution, in terms of TV hardware, refers to the number of pixels that compose the picture on the TV.

A single pixel, or discrete picture element, consists of a tiny dot on the screen. There are numerous resolutions found on flat-panel TVs.

Older TVs, and many inch models sold today, have a million or so pixels p. More recent and slightly larger TVs typically 49 inches and smaller have a little over 2 million pixels p.

Even newer and bigger TVs typically 50 inches and above, although numerous smaller sizes too have 8 million for 4K Ultra HD. And the newest, largest and most ridiculously expensive TVs have over 33 million pixels 8K. You'll have to look very closely, or whip out a magnifying glass, to discern each one. Resolution is one of the most common specifications used to sell TVs, partly because "4K" and "8K" sound really high-tech and impressive.

However, resolution is not the most important ingredient in picture quality. Just because a TV has higher resolution than another, doesn't always mean it looks better. It might, but not always, and for reasons that have little to do with resolution.

A TV with better high dynamic range HDR performance, a better overall contrast ratio or better color will look better than one that just has more pixels. That said, it's still worth understanding the various resolutions used by TV makers and others.

Here's a bit more, ahem, detail. Digital television allowed for much higher levels of compression, which in turn meant that high-definition pictures could be transmitted with a fraction of the bandwidth. The aspect ratio was a matter of some debate for some time, but ultimately the ratio of was agreed upon, largely as a compromise between the ratio desired by many and the most common cinema ratio.

A p format was discussed at this time, but it was ultimately decided this was more of an improved standard television resolution than a true high-definition resolution.

The two major standards today, the Digital Video Broadcasting DVB and Advanced Television Systems Committee ATSC standards, both support video in p resolution at frame-rates of 24, 25, and 30 frames per second, as well as their offsets such as These are usually abbreviated in shorthand as p24, p25, and p Within the tier, progressive-scan displays are more expensive than interlaced.

However, depending on other factors, these comparisons may not always be the case. The p and i models rely on old technology that is gradually giving way to higher-resolution options. A p device offers the best resolution and viewing experience. However, for TVs that are 32 inches or smaller, you won't see much difference between pictures on p and p displays. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

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