Biggest CEDIA buzzword:1080p
The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo finished up yesterday and all of the buzz was around something you might have heard here before: 1080p. 1080p actually indicates two things: lines of resolution and how they are displayed. The "1080" part indicates that 1,080 horizontal lines of resolution are displayed. The "p" indicates that these lines are displayed progressively, or all drawn in order, as opposed to interlaced, where other line drawn is drawn first, and the rest are filled in on the next pass.
Mitsubishi, JVC, and Sharp all rolled out 1080p-capable high-def sets at CEDIA, and it's reasonable to expect the 1080p trend to continue. Although there aren't any 1080p broadcasts, since 1080i is the highest resolution broadcast standard, these 1080p sets offer smooth motion and razor sharp screens.
Watch for new 1080p set announcements here; don't expect the prices to be as low as current HDTV sets because you'll pay a premium for the technology. By this time next year, it's likely that a fair amount of sets will be 1080p-capable and much more affordable.
