Apple TV's 540p vs 1080i big fuss

[CMD is me]

I was hot to get a AVCHD camera, edit in FCE or iMovie then watch on AppleTV. But I read that the 920 x 1080 video has to be exported at 960x540. But isn't iMovie just converting 1080i to 540p? Maybe not, I don't know, but there is a lot of fuss about iMovie/AppleTV only being 540p @30fps. So what's the difference?

I've watch a 1080i HDV recording and it looks great on my HDTV. Big question -- in the end how does the final AppleTV HD video look compared to the original HD content?

 

[keithpetey]

x

 

[zedsdead]

If you are using any consumer camcorder, AVCHD or HDV, even if they record in "Full-HD," the sensors in these cams are not 1080p. They all use pixel-shifting technology.

In short, this means that if you import a "1920x1080" file and a 960x540 into iMovie, from any of these new consumer cameras (like my Canon Vixia HF100), there will be no noticeable difference between the two. People have done side by side tests, and there is really no difference. The 960x540 look great, although I do wish that Apple would at least add 1280x720p at 30fps to the Apple TV.

 

[CMD is me]

...if you import a "1920x1080" file and a 960x540 into iMovie, from any of these new consumer cameras (like my Canon Vixia HF100), there will be no noticeable difference between the two. People have done side by side tests, and there is really no difference. The 960x540 look great, although I do wish that Apple would at least add 1280x720p at 30fps to the Apple TV.

Good to read. What it really comes down to is that -- how does the original look next to the edited copy? I want to maintain highest resolution, which I the whole reason I'm wanting to upgrade my SD miniDV > iMovie > DVD set up to 1080i HD > iMovie > AppleTV