What does the term "interlaced" refer to in video production?

The term "interlaced" in video production specifically refers to the process by which each frame of video is made up of two alternating fields, containing the odd and even lines of pixels. These horizontal lines are displayed in an alternating fashion, which helps to create the appearance of a complete image while effectively utilizing bandwidth. This technique was particularly useful in traditional broadcast television to reduce flicker and improve the temporal resolution of the displayed image without requiring higher bandwidth.

Interlacing allows for smoother motion representation by effectively doubling the perceived frame rate while still maintaining the same data rate. Therefore, the correct choice highlights how interlacing involves the alternating horizontal lines, which is a fundamental characteristic of interlaced video formats.