16:10 Aspect Ratio on LCD TV's

Ian1943 · 12-12-2007, 15:09

I am considering buying a 22" (or possibly a 19") LCD TV for the kitchen but the majority in the budget range appear to have an aspect ratio of 16:10. Does this mean that everything viewed will present a distorted image or will the image be cropped on both sides?

daveac · 12-12-2007, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian1943

I am considering buying a 22" (or possibly a 19") LCD TV for the kitchen but the majority in the budget range appear to have an aspect ratio of 16:10. Does this mean that everything viewed will present a distorted image or will the image be cropped on both sides?

Don't know sorry - but the other option is narrow black bands at the top and bottom of the picture.

Cheers, daveac

Praxidike · 12-12-2007, 15:22

It appears to depend on the TV. I have two Samsungs (one 19", one 22"), the 19" only crops, losing bits of the top and bottom of the image. The 22" gives you the option to letterbox (better, gives you black bands but doesn't lose the image), or crop or zoom or do whatever you like.

You'll probably just have to buy one and take it back if it doesn't do what you want it to do.

Orbitalzone · 12-12-2007, 19:10

I've got the 22" LG (22LS4R) which is 16:!0, I spent some time doing tests on how it displayed things. It seems that anything that is viewed via RF, Scart, SVideo or RGB is everso slightly stretched vertically to fill the screen. Viewing an anamorphic 16:9 program from a standard Sky box or DVD player will fill the width correctly but the height is higher than it should be (or is it the width is compressed more?!) - anyhow it means that on some images, such as close ups on people, things can look slightly wrong.

I posted some threads over at the AV Forums about this, with some images so you can see for yourself, personally I don't notice it very often and I am a fussy so and so!.....

A DVD played via a PC connected to HDMI or VGA is displayed correctly, with small black bars top and bottom (and I'm not referring to wider than 16:9 images)

See the images and more HERE

I imagine many other 16:10's do the same.

Ash_735 · 12-12-2007, 23:34

I don't actually get the point of 16:10, they should only be used for Computer Monitors, is this just companies scamming people?

Chris Simon · 13-12-2007, 00:21

My 17" Daewoo is 16:10 and pictures fill the whole screen but are slightly compressed horizontally (or stretched vertically depending on how you look at it). It's noticeable when I use it every now and then after watching a proper 16:9 screen but it's not *too* bad and you get used to it if watching for a prolonged period.

Small screens like these are usually based on PC monitor panels which is why they have that resolution.

daveac · 13-12-2007, 00:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orbitalzone

I posted some threads over at the AV Forums about this, with some images so you can see for yourself, personally I don't notice it very often and I am a fussy so and so!.....

A DVD played via a PC connected to HDMI or VGA is displayed correctly, with small black bars top and bottom (and I'm not referring to wider than 16:9 images)

See the images and more HERE

I imagine many other 16:10's do the same.

Well I think that's bad - It would annoy me to see things out of true shape. I mean on the test card the circle is wrong.

Perhaps the screens with in-built Freeview do a better job with that.

Cheers, daveac

Orbitalzone · 13-12-2007, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveac

Well I think that's bad - It would annoy me to see things out of true shape. I mean on the test card the circle is wrong.

Perhaps the screens with in-built Freeview do a better job with that.

Cheers, daveac

Oh I agree... I think the testcard is terrible... luckily I only use this set as a PC monitor (it's fine for that) and occasional TV use. I got this model as it has VGA, HDMI, SVideo, Scart (RGB), composite video in, component in, headphone socket which is great lot of connections.

The reason I suspect they use 16:10 I suppose is that it's a standard PC resolution and makes for a cheap TV/ monitor. (I think mine cost £249 which wasn't bad for a monitor and TV)

Praxidike · 13-12-2007, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash_735

I don't actually get the point of 16:10, they should only be used for Computer Monitors, is this just companies scamming people?

Even for a PC monitor, I don't see the point. I'd much rather have a 16:9 PC monitor so when I watch videos on it, there isn't any wasted space, and that'll also solve the problem when it's a TV as well. I've never seen a 16:9 PC monitor though or I would've bought one, I don't see what an extra 20 pixels top and bottom can really do, other than annoy because it's different.

mjk79 · 13-12-2007, 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praxidike

Even for a PC monitor, I don't see the point... I don't see what an extra 20 pixels top and bottom can really do, other than annoy because it's different.

On a computer it means that you can edit or play widescreen video full screen, plus have space for menu's etc to be displayed.

Great for HD video editing in a professional environment, bummer for a living room TV.

Praxidike · 13-12-2007, 21:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjk79

On a computer it means that you can edit or play widescreen video full screen, plus have space for menu's etc to be displayed.

Great for HD video editing in a professional environment, bummer for a living room TV.

You mean small strips of menus top and bottom? I haven't seen a program with these (although I don't doubt they exist), but I'd turn them off anyway as anything other than black bands would just get annoying for me.

I can see the point for editing though if it means you can play with some small menus and not have to resize the video you're working on.

12-12-2007, 15:09	#1
Ian1943 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 61	16:10 Aspect Ratio on LCD TV's I am considering buying a 22" (or possibly a 19") LCD TV for the kitchen but the majority in the budget range appear to have an aspect ratio of 16:10. Does this mean that everything viewed will present a distorted image or will the image be cropped on both sides?

