The Sony Guide to Home Theater 17
Home Theater Sight
A New World of Choices
If you haven't shopped for a television recently, you're in for a surprise. You now
have a new range of choices that extends beyond conventional Cathode Ray Tubes
(CRTs) to include Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) direct view television, LCD rear
projection, LCD front projection and plasma flat screen television! You also have a
choice of the squarish screen with its 4:3 aspect ratio or sleek, widescreen television with
the new 16:9 aspect ratio. This section will step you through your choices. At the end,
we'll point out some features worth looking for.
Choosing an Aspect Ratio
"Aspect ratio" is the proportion of screen width to screen height. Until recently,
all television had an aspect ratio of 4:3, meaning that the screens were all nearly square,
1.33 times as wide as they are high. Many movies and an increasing number of television
programs are presented in a more horizontal, widescreen format. DVD titles and High
Definition TV broadcasting also support widescreen programming. That's why many
modern televisions offer a widescreen design with a 16:9 aspect ratio some 1.78 times as
wide as it is high.
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4
9
16
Conventional television uses the somewhat square 4:3 aspect
ratio (left). Many of the latest televisions offer the widescreen
16:9 aspect ratio (right).
Choosing the right aspect ratio depends on your budget and your viewing habits.
If you watch mostly television, especially news and sports, you're better off with the
conventional 4:3 aspect ratio (all other things being equal).
If you watch mostly movies, especially from DVD, you're better off with the
widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio (all other things being equal).
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