It's time to upgrade your company's screen, and you want to do it with all the information you can get. Considerations like memory and processing speed are usually easy to understand, but when it comes to the screen, there is a plethora of unfamiliar jargon. There's little doubt that a 13-inch screen is more portable than a 15-inch one, but what about all the additional terms?
Read on, and we'll explain concepts like aspect ratio and resolution. We'll also explain what those phrases mean in the context of the display you're evaluating and how you can utilize the data behind those terms to make a well-informed purchase choice that will provide the best results for your digital signage business.
What is the aspect ratio?
Displays on computers and televisions, camera sensors, printed and digital pictures, and many other things are often described using the term "aspect ratio," representing the proportion of width to height.
Many modern movies are shot at 16:9, and that ratio has also gained favor on computer monitors. On the other hand, this stark contrasts with the first televisions, which had an aspect ratio of 4:3.
The link between aspect ratio and resolution
The word resolution and aspect ratio refers to the format and the picture on your TV screen. Both of these parameters of television are interconnected and mutually influential. Resolution measures how many individual dots (pixels) make up the image on your TV screen. The greater the number of pixels, regardless of screen size, the higher the resolution and the better the image quality. The number of pixels or dots in the vertical direction is a common measure of TV resolution. In addition to having a number, each of these resolutions also has a unique name.
The Aspect Ratio is directly related to the resolution. It represents the aspect ratio of the TV, which describes the screen's width with its height. Aspect ratios are mathematically calculated to accommodate a range of resolutions without causing the image to be stretched, distorted, or have unnecessary black bars on both sides.
The history of aspect ratio
The history of aspect ratio is a long and complicated one. Today's most common aspect ratio is 16:9, the ratio of a widescreen TV. However, this was not always the case. In the early days of television, most TVs had a 4:3 aspect ratio. It was the ratio of a standard TV. The 4:3 aspect ratio was used because it was the ratio of a classic movie screen. This aspect ratio was then carried over into the earliest television sets, also designed to mimic the human field of vision.
However, as technology progressed and televisions became more sophisticated, engineers began experimenting with different aspect ratios to make the most of the available screen space. The most common aspect ratio in use today is 16:9, which was first introduced in the late 1980s. This aspect ratio is considered the ideal compromise between the 4:3 format and the much wider CinemaScope format popularized in the 1950s. It is wider than the 4:3 aspect ratio, which gives the viewer a more immersive experience.
The importance of considering the display aspect ratio when creating content
Your photographs and videos will appear differently on various platforms depending on the aspect ratio you set when uploading them. Recognizing the different image aspect ratios will facilitate uploading and sharing across several platforms. It will also guarantee the best possible content exposure. Here are some of the most important gains from using the proper aspect ratio for your material.
· Prevents image and video distortion
Before showing anything, it's important to have a handle on the aspect ratio. Have you ever discovered the ideal image for a project or subject on a photo-sharing site, only to find that it doesn't work on a specific platform like Instagram when you want to post it? When we want a certain picture or photograph to be in the front or the background of a composition, the aspect ratio plays a role in how we present that composition.
For instance, you may have a headshot photo or video that, when uploading to Instagram, looks oversized or with black bars on both sides. It occurs when an image's aspect ratio needs to be properly adjusted for the medium in which it will be shared. The fix is to change the picture or video's aspect ratio to Instagram's preferred 1:1.
· Influences the design
Design and aspect ratio are inseparable. Text in a video or picture captions will be shown in a different location depending on the aspect ratio. It's a game-changer when it comes to making social media posts.
It's also important to remember that the picture you intend to use in your promotional video may have a different aspect ratio than the video. You'll notice that the video's view is skewed or off-center when you attempt to upload it. Just resize the picture, and the issue will be solved. The correct online tool makes it easy to change the image's aspect ratio to fit the video.
· Avoids letterboxes
When newer movies were filmed with a different aspect ratio than most older TVs, those black bars, known as letterboxes, appeared on the screen. Also, they may appear on mobile devices if the uploaded video has a different aspect ratio than the one used by the sharing service. Letterboxes indicate that the uploaded video or image does not have the correct aspect ratio and must be re-edited. Remember that aspect ratio is only the form to keep things simple.
Accordingly, modern TVs often have a screen aspect ratio of 16:9, which translates to "horizontal," while mobile phones typically have a screen aspect ratio of 9:16, which translates to "vertical."
Consider Instagram; back in 2012, when the app first launched, users could only share photographs that were exactly 1:1 or square. Users who wanted to share landscape or portrait photographs had to crop them into squares or utilize third-party programs that allowed for more flexibility. The most popular social networking sites nowadays can accommodate a wide range of formatting preferences from their users. However, you may still encounter issues (such as black bars or distorted photos) that may be readily remedied with little technical know-how.
The platforms' way of structuring video to ensure it preserves its same shape despite the screen not being the same shape involves using black bars (called "letterboxes"). It's important to keep in mind the TV's black borders at the top and bottom while viewing a film in widescreen format. If you choose the correct aspect ratio, you can avoid having your photos or videos seem letterboxed on your digital signage displays.
Video walls and LED screens with a custom aspect ratio
Video walls and LED screens are popular for businesses wanting to make a big impact with their visuals. These screens can be custom-made to any size or aspect ratio, making them perfect for creating a truly unique display. Video walls can showcase products, advertise services, or add visual interest to a space. LED screens are also often used for event signage, as they are bright and eye-catching. To make your content playing smoothly and correct on this digital signage players you need to always keep in mind their aspect ratio when creating the design.
