What is widescreen TV?

The term "widescreen" is used to describe the format in which the picture is broadcast and displayed on screen. Widescreen is considered to be more aesthetically pleasing as it closely resembles the way the human eye views the world - enhancing the sense of realism.

If you have an old square (4:3) TV you may have noticed black lines at the top and bottom of the screen are visible more often. That's the only noticeable difference. However, if you have a digital receiver and a widescreen TV, you can now see the 'full picture'.

Most TV programmes are now produced in 16:9 so the 4:3 TV loses some of the picture (Look at the 'Spooks' example below- notice one actor is 'cut-off' on the 4:3 image).