Reference chart
Video resolution chart
The named video formats resolve to exact pixel grids: 1080p is 1920 × 1080, consumer "4K" (UHD) is 3840 × 2160, and cinema DCI 4K is 4096 × 2160. This chart lists the broadcast, cinema, and computer rasters that show up on event signal paths, with the distinctions that matter at the switcher.
Broadcast and cinema formats
| Name | Pixels | Aspect | Megapixels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 480i/p (NTSC SD) | 720 × 480 | 4:3 / 16:9* | 0.35 | Anamorphic pixels; the legacy tier. |
| 576i/p (PAL SD) | 720 × 576 | 4:3 / 16:9* | 0.41 | European SD equivalent. |
| 720p (HD) | 1280 × 720 | 16:9 | 0.92 | Still common in broadcast contribution. |
| 1080i / 1080p (Full HD) | 1920 × 1080 | 16:9 | 2.07 | The default show raster for a decade and counting. |
| UHD ("4K") | 3840 × 2160 | 16:9 | 8.29 | Exactly four 1080p quadrants; consumer 4K. |
| DCI 4K | 4096 × 2160 | ~1.90:1 | 8.85 | Cinema container; wider than UHD. |
| 8K UHD | 7680 × 4320 | 16:9 | 33.2 | Four UHD quadrants; niche on live events. |
Computer rasters that reach show inputs
| Name | Pixels | Aspect | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| XGA | 1024 × 768 | 4:3 | The ghost that haunts old projectors and podium laptops. |
| WXGA | 1280 × 800 | 16:10 | Legacy corporate laptops and projectors. |
| WUXGA | 1920 × 1200 | 16:10 | Installation projectors; 120 lines taller than 1080p. |
| QHD | 2560 × 1440 | 16:9 | Common laptop panel; scales cleanly to 1080p. |
| UW-QHD | 3440 × 1440 | 21:9 | Ultrawide sources that surprise LED walls. |
| Laptop "Retina" classes | various | 16:10 mostly | Expect EDID negotiation, not a standard raster. |
Reading the chart on a show
UHD versus DCI 4K matters when content arrives: cinema-mastered files at 4096 wide need a crop or scale decision on a 3840 pipeline. The asterisked SD formats used non-square pixels, which is why old archival content looks stretched until the player is told the display aspect.
LED walls add the twist that the wall itself is rarely a named raster: a 14 × 8 panel wall at 176 × 176 pixels per panel is 2464 × 1408, and content built to a named format gets mapped onto it. The pixel pitch calculator computes wall rasters from physical size; the media server entry covers how content lands on them.
Frequently asked questions
Is 4K the same as UHD?
In consumer and most event usage, yes: "4K" means UHD, 3840 × 2160. True DCI 4K is 4096 × 2160, a cinema format about 7% wider. The difference matters when cinema-mastered content meets a UHD pipeline.
How many pixels is 1080p?
1920 × 1080, about 2.07 million pixels, at 16:9. The p means progressive scan; 1080i carries the same grid as interlaced fields.
What resolution should event content be built at?
To the actual output raster: the wall’s pixel map or the projector blend canvas, not a generic "4K". When that is impractical, 1920 × 1080 or 3840 × 2160 at the show frame rate are the safe defaults most servers scale well.