There are a number of TV/display video resolutions. There are also variations of the resolutions with different frame rate's. (60fps(frames per second) is the most common. Sometimes content is produced with 30fps or even 24fps.) For an in depth explanation, search for "display resolutions" on the internet. Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation.
In the Stream+ you can choose the output resolution for your display. When it is set to auto the Stream+ will communicate with your display via the HDMI cable. It will automatically choose the highest resolution that the display is capable of processing, but keep in mind this may not always the best resolution. You may have a 1368x720p display, but it is capable of processing 1920x1080p signals. If the Stream+ is set to auto then it will always output all signals at 1080p. The image may actually look a little better if the Stream+ outputs the 720p resolution.
If you have a 720p display it will usually look better if you set the Stream+ to 720p @ 60.
If you have a 1080p display it will usually look better if you set the Stream+ to 1080P @ 60.
There is an exception if you have a 4k TV, the Stream+ will automatically scale all signals to 4k resolution. This is fine for 4k content, however for most HD programming the Stream+ should be set to 1080p and it may look better than the 4k setting.
HD antenna TV signals are transmitted at 720p or 1080i resolutions. That is up to the TV station. FOX and ABC are usually transmitted at 720p. CBS and NBC are usually transmitted at 1080i resolution.
When using the DVR+ you can change the preferred output resolution, and experiment with this and make up your mind if you like one resolution over another. To find the resolution setting for the Stream+ navigate to Home>Settings>Display>Resolution. Now you can choose the output resolution setting.
DVR+ Changing the Preferred Output Resolution
Menu>Settings>TV & Audio Setup>Display Setup>Resolution is the only choice on this screen. You must press OK to change the resolutions list white so they are selectable. Now navigate Up/Down to the desired resolution.
Televisions are of the following resolutions:
- Standard Definition Television (SDTV):
- 480i (NTSC-compatible digital standard employing two interlaced fields of 243 lines each)
- 576i (PAL-compatible digital standard employing two interlaced fields of 288 lines each)
- Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV):
- 480p (720 × 480 progressive scan)
- 576p (720 × 576 progressive scan)
- High Definition Television (HDTV):
- Ultra High Definition Television (UHDTV):