HDTV Picture Formats

What is the Difference Between a Standard Screen and a Wide Screen

The type of screen your HDTV has (wide screen or standard screen) determines how the 8300HD displays programs on the screen. The picture format for an HDTV is a combination of aspect ratio and screen resolution and is different for standard-screen and wide-screen HDTVs.

« Back to Top

What is Aspect Ratio?

An aspect ratio is the ratio of the width to the height of the TV screen. The aspect ratios differ because the television industry manufactures both standard-screen and wide-screen HDTVs to appeal to consumer viewing preferences.

A standard-screen HDTV has a 4:3 aspect ratio. The screen is 4 units wide for every 3 units tall.

HD Picture Format1

A screen resolution of 480p or 480i fills the screen.

A standard-screen HDTV has a 4:3 aspect ratio. The screen is 4 units wide for every 3 units tall.

HDPictureFormat2

A screen resolution of 480p or 480i fills the screen.

« Back to Top

What is the Screen Resolution?

The screen resolution indicates the amount of detail that the picture displays. Resolution is identified by the number of display lines on the screen. The techniques that an HDTV uses to “paint” the picture on the screen are referred to as progressive and interlaced.

For example, a resolution of 1080i indicates that the screen shows 1080 lines in an interlaced display, and 480p indicates that the screens shows 480 lines in a progressive display.

Note: The screen resolution (1080i, 480p, and so forth) is sometimes referred to as the scan rate. The terms are interchangeable.

With the progressive method, every pixel on the screen is refreshed simultaneously. The interlace method involves refreshing pixels in alternation- first the odd lines and then the even lines.

« Back to Top

How useful was this information?

"1" is the least useful and "5" being most useful.

We welcome your feedback.  Click Send after you have made a selection.


Let us help you through online chat.

Call us at 1-888-438-2427

Click to Call

Click to verify BBB accreditation and to see a BBB report.

About CharterLocationsInvestor & News CenterCareersSite MapYour Privacy RightsPolicies

Charter Communications sites:Charter.comCharter BusinessCharter.netCharter MediaCharter Latino

©2009 Charter Communications.