[opendtv] Re: News: See the Big Picture? Don't Forget to Examine the Fine Print
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 2 May 2004 19:09:16 -0400
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/02/business/yourmoney/02screen.html?th
[ ... ]
What's the viewing size? The size of a television screen is measured
on the diagonal. The default image on a flat-panel television is wide
screen, which shows the image on a width-to-height ratio of 16 to 9.
In technical terms, this is known as an aspect ratio.
But you may want to reduce the image size when watching regular
(analog) television signals. They are best displayed in an aspect
ratio of four to three, which means you must reduce the size of the
viewable image considerably from the wide-screen format.
For instance, a 30-inch screen becomes a roughly 23-inch screen when
the image is put at a size that works best for analog programming.
How do analog images look? Electronics stores are masters at putting
a flat-panel television in its most flattering light. They fill walls
of flat-panel televisions with vibrant high-definition images of
sporting events, the movie "Finding Nemo," or nature shows so vivid
it seems you can reach out and touch the Serengeti. For whatever
reason, electronics stores are obsessed with displaying nature shows.
Do not be fooled. Objects in the Serengeti may be less clear in your
family room than they appear in the store. Ask the sales clerk to
switch to an analog show. Make sure that it does not look too
distorted on the wide screen, or too fuzzy in the smaller format.
[ ... ]
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The only reason this problem *should* decrease in the future is
that analog TV will cease to exist and there's a de-facto world
wide standard of 16:9 for digital programming.
Common sense prevails most of the time.
Bert
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