The i and p labels describe interlaced and progressive scanning. Interlaced material uses separate fields; progressive material presents complete frames. Similar line counts do not make their motion handling identical, and an output resolution alone does not identify how the original source was scanned.
Separate the source label from the output label
Record where a value came from: the player’s media information, an item name, or the television’s HDMI status screen. A television might report a progressive input while displaying content that originated as interlaced material. An item called FHD may provide no scan information at all. Treat unknown source details as unknown rather than filling them from a marketing label.
Understand why fields matter
Sony’s official explanation distinguishes complete progressive frames from interlaced odd/even-line fields. That distinction helps describe motion artifacts. The source should remain matched to the player’s documented handling; this reference does not prescribe one deinterlacing algorithm for every operating system or assume that a television exposes a suitable control.
Imagine a fictional sports clip with a moving white shirt against a dark background. If fine alternating edges appear only while the subject moves, record that visual pattern and whether the player identifies the source as interlaced. A still studio shot may look normal in the same session. This is an observation exercise, not a physical playback test or proof of a single cause.
Distinguish common observations
Use short descriptions that another person can understand without an unredacted video capture. A moving-object edge, a blocky image, a frozen frame and a stretched picture are different symptoms. Compression, scaling, scanning and display processing can overlap, so do not diagnose solely from a photograph.
| What you see | Useful detail to record |
|---|---|
| Fine comb-like edges during movement | Whether the source scan type is shown and whether still scenes look normal. |
| Large blocks during complex scenes | Whether another authorised representation behaves differently. |
| Regular uneven motion | Reported frame rate and output mode, if visible. |
| Objects stretched horizontally | Player scaling and TV picture-size settings. |
Compare only a documented control
If the exact player edition documents an automatic or selectable interlace-handling option, record its present value and compare one supported alternative using the same material. Do not apply an old Windows VLC preference recipe to a Tizen, webOS or Roku application. If no relevant option exists, provide the observations to the player publisher rather than attempting firmware or codec modifications.
A helpful outcome is a repeatable source-and-setting description. It does not establish that every 1080i source is inferior to every 720p source or that bandwidth alone resolves motion handling. Ask the provider for source properties when they are not visible; ask the player publisher about supported rendering. No source, display or deinterlacing function was tested for this reference.