[BC] Grand Alliance

[Robert Orban]

At 12:26 PM 10/18/2005, you wrote:
>From: Robert Meuser <Robertm at broadcast.net>
>Subject: Re: [BC] Grand Alliance
>To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>Message-ID: <4355519A.5020904 at broadcast.net>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>The problem is that most HDTVs are not really up to displaying 1080i. If you
>look at plasmas and LCDs that cost under about $10,000 they are not true 
>1080i
>displays. If you compare video formats on a CRT, 720 P sucks and it is quite
>obvious. CBS and NBC sports are quite happy with 1080 I with fast moving 
>images.
>These days trucks are going for 1080 P to satisfy both camps.

The new HQV (mini Teranex; http://www.hqv.com/) and Gennum 
(http://www.gennum.com/ip/index.html) chips can line-double 1080i to fit 
fixed-pixel 1080p displays. I believe that both use diagonal interpolation. 
Assuming that the top of the line new flat-panel displays will have 1080 
vertical rows of pixels, using one of these chips means that 1080i 
transmission is unequivocally better than 720p because there is more detail 
in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

Most top of the line LCD displays already do 1080 vertical lines; 1080p 
plasmas are coming soon (like the new 65" Panasonic), but will be pricey at 
first.

Within a very few years, it will be impossible to sell a top of the line 
flat-panel consumer display that does not have 1080p resolution because 
consumers will be looking for this number.

As for production, I have read that there are no 1080p60 production 
facilities in the broadcast networks. The best that is now available is 
1080sf24 ("segmented frame"), which is basically a format for material that 
either originated on film or from 24p E-cinema cameras, and which uses 
1080i recorders and switching.

Bob Orban