TV makers have added tons of new features, high-resolution capabilities, computer connectivity, and vast image quality improvements in their TVs. Despite all the improvements, they all miss the mark on one issue that is totally destroying the picture quality regardless of the latest technology... picture geometry.

Picture geometry is nowhere near as sexy on an ad as "1080p", "screen size", or "flat panel", but it is the one issue I commonly see at trade shows, friends homes, and even in my own home from time to time. At issue is the incorrect screen mode being used to display content.

While there are "stretch modes" which allow you to convert standard-definition 4:3 material any way you like it, the main issue is when widescreen 16:9 content is displayed incorrectly resulting in a stretched image that is just "out of whack". The worst I've ever seen was at a friends' home where they were still getting used to their new HDTV. They were actually watching Troy in some odd stretch mode the collapsed the image down something approaching a 5:1 ratio. The letterbox bars took up 2/3s of the screen!

Consumers aren't to blame for this, as the new capabilities of their technologically advanced HDTVs can prove daunting. Let's face it, the average consumer isn't a videophile, and while they might think something is off, they might not necessarily know what it is.

What's funny is that it was older, less capable HDTVs that actually auto-corrected this problem. HDTVs. All the latest stretchy screen modes were not available on older HDTVs when viewing progressive-scan 480p and HD sources. Thus the 16x9 HD formats were limited, but almost always geometrically correct due to technological limitations at the time.

The Solution is Simple
TV makers need to build in technology that evaluates the picture and determines the correct geometric picture setting to use. The industry as a whole needs to work to become easier to use, and the TV geometry issue would definitely be a step in the right direction.

Consumers shouldn't even have to worry about whether the $2,000-$10,000 TV they're watching is in the correct screen-mode. With how complex TVs have become this should not be a major issue to solve in an industry that's getting more computer-like by the minute.