How to Measure the Screen Size on a Widescreen TV

Widesceen TVs are measured across opposite corners.

A widescreen TV displays has a picture ratio of 16:9, which means there are 16 units of width for every 9 units of height. In contrast, a standard TV has a ratio of 4:3. Although both TV types are measured the same way, the effect can be drastically different. If you watch regular, 4:3 television shows on your widescreen TV, you will see "bars" of inactive areas on the sides, which reduces the effective size. This is compounded by the fact that a widescreen TV's height is less than that of a standard screen of equal measurement.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure

Instructions

1. Hold a tape measure on the bottom-left corner of your widescreen TV's viewing area.

2. Extend the tape measure to the top-right corner of the viewable area and read the measurement. This is the actual measurement for the television, for advertising purposes.

3. Multiply this measurement by 1.22 to insure purchasing a widescreen TV of equal height of your standard TV. This will prevent displaying a smaller pictures than you are accustomed to when watching 4:3 videos, including television shows, standard DVDs and home videos.

References

• Screen Math: The HDTV Screen Size Guide
• CNet: TV Buying Guide
• Tivo Community: How Do You Measure Wide-Screen TVs?