What Does HDTV Mean in Camera Specifications?
HDTV stands for High Definition Television and you might sometimes see this acronym listed amongst the technical jargon in camera specifications. An HDTV is a television with a 16:9 aspect ratio (compared to the older 4:3 aspect ratio) that can display a resolution of at least 720p (1280px x 720px).
Most HDTVs either display a resolution of 720p or 1080p (1920px x 1080px), but some newer televisions are now capable of displaying what is commonly known as 4k or Quad HD (4096px x 2160px) – also sometimes written as QFHD (Quad Full HD) because it is 4 times the resolution of 1080p.
Why is information about televisions sometimes seen in camera specifications?
Many cameras can be plugged into a television so that image can be played back on the TV screen. If a camera lists an output as HD, or HDTV compatible, it’ll most likely also tell you whether it is 720p or 1080p. This simply tells you the resolution that is coming out of the camera, down the HDMI cable and into your TV. A higher number is better, delivering a crisper and sharper image to your TV. In other words 1080p is better than 720p. The caveat to that is that you need a TV to match the specification. If your TV is only 720p, it won’t matter whether you sent it a 1080p video signal, it’ll still only display it at 720p.
