items tagged with codec

720p, 1080i and 1080p are shorthand name for a category of video modes.
720p is a smaller HD resolution than 1080p. 720p is made up of 1280 (horizontal) x 720 (vertical) pixels. 1080p is made up of 1920 (horizontal) x 1080 (vertical) or 1440 (horizontal) x 1080 (vertical) pixels in 1080i.
In other words, if you compare 720p and 1080p movies on a 42" TV, you will notice that the 1080p most likely looks better. The pixel size in 720p is much larger on a 42" TV than 1080p. The smaller the pixel size the sharper the picture is.
WikiPedia 720p - WikiPedia 1080p - WikiPedia 1080i

Unfortunately, to play these high resolution, high nitrate releases you will need a relatively powerful cpu and a few pieces of software that you might not already have. To help make your life easier, I am going to walk you through it.