ResearchBig Screen or Widescreen: What to Buy?
Walking into Best Buy or Circuit City will definitely bring up this question for the majority of those in the market for a new television. With all of the options out there it can be difficult to discern which is right for you and for the future of your television viewing, the big screen or the widescreen. While the answer may have been a big screen television even two to three years ago, the answer is probably a widescreen television for the majority of consumers.
Why The Widescreen
The widescreen just makes more sense than a big screen. Firstly, a widescreen television delivers the directors vision of his or her film because the aspect ratio stays the same. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but the first time you watch your favorite movie on a widescreen television you’ll see a huge difference. Now you won’t have parts of the picture cut off so you can experience the movie in the way it was intended to be experienced.
Another important thing to think of when purchasing a new television is what will work in the future. The widescreen is what will be standard in the future, as both the United States and the United Kingdom have been very receptive to the 16:9 aspect ratio. The fact is that more and more television shows are and will be shot in the 16:9 ratio, so your viewing of even the most basic programming in the future may be affected if you don’t go for the widescreen television now.
Making A Good Investment
Not only will a widescreen television be more compatible with television and film in the future, it will also be a better investment. While widescreen televisions are more expensive than your every day 4:3 aspect ratio television, the newer televisions will last longer than the conventionally built televisions. The reason that the widescreen televisions will last longer is that the components do not get as hot as the components in a conventional television because of the digital technology typically associated with them. Also, those that do buy a 4:3 television instead of a widescreen television will find that the TV is outdated long before it actually stops working, and that would simply be a waste.
Your Viewing Experience
If you purchase a 4:3 television to watch analog television you will experience thin black strips or bars at the top and the bottom of the screen on some of the channels. These bars are due to the fact that many programs are shot in the newer 16:9 aspect ratio but then have to be displayed in a 14:9 aspect ratio on analog televisions. The compromise between the ratio in which a program is shot and the one at which it is displayed for the analog viewers can distort the picture, and that is why the black bars that many find distracting are on the top and bottom of the screen. If you purchased a widescreen you would not experience these bars or the distortion.
Other Considerations
Many believe that buying a widescreen television now is not necessary because not everything is shot or displayed in a 16:9 aspect ratio so the viewing of programs is not distorted on a wide basis. This may be true now, but more and more programs are being shot with the 16:9 lenses because it is becoming the standard and the most well received display. The fact is that if programs are broadcast in the older 4:3 aspect ratio on a widescreen it will still look great; there will just be bars on the sides of the television, known as pillar-box. While this may be the case with some programming now, within the next couple of years it’s thought that the majority of programs will be broadcast in the new aspect ratio. Currently most movies are shot in the 16:9 aspect ratio so this is not an issue where movies are concerned.
Widescreen televisions are simply a good investment because they will stand up over time. While not everything may be shot in the 16:9 aspect ratio now, that is definitely the direction in which we are moving. Because televisions of all varieties are quite costly consumers are well advised to get a widescreen because it is the television that will not only still be working, but will be able to display a great picture for the longest period of time.