[ANSWERED] Should I Set My Cable Box to 1080i or 1080p?

After setting up your cable box, it’s important to set the resolution of your cable box as the selected resolution will be displayed on your monitor. Now, you may think about which resolution you should choose. Let’s assume that you have two choices, 1080i and 1080p. 

Basically, it will depend on the capability of your TV and its size. But there are some other factors that you will need to consider before setting up the resolution of your cable box.

In today’s article, we have discussed in depth what resolution you should choose for your cable box, between 1080i and 1080p. So, be with us till the end and find out the best resolution for your cable box!

Between 1080i and 1080p, Which One Should Be Used for the Cable Box?

Before choosing, first, we need to understand what is 1080i and 1080p and the differences they have. 1080i means 1080 interlaced scan which refreshes half of the pixels at a time. On the other hand, 1080p or 1080 progressively scan can refresh the entire display at once. Simply put, 1080p can process double the amount of information that 1080i needs for processing half of that.

This is the actual difference between these two types of resolutions.

Now, let’s come to the point, which one you should choose? Each resolution has the same number of pixels, but there are some key differences between these two. If you have a TV of more than 40 inches and it supports 1080p resolution then you must go for 1080p instead of 1080i. Now, you may ask why? Well, the reason is, between 1080i and 1080p, 1080p can provide about 60% better image quality than 1080i.

Especially, if you are a sports freak or frequently watch fast pace channels then you will have trouble if you choose 1080i over 1080p. In fast-paced content, 1080i cause screen blurring issues but 1080p doesn’t.

But What About the Broadcast Signals that Use 1080 Interlaced Format

You may know that most of the broadcast channels use 1080i over 1080p. 1080p requires the double bandwidth of 1080i, and that’s why they are still using 1080i. Though with time they are shifting to 1080p and more, a few sports channels have already started using 4k for broadcasting and slowly 1080p replacing 1080i and becoming the primary format for broadcasting.

If the channel’s resolution is 1080i then there is nothing to worry about as the newer cable box is capable of converting 1080i to 1080p quite easily. So, you won’t have any issues then.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Between 1080i and 1080p which one is known as true HD?

Between 1080i and 1080p, 1080p is known as true HD. The reason is, at a time 1080i can refresh half of the screen whereas 1080p can refresh all of the pixels in an image and can provide sharper and more detailed pictures. That’s why it’s known as true HD.

Why does 1080i look better than 1080p?

Unfortunately, it’s not true. 1080i doesn’t look better than 1080p. The case is totally different. Between 1080p and 1080i, 1080p is considered as the better format because it can provide a sharper and more detailed image.

Conclusion

Lastly, if you have a larger TV that supports 1080p resolution then you should set 1080p on your cable box. And if the monitor size is smaller and you are not watching fast-paced content then you should use 1080i over 1080p as the differences in a smaller screen isn’t noticeable at all.