The term assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, a spatial resolution of 1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels), and a temporal resolution of 50 or 60 interlaced fields per second.

This frame rate derives from the PAL television standard of 50i (or 50 interlaced fields per second).

On this setting, the camera can shoot progressive video - video made up of complete frames instead of interlaced fields.

NTSC television images are scanned at roughly 60 Hz, with two interlaced fields per frame, displayed at 30 frames per second.

Two interlaced fields formulate a single frame, because the two fields of one frame are temporally shifted.

For example 24p means 24 progressive scan frames per second and 50i means 25 progressive frames per second, consisting of 50 interlaced fields per second.

In general, 720p is more accurate with fast action, because it progressively scans frames, instead of the 1080i, which uses interlaced fields and thus might degrade the resolution of fast images.

In order to display interlaced signal on such displays, the two interlaced fields must be converted to one progressive frame with a process known as de-interlacing.

Line doubling takes the lines of each interlaced field (consisting of only even or odd lines) and doubles them, filling the entire frame.

These images are output as 60 (NTSC) or 50 (PAL) interlaced fields.