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Low-definition television

TV systems with screen resolution lower than standard-definition

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
3 min read
Source updated September 15, 2026

Low-definition television (LDTV) refers to TV systems that have a lower screen resolution than standard-definition television systems. The term is usually used in reference to digital television, in particular when broadcasting at the same (or similar) resolution as low-definition analog television systems. Mobile DTV systems usually transmit in low definition, as do all slow-scan television systems.

01Teleconferencing LDTV

Sources of LDTV using standard broadcasting techniques include mobile TV services powered by DVB-H, 1seg, DMB, or ATSC-M/H. However, this kind of LDTV transmission technology is based on existing LDTV teleconferencing standards that have been in place since the late 1990s.

02Resolutions

Standard Class Resolution Pixels Aspect ratio Notes
MMS-Small 96p 128×96 12,288 4:3 Lowest size recommended for use with 3GPP video transmitted by MMS to/from cellular phones, matching resolution of smallest generally used color cellphone screen.
QQVGA 120p 160×120 19,200 4:3 Used with some webcams and early colour-screen cellular phones, commonly used in early desktop computers and online video applications. Lowest commonly used video resolution.
QCIF Webcam 144p 176×144 25,344 SAR 11:9 / DAR 4:3 Approximately one-sixth analogue PAL resolution (one-half horizontal, one-third vertical). Also the size recommended for "medium" quality MMS videos.
144p 144p 192×144 27,648 4:3 The resolution 192×144 is used when 144p is selected on a fullscreen YouTube video.
YouTube 144p 144p 256×144 36,864 16:9 One tenth of 1440p. The lowest resolution on YouTube since 2013.
NES/Famicom (NTSC) 224p 256×224 57,344 8:7 Resolution outputted by the NTSC version of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), known as Famicom in Japan.
QnHD 180p 320×180 57,600 16:9 1 quarter of nHD (360p), hence the name "QnHD".
NES/Famicom/Dendy (PAL) 240p 256×240 61,440 16:15 Resolution outputted by the PAL version of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), known as Famicom in Japan and sold under the name "Dendy" in Russia.
222p 222p 400×222 88,800 16:9 Used in low-resolution Facebook widescreen videos.
QVGA, NTSC square pixel 240p 320×240 76,800 4:3 Comparable to "low resolution" output of many popular home computers and games consoles, including VGA "Mode X". Used in some webcams and for video recordings in early/budget digital cameras and cameraphones, and low-end smartphone screens. Original YouTube resolution. Maximum recommended size for "large" MMS videos.
SIF (525) 240p 352×240 84,480 SAR 22:15 / DAR 4:3 NTSC-standard VCD / super-long-play DVD. Narrow/tall pixels.
NTSC widescreen 240p 426×240 102,240 16:9 Same as current YouTube "240p" mode; screen resolution of some budget portable DVD players. Roughly one-third full NTSC resolution (half vertical, two-thirds horizontal).
CIF / SIF (625) 288p 352×288 101,376 SAR 11:9 / DAR 4:3 PAL-standard VCD / super-long-play DVD. Wide/short pixels. Also a common resolution in early webcam and video conferencing, and in advanced featurephones and smartphones of mid-2000s (ca 2006).
Widescreen CIF 288p 512×288 147,456 16:9 Widescreen version of 288p resolution
PSP 272p 480×272 130,560 30:17 Notionally 16:9 with slight left/right edge cropping. Used in many portable DVD player screens and other small-format devices besides.
360p 360p 480×360 172,800 4:3 Uncommon, used in some lower-mid-market smartphone screens and as an intermediate screen resolution for some 1990s videogames.
QuickTime File Format 320p 568×320 181,760 16:9 Used for .MOV files recorded with iPhone cameras.
nHD 360p 640×360 230,400 16:9 Current base resolution in YouTube, labelled as "360p".
  • The lowest and least computationally demanding resolution supported by hardware able to run mainstream desktop operating systems; the lowest interruption-free resolution with low-end broadband connections.
  • Typically used as the base "SD" standard by VoD services due to subjective similarity (and similar pixel counts) to a mid-grade free-to-air broadcast picture.
  • Effectively, the resolution offered by any higher-definition 16:9 video scaled down for a standard 640×480 (VGA) computer screen. Offers 75% of the pixel count of a true anamorphic NTSC DVD image, or 89% of a letterboxed 16:9 image.
  • Historically used as an ad-hoc standard for intermediate-quality / CD-R-sized MPEG4 conversions on P2P file sharing networks.
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Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Low-definition television”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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