April 30th, 2010
What is an aspect ratio and how can you tell which one you need to use for your next presentation? This article sheds some light on the matter.
Let’s talk aspect ratio
In a nutshell, aspect ratio is a simple matter of dimensions (as expressed in width to height). In terms of television, film, and projectors, aspect ratio refers to the size and shape of the viewable image.
Remember watching older movies on TV where the opening and closing credits were all stretched out? That’s because the film was produced in 16:9 (sometimes called “letterbox” or “widescreen” format) and then squished into 4:3 to fit on your TV screen.
In many cases, when you purchase a film on DVD, you can choose whether you wish to view it in widescreen or regular format (in widescreen format, you will see a black bar above and below the film image, and this will run throughout the movie; regular format will fill your television screen (unless you own a widescreen television). In either case, this is due to the aspect ratio.
Aspect ratio is a relevant factor when selecting a projector because most projectors have a fixed resolution (also called native aspect ratio) for display. However, rental projectors from Projector123.com can display a number of aspect ratios (and in most cases, the native aspect ratio is listed first).
If you’re planning a PowerPoint Presentation, your projected image will likely appear in an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 5:4. Home theater viewing of films on DVD and HDTV can be projected with 16:9 (letterbox or widescreen) format. The aspect ratio is purely a matter of personal preference.
Ready to rent a projector with a versatile aspect ratio for your next business or personal gathering? Click here to discover why Projector123.com is the number one choice for projector rentals throughout the U.S.
Leave a Reply
