Video Asylum

Posted by ftran999 (A) on February 24, 2004 at 18:05:42

In Reply to: Wide screen ?? posted by paul on February 24, 2004 at 14:41:10:

I'm confused. Is your issue with those that set the standards for ATSC for not coming up with an aspect ratio that matches motion picture aspect ratios or the motion picture industry for not making movies to match the 16:9 AR. If it is the ATSC people your are talking about, I honestly can't say why they chose 16:9. Rico gave a good answer and my guess would be that at the time the tv manufactures believed manufacturing tv's with picture tubes of that ratio would be the most cost effective. Keep in mind though that the purpose of television is not just to display movies whether they be from DVD or broadcast. TV is also used for news, sports, live events, prime time programming, etc. Movies most likely make up a small percentage of the total TV content. Therefore in most cases the 16:9 AR shouldn't be an issue.
If your issue is with the MP industry, directors will frame their film in the way they feel matches their vision of the work. No different than a painter deciding whether to paint a subject on a verticle or horizontal canvas. Movies for the most part are intended to be shown in theaters which due to screens with masking systems can handle a variety of ARs.