16:9

16:9 definition - computer

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

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.)






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