Silly question - HD

NotAGolf

NotAGolf

NotAGolf

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So I just ordered a new monitor. A Benq 24" HD screen.

Got a stupid question though. How does HD work? I'll be connecting it to my 7800GTX (not HD capable) via DVI-D. Does this mean none of the content on screen will be HD unless I get a new card? I'm confused! :confused:

Thanks for helping out a simpleton!
 
I'm not sure you fully understand what HD means. HD is just the common term for any resolution over 720p. Your new monitor will be (I expect) 1080p, meaning that the monitor displays at a HD resolution. If you play a game at the native res, you'll be playing in HD. If you watch a film that's recorded at a resolution of 720p or higher, you'll be watching a film in HD. If you fullscreen Firefox, you'll be browsing in HD.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p

The meaning of 1080p as a display resolution is not correct because in fact 1920x1200/1920x1080 displays may or may not be able to display 1080p video. Use of 1080p and the closely related 1080i labels in consumer products may refer to a range of capabilities. For example, video equipment that upscales to 1080p takes lower resolution material and reformats it for a higher resolution display. The image that results is different from the display of original 1080p source material on a native 1080p capable-display. Similarly, equipment capable of displaying both 720p and 1080i may in fact not have the capability to display 1080p or 1080i material at full resolution. It is common for this material to be downscaled to the native capability of the equipment. The term "native 1080p-capable" is sometimes used to refer to equipment capable of rendering 1080p fully.

Some modern widescreen liquid crystal display (LCD) and most QXGA and widescreen cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors can natively display 1080p content. Widescreen WUXGA monitors for example support 1920×1200 resolution, which can display a pixel for pixel reproduction of the 1080p (1920×1080) format. The resolution is rare, but increasing in popularity amongst laptops in 2009; some laptops have a 15", 17" or even a 18.4" display that run a resolution of 1920×1200 or 1920x1080. Additionally, many 23, 24 and 27-inch (690 mm) widescreen LCD monitors use 1920×1200 as their native resolution, 30 inch displays can display beyond 1080p at up to 2560x1600 or 1600p. Apple's 27" iMac has a native resolution of 2560×1440 and hence 1440p. Other 1080p-compatible LCDs have lower than 1920×1080 native resolution and cannot display 1080p pixel for pixel, relying on the display's internal scaler to produce an image resized to suit the display's actual resolution.

In 2006, Sanyo-Epson announced a 7.1" LCD with 1920×1080 resolution and over 300 DPI.[12] The display has yet to be incorporated into any devices.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/tech...ion-1080p-tv-why-you-should-be-concerned.html
 
Last edited:
mpledge52 said:
Awesome! I just thought that because it was so old it wouldn't be.

So what on screen wil be HD? Everything apart from video that isn't from a HD source?
Click to expand...

provided you're running your monitor at it's native res, then everything will be in HD.

1920 x 1200 will be fine for 1080p stuff, you'll just have to put up with black bars.
 
niggyg said:
HD is just a marketing buzz word, PC monitors have been 'HD' for years.

Your worrying yourself over nothing :D
Click to expand...

This is what was confusing me, as I knew montitor resolutions had been 'HD' for a long time so I thought I was missing something. Thanks all!
 
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