Progressive scan
Also known as: progressive video, the p in 1080p, non-interlaced
Video where every frame is a complete picture, shown in one pass. It is the standard for modern cameras and screens, unlike older interlaced video.
Updated
What it means
In progressive video, each frame contains every line of the picture, captured at the same moment. The p in 1080p or 4K60p stands for progressive. Phones, action cameras, drones, computers and streaming platforms all work this way.
The alternative, interlaced video, marked with an i as in 1080i, splits each frame into two fields: one with the odd lines and one with the even lines, captured a fraction of a second apart. It was designed for old CRT televisions and broadcast bandwidth limits.
Today interlacing survives mainly in some broadcast systems and old camcorder archives, which is where most creators meet it.
How it works in practice
For action footage you will almost always record and export progressive video, and there is nothing to set. The topic comes up when you digitize old camcorder tapes or receive broadcast clips, which may be interlaced and show combing lines on fast motion.
Editing software can deinterlace such footage, turning fields into full frames. Good deinterlacing keeps motion smooth, while simple methods can halve vertical detail. Some tools also double the frame rate by turning each field into its own frame.
When exporting, always choose a progressive format for web platforms and modern screens. Most current presets already do this by default.
What to watch out for
Mixing interlaced and progressive clips without deinterlacing leaves ugly horizontal comb lines on moving objects, which are especially visible in sports. Deinterlace interlaced clips before editing them into a modern timeline.
Exporting with an interlaced setting by mistake, often from old presets, produces the same artifacts on every frame. Check the export preset if your finished video shows combing.
Finally, do not confuse progressive scan with frame rate. A 30p and a 60p video are both progressive, just with different numbers of frames each second. Both look clean on modern screens, the difference is only in how smooth motion appears.
How RawClip handles it
Action cameras, drones and phones record progressive video, which is exactly what RawClip expects. Upload your MP4 or MOV originals, and the AI cuts them into one highlight delivered in 4K and 1080p.