[mythtv-users] OT: no more modelines....

[Michael T. Dean]

On 06/14/2006 11:25 AM, Stuart Fox wrote:
> Does that mean my plasma running at 1024x768 at 60 is 720i capable or does it
> need to be 1366x768?
>   

720p is 1280x720 pixels (the ATSC specification does not include a 720i 
format-- see http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/what_is_ATSC.html --and I 
haven't heard of any outside the US, either), but any display can be 
used to show an image that uses the 720p format--although, typically, 
scaling/resampling will be necessary.  The same applies for 1080i/1080p, 
which have a pixel resolution of 1920x1080.

Note, also, that 1366x768 is (approximately) the same aspect ratio 
(about 16:9) as 1280x720 and 1920x1080 (which are both exactly 16:9), so 
the 1280x720 just gets scaled up a bit.  However, 1024x768 is a 4:3 
aspect ratio.

Therefore, assuming your display's physical aspect ratio were 16:9, a 
16:9 720p video (or 1080i/p video--with a 1920x1080 pixel resolution) 
would be scaled to take up the entire display.  Therefore, the vertical 
and horizontal dimensions would be resampled differently (i.e. your 
pixels would be non-square).

More likely, though, your display's physical aspect ratio is 4:3 (i.e. 
not widescreen)--which matches your pixel aspect ratio.  If so, you 
could scale the image to take up the entire screen, but people would be 
taller and thinner than usual.*  So, typically, the image would be 
displayed letterboxed (i.e. with black bars on top/bottom) and use only 
part of the screen.

*Yes, it's possible to do a non-linear stretch so the fringes (in this 
case top/bottom) of the image are stretched more than the center/focus, 
but Myth doesn't provide this capability.  If it's possible on your 
system, it would have to be done by your TV.

> Or do I wait a while and get a new LARGE 1080p screen :)

I gotta admit I love my 67-inch 1080p...

Mike