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An HD video format describes an image’s dimensions and how its picture lines are scanned, usually with a frame or field rate. In common television usage, HD means a family of formats with at least 720 vertical lines—not one single resolution. The familiar examples are 1280×720 progressive video (720p) and 1920×1080 video, which can be progressive (1080p) or interlaced (1080i).
What does an HD format label mean?
HD, or high definition, is a conventional category of television and video formats. It is commonly associated with a 16:9 image and formats such as 720p and 1080i or 1080p. ITU-R BT.709 is a governing HDTV parameter standard; the label “HD” alone, however, is not a complete description of a video signal. IEEE Technology Navigator describes this conventional usage.
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The number in a label indicates the number of vertical image lines in the format. The letter describes the scan method: p means progressive, while i means interlaced. A full format label can also include its rate, as in 720p50 or 1080i50.
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| Format | Common raster example | Scan method | Rate examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 720p | 1280×720 | Progressive: each frame is scanned as a whole. | 23.98/24, 25, 29.97/30, 50, and 59.94/60-family variants. |
| 1080i | 1920×1080 | Interlaced: the image is transmitted in fields rather than as a full progressively scanned frame. | 50 Hz or 59.94 Hz field-frequency forms; nominal frame-rate labels include 25 and 30 for 1080i50 and 1080i60/59.94. |
| 1080p | 1920×1080 | Progressive: each frame is scanned as a whole. | 23.98/24, 25, 29.97/30, 50, and 59.94/60-family variants. |
These are common examples, not an exhaustive list of allowed formats or interface mappings. SMPTE’s nomenclature chart also includes 2048-pixel-wide production formats with 1080 lines, so “1080” does not always mean an exact 1920×1080 raster. The chart lists the rate families above; SMPTE RP 2027:2012 gives examples of 720p and 1080p production rates and enumerates 1080i field-frequency forms. See the SMPTE HDTV and 2K D-Cinema Production System Nomenclature chart and SMPTE RP 2027:2012.
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Progressive scanning (p)
With progressive scanning, each frame contains a complete image scanned in sequence. The “p” in 720p and 1080p identifies this method; it does not state the codec or guarantee how the image will look after compression and display.
Interlaced scanning (i)
With interlaced scanning, a picture is sent as two fields rather than one complete progressively scanned frame. For an interlaced rate, distinguish field frequency from frame frequency: 1080i50 means 50 fields per second, while the corresponding nominal frame-rate label is 25. SMPTE RP 2027:2012 also specifies a 59.94 Hz field-frequency form, conventionally associated with a nominal 30-frame rate.
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How to read the rate
Rates appear after the scan letter in a complete label—for example, 720p50, 1080i50 or 1080p59.94. Common standard nomenclature includes fractional and integer variants such as 23.98/24 and 29.97/30. These values are related rate families, not interchangeable claims; the appropriate one depends on the source and the production, broadcast or delivery system. SMPTE RP 2027:2012 provides technical examples, while its 2012 date makes it a reference for those examples rather than proof of the newest practice.
What is the difference between 720p and 1080p?
Both are progressive formats, but their common example rasters differ: 720p is 1280×720 and 1080p is 1920×1080. The higher vertical line count and wider raster give 1080p more image samples in that comparison. That does not establish a universal viewing-quality winner: source detail, compression, bitrate, display characteristics and delivery all affect the result.
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Is 1080i HD?
Yes. 1080i is a common HD format with 1080 image lines and interlaced scanning. It is distinct from 1080p because it transmits fields rather than scanning every complete frame progressively. The label describes the signal format, not whether a particular display or playback chain will deinterlace it well.
What does “HD” not tell you?
Resolution and scan labels describe only part of a video signal. They do not specify:
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- the video codec, such as H.264 or another coding method;
- the file container or transport protocol;
- bitrate or compression level;
- color depth, chroma subsampling or HDR mode;
- whether the image was captured natively in HD or upscaled; or
- the picture quality a viewer will get on a particular screen.
Those properties belong to other parts of the production and delivery chain. ITU-T H.222.0 v10 (04/2025), for example, covers systems-layer multiplexing of video, audio and related data and supports multiple video coding specifications and DASH; it is not a consumer definition of HD. ITU-T H.222.0 helps illustrate why resolution and scan labels are separate from coding and delivery formats.
How should you compare HD formats?
Compare the actual signal and use case rather than treating the format name as a quality score. Check the raster dimensions, scan method and rate, then consider the source material and the intended display or delivery workflow. A format label sets technical parameters; it cannot by itself determine which option is best for every video or screen.
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