Usually refers to the 16:9 aspect ratio of theatrical movies and digital TV sets.

Points to devices with aspect ratios of 16:9 (width:height) or greater which is better suited and in line with human vision.

Viewed picture format with aspect ratio higher than in conventional TV and full screen occupation, e.g. 16:9.

refers to projection systems in which the aspect ratio is wider than the 1.33:1 ratio that dominated sound film before the 1950s; in the 1950s, many widescreen processes were introduced (to combat the growing popularity of television), such as CinemaScope (an anamorphic system), VistaVision (a non-anamorphic production technique in which the film is run horizontally through the camera instead of vertically), and Todd-AO and Super Panavision (that both used wider-gauge film); also known as letterboxing Examples: Oklahoma! (1955), and Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)

More and more TV Programmes and nearly all DVD's are shown in the Widescreen Format. Widescreen TV's have a screen Ratio of 16:9, while Conventional TV's have a screen Ratio of 4:3. Most DVD's and Digital TV Broadcasts shown on a Widescreen TV eliminate the black bars that you get on Conventional TV.

Any visual display format that is wider than the 4 x 3 aspect ratio normally associated with photographs or conventional television screens etc. It has been used in films in varying sizes ranging from 5 x 3 to 8 x 3 for many years by such names as Panavision, Vistavision, Cinemascope, Imax etc, which means that when they are shown on television the sides either have to be chopped off, and/or a band displayed along the top and bottom of the picture. In recent years televisions and other devices have been equipped with wider than normal screens designed for such films.

(aka Letterbox) - Technically, a particularly wide aspect ratio used for some films, but commonly used to describe content (such as appears on many DVDs) that displays at wider aspect ratios than are normally in use, such as on standard televisions.

refers to screen aspect ratio greater than 1.33:1 full frame. Examples are 1.78:1, 1.85:1, and 2.35:1. back to the previous page

The term widescreen is used to describe a variety of forms of film projection in which the aspect ratio (width-to-height proportion) of the picture is greater than the 4:3 format adopted as standard. Originally, one object of the ultra-large screen was to stimulate peripheral vision and thus give an illusion of 3-D which the smaller screen lacked.

Widescreen format is a way of shooting and projecting a movie in theatres. The original footage doesn't get cut off because of the 4:3 aspect ratio. With the advent of high definition video, widescreen 16:9 video is coming into more popular use.

When used to describe a TV, widescreen generally refers to an aspect ratio of 16:9, which is the optimum ratio for viewing anamorphic DVDs and HDTV broadcasts.

This format presents films in their original theatrical aspect ratios, or shape. Most theatrical movies are shot on film that is from 25 percent to 90 percent wider than a standard TV display. For example, a film shot in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio loses almost half the original picture when it is cropped to fill your TV screen, which is 1.33:1. The black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. Even though the image is smaller, you can actually see more of the picture.

More and more TV programmes, and nearly all DVD discs, are made in widescreen format. This can vary from 14:9 (a compromise ratio used by TV broadcasters) to 16:9 which is the ratio used on widescreen TV sets and most DVDs. Many films shown at the cinema are in 21:9, while conventional TVs are 4:3.

Widescreen is a term equally applied to both television sets and video programs. A widescreen television has a picture screen that is roughly 1.78 times wider than it is high. Widescreen video programs can vary in their aspect ratio, but the pictures are typically at least 1.5 times wider than they are high. Motion pictures shown at the theater may feature video that is 2.35 times wider than it is high. Often referred to as "Panavision" and "CinemaScope."

Programming and video systems that incorporate an aspect ratio wider than the conventional 4:3 television screen. In video, widescreen means 16:9, which equals a ratio of picture width to height of 1.778:1. Movies can use several widescreen formats, including a ratio of 2.35:1.

Term used to describe a picture in which the aspect ratio is wider than the NTSC standard of 4:3/1.33:1. Almost all movies made nowadays are shot in some widescreen format. To solve the problem of different aspect ratios, several different techniques can be used. Among them are anamorphic squeezing, letterboxing, and Pan and Scanning.

Term used to refer to pictures wider than 4:3, usually used to describe 16:9 tv. Xx

Most TVs display in 4:3 ratio. Widescreen display shows you the same ratio that is used for movies, which is frequently 16:9. If the title is being shown on a widescreen TV it can be shown in its original aspect ratio without the display of the black bars above and below the image.

Most films are shot in a rectangular format for presentation in movie theaters. For this rectangular image to be seen in its entirety on a square TV screen, it must be presented with black bars on the top and bottom of the picture. This preserves the full width of the image, the way it was shot by the director. Also called “letterbox.

Term used to refer to 16:9 screen ratio.

Any picture with an aspect ratio greater than 1.33:1 or 4:3 is considered as being widescreen. Widescreen is also sometimes refered to as being a letterbox picture - although this can sometimes be inaccurate.

Standard NTSC or PAL video uses an aspect ratio of 4:3. Most film features are shot in a wider-screen aspect ratio. Some cameras include an option for shooting in a 16:9 aspect ratio. However, these modes are not actually any wider. Rather, they are just copped 4:3 images.

A video display that is wider than the standard 4:3 aspect ratio although, in the context of DVD and HDTV, widescreen refers specifically to a 16:9 aspect ratio. See: Aspect Ratio.

In home theater, a viewing aspect ratio wider than 4:3 (which is the typical television ratio). There are various widescreen formats, one of which is 16:9.

A widescreen format, called WXGA, which offers a wider viewing area (great for playing DVDs) and a higher resolution—meaning you can squeeze more content onto the screen.

Term given to picture displays that have a wider aspect ratio than normal. For example TV's normal aspect ratio is 4:3 and widescreen is 16:9. Although this is the aspect ratio used by HDTV, widescreen is also used with normal definition systems.

"Letterbox" format; when a program or movie which has originally been created for theatre viewing on a 16 by 9 screen is shown on a 4 by 3 television screen so that there is a black area above and below the picture. This is done to preserve the entire original picture. See also Pan and Scan.

Any aspect ratio wider than the 1:1.33 ration which dominated sound film before the 1950s and the introduction of CinemaScope, Techniscope, VistaVision, Panavision, and so on.

provides a special "anamorphic video" signal that, when processed by a widescreen television set, fills the entire screen and delivers optimum picture quality

A movie which has an aspect ratio which is greater than academy ratio when projected.

Term used to refer to pictures wider than 4:3. Usually used to describe 16:9 television but also applies to 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 film aspect ratios.

Aspect ratio used in the vast majority of contemporary TV programming and film making. So as to avoid the image being clipped, or appearing in a 'letterbox', a widescreen TV set is required.

A video image with a wider aspect ratio than the 4:3 TV standard. In DVD or HDTV, “widescreen” usually means a 16:9 ratio.

When refering to television screens, used to describe an aspect ratio of 16:9, the optimal ratio for displaying high definition television (HDTV) broadcasts, as well as anamorphic digital video disks (DVDs).

A widescreen image is a film, computer, or television image with a wider aspect ratio than the standard Academy frame developed during the classical Hollywood cinema era. Silent film was projected at a ratio of four units wide to three units tall, often expressed as 4:3 or 1.33:1. The addition of sound caused the frame dimensions to standardize by 1932 to Academy framing, which is actually 1.37 but often erroneously called 1.33.