Learn how to accurately measure a widescreen television by understanding its aspect ratio, screen dimensions, and diagonal size.
Flat and widescreen television sets have replaced what used to be known as the boob tube. Not only do such television sets provide the viewer with a better experience, but they also save space in your living room.
The term “widescreen,” as applied to television, generally refers to its aspect ratio. Every viewing screen, such as TV sets and computer monitors, has what is known as an aspect ratio. This number represents the ratio of the displayed image’s width to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon.
Therefore, when measuring a widescreen TV, you are working with its aspect ratio. Here is how to do it.
- Determine your widescreen television’s aspect ratio. The aspect ratio of most widescreen TV sets is 16:9. This simply means that the width is 16 units long and the height is 9 units long. This makes the image projected by the TV a widescreen image because the width is greater than the height. In contrast, a non-widescreen TV displays an image that is nearly square, with an aspect ratio of about 1:1.
- Find out the width of the television screen. By determining the width of the screen, you can calculate the height using simple proportions. For example, if your screen’s width is 32 inches, then its height is 18 inches.
- Another way to understand the dimensions of the screen is by knowing the diagonal length. In geometry, a diagonal is a line connecting opposite corners of a polygon. Television screen sizes are traditionally expressed as the length of this diagonal line. Thus, if your TV is described as having a 32-inch screen, the number does not refer to the physical width or height of the screen, but rather to the diagonal distance from one corner to the opposite corner.
- Understand the importance of screen area. Suppose you have two TV screens, both measuring 32 inches diagonally. Are they equivalent? Not necessarily. If one screen has an aspect ratio of 16:9 and the other has an aspect ratio of 4:3, the screen with the aspect ratio closer to a square (i.e., 4:3) will actually have a larger total screen area. However, even if a 4:3 screen has a larger area, the 16:9 screen offers the advantage of making the image appear more horizontal, which aligns naturally with human vision. Because our eyes are aligned horizontally and most objects we view are spread across the ground, a widescreen TV provides a more comfortable and useful viewing experience.
Measuring a widescreen TV is not overly technical; it is something anyone can do. Keep these tips in mind the next time you measure a widescreen TV so you can accurately determine its dimensions using the aspect ratio and screen size.
How to Measure a Widescreen TV
Learn how to accurately measure a widescreen television by understanding its aspect ratio, screen dimensions, and diagonal size.
Flat and widescreen television sets have replaced what used to be known as the boob tube. Not only do such television sets provide the viewer with a better experience, but they also save space in your living room.
The term “widescreen,” as applied to television, generally refers to its aspect ratio. Every viewing screen, such as TV sets and computer monitors, has what is known as an aspect ratio. This number represents the ratio of the displayed image’s width to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon.
Therefore, when measuring a widescreen TV, you are working with its aspect ratio. Here is how to do it.
- Determine your widescreen television’s aspect ratio. The aspect ratio of most widescreen TV sets is 16:9. This simply means that the width is 16 units long and the height is 9 units long. This makes the image projected by the TV a widescreen image because the width is greater than the height. In contrast, a non-widescreen TV displays an image that is nearly square, with an aspect ratio of about 1:1.
- Find out the width of the television screen. By determining the width of the screen, you can calculate the height using simple proportions. For example, if your screen’s width is 32 inches, then its height is 18 inches.
- Another way to understand the dimensions of the screen is by knowing the diagonal length. In geometry, a diagonal is a line connecting opposite corners of a polygon. Television screen sizes are traditionally expressed as the length of this diagonal line. Thus, if your TV is described as having a 32-inch screen, the number does not refer to the physical width or height of the screen, but rather to the diagonal distance from one corner to the opposite corner.
- Understand the importance of screen area. Suppose you have two TV screens, both measuring 32 inches diagonally. Are they equivalent? Not necessarily. If one screen has an aspect ratio of 16:9 and the other has an aspect ratio of 4:3, the screen with the aspect ratio closer to a square (i.e., 4:3) will actually have a larger total screen area. However, even if a 4:3 screen has a larger area, the 16:9 screen offers the advantage of making the image appear more horizontal, which aligns naturally with human vision. Because our eyes are aligned horizontally and most objects we view are spread across the ground, a widescreen TV provides a more comfortable and useful viewing experience.
Measuring a widescreen TV is not overly technical; it is something anyone can do. Keep these tips in mind the next time you measure a widescreen TV so you can accurately determine its dimensions using the aspect ratio and screen size.
How to Measure a Widescreen TV
By Howtodotips
Learn how to accurately measure a widescreen television by understanding its aspect ratio, screen dimensions, and diagonal size.