Which Aspect Ratio for cheap projector?

Cheap projector tips

Aspect ratio 16:9 is good choice for you cheap projector.

Aspect ratio is about the rectangular shape of the video image. A standard TV has an aspect ratio of 4:3. That means the picture is four units wide for every three units of height. The movie standard is 16:9, which are 16 units of width for every 9 units of height. So movies 16:9 is horizontally wider than regular TV, which by comparison looks almost square.

Here's the problem: any given projector or TV comes in its own native format--typically either 4:3 or 16:9. On the other hand, movies and video come in many different aspect ratio formats. TV programs and videos intended for regular TV is done in 4:3. On the other hand, movies are in 16:9 format.

The most popular choice for a home theater system is to go with a 16:9 projector and a 16:9 screen. But some people still like the more classic format of a 4:3 projector with a 4:3 screen, since all classic films prior to 1953 were made in this format. And today there is a lot of interest in dedicated super-widescreen 2.35:1 systems as well. Each of these three configurations offers some unique benefits, as well as some disadvantages that should be considered before taking the plunge.

So if you want to view material such as classic films, or DVD-based television series like Friends or Northern Exposure, or an IMAX special like Everest in very large dramatic format, choose the 4:3 aspect ratio.

Unfortunately most high quality home theater projectors being marketed these days are in native 16:9. As such, it can be hard to find a 4:3 projector that delivers great video that rivals the quality of the 16:9 home theater models. And since most 4:3 projectors are in resolutions such as 800x600, 1024x768, and 1400x1050, it means that all video content will need to be scaled to fit the projector's native resolution.

And if you want to see from HDTV and widescreen DVD, 16:9 is the logical choice. All HDTV broadcast material is in 16:9, and it will be displayed in its full glory, without black bars, on a native 16:9 projector. And there is a lot of 16:9 programming available. There are many 16:9 projectors to choose from, and many of them are designed specifically for high quality home theater.

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