Q & A: Line Doubles
With the arrival of high-definition displays and content, will there still be aneed for line doubles? If so, how will these devices be used?
Q: With the arrival of high-definition displays and content, will there still be a need for line doublers? If so, how will these devices be used?
A: There eventually won’t be a need for line doublers, but scalers will be in our lives for quite some time. As their name implies, line doublers are simple devices that double the number of horizontal lines. This leads to vertical motion distortion, as well as the “stair stepping” of non-horizontal lines. But because there are three high-definition standards for content and displays (720p, 1080i, and 1080p), as well as an incredible installed base of 4:3 sources and displays, scalers have a welcome home. Scalers are intelligent devices that can alter a source’s resolution — both horizontally and vertically — while maintaining smooth motion. Scalers also offer various solutions for dealing with aspect ratio changes.
— Glen Swanson, central regional sales manger, FSR Inc., The Woodlands, TX
