What aspect ratio were old consoles?

The aspect ratio of old consoles was predominantly 4:3, a standard that was widely adopted in the early days of television and video games, with some consoles like the NES and SNES having a non-standard aspect ratio of 8:7 when their pixel clock rate is taken into account. The 4:3 aspect ratio was the norm for most old consoles, including the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear, although some games on these consoles could be played in widescreen mode, which was not as common back then.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Aspect Ratio Information

1. What was the old screen aspect ratio? Most televisions were built with an aspect ratio of 4:3 until the late 2000s, when widescreen TVs with 16:9 displays became the standard.
2. Why did we move from 4:3 to 16:9? The shift from 4:3 to 16:9 was driven by the advent of HDTV (High-Definition Television) in 1996, which adopted the 16:9 aspect ratio as its standard.
3. What is the golden ratio screen? The golden ratio, also known as the divine proportion, is a ratio of a rectangle where the width is roughly 1.5 times its height, and it is considered the most aesthetically pleasing, with 16:10 being close to this ratio.

Console-Specific Aspect Ratios

4. What aspect ratio is NES? The NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) has a non-standard aspect ratio of 8:7 when its pixel clock rate is taken into account, rather than the standard 4:3.
5. What aspect ratio is SNES? The SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) also has a non-standard aspect ratio of 8:7, similar to the NES.
6. What aspect ratio was PS2? The PS2 (PlayStation 2) had the option for both 4:3 and 16:9 (widescreen) display, but most games did not utilize the widescreen mode.
7. What aspect ratio was Wii? The Wii allowed users to change the screen format to either widescreen (16:9) or standard (4:3).
8. What aspect ratio is Sega Master System? The Sega Master System had a true 4:3 aspect ratio, with a resolution of 256×192 pixels (NTSC) and 256×224 pixels (PAL).
9. What aspect ratio is Sega Game Gear? The Sega Game Gear had a correct aspect ratio of 4:3, despite having the same resolution as the Game Boy, which has a correct aspect ratio of 10:9.

Aspect Ratio in Modern Times

10. Is 4:3 outdated? The 4:3 format is not entirely outdated, as it is still used in some contexts, although widescreen formats like 16:9 have become the standard for most modern displays.
11. Why is 16:9 so common? The 16:9 format is widely used because it allows for high-resolution images without compromising picture quality, making it ideal for film production and home entertainment.
12. What aspect ratio is used in film production? The aspect ratio used in film production varies, but 2.20:1 is a common ratio used in epic films like Lawrence of Arabia.

Technical Details

13. What resolution did SNES use? The SNES had an internal resolution of 256×224.
14. Was the Wii 1080P? The Wii did not support 1080p, but the Wii U does, with a maximum resolution of 1080p.
15. Why is Wii blurry on HDTV? The Wii can appear blurry on HDTVs because it outputs a SD (480i) signal, which may not be optimized for modern high-definition displays.