What is the advantage of 1080p output?

[JonHimself]

I'm just curious about the output options on AppleTV. Does it upscale the source to whatever output setting we select? For example, if I rip a standard DVD for playback on AppleTV, will there be a noticeable difference between selection 720p, 1080i and 1080p output settings? The TV I have is capable of 1080p output, so that is not an issue. I'm just curious if the displayed movie should look better by using the highest output setting?

 

[imlucid]

I'm just curious about the output options on AppleTV. Does it upscale the source to whatever output setting we select? For example, if I rip a standard DVD for playback on AppleTV, will there be a noticeable difference between selection 720p, 1080i and 1080p output settings? The TV I have is capable of 1080p output, so that is not an issue. I'm just curious if the displayed movie should look better by using the highest output setting?

Depends on the TV. You'd have to try it to see which has the better scaler.

Kevin

 

[arn]

I'm just curious about the output options on AppleTV. Does it upscale the source to whatever output setting we select? For example, if I rip a standard DVD for playback on AppleTV, will there be a noticeable difference between selection 720p, 1080i and 1080p output settings? The TV I have is capable of 1080p output, so that is not an issue. I'm just curious if the displayed movie should look better by using the highest output setting?

As stated by Kevin, it depends.

Your TV will display 1080p. That means when it gets a signal, it upscales it to 1080p no matter what. The Apple TV content is 720p max.

So, if you output 720p to your TV, it will scale it to 1080p
If you output 1080p from your Apple TV, the Apple TV is scaling it from 720p to 1080p.

So depending on which scaler works better, you may get varying results.

arn

 

[JonHimself]

So what I should do then is try settings in different combinations? TV & AppleTV to 720p, TV to 720p AppleTV to 1080p, TV to 1080p AppleTV to 720p, etc etc Then see which looks best?
Should it differ from file to file? Should one encoded file look better at a different combination? I'm just wondering for when I try out the settings.

 

[imlucid]

So what I should do then is try settings in different combinations? TV & AppleTV to 720p, TV to 720p AppleTV to 1080p, TV to 1080p AppleTV to 720p, etc etc Then see which looks best?
Should it differ from file to file? Should one encoded file look better at a different combination? I'm just wondering for when I try out the settings.

You only need to change the video resolution settings in Apple TV. The TV will always output at its native resolution (i.e. 1080p). If you feed it 1080p from Apple TV, then its the ATV that is doing the up conversion.

If you feed it 720p, it is the TV that is converting from 720p to 1080p.

If you are watching 480p material, its possible you'd convert from 480p to 720p on the ATV, then from 720p to 1080p on the TV. In that case you might get better results having the ATV scale it all the way to 1080p.

But as was said before, you'll have to try these out for yourself. You'll probably not notice much if any difference.

Kevin

 

[fcpdude]

My TV is a Panasonic 50" and it does NOT automatically go to 1080p (on the HDMI input), it detects whatever signal is being sent and then sets it to that.

But you all are still confusing me...does the AppleTV spit out 1080p?

 

[JonHimself]

You only need to change the video resolution settings in Apple TV. The TV will always output at its native resolution (i.e. 1080p). If you feed it 1080p from Apple TV, then its the ATV that is doing the up conversion.

If you feed it 720p, it is the TV that is converting from 720p to 1080p.

If you are watching 480p material, its possible you'd convert from 480p to 720p on the ATV, then from 720p to 1080p on the TV. In that case you might get better results having the ATV scale it all the way to 1080p.

But as was said before, you'll have to try these out for yourself. You'll probably not notice much if any difference.

Kevin

Thanks for the reply. I can't really notice a difference across all variables. Also, like fcpdude, my TV is set to automatically switch to whatever is being fed into it. So when I change my output in AppleTV, the input title switches from "Input 4: 720p" to "Input 4: 1080p". Unless of course that only describes the incoming signal (read: Input 4: Receiving 720p signal) and the TV is always displaying at 1080p, as you said. If that's the case, then I understand, it's all up to the setting on the AppleTV.
Again, thanks for your help (to everyone else as well)

 

[arn]

So when I change my output in AppleTV, the input title switches from "Input 4: 720p" to "Input 4: 1080p". Unless of course that only describes the incoming signal (read: Input 4: Receiving 720p signal) and the TV is always displaying at 1080p, as you said. If that's the case, then I understand, it's all up to the setting on the AppleTV.

Ya, the TV has a native resolution (1080p). What is being shown is is the input signal.

arn

 

[zedsdead]

Likely the 1080p will make the pictures and graphics look sharper. As for video, currently 720p is the max

 

[AVonGauss]

Deleted.