VH240a monitor won't display HDMI 1080i

[Mschum001]

I purchased two HP VH240a monitors to use with industrial digital cameras that output HDMI 1080i max. (they can't/don't supply 1080p).  The monitors are capable of displaying 1080p but apparently not 1080i out-of-the-box.  When I connect the cameras to the monitor, the image shows, but the resolution falls back to 1280x720 (720p), which is "preset mode" 5.  There is no preset mode for 1080i, only 1080p at 1920x1080.

The manual says "It [sic] this occurs, you may need to readjust the parameters of the monitor screen by using the on-screen display.  Your changes can be made to any or all of these modes and saved in memory." and that " In addition to the factory preset modes, there are at least 10 user modes that can be entered and stored."  There are 11 preset modes listed in the manual from 640x480 through 1920x1080p, just not 1920x1080i.  I have looked through the OSD and the alternate/advanced OSD (holding the menu button when powering-on) and do not see any such user modes.  I see this same text in numerous HP monitor manuals.  Can anyone explain how I can change an existing preset mode or add a user mode so that the monitor will display 1080i?  Other monitors (Dell, ASUS, Samsung...) I've tried do display 1080i from the cameras.

[itsmyname]

@Mschum001 --  the resolution falls back to 1280x720 (720p)

There is a bit of confusion in your numbers. A "720p" monitor paints 720 horizontal lines, going from the top horizontal row to the bottom horrizontal row, in one "pass".  A "720i" monitor also paints 720 horizontal lines, but does it in two passes: rows 1,3,5,7,....,719 and then rows 2,4,6,8,....720.  This is "interlaced" mode.

Your best solution is to return/repurpose  the two monitors that cannot handle "1080i", and replace them, as you have indicated, with monitors that can handle "1080i".