Progressive video draws or records every line of a frame as one complete image. Interlaced video divides each frame into two fields of alternating lines, captured or displayed at different times. That is the key difference between labels such as 1080p and 1080i—and why progressive footage is usually easier to edit, while interlaced video still matters for legacy sources and delivery formats that require it.
What do progressive and interlaced scan mean?
Progressive scan (p)
A progressive frame contains all of its horizontal lines in one image, scanned from top to bottom. Its lines correspond to one time instant in the International Telecommunication Union’s definition. This makes a progressive frame a complete picture that is straightforward to display, edit, or use as a still.
Interlaced scan (i)
An interlaced frame is made from two fields of alternating scan lines. In Adobe’s description, the upper field contains odd-numbered lines and the lower field contains even-numbered lines. The fields are drawn in sequence, with one beginning a field period after the other, according to the ITU glossary. Because they represent different instants, moving subjects can occupy different positions in the two fields.
How to read 1080p, 1080i, 60i, and 60p
The number in a label indicates the vertical scan-line count in Sony’s examples; the letter identifies the scan mode. Thus, 1080p and 1080i both refer to 1080 vertical lines, but not to the same way of forming a picture.
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Rate notation needs care: an interlaced rate may count fields rather than complete frames. Adobe’s examples distinguish 1080i60—60 interlaced 1920 × 1080 fields per second, or approximately 30 frames per second—from 720p30—30 progressive 1280 × 720 frames per second. Therefore, “60i” does not mean 60 complete frames per second, and it should not be compared with “30p” as if both numbers counted the same thing.
Sony lists progressive examples such as 24p, 30p, and 60p, and interlaced examples such as 30i and 60i. These are manufacturer format examples; check the naming and rate used by the specific camera, codec, and region rather than assuming every system labels rates identically.
Why interlacing existed—and where it still matters
Interlacing was developed to transmit television pictures within limited bandwidth. Analog television used interlaced standards, and some digital television and older recording formats do too. Modern digital systems typically use progressive scanning, but interlaced material remains common enough in legacy footage and certain delivery workflows that editors may need to handle it correctly.
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For documentary footage, this often arises when working with older camera recordings, television material, or digitized archives. The destination matters: preserve the field structure when a delivery requirement calls for interlaced video, or deinterlace deliberately when the intended output is progressive.
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| Consideration | Progressive | Interlaced |
|---|---|---|
| Picture structure | One complete image per frame. | Two alternating-line fields form a frame. |
| Timing | All lines in the frame correspond to one time instant. | The two fields are separated in time, so motion can appear in different positions in each field. |
| Motion and artifacts | Avoids artifacts caused by combining fields from different instants. | Comb-like edges can appear when fields are combined as if they were simultaneous. Thin horizontal lines may flicker. |
| Editing and still frames | Generally simpler for freeze frames, slow motion, scaling, and computer-oriented workflows. | Freeze frames and slow motion can be more difficult; field order and field-aware processing matter. |
| Typical context | Typical of modern digital systems. | Relevant to analog television, some digital TV, and older cameras or recordings. |
Should you deinterlace old footage?
Deinterlace when you need progressive output and the source is genuinely interlaced. Do not treat deinterlacing as a harmless change to a label: it transforms the way fields are handled, and the result depends on the footage and processing. If the delivery target requires interlaced video, preserve the field structure instead.
- Identify the source format. Check the recording or media properties for an interlaced scan mode and field order. Do not infer it from resolution alone.
- Check the destination requirements. Follow the export or broadcast specification. If it calls for progressive video, plan to deinterlace; if it calls for interlaced video, retain the appropriate field structure.
- Use field-aware handling. Adobe warns that scaling, rotating, or applying effects to interlaced footage can introduce crossed-field artifacts. Use processing that understands fields when editing interlaced or field-rendered material.
- Inspect motion and still frames. Look for comb-like edges on moving subjects, flicker in thin horizontal details, and unwanted artifacts in freeze frames or slow motion. Review the rendered result, not just the export label.
Common problems and fixes
Moving edges look like a comb
This can happen when fields from different instants are combined as one progressive image. Confirm the source is interlaced and use an appropriate deinterlacing process, or preserve fields if the final output must remain interlaced.
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Thin horizontal details flicker
Adobe identifies flicker on thin horizontal lines as an interlaced-footage challenge. Check the source’s scan mode and field order, then assess the footage in the intended output workflow; do not assume changing the p/i label alone will solve it.
Scaling, rotation, or effects create artifacts
Interlaced fields can be crossed or misprocessed by operations that treat the frame as a single image. Use field-aware processing for interlaced material, or deinterlace first if progressive output is the goal.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute“60i” seems to promise 60 full pictures per second
It may refer to 60 fields per second, not 60 complete frames. Check whether a specification counts fields or frames before comparing rates or setting an export.
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