[opendtv] Re: Popular screen aspect ratios

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:17:05 -0500

At 11:47 AM -0600 12/16/10, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
Nope. You made that same argument years ago, about PC displays. I told you then, and you cannot deny now, that PC displays are no longer 4:3. They migrated almost universally to 16:10, following the lead of PCs. For some reason, you had failed to predict this would happen.
Sorry Bert, but there are still many options for PC displays, although the industry was already moving to wider displays as CRTs were replaced with flat panels. But the most important point here is:
It doesn't matter. It is a matter of personal choice. Many people who use computers for creative tasks have multiple displays in their workspace.
Here is a list of resolutions available for 20 inch and under computer monitors from Best Buy. The aspect ratio are (almost) all wide and ALL over the board. 

                Maximum Resolution
                1024 x 600 (1)
                1280 x 1024 (1)
                1366 x 768 (10)
                1440 x 900 (7)
                1600 x 900 (17)
                800 x 400 (1)
But again, the main problem here is not the fine points of different wide screen formats. The problem is that your "no standards" approach has resulted in retention of 4:3 transmissions when they make no sense at all. 

How do you come up with these correlations?
First, the NO STANDARD approach was not implemented. The TV industry implemented Table 3 with TWO aspect ratios: 

4:3 for legacy content
16:9 for widescreen content.
The retention of 4:3 transmissions has NOTHING to do with the TVs that people are buying. It has EVERYTHING to do with broadcasters who are trying to survive with legacy equipment and content.
What makes no sense Bert, if forcing everyone to use the SAME aspect ratio for EVERYTHING. 
It is a creative choice, nothing more, nothing less.
The iPad is perhaps one of the mistakes that this omission has created. It should have been wide screen too. Especially because it can easily be turned to display portrait or lanscape.
The iPad does a great job with widescreen content. it also does a great job with web pages and other documents, and photos and...
The best compromise for a multifunction device like this is in the range of 1.33:1 to 1.66:1, although one could argue that long and narrow 'might" fit into a pocket better. Perhaps some of the new competitors planning smaller slates may follow your advice and build 7 inch tables with 16:9 aspect ratios... 

We shall see.
What is important here is that there is no single correct answer; manufacturers and consumers are free to experiment and let the marketplace decide. 

Regards
Craig



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