12-12-2007, 15:16	#2
daveac Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 466	Quote: Originally Posted by Ian1943 I am considering buying a 22" (or possibly a 19") LCD TV for the kitchen but the majority in the budget range appear to have an aspect ratio of 16:10. Does this mean that everything viewed will present a distorted image or will the image be cropped on both sides? Don't know sorry - but the other option is narrow black bands at the top and bottom of the picture. Cheers, daveac

12-12-2007, 15:22	#3
Praxidike Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,103	It appears to depend on the TV. I have two Samsungs (one 19", one 22"), the 19" only crops, losing bits of the top and bottom of the image. The 22" gives you the option to letterbox (better, gives you black bands but doesn't lose the image), or crop or zoom or do whatever you like. You'll probably just have to buy one and take it back if it doesn't do what you want it to do.

12-12-2007, 19:10	#4
Orbitalzone Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Sussex Posts: 12,173	I've got the 22" LG (22LS4R) which is 16:!0, I spent some time doing tests on how it displayed things. It seems that anything that is viewed via RF, Scart, SVideo or RGB is everso slightly stretched vertically to fill the screen. Viewing an anamorphic 16:9 program from a standard Sky box or DVD player will fill the width correctly but the height is higher than it should be (or is it the width is compressed more?!) - anyhow it means that on some images, such as close ups on people, things can look slightly wrong. I posted some threads over at the AV Forums about this, with some images so you can see for yourself, personally I don't notice it very often and I am a fussy so and so!..... A DVD played via a PC connected to HDMI or VGA is displayed correctly, with small black bars top and bottom (and I'm not referring to wider than 16:9 images) See the images and more HERE I imagine many other 16:10's do the same.

12-12-2007, 23:34	#5
Ash_735 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,249	I don't actually get the point of 16:10, they should only be used for Computer Monitors, is this just companies scamming people?

13-12-2007, 00:21	#6
Chris Simon Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Snowdonia Posts: 2,725	My 17" Daewoo is 16:10 and pictures fill the whole screen but are slightly compressed horizontally (or stretched vertically depending on how you look at it). It's noticeable when I use it every now and then after watching a proper 16:9 screen but it's not too bad and you get used to it if watching for a prolonged period. Small screens like these are usually based on PC monitor panels which is why they have that resolution.

13-12-2007, 00:36	#7
daveac Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 466	Quote: Originally Posted by Orbitalzone I posted some threads over at the AV Forums about this, with some images so you can see for yourself, personally I don't notice it very often and I am a fussy so and so!..... A DVD played via a PC connected to HDMI or VGA is displayed correctly, with small black bars top and bottom (and I'm not referring to wider than 16:9 images) See the images and more HERE I imagine many other 16:10's do the same. Well I think that's bad - It would annoy me to see things out of true shape. I mean on the test card the circle is wrong. Perhaps the screens with in-built Freeview do a better job with that. Cheers, daveac

13-12-2007, 16:05	#8
Orbitalzone Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Sussex Posts: 12,173	Quote: Originally Posted by daveac Well I think that's bad - It would annoy me to see things out of true shape. I mean on the test card the circle is wrong. Perhaps the screens with in-built Freeview do a better job with that. Cheers, daveac Oh I agree... I think the testcard is terrible... luckily I only use this set as a PC monitor (it's fine for that) and occasional TV use. I got this model as it has VGA, HDMI, SVideo, Scart (RGB), composite video in, component in, headphone socket which is great lot of connections. The reason I suspect they use 16:10 I suppose is that it's a standard PC resolution and makes for a cheap TV/ monitor. (I think mine cost £249 which wasn't bad for a monitor and TV)

13-12-2007, 16:58	#9
Praxidike Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,103	Quote: Originally Posted by Ash_735 I don't actually get the point of 16:10, they should only be used for Computer Monitors, is this just companies scamming people? Even for a PC monitor, I don't see the point. I'd much rather have a 16:9 PC monitor so when I watch videos on it, there isn't any wasted space, and that'll also solve the problem when it's a TV as well. I've never seen a 16:9 PC monitor though or I would've bought one, I don't see what an extra 20 pixels top and bottom can really do, other than annoy because it's different.

13-12-2007, 20:48	#10
mjk79 Forum Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Central London Posts: 6,845	Quote: Originally Posted by Praxidike Even for a PC monitor, I don't see the point... I don't see what an extra 20 pixels top and bottom can really do, other than annoy because it's different. On a computer it means that you can edit or play widescreen video full screen, plus have space for menu's etc to be displayed. Great for HD video editing in a professional environment, bummer for a living room TV.

13-12-2007, 21:03	#11
Praxidike Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,103	Quote: Originally Posted by mjk79 On a computer it means that you can edit or play widescreen video full screen, plus have space for menu's etc to be displayed. Great for HD video editing in a professional environment, bummer for a living room TV. You mean small strips of menus top and bottom? I haven't seen a program with these (although I don't doubt they exist), but I'd turn them off anyway as anything other than black bands would just get annoying for me. I can see the point for editing though if it means you can play with some small menus and not have to resize the video you're working on.

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16:10 Aspect Ratio on LCD TV's