Step Three - Choosing an Aspect Ratio
Standard NTSC televisions and older videos display images in a 4:3 aspect ratio . Computers have a variety of sizes including 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10. High-definition television and Blu-ray discs are shown in widescreen (or 16:9) format. Most films shown in a cinema display in an even wider aspect ratio than that. Our most popular screen aspect ratios, as you might expect, are also the 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10 formats. But which one is best for you? We have created a handy reference for deciding which aspect ratio is best for you »
Common Applications | Aspect Ratio | Width:Height |
---|---|---|
NTSC video (US Standard for TV broadcast) | 1.33 | 4:3 |
PAL video (European Standard for TV broadcast) | 1.33 | 4:3 |
HDTV Video and Blu-ray discs | 1.78 | 16:9 |
1280x800 computer displays | 1.9 | 16:10 |
Cinema displays | 2.35 | wider than 16:9 |
![Masking can be added or removed to eliminate the appearance of projected black bars](https://ppeople.azureedge.net/images/screens/images/mask.gif)