Picture Formats

Picture Formats

What is the Difference Between a Standard Screen and a Wide Screen?

What Is An Aspect Ratio?

The type of screen your HDTV has (wide screen or standard screen) determines how the set-top displays programs on the screen. The picture format for an HDTV is a combination of aspect ratio and screen resolution and is different for standard-screen and wide-screen HDTVs.

An aspect ratio is the ratio of the width to the height of the TV screen. The aspect ratios differ because the television industry manufactures both standard-screen and wide-screen HDTVs to appeal to consumer viewing preferences.

A standard-screen HDTV has a

A wide-screen HDTV is one-third

4:3 aspect ratio. The screen is 4

wider than a standard-screen

units wide for every 3 units tall.

HDTV. The screen is 16 units

 

wide for every 9 units tall.

——— 4 ———

———— 16 ————

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9

Aspect Ratio: 4:3

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Screen Resolution:

Screen Resolution:

480p or 480i

720p or 1080i

fills the screen

fills the screen

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