About
Aspect Ratios
The term aspect ratio simply refers to the ratio of an objects’s width to its height. Nonetheless there is some room for confusion, as both the video display itself and the picture stored on a disc have an aspect ratio. Most viewers prefer to see the film in its original aspect ratio, which preserves the director’s intention for the composition of the film.
Aspect Ratios of Video Displays
Originally video displays were created with a 4:3 aspect ratio, mimicking the original aspect ratio used in films. These types of displays are still available today, and are often referred to as “standard” displays.
Most modern displays now use a 16:9 aspect ratio and are referred to as “widescreen” displays. Widescreen displays are preferred for displaying the wide aspect ratio movies that have been commonly made for the last 40 years.
The aspect ratios of video displays are usually given as a ratio of integers. However as noted below, the
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