16x9 Aspect Ratio

16x9 (also written 16:9 or 1.78:1) is an aspect ratio which is replacing the traditional 4x3 ratio in video and television production. When people talk about "widescreen" they usually mean 16x9, although technically it is only one of several common widescreen formats.

16x9 is something of a compromise between 4x3 and much wider ratios like Cinemascope (used for theatrical release). For this reason, movies shown on a 16x9 television in their native aspect ratio may still have letterbox bars above and below the picture. Alternatively, the picture may be cropped slightly as in the pan & scan technique.

16x9 is the default aspect ratio for HDTV formats. It is becoming the standard for televisions and home video cameras.

Note: 16x9 can be achieved with the same pixel resolution as standard 4x3 video, by using wider rectangular pixels.