Analogue TV – Widescreen
The shape of a television screen is given as the ratio of its width to its height (the aspect ratio). A standard TV screen has a ratio of 4:3, a squareish shape. A widescreen TV has a ratio of 16:9, giving a 'letterbox' shape like that of a cinema screen, which is ideal for films.
Most programmes broadcast by the BBC and the other main broadcasters are now made in widescreen format and are transmitted this way on digital TV. On analogue TV, the BBC broadcasts most of these programmes in a compromise ratio of 14:9. On a standard shape screen, this means the picture is the full width but there are narrow black bands at the top and bottom.
However, if you watch analogue broadcasts on a widescreen set you may need to adjust the viewing options to get the best shape and size. Please consult your manual for details.
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