Four manufacturers are now touting the added virtues of 1080p over current formats for their various lines of plasma and micro-display units. Mitsubishi is the latest to join the growing crowd--following the earlier entry of maker flat-screen makers Samsung,Sharp and Toshiba.
Mitsubishi is proclaiming that 1080 in the progressive-scan mode is not a huge technical jump for those broadcasters now offering 720p--which appear to be in the minority for now--and published reports quote Mitsubishi as saying 1080p offers "significantly better pictures" than 1080i. Mitsubishi also contends that broadcast signals fed at 720p and 1080i look better on 1080p sets. But not many engineers or consumers have yet seen side-by-side-by-side comparisons of 1080i, 720p and 1080p displaying identical video to specifically evaluate whatever differences may exist.
There also remains this rather obvious technological hurdle right now for 1080p proponents: No major broadcasters or other program providers currently plan to broadcast in 1080p (although several have expressed kudos for its quality and plan to make periodic assessments as to its progress and feasibility). 1080p also require will require new production equipment and some revamped and/or new digital infrastructure, and as a practical matter, many broadcasters and production houses are still paying off their current digital equipment.
