Why Aren’t TVs Square? – [Things You Need To Know!]

When you see an old TV on social media, you may wonder why its shape has changed from a square to a rectangle.

TVs are not square today because now most of the TV content is shot and captured to present it on a rectangular screen.

Traditional TV is called CRT. However, all CRTs are not rectangular. Some of them are round, particularly old CRT while some are square. If you are interested in knowing why TV is not square anymore then read the guide below.

Why Are TVs Not Square Anymore?

Nowadays TVs are rectangular because 4×6 photography is considered ideal for image representation. As a standard, the aspect ratio for the TV screen is three units of height to four units of width.

Now the TV’s default shape ended and changed to rectangular instead. The reason is the aspect ratio. Now widescreen format TVs have 16:9.

When Does The Square TV Shape Change To A Rectangle?

Between the 1990s and early 2000s, TV screen shapes changed from square to rectangular. TVs with 16:9 widescreen displays start producing at an increasing rate.

Before this era, TV had a square shape having the same height and width. CRT TVs were widely used before flat-screen TVs.

Nowadays, screens can also be round. Circular types of displays are compact, offer multiple functionalities, and are quite easy to wear. Additionally, round LED displays may also have a touch panel.

Why Do Brands Stop Making Square TV Sets?

This change in the TV industry began in the 90s. In the 90s TV manufacturers started developing devices with higher resolution and larger screens. The first television in rectangular shape was developed in 1997 that has an aspect ratio of 16:9 with a resolution of 1125 lines/second.

After this TV shape changes continuously. The invention of the Plasma TV in 2000; makes rectangular TVs ideal for high-definition equipment.

However, Plasma TV is prone to damage very easily. So it makes manufacturers produce thinner and larger TVs. These features were hugely appreciated by users as it was very incredible to have a 40-inch TV in those days.

With the advancement in technology, TVs have better image quality with more advanced functions. Moreover, now you have a huge variety of TVs in the market like LCD and LED TV screens.

Why Do Rectangular TVs Become Popular?

The factor that makes rectangular TVs popular worldwide is that their content starts to be transmitted in 16:9 format. This will cause a change in the viewing experience. With time TV technology continuously improves.

Nowadays this TV format is usually ideal for film shows and TV shows like Netflix.

Why Was This Change Necessary In TV?

No doubt the change in TV shape from square to rectangle is revolutionary. Many families entertain in their homes with TV facilities. However, TV technology always needs some new narratives and advancements.

Today almost every home has smart TVs that are rectangular and thin in shape. However, TV has not always had the same design. In the 90s, traditional TVs had a design that had very limited functions and no advanced technology in it.

Why Are Old TVs Not Showing Full Screen?

Let’s discuss some factors that explain why older TVs do not show up full screen.

HDTV:

In the older days, TVs had black parts on both sides of the screens. Also some TV shows had this issue.

As you know, in the 90s TV had a square shape as compared to its current shape. In 1950 movies competed with TV and started producing wider images. Wide screens have a wider and more natural field of view.

Later on, in the 1970s films started shooting in a wider format as compared to TV. This was the basic reason that when movies were shown on TV it’s right and left parts of the images usually cut off. Some films had a wide format with their 2/3 images cut off on TV.

Widescreen TV:

The advancement in the TV industry makes TV wider with time. A lot of people want to have a high-definition TV with a wider screen. Nowadays you can see wide screen TVs everywhere having higher resolution.

Final Argument:

In this article, you learned how the TV shape changes from a square to a rectangle. With changes in TV shape, there are also many advancements in its features and technologies.

Now you can see thin and rectangular TVs everywhere, having high-definition picture quality.

Hopefully, you learned a lot of helpful information from the guide!

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