aspect ratios: Whats better for now?
Most current TV is broadcast in the traditional, almost square, 4:3 aspect ratio. The new HD TV standard calls for a widescreen 16:9 ratio because prime HD programming is now produced in that format. DVD’s are also generally in wide-screen (though the ratios can vary somewhat). If you buy a widescreen set, you can see current HD programming in full widescreen. DVDs will also, in most cases, just about fill the screen. Regular 4:3 programs will have gray or black sidebars (unless you use a stretch/zoom option to fill the screen). If you buy a standard 4:3 TV, regular programs will of course fill the screen. However, you may not be able to receive HD programs unless the set is HD-capable. And even then, you will either have black or grey bars above and below the picture (“letterboxing”), or the sides of the picture will be cut off. The same applies to a DVD picture, unless the DVD offers a menu choice for “standard size”.
