16:9
Refers to a wide screen. The 16:9 is the ratio of width to height of the screen on a high-definition TV set (HDTV). Also expressed as the ratio 1.78:1, a 16:9 screen provides a wider rectangle compared to the 4:3 ratio of standard TV sets and most computer monitors. However, 16:9 is not as wide as the screens in major movie theaters (see
aspect ratio for comparison). Watching many movies in their original format on a 16:9 screen will still result in letterbox viewing. See
letterbox and
HDTV.
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| The 4:3 and 16:9 Aspect Ratios |
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| Intergraph was the first to develop a 28" HDTV-format monitor for computer use (right). After the turn of the century, wide screen monitors for both TV viewing and computers began to proliferate. (Image courtesy of Intergraph Computer Systems.) |