One of the most common questions about televisions nowadays is a simple explanation of the differences between fullscreen and widescreen formats. In television, the aspect ratio of a picture is defined by the width to the height of the image shown on your screen. The most common forms of aspect ratio in the world today are the fullscreen and widescreen formats. Fullscreen format has dominated American television for more than two decades. This is the common 4:3 standard that stretches the picture across the width and length of your entire television set. Widescreen, on the other hand, is a 16:9 standard that generally creates the illusion of black bars on the top and bottom of your television essentially framing the picture. Those black bars are actually the unused portion of your television screen. The latter format has become popular over the last five years as a rise in television technology has introduced high-definition television (HDTV) to the better part of the United States.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) set the standard of use for the fullscreen aspect. This meant that most movies photographed on film could be shown on the standard home's television set with ease. When theater attendance began to drop off in the mid-90s, the AMPAS worked on creating a new format from the classical format that would entice television audiences to head back to the theater. Thus, the widescreen format was born, creating a more realistic and intense experience. Widescreen allows for a picture to show more of the background whereas a fullscreen pictures cuts off most of the side footage due to the picture being stretched to fit the screen. Since most television viewers could not afford a television set capable of producing the widescreen format, they were forced to go to the movies to see the best possible showing of a particular film before it came out on video.

The HDTV format is the current standard of quality television in America. The 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio of HDTV in Europe, Asia and the United States. Widescreen televisions are primarily designed to show this format. As television technology increases, the importance of this ratio will be shown to be superior in picture quality as well as the viewing experience. While most Americans prefer the fullscreen format, as television technology continues to advance, it will only be a matter of time before widescreen becomes the mainstream and viewers will be forced to accept that aspect ratio as the standard in their own homes.

HDTV is most definitely the future of television. It is not a bad thing that widescreen will become dominant. Honestly, most people will wonder how they ever lived without it when watching their favorite TV programs and movies at home. Widescreens allow you to see more of the overall picture as well as bring you a crisper, sharper image. When a movie or TV show is stretched to fit a fullscreen ratio, each pixel is stretched to accommodate the particular television screen. This causes a distortion of the image and reduces the overall picture quality during playback which decreases the overall viewing experience.

The amazing thing about a widescreen television is that you no longer have to worry about the fullscreen format in most cases. Most television networks as well as their syndicates have already begun broadcasting in the high-definition format. The big change will come when you purchase a widescreen television or upgrade your existing set to meet the needs of the format. This can be an expensive process, and for some, vastly overwhelming. Luckily, the investment is more than worth it in the long run as this becomes the standard, much like VHS tapes become obsolete to DVD technology.

There are many reasons to make the jump to a widescreen television. Besides the obvious fact that this is where television technology is going in the future, the federal government has also mandated that that by February 2009 that all television signals be broadcast in digital format. That means that television owners will have one of two options at that time: Either they can invest in an analog-to-digital converter or purchase a digital television. While the converter provides a short-term solution for most television owners, in the long run, the cost of maintaining and repairing analog televisions will go the way of the dinosaur. Much like DVD players replacing VHS players, you will find that in the next five years, digital televisions will replace analog televisions in a similar fashion.

The benefits of investing in a new television will vary from household-to-household. Nowadays, purchasing a TV is much more involved than it ever was before. New features, new technology and new programming all fit into the equation of picking out the right one for your home. Televisions come in all shapes, sizes, resolutions and all these aspects can be configured to fit your budget, lifestyle and room. Adding a home theater system, stand or gaming system can bring more life to your television set as well as find ways for each person in the home to find a use for it. Plus, most electronics and departments stores offer a line of credit to invest in for your purchase with great financing offers for anybody on a budget.

Investing in widescreen technology now not only allows you to take part in the television resolution, but it will increase your enjoyment of everyday TV and movies. Crisp pictures, high-quality resolutions and the most incredibly viewing experience of your life is at your fingertips at a price everybody can afford. Finding the right TV is up to you; what are you waiting for?