When you are thinking of purchasing a display product, do you often see notations such as "FHD" and "4K"?
These notations such as "FHD" and "4K" are all words that indicate the "resolution" of the screen.
If you purchase without knowing much about resolution, it may happen that the product is not suitable for you.
Today I would like to explain about "resolution".
What is resolution?
The "resolution" used in televisions and displays is a mathematical formula that indicates the number of pixels on the screen.
Displays have countless dots called dots (pixels) lined up vertically and horizontally, and images, videos, etc. are displayed by lighting up each dot.
Therefore, the more dots that can be lined up vertically and horizontally on the screen, the more detailed the same information will be displayed. In other words, the more precisely the image can be displayed.
As it is a mathematical formula, it is usually expressed by multiplying the number of pixels in the horizontal direction by the number of pixels in the vertical direction, and the unit is "dots" or "pixels".
The product obtained by multiplying the resolution directly represents the total number of pixels on the screen, as shown below.
・640×480 pixels = 307,200 pixels
・1024×576 pixels = 589,824 pixels
・1600×900 pixels = 1.44 million pixels
HD / High Definition / Hi-Def
Among the names for resolutions, "HD quality" is an abbreviation for "high definition quality." Resolutions called "HD" or "high vision" refer to any of the following:
・1280×720 pixels (921,600 pixels)
・1920×1080 pixels (2,073,600 pixels)
HD (High Vision) is a resolution that was developed during the development race for high-definition television broadcasting in countries around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
Currently, general digital television programs are created with this resolution as the target.
What is Full HD / Full High Vision?
Full HD is an abbreviation for "full high definition television" in terms of resolution. The resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels (2,073,600 pixels).
The "full" comes from the fact that it is the maximum resolution standard for regular digital television broadcasting.
Recently, more and more video conferencing systems are available that can adjust the screen resolution up to the equivalent of Full HD.
If you are holding a small meeting, it is enough if you can only see the other person's face and documents, but if dozens or hundreds of people are looking at a single monitor, a large screen is required.
Also, especially when holding a meeting while showing actual manufactured products on the screen, a higher resolution image can convey the quality more accurately.
As the term "4K" becomes more widespread, Full HD is increasingly being called "2K".
4K / Ultra HD
In terms of resolution, 4K means "4000" and is derived from the fact that there are about 4000 pixels on the long side. It is called 4K because it has exactly four times the number of pixels of Full HD. The resolution is 4096 x 2160 pixels (8,847,360 pixels), and its appeal is shown on a larger screen.
However, this is only true when the video being played is 4K video. The image quality is the same whether you watch a Full HD video on a Full HD display or a 4K display.
Even if you want to enjoy games in 4K, you will not be able to get 4K image quality unless the game software supports 4K output, just like with videos. It is necessary to check how many game software that supports 4K are sold.
Find the best display for you
Selecting a display is a complex process, so even if you simply say Full HD or 4K, there are many other factors that come into play. For example...
- Screen switching speed and color vividness
- Screen glossiness (glare/non-glare)
- Blue light cut function
- Screen flicker prevention
- Viewing angle
- Power consumption
- Cost
Various factors such as these are intricately intertwined. Also, the higher the pixel count, the more expensive it will be to purchase. When purchasing, it is best to consider what level of image quality you are satisfied with and then purchase an LCD display with a resolution that matches that.
What did you think?
This time, we explained the resolution of TVs and displays.
Please refer to this when considering a display.