Hd without hdmi

[pauldowdy]

Do old hd tv's without hdmi have 480p 720p 1080i or what. One of my tvs has hdmi and i keep hearing that you can use componite wires and send 720i/p or 1080i/p with them but i have never seen a cable box or satelite or dvd player that says it 1080p unless it has a hdmi. so my q is does componite just do 480p

 

[americanaudiophile]

Component video will support all these resolutions except 1080p. The difference with HDMI is also that the signal is digital which avoids conversion from digital to analog to digital and so usually looks better.
The first generation HD sets will only do 1080i. 2nd generation adds 720p (which is better than 1080i when there is motion). Newest sets go to 1080p (only available on Bluray disc at the moment).