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Many manufacturers use a 1.3MP chip to build 720p cameras. 1.3MP in 4:3 aspect ratio is actually 1280x1024, hence the 1.3MP designation. The manufacturers of 720p cameras don't use all of the vertical pixels.

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Applying "HDTV" terminology to megapixel cameras is, as far as I'm concerned, strictly a marketing thing. HDTV and related terms like 720p and 1080p are sexy terms that the average consumer can relate to. They know their 1080p LCD TV looks great compared to their old TV, so by extension, a 1080p camera must look a lot better than their old-style cameras. The connection between "analog" and "megapixel" isn't so readily clear.

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Applying "HDTV" terminology to megapixel cameras is, as far as I'm concerned, strictly a marketing thing. HDTV and related terms like 720p and 1080p are sexy terms that the average consumer can relate to. They know their 1080p LCD TV looks great compared to their old TV, so by extension, a 1080p camera must look a lot better than their old-style cameras. The connection between "analog" and "megapixel" isn't so readily clear.
Matt, while I might agree with you, there are cameras out there that basically meet the specs for 720p and 1080p. The Honeywell HD3MDIP we are testing, as well as a number of others are 1280x720. In that respect they are 720p. Could they be hooked directly up to an HDTV? It would depend on the TV, but likely not in most cases. To qualify in that respect they would have to have either Component or HDMI outputs. None do that I know of.

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Applying "HDTV" terminology to megapixel cameras is, as far as I'm concerned, strictly a marketing thing. HDTV and related terms like 720p and 1080p are sexy terms that the average consumer can relate to. They know their 1080p LCD TV looks great compared to their old TV, so by extension, a 1080p camera must look a lot better than their old-style cameras. The connection between "analog" and "megapixel" isn't so readily clear.
Matt, while I might agree with you, there are cameras out there that basically meet the specs for 720p and 1080p. The Honeywell HD3MDIP we are testing, as well as a number of others are 1280x720. In that respect they are 720p. Could they be hooked directly up to an HDTV? It would depend on the TV, but likely not in most cases. To qualify in that respect they would have to have either Component or HDMI outputs. None do that I know of.

 

The Sanyo VCC-HD4000 has a HDMI output, as well as an analog output on BNC.

 

I do still agree that using 720P and 1080P designations is mostly marketing hype, though....

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Applying "HDTV" terminology to megapixel cameras is, as far as I'm concerned, strictly a marketing thing. HDTV and related terms like 720p and 1080p are sexy terms that the average consumer can relate to. They know their 1080p LCD TV looks great compared to their old TV, so by extension, a 1080p camera must look a lot better than their old-style cameras. The connection between "analog" and "megapixel" isn't so readily clear.
Matt, while I might agree with you, there are cameras out there that basically meet the specs for 720p and 1080p. The Honeywell HD3MDIP we are testing, as well as a number of others are 1280x720. In that respect they are 720p. Could they be hooked directly up to an HDTV? It would depend on the TV, but likely not in most cases. To qualify in that respect they would have to have either Component or HDMI outputs. None do that I know of.

 

The Sanyo VCC-HD4000 has a HDMI output, as well as an analog output on BNC.

 

I do still agree that using 720P and 1080P designations is mostly marketing hype, though....

That's my point. Most megapixel cameras may meet at least the RESOLUTION specs (if not the signal output specs), but many actually EXCEED those specs (1080p is, after all, ONLY 2MP, and 720p doesn't even qualify as megapixel).

 

There's no point in LIMITING your camera designations by HDTV terminology, if not simply for marketing.

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There's no point in LIMITING your camera designations by HDTV terminology, if not simply for marketing.

 

But there is no standard for Megapixel there only needs to me more then 1million pixels, but it doesn't say anything about color quality, FPS requirements or image shape or size. I understand its easier for customers to understand HD but I think it is a good idea to have some requirements for Megapixel.

 

SMPTE 296M (HDTV 720P) defines a resolution of 1280x720 pixels with

high color fidelity in a 16:9 format using progressive scanning at 25/30 Hertz (Hz)—which corresponds to 25 or 30 frames per second, depending on the country—and 50/60 Hz (50/60 fps).

 

SMPTE 274M (HDTV 1080) defines a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels with

high color fidelity in a 16:9 format using either interlaced or progressive scanning at 25/30 Hz and 50/60Hz.

 

As far as I know Axis is the only manufacture that is SMPTE compliant.

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