With most of the digital media becoming HQ and HD, we often forget the difference between the two like whether our TVs are HQ and HD because both have completely different meanings.
But don’t worry, we are here to help you so that you can wisely choose your new TV. For starters, HQ is an abbreviation for High Quality while HD is for High definition.
HQ vs HD
The main difference between HQ and HD is that HQ is used to define a picture quality in resolution while HD is used to define the framerate of a video.
For a better perspective, your TV can be HD since it’s a feature that can be built into an electronic device while HQ is used to describe that the video that you are viewing is of high quality. HD videos will look better than HQ videos on an HD display.
Comparison Table between HQ and HD
| Parameter of Comparison | HQ | HD |
| Audio Quality | better than standard | better than both standard and HQ |
| Video Quality | better than standard | better than both standard and HQ i.e. 720p |
| Loading Time | longer than standard | longer than both standard and HQ |
| File size | larger than standard | larger than both standard and HQ |
| Frame-rate limit | upto 30 fps | upto 60 fps |
- p- pixel
- fps- frames per second
What is HQ?
HQ or High Quality is a generalized term to define the video quality, more precisely picture quality. An HQ video will definitely have a better bitrate than standard video which by default has a bit rate of 2-3 Mbps (megabytes per second). Bitrate is the number of bits that can be transmitted within a second.
Owing to better bitrate quality HQ videos will look more precise than standard videos. Their audio quality is also better than standard video. HQ videos take less time than HD videos to load due to their lower video quality.
So, if you are having internet issues, we would recommend you to switch to HQ to view the video without stopping. If that also doesn’t work, then what’s the harm in viewing them in standard quality.
The biggest advantage of HQ is that if you don’t have an HD compatible device, you can still view videos in HQ that provide a better experience than standard ones.
The framerate limit of HQ videos is up to 30 fps. A human eye can take in between 30 to 60 fps. So, these videos may sometimes appear stagnant for a second or two.
What is HD?
HD stands for High Definition used to describe a video of higher resolution. The standard resolution of HD videos is 720 p which is way better than standard videos.
Videos today can also be viewed on better counterparts of HD – 1080 p (HD), 1080i (Full HD), 4K (Ultra HD), and 8K (Ultra HD).
Bitrate and audio quality are the highest among all the different video qualities.
The file size is also the highest and because of that, you may have to wait for a long time for the video to load. So always make sure that you have a fast internet connection to have the best experience.
The biggest advantage is that it auto-adjusts according to the screen size of your device. So, the video will remain in its pristine condition irrespective of your device’s screen size provided that your device is HD compatible.
The framerate is also exponentially increased from 30 fps to around 1000 fps. This exponential increase in fps opens the door to slow-motion videos which can be captured at a higher fps rate like that of 1000 fps and then can be slowed down to 30 to 60 fps.
The majority of the phones today are already offering the slow-motion feature. They might not be as precise as professional recording equipment but they do provide some entertainment.
Main Differences Between HQ and HD
- The default resolution of HD videos is 720 p and higher in the case of its various counterparts while HQ videos have a resolution better than standard videos. The default resolution for HQ videos is not defined because of their generalization.
- The file size significantly increases as the video quality increases. Therefore, HD videos will have the largest file size and then HQ videos with standard videos having the smallest file size.
- FPS or frames per second technically decide whether the video will appear choppy or not. HD videos with 60 fps of framerate will definitely have the best viewing experience, on the other hand, you may encounter some stagnant screens in the case of HQ videos
- HD videos will auto adjust according to the screen size of your viewing device maintaining their pristine form. In the case of HQ videos, you may encounter some irregular contours when switching between devices.
- Loading time also exponentially increases as the file size of the videos increase. Hence, HD videos will have the longest loading time and then HQ videos with standard videos having the smallest. If you have a good internet connection, you need not worry about the loading time of videos.
- HQ mode on your camera can be used to capture images in low light while the HDR option really puts in the contrast and aspect ratio.
Conclusion
HD signifies that the video will be of higher resolution while HQ is just a generalized term used to describe a video having better video quality than standard videos.
HD videos will have a default resolution of 720 p while HQ videos will have a better picture quality than standard videos.
If you are making a purchase of a new Television, we would recommend you to buy one which is HD compatible. So, that you can have the best cinematic experience with better sound quality but keep in mind that HD videos will take up much more data than standard videos.
A better FPS rate will give you access to the slow-motion features which is a plus in itself. In layman terms, go for an HD compatible device since the videos nowadays are climbing the ladder of video quality.
References
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1525998