1080i, the former king of the HDTV hill, actually boasts an identical 1,920x1,080 resolution but conveys the images in an interlaced format (the i in 1080i). In a tube-based television, otherwise known as a CRT, 1080i sources get "painted" on the screen sequentially: the odd-numbered lines of resolution appear on your screen first, followed by the even-numbered lines--all within 1/30 of a second. Progressive-scan formats such as 480p, 720p, and 1080p convey all of the lines of resolution sequentially in a single pass, which makes for a smoother, cleaner image, especially with sports and other motion-intensive content. As opposed to tubes, microdisplays (DLP, LCoS, and LCD rear-projection) and other fixed-pixel TVs, including plasma and LCD flat-panel, are inherently progressive in nature, so when the incoming source is interlaced, as 1080i is, they convert it to progressive scan for display.
Your HDTV needs to beable to do 1,920x1,080 pixels
Dishnetwork is slowly changing their cards and way to scramble channels to "Nagra 3"...probably within 6 months or so, we may not have TV...so don't spend alot of money on HD receiver now...if ya want buy an inexpensive non HD GREAT receiver like the Sonicview Premier for $130 and get Dishnetv...that will pay for itself in 1 month
