<p>I'd like to know why does outputting an analog source at higher resolutions (digitizing) produce a better picture quality, however slight, on higher resolution screens than just outputting at a lower resolution and letting the higher resolution screen fill in the pixels using interpolation <strong>if all the information has already been captured at the resolution that one is outputting the analog source</strong>?</p>
<p>For instance, suppose I have an analog Super 8 film reel from the 70's that I want to digitize or an analog family photograph that I wish to scan using a scanner, why would outputting/scanning at higher resolutions be beneficial when viewing the digitized source on a 4K display, instead of outputting/scanning at a lower resolution and having the 4K display use interpolation when upscaling the source?</p>
<p>For instance, suppose an analog Super 8 film contains 720p-worth of information-I know Super 8 film doesn't contain pixels, but bear with me--if one were to digitize (output) at 720p all of the information on the reel would get captured. Now, suppose I were to decide to output that same Super 8 reel in 4K and display it on a 4K TV, <strong>would I get a better picture quality than if I had outputted the Super 8 reel at 720p and let the TV fill in the missing pixels using interpolation?</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-31T23:09:47.957Z
That was another question I asked. This is a follow-up. My previous question was about whether it made any sense to digitize at higher resolutions. The answer was, "It's not going to look that much better if you do, since all of the information has already been captured." This question is, "Well, if it does and I'm looking for maximum image quality then why does it look better in the first place?"
Friedrich Bauer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-07T15:26:11.640Z
I'm going to close as duplicate. Interpolation does not recreate information - it "guesses", whereas digitizing at high quality loses less information.
Dr Mayhem
<digitisation>
Why does outputting an analog source at higher resolutions produce a better picture quality, however slight, on higher resolution screens?
Friedrich Bauer
# Why does outputting an analog source at higher resolutions produce a better picture quality, however slight, on higher resolution screens?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-31)

I'd like to know why does outputting an analog source at higher resolutions (digitizing) produce a better picture quality, however slight, on higher resolution screens than just outputting at a lower resolution and letting the higher resolution screen fill in the pixels using interpolation **if all the information has already been captured at the resolution that one is outputting the analog source**?

For instance, suppose I have an analog Super 8 film reel from the 70's that I want to digitize or an analog family photograph that I wish to scan using a scanner, why would outputting/scanning at higher resolutions be beneficial when viewing the digitized source on a 4K display, instead of outputting/scanning at a lower resolution and having the 4K display use interpolation when upscaling the source?

For instance, suppose an analog Super 8 film contains 720p-worth of information-I know Super 8 film doesn't contain pixels, but bear with me--if one were to digitize (output) at 720p all of the information on the reel would get captured. Now, suppose I were to decide to output that same Super 8 reel in 4K and display it on a 4K TV, **would I get a better picture quality than if I had outputted the Super 8 reel at 720p and let the TV fill in the missing pixels using interpolation?**

**Tags:** digitisation

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That was another question I asked. This is a follow-up. My previous question was about whether it made any sense to digitize at higher resolutions. The answer was, "It's not going to look that much better if you do, since all of the information has already been captured." This question is, "Well, if it does and I'm looking for maximum image quality then why does it look better in the first place?"  
> **username_1**: I'm going to close as duplicate. Interpolation does not recreate information - it "guesses", whereas digitizing at high quality loses less information.  

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