720P is an abbreviation for an HDTV video mode. The number, 720, refers to the number of lines of vertical display resolution. The P indicates that it uses progressive scan technology. 720P offers the highest motion resolution possible. It is typically used in a wide-screen format with an aspect ratio of 16:9. 720P has a resolution of 1280 X 720 pixels. Because it utilizes progressive scan technology, 720P is an excellent choice for plasma and LCD TVS. However, if it is used on a cathode ray tube television, it has to be scan converted. The only exception is when the CRT is meant to be used as a computer monitor because then it is set up to be progressive scan only already.
Scanning is the term that is given to the way a picture is displayed on the screen of a television receiving a digital signal. When the signal is presented in what is called interlaced format the picture is displayed in horizontal lines with every other line empty. The next frame contains an image in the blank line, so that if the image is being refreshed 50 times a second, there is actually only 25 complete images per second. Progressive scan does not contain the empty space, but every image is complete. This would produce 50 images per second in the example above. This explains the superior resolution of progressive scan such as you receive with the 720P video mode.
November 3rd, 2006 by Plasma Man
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[…] When you are shopping for a Panasonic Plasma Television, you are likely to be overwhelmed by the plethora of features that not only can confuse you as to what is needed and what is not, but also add considerably to the cost. The 42PX6U could be considered the basic package. This is no small thing, however, as in the area of performance it delivers. It is capable of progressive scan in 480p and 720p formats and has a pixel count of 1024x 768. With a contrast ratio of 10,000:1, it puts out the remarkable picture quality that is the hallmark of plasma televisions. It can produce a maximum of 29 billion colors with 3,072 shades of gradation. […]