Digital TV (DTV) Standards Explained
This page provides a basic tutorial on Digital TV standards. The FCC has defined approximately 14 different formats/standards for DTV (Digital TV). Most variations fall under the basic standards outlined in the table below. These DTV standards include 480p, 480i/p, 720p, and 1080i.
DTV Standard | Aspect Ratio | Pixels per Horizontal Line | Vertical Pixels | Scan Rate in Hz |
---|---|---|---|---|
480p | 4:3 | 640 | 480 | 24, 30, 60 |
480i/p | 4:3 OR 16:9 | 704 | 480 | 24, 30, 60 |
720p | 16:9 | 1280 | 720 | 24, 30, 60 |
1080i | 16:9 | 1920 | 1080 | 24 OR 30 Hz |
In 480i/p, “p” stands for “progressive scanning,” and “i” stands for “interlaced scanning.”