Why are companies making 4:3 HDTVs. (1 Viewer)

[AaronNWilson]

I may not know a lot about HDTV, but does it not seem extremely underhanded and stupid for companies to be manufacturing and selling 4:3 HDTVs. If I walked into a store wanting to buy a hdtv what are my chances of the salesperson telling me, hey well if you want to look at big black bars for the next few years go ahead. I don't think that salespeople mean to mislead customers, but if they don't they arent going to be able to sell the sets that are 4:3.
Can someone please explain where these 4:3 sets are supposed to fit into the equation because all I keep hearing is about how HDTV broadcasts are all going to get 16:9.
Aaron Wilson

 

[Don Beverly]

Well, I have a 55" HD ready set and so far with 3 satellite sources plus OTA, 95 percent of watched programming is still in 4:3 mode, at least in NTSC format, not all areas have much high def available to them yet and it could quite some time before they do, and even when that happens, the 4:3 will be around a few years yet, even HBO in high def is upconverting most of their broadcasting in 4:3 yet. When one buys a large screen set, one the reasons for a lot of us is to get as much picture area as possible for the money and the 4:3 delivers, at least for pan and scan programming. For myself, when HD programming is commonplace, then a 16:9 set is the way to go. For those that watch a lot of dvd's, then thats a different story.

 

[Jack Gilvey]

Can someone please explain where these 4:3 sets are supposed to fit into the equation because all I keep hearing is about how HDTV broadcasts are all going to get 16:9.

Some people watch programming other than HDTV.
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I prefer to listen to my music in its Original Aspect Ratio: Stereo.

 

[CRyan]

And to be honest, at this point in the game it is not deffinate that 16:9 is going to be the successor here. It is possible that DIGITAL TV will become the next standard here in the US and that does not mean 16:9. Who knows anymore. I sure don't and I do own a 16:9 TV.
C. Ryan

 

[Abdul Jalib]

The question is not "why are companies making 4:3 HDTV sets" but rather "why are companies making 16:9 HDTV sets." See the Mitsu + DVDO vs Pioneer thread on the TV's and Projectors group.
-Abdul

 

[Scott MS]

I have 250+ plus channels available to me in 4:3 480i/480p and 4 channels (plus the demo channel) in 16:9 1080i -- and I have every HDTV channel I can possibly get living in Phoenix! And out of those 4 HDTV channels, two are networks (NBC and ABC) and the only shows on those two networks in HDTV are Jay Leno, the ABC Saturday Night movie, and NYPD Blue.