720p? 1080i? How to tell?

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Very newbie question here...

I've seen in several places where folks have said that "they tried viewing
something at 720p and 1080i", etc. and I understand that this is how the
display is being generated on the screen. What I don't understand is how do
they know what setting they are using?

I'm very new to HDTV. I recent picked up an RCA D52W20 52" projector TV.
This TV has DVI, component, sVideo and composite inputs. Supposedly this TV
has 1097 lines of resolution. I have no way to tell how the video is being
generated on the display.

Can someone explain, or provide a link to, some information on HOW to use
these modes as opposed to what they are?

Thanks!

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Noozer wrote:

> Can someone explain, or provide a link to, some information on HOW
> to use these modes as opposed to what they are?

Some TVs have an "info" button that will tell you exactly what type of
signal you are currently viewing. (Mine, alas, only says SD or HD.)
Cable and satellite boxes can often be set to force everything sent to
the TV into one format... and in some cases it sounds like they do a
poorer job than the TV itself does. This is generally what people mean
when they talk about "I tried viewing it this way and that way". If
you don't have that kind of a box, then the TV just takes whatever type
of signal the channel is giving it.