Re: Digibeta

Vincent,

Standard definition conforms to SMPTE standard 601 while High Definition is SMPTE standard 709. These standards differ by raster size (720x480 vs 1920x1080 or 1280x720) and colorometry. Standard def can be 4x3 or 16x9 and your receiver allows you to letterbox, side cut or unsqueeze the picture to fit. High Def is always 16x9.

Early 16x9 capable cameras would top and bottom cut the 4x3 to 16x9 thus reducing the vertical resolution, later versions preserved the full height and offered side cut to accommodate legacy 4x3 use.

Eventually all the 4x3 receivers will be replaced and only 16x9 sets in both SD and HD will remain. Another possibility of course is that all conventional "TV" sets as we know them will disappear in favor of computer monitors, which was/is the true promise of "convergence" which was the unrealized dream at the origin of the High Def standards.