We are all led to believe that no matter what brand or screen size we choose all widescreens are 16:9 and will give the same results (geometrically). Really?
Many brands I've encountered don't seem to use identical width and height for identical size screens, because the screen diagonal as quoted uses a different angle in each case. This results in wider screens with less height or conversely higher screens with less width.
In the 40", 42" & 50" sizes screens look fairly similar, sizes above and below are more likely to diverge.
E.G. Philips 32" & 37" lcds look wider than say Samsung and Hitachi at same size. Sony 46" X series looks extremely wide compared to other Sony sizes - the shape is different not just the diagonal.
Apart from this disparity is the question of the shape of the panorama, which can change within the one manufacturer. EG 37" Panasonic rectangle looks elongated compared to 42" screens, particularly strange is why some ads still letterbox (on Hitachi 42") - aren't they 16:9 too?
Surely if a base 16:9 rectangle is scaled up to increase its size, it shouldn't change shape, nor should the measured diagonal change its angle. How can we all be looking at similar pictures, regardless of screen size? (Please don't quote ratios back at me, its more fundemental than that.)
My own CRT when it letterboxes 16:9, is most similar in shape to 37" Philips or 46" Sony screens. I think 40/42/50 are perhaps vertically stretching or even cropping the pictures - otherwise they would distort?
Expert views please.
