To understand the significance of progressive-scan video (also referred to as noninterlaced or sequential scanning), it's important to first understand interlaced scanning. Interlaced scanning is what we all grew up with. Each TV frame in a 30-frame-per-second signal is composed of horizontal lines (about 400 for cable or VHS tape) drawn twice per frame: once for the even-numbered lines and once for the odd-numbered lines.

DVD-Video technology has, for the first time, delivered noninterlaced, progressive-scan video signals in a consumer format, reducing the flickering endemic to interlaced video and making it much harder to discern the picture's individual scan lines (DVD players generally output more than 500 lines). Using progressive-scan, a DVD player will render the image scan lines one full frame at a time, scanning from top to bottom in one fluid pass, greatly improving resolution and even brightness while minimizing distortion. The catch? To enjoy progressive-scan's detailed, filmic picture quality, you need to use a progressive-scan DVD player in conjunction with a high-definition or HD-ready TV.