What type of video does not refresh the entire frame at once, as indicated by the 'i' in 1080i?

The designation 'i' in 1080i stands for interlaced video, which is a method of displaying video where the entire frame is not refreshed all at once. Instead, the image is formed by alternately displaying two fields — one consisting of the even lines and the other consisting of the odd lines of the video frame. This technique can help reduce the bandwidth required for transmission and can create the illusion of smoother motion, particularly useful for content with a lot of movement, such as sports broadcasts.

In contrast, progressive video, which is indicated by a 'p' (like in 1080p), refreshes every line in the frame one after the other, providing a smoother and higher-quality image for dynamic content. Therefore, interlaced video is specifically recognized for its unique method of alternating line display, distinguishing it from other video formats like digital video, which encompasses a broader range of video formats, and frame rate video, which refers to the number of frames displayed per second but does not specify how each frame is rendered.