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When is 16:9 to be become the mainstream broadcast aspect ratio? Alternatively, what are the best sources of information on the subject?My decision to buy a 16:9 vs. 4:3 large screen TV rests, in part, on when 16:9 is expected to mainstream. I don't like how 4:3 broadcasts are stretched in wide screen format, and would rather wait till 16:9 mainstreams. Of course 16:9 is the aspect ratio of the "future." But how far into the future? 2006? 2015? If the latter, I could go for 4:3 now and then 16:9 later.
A related question is whether aspect ratio is definitively tied to broadcast conversion to digital (which is now likely to slip past 2006). Is digital necessarily 16:9? Can't digital be broadcast in 4:3?
Follow Ups:
as that is how HD it broadcast, and that is when it will be "mainstream"....I just went through this and ended up buying a 36" Tosh Cinema Series HDTV Ready set (4:3)...Why? Mostly because HDTV will not be here as the only medium for a loooong time (IMO), Why? Because as long as they are selling +$1000 sets that ARE NOT HDTV ready (and they are) the mandate will not be enforce as long as all these "new non-HDTV" sets have a reasonable physical life...The US has been too slow with the intergrations..they should have mandated that all TVs sold by X date be HDTV ready and then follow that with mandated change over..When? At least 10 years from now..I also go the 36 beacuse I really don't have a problem with letterboxing my DVDs and even then with this size tv the picture is about the size of a 34 inch 16:9 picture, but smaller. I aslo would have a problem with 'morped broadcast signals and/or a problem with black bars on the sides of my broadcast signals....So now I have a fine fine fine TV, that utterly amazing in the HT DVD presentaion AND if I choose I can have my HDTV feed too......
there are currently 6 (or more) channels of HD airwave broadcasts in the Philadelphia area that you can easily receive with a simple "bowtie" antenna (UHF antenna). NBC (10.1), ABC (6.1), and CBS (3.1) broadcast "over-the-air" free HD signals in a 4:3 ratio most of the time, and some prime-time shows are broadcast in true 1080i HDTV 16:9 format, more are being added but it's difficult to find out when and where--the print media that lists programing schedules is very careful not to advertise who and what is HDTV, and it's not possible to find it on the station websites either. With the exception of Public Television, which is alrealy in full compliance with Federal regulations and 100% digital, the tv industry has reniged on it's promise to go all-digital so far. Follow the money.The Olympics (on 10.1) are simply beyond belief in 1080i. The only problem is that NBC thinks the Olympics are skating and nothing else. All they show is 24 hours of girls dancing on ice and hockey games shot with a very long lens. Apparently they can't be bothered to find out where the other events are. You have to go over to one of the cable/satellite stations to find out that there are such things as cross-country skiing, speed skating (very exciting!) jumping (sick), and two-man luge (very sick). I watch these in full-screen 16:9 by virtue of a scaler.
The local public television is broadcasting two channels in full-screen 16:9 format: one is "digital" but usually in 4:3 format (12.1), and the other is full-screen 16:9 1080i HDTV 24 hours a day (12.3). I watch the WHYY channel 12.3 1080i signal all day long--I just leave it on as if I owned a huge impressionist oil painting. In the large, 16:9 format it's like having a Star Treck viewscreen on the living room wall. It's hard to describe, and very hard to tear your eyes from the 16.9 million color spectrum and unbelievable Dolby digital surround.
You can also get the public television station from Allentown with your bowtie, and I think there's a Fox broadcast in digital (I have no interest in Rupert Murdock's propaganda).
The HDTV receiver menu indicates that the digital broadcast is "HD" even though the network display are usually 4:3. I don't think this is a bandwidth issue--but rather suspect that it's to accomidate people like you would would be pissed if they had to watch all their free television with black bands on the top and bottom of a tiny, albeit perfect, picture.
Seriously, the live feeds in 1080i are so good you won't even care about content.
Unbelievable! And, no monthly cable or satellite charges!
In a number of metro area HDTV is already available off-air. NBC is broadcasting the Olympics in HDTV as well as standard 4:3. The wierdness is that it is really hard to get information on the broadcasts or how to recieve them. There is also HDTV content from HBO and Showtime via DirecTC and Dishnetwork.I haven't made the jump yet but have been researching it.
nt
Ruben
San Francisco
There are two types of Music; good and bad
The Wednesday night drama "West Wing" on NBC is already airing in 16:9. Seems as if we are seing the start of mainstream tv shows in that format.
Are you referring to HDTV signals, or something on regular cable?
I do have a widescreen TV but not HDTV tuner yet.
Every evening.Last night I watched the entire primetime in 16:9 on two different channels...Two other channels had 16:9 material on but can't receive those networks yet. My TV looks so sharp, I hate to get up to get food.
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