Dictionary Home »
Computer Definitions » 16:9
16:9 - technical definition
Refers to a wide screen. The 16:9 is the ratio of width to height of the screen on a high-definition TV set (HDTV). Also expressed as the ratio 1.78:1, a 16:9 screen provides a wider rectangle compared to the 4:3 ratio of standard TV sets and most computer monitors. However, 16:9 is not as wide as the screens in major movie theaters (see aspect ratio for comparison). Watching many movies in their original format on a 16:9 screen will still result in letterbox viewing. See letterbox and HDTV.
The 4:3 and 16:9 Aspect Ratios
Intergraph was the first to develop a 28" HDTV-format monitor for computer use (right). After the turn of the century, wide screen monitors for both TV viewing and computers began to proliferate. (Image courtesy of Intergraph Computer Systems.)
Learn more about 16:9
