I designed this image to illustrate how pixel interpolation affects a file.
The picture has an HD 1280 x720 resolution; it will look good at 100% of its size or scaled at 25% increments (75%, 150%, etc.)
If it is scaled at another ratio we will start to see how the image pixels are interpolated by repeating or subtracting “some” of theim horizontal and vertically.
My idea here, is to get a deeper understanding of how screen interpolation affect pixels and images, even though; when we see an actual picture (a photographic landscape for instance) it's much harder to tell the difference. It is important to consider this issue when you are working with critically detailed elements such as typography on screen (specially a small one).
Sometimes you will notice significant pixel-interpolation-aberrations and the minimum-good-size of the element is dictated by how the display handles the signal.
Displaying at native resolution results in the optimal situation, the NTSC and other analog TV formats where unable to handle accuracy with their rectangle, out of face, blurry pixels. Thanks to silicon we have Digital TV and that was suppose to change, even tough; we need to consider that digital pixel interpolation for scaling a image on a different size native display is a usual practice.