I have a 1080p 37 inch sanyo. My cable box options highest setting is 1080i. Is that the best setting?

So many misinformed people here offering incorrect information. 1080i is absolutely the best setting for your cable box.

720p in absolutely NOT better than 1080i. 720p has 33% less horizontal resolution and 33% less vertical resolution compared to 1080i, so the combined lower horizontal and vertical resolutions of 720p give you about 50% less total pixels of resolution compared to 1080i.

Also, for the misinformed answerer who thinks that satellite providers are not providing 1080p programming because it would require too much bandwidth.... that is completely incorrect. The 1080p PPV movies on satellite require no more bandwidth than the same movie in 1080i since all movies are only 24 frames per second, and a 1080i signal can provide 30 full frames per second without any reduction in quality or increase in compression, so a 1080i signal needs more bandwidth than a 24 frame per second 1080p signal of the same quality. There's 30 full frames per second for 1080i vs. 24 full frames per second for 1080p.

Put the cable box on "native" or you will have to switch the cable box output format from 720p to 1080i depending on the signal to get the biggest benefit.

720p is 60 full frames/images per second (60fps). 1080i is 30 full frames/images per second (30fps).

If the channel is coming into the cable box at 720p/60fps and the box is set to change that to 1080i/30fps, what do you think happens to every other image? They are getting thrown out, obviously. If you set the box to 720p for a 720p channel, let the TV upscale it to 1080 - the TV will upscale every image to the TV's native resolution. You actually lose HALF the signal if you set the box to output 1080i when the signal coming into the box is 720p. That's pretty dumb.

720 has about 44% the number of pixels as 1080. Using the same distribution pipeline, you can either send twice the pixels half as fast (1080i) or half the pixels twice as fast (720p).

I believe ABC/FOX/ESPN and the like use 720p because the faster frame rate is better suited for sports/action. Channels like National Geographic use 1080i because of the increased resolution.

The frame rate vs resolution are the two tradeoffs between the two formats. People usually only concentrate on the resolution, but that's only half the equation.

1080i is the current limitation on HD broadcasts. You are getting the best possible picture when watching a 1080i broadcast. The only 1080p sources right now are Blu-Ray, Playstation 3 and Xbox-360.

Use the 1080i setting on the cable box. Currently, the only source of 1080p video is BluRay disc. I've seen some claims of satellite services offering 1080p, but I just don't believe it - the bandwidth is just too high. Either that or they over-compress it to the point that the quality drops off, so why bother except for bragging rights.

1080i should be fine. You should be aware that for broadcast tv, the highest resolution they broadcast is 1080i. Only blu-ray and some pay per view movies are 1080p.

720p is better than 1080i at 37 inches.

as of now the higest cable can broadcast is 720p and 1080i...

you should go to your settings and change it to 720p, it sounds weird but 720p is better than 1080i

when you have HD the "p" is always better than the "i"

"i" stands for interlaced which makes ur picture look like ur kinda watching through a mesh screen because the pixles go in a criss cross motion like a tic tac toe sign "#"

"p" stands for progressive and that means the pixles go left to right only not up and down and the picture comes out alot cleaner and smoother with the slight "mesh look" of interlaced or "i"

enjoy ur tv =)

Adding to that 1080p over dish first they download the movie to your converter then it plays and yes it looks very nice.I have no problem paying the $8.00 per movie for that when i dont want to leave the house for bd.Not comparing to bd but the next best thing.