Aspect Ratio (simply the ratio of width to height of the monitor)
Today's conventional NTSC TV signals are transmitted with an aspect ratio of 4:3 (the nearly square TV picture to which you are accustomed). All HDTV and some SDTV signals will be transmitted with an aspect ratio of 16:9 in the near future. HDTV broadcasts are delivered in the exciting, new 16:9 wide-screen format, the same aspect ratio in which movies are made. Most plasma TVs are manufactured in the widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio.This wide view lends itself to better DVD viewing because it displays the motion picture in its originally intended aspect ratio format.
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