The difference between 1080i and 720p is a difference of spatial resolution and temporal resolution; one has more pixels in total while the other pushed pixels faster.  On the other hand you have refresh rates, which have changed from the previous standard of 60Hz to a wide variety of what are, in many case, purely marketing speak and have more to do with how the display manipulates frames to meet the higher frequency.  Missing Remote tries to help you make sense of it all in their new article here.

“We hope you’ve been enjoying our series of Beginner’s Guides for HTPC and Home Theater. As part of the series, we’ve previously discussed video resolutions and how video information is displayed on a screen for a frame of video in our guide, Video Resolutions for Beginners. What we didn’t delve into much was the rate at which video frames are captured, or, in other words, the video frame rate. This guide will cover the basics of frame rates and how displays deal with the frame rates. We’ll try to cut through the marketing buzzwords like 120Hz, 240Hz, 600Hz sub-field drive, etc. so that you can make a more informed decision when purchasing your next display and how to insure an optimal viewing experience.”

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