View source for 720p

{{Short description|Video resolution}}

[[File:Vector_Video_Standards8.svg|thumb|This chart shows the most common display resolutions, 720p being one of the 16:9 formats shown in blue.]]

'''720p''' (720 lines progressive) is a progressive [[High-definition television|HD]] signal format with 720 horizontal lines/1280 columns and an [[aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]] (AR) of [[16:9 aspect ratio|16:9]], normally known as widescreen HD (1.78:1). All major HD broadcasting standards (such as [[SMPTE 292|SMPTE 292M]]) include a 720p format, which has a resolution of 1280×720.

The number ''720'' stands for the 720 horizontal [[scan line]]s of image [[display resolution]] (also known as 720 pixels of vertical resolution).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/term.cfm/720p |title=720p – AfterDawn: Glossary of technology terms & acronyms}}</ref>  The ''p'' stands for [[progressive scan]], i.e. non-interlaced. When broadcast at 60{{refn|It is, however, more commonly broadcast at (60/1.001), or precisely 59.{{overline|94005994}}, matching the NTSC SDTV field rate; this and the 50.00 Hz of PAL are still the second and third highest standard framerates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/.amp/opinions/will-the-end-of-ntsc-be-the-end-of-5994 |title=Will the End of NTSC Be the End of 59.94? |publisher=TVTechnology |date=2008-01-09 |access-date=2010-10-08 |first=Randy |last=Hoffner}}</ref>|group=note}} frames per second, 720p features the highest [[temporal resolution]] possible under the [[ATSC standards|ATSC]] and [[DVB]] standards. The term assumes a [[widescreen]] [[Aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]] of [[16:9 aspect ratio|16:9]], thus implying a resolution of 1280×720 [[pixel|px]] (0.9 [[Pixel#Megapixel|megapixels]]).

720i (720 lines [[Interlaced video|interlaced]]) is an erroneous term found in numerous sources and publications. Typically, it is a typographical error in which the author is referring to the 720p HDTV format. However, in some cases it is incorrectly presented as an actual alternative format to 720p.<ref>{{cite book |title=HDTV for Dummies |last=Briere |first=Daniel |author2=Patrick Hurley |year=2006 |page=13 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jb62Hkrj0oYC&q=hdtv+for+dummies |publisher=[[For Dummies]] |isbn=9780470096734}}</ref> No proposed or existing broadcast standard permits 720 ''interlaced'' lines in a video frame at any frame rate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atsc.org/cms/standards/a72/a_72_part_1.pdf |title=ATSC Standard: Video System Characteristics of AVC in the ATSC Digital Television System |date=2008-07-29 |access-date=2011-07-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004122811/http://www.atsc.org/cms/standards/a72/a_72_part_1.pdf |archive-date=2012-10-04}}</ref>

== Comparison with interlace scanning ==
Progressive scanning reduces the need to prevent flicker by anti-aliasing single high contrast horizontal lines.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/term.cfm/720p |title=720p |publisher=AfterDawn |date=2010-08-10 |access-date=2010-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6029_7-6301006-1.html |title=720p |publisher=[[CNET Networks|CNET]] Glossary |access-date=2010-10-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930062950/http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6029_7-6301006-1.html |archive-date=2010-09-30}}</ref> It is also easier to perform high-quality 50↔60&nbsp;Hz conversion and slow-motion clips with progressive video.

== Resolutions ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! Standard
! Resolution
! Aspect ratio
|-
| HD
| 960×720p
| {{ratio|4:3}}
|-
| HD
| 720×960p
| {{ratio|3:4}}
|-
| HD
| 1280×720p
| {{ratio|16:9}}
|-
| HD
| 720×1280p
| {{ratio|9:16}}
|}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Television}}

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[1440p]], [[4K_resolution|4K]], [[Ultra-high-definition television]], [[1080i]], [[1080p]].
* [[High-definition television]] (HDTV)
* [[Image resolution]]
* [[List of common display resolutions]]
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://tech.ebu.ch/docs/techreports/tr005.pdf EBU Technical paper on HDTV formats]

{{TV resolution}}
{{Video formats}}

[[Category:Television terminology]]
[[Category:Video formats]